Walleye fishing is a competitive sport and a popular pastime. Since walleye are different from other fishes, conventional baits, and techniques of fishing might not work. There exist diverse opinions about which walleye fishing lure is the best to be used.
Walleyes are toothy and aggressive predators. The baits and lures have to be different than what you commonly use for fishing. This walleye fishing lure buying guide will help you to choose the right lure.
So, read along and get answers to all your questions about walleye fishing lures.
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How to choose the right walleye lure?
Purchasing a host of walleye lures without proper research can be a complete wastage of money, time, and effort. Make informed decisions about which lure to buy. Before selecting a particular product, you need to check and confirm that your chosen equipment fulfills all the criteria of a good lure.
Note down your fishing location, water conditions, and weather conditions before you select the right fishing lure. If you are not sure about what the criteria are, here comes the features that you should look for while purchasing a walleye fishing lure.
Types of Walleye Lures
There are different types of walleye lures available in the market. Among them, the most common ones are:
Crankbaits:
These are loved by many anglers for their effectiveness and are available in different sizes and colors. They are also beginner-friendly. You only need to cast them out and crank them back.
Spoons:
These are simple and very easy to use. They have been used as a lure for a long time for their simple design and action in the water. They accurately mimic the movements of a wounded baitfish.
Spinners:
These work when the blades inside them spin at a fast rate. Such a quick movement creates vibrations and reflects light into the water. Spinners work very well in attracting hungry walleye.
Jigs:
These consist of weighted heads with simple hooks. Despite being very simple in design, they can work quite effectively and create vibrations in the water.
Soft plastic:
These lures have an added advantage over the other lures. They feel more natural to a hungry walleye which gives them a sustained bite. They are found in different shapes and colors and some are even fragranced.
Lure Weight
The weight of your lure should be as per your fishing needs. Your lure needs to fulfill your fishing aim, failing which the entire fishing process will not yield the desired result. If you get a heavy lure, it will go deep into the waters.
If you want to avoid your lure being too heavy or too light, you can customize it as your choice. The lure’s depth and action are greatly impacted by its weight. You should add a weight of 50 feet from the lure so that it can run smoothly and not hamper the action.
The action might be compromised if you add weight very near to your lure. Again, adding too little weight might take you out of the targeted depth.
Lure Size
Studies and research have revealed that as the size of the lure increases, the chances the fish get attracted to them, decreases. However, medium-sized lures can be the perfect ones for walleye.
The size of the lure plays a crucial role in walleye fishing. You should pick a lure that is around 3.5 inches in length. Such a lure will make it very easy to catch a walleye.
If you want, you can also use larger lures. The most important thing to keep in mind while choosing the size is to know the size of the baitfish. Normally, large baits lure large fishes and spook the smaller ones.
Material
Always choose a lure made up of premium quality material. Having a lure made from sturdy and durable materials is important so that your lure does not get damaged due to attacks from the walleye. If your lure is made of flimsy and weak material, it might spook the walleye rather than entice them towards you.
Lures are normally made of three different materials. These are solid plastic, soft plastic, and metal. Solid plastic lures are lighter and are more useful for medium-depth fishing.
Soft plastic lures are the lightest but they are not popularly used. They are good for murky waters having low visibility and low temperature. Metal lures are the heaviest but they are good for fishing in deep waters.
Hooks
You can use either a single or a double hook. At times, you can also take up treble hooks too. Before choosing the number of hooks, consider how big the fish is and how sharp you want the hooks to be.
Having sharp hooks is helpful as they will be able to enter through the mouth of the fishes and make it stay attached till it is entirely moved out of the water. The best walleye fishing lures will be effective in attracting the fish much quicker than other ordinary ones.
Color
It is better to have bright colored walleye fishing lure if the water is very shallow and there is a lack of clarity. Vibrant colors are best to go for when you go to a depth of 5 to 20 feet. Lures with bright colors will work great in attracting the walleye.
When your lure will start getting into the deep waters, its color will begin to fade away. You can choose purple if you are going deeper than 20 feet since it lasts more compared to the other colors.
Walleye fishing is fun and a wholesome experience. Having the best lure will improve your fishing skills and make your fishing endeavor a huge hit. However, sometimes you also need to use different baits or lures to entice the fish.
Conclusion
Knowing which lure to use and how to use it will make you a successful angler. With this helping guide by your side, now you can choose the best walleye fishing lures and start your fishing adventure!
Happy fishing!
