What is the secret weapon that turns a slow day on the water into a trophy haul of walleye? Many anglers stare at their tackle box, overwhelmed by the choices. Live bait, artificial lures, plastics—the options seem endless, and choosing the wrong one can mean hours of frustration and empty nets. Walleye are notoriously picky eaters, often ignoring your best efforts if the presentation isn’t just right.
This confusion is where many fishing trips fall flat. You need reliable information to match the bait to the water conditions, time of year, and the mood of the fish. Stop guessing and start catching! By the end of this post, you will master the art of bait selection.
We break down the best live and artificial options proven to work for walleye, saving you time and disappointment. Get ready to discover the exact baits you need for your next successful outing.
Top Bait For Walleye Fishing Recommendations
- PowerBait Attractant
- PowerBait Attractant
- PowerBait Attractant
- PowerBait Attractant
- PowerBait Attractant
- Curated Walleye Lure Selection: Includes 7 hand-picked walleye baits plus a bonus item chosen by Rapala experts. Designed to help anglers target walleye in lakes, rivers, and reservoirs with proven fish-catching action
- Top Walleye Brands and Premium Components: Features trusted gear from Rapala, VMC, Crush City, Sufix, and Storm, giving anglers high-performance lures ideal for jigging, trolling, casting, and live-bait rigs
- Versatile Baits for All Conditions: This complete walleye tackle kit includes a mix of crankbaits, soft plastics, jig heads, and terminal tackle optimized for clear water, stained water, low-light feeding, and deep structure
- Great for Beginners and Experienced Walleye Anglers: Perfect for upgrading your walleye fishing gear, learning new techniques, or gifting to the angler in your life. Ready for year-round use from spring opener to fall night bites
- Rapala: Made by fishermen for fishermen, we understand what you need
- Made from 100 Percent real baits
- UV enhanced
- Packed with amino acids
- Super sticky, super strong, super effective
- Sticks to artificial baits exceptionally well
- ULTRA-SHARP OWNER HOOKS - Equipped with sharp high quality OWNER high carbon steel hooks and built-in magnet, the innovative design of these soft lures can help ensure increased fish hook ups in all situations while Reduce the odds getting hung up when fishing, thus saving your bait for future use.
- HANDMADE - WINNING QUALITY - The TRUSCEND Fishing Lures made of environmental friendly quality soft plastic and able to withstand the strong bite of aggressive fish. Hand spraying makes the appearance and touch of the bait more realistic and plump.
- UNIQUE DESIGN - 3D t-shaped soft tail with 360° spinner blade can kicks and thumps even at slow speeds. A super-lifelike soft jerkbait whose lively design perfectly emulates erratic baitfish action.
- LONG CASTING JIGHEAD - Having an ideal weight for long casting and slow sinking, Truscend Jig lures can achieve a slow, flutter presentation. Featuring a precisely engineered shape, the soft body swimbaits has a great kicking action at both ultra-slow speeds and moderately fast speeds.
- WIDELY FISHING SPECIES - Whether you are fishing reefs, estuaries, rivers, fresh or saltwater, this Truscend Soft bait will become your essential paddle tail lure to target bass, trout, Walleye, pike snook, salmon, redfish and many more.
- BERKLEY GULP! MINNOW FRESHWATER SOFT PLASTIC BAITS: Featuring lifelike scent, taste and texture with a profile that matches the real thing, Berkley Gulp! Minnows are an essential tool for anglers who want to catch more fish.
- EXTREME SCENT DISPERSION: Expand the strike zone and target fish over a wider area with Gulp! scent dispersion – drawing fish in and enticing them to strike.
- MATCH THE HATCH with a variety of premium, forage matching colorways and sizes to choose from based off of fishing preferences and environments. Color: Rainbow Trout. Length: 4in.
- TARGET A VARIETY OF SPECIES: Gulp! Minnow fishing baits are great for walleye, crappie, panfish, bass, trout and more. Rig as you would live bait on a variety of techniques.
- THE NEXT GENERATION IN SOFT BAIT: Avoid the hassle of messy, perishable live baits without resorting to crude soft plastics. Berkley Gulp! Minnows outfish live bait, are convenient, long-lasting and effective.
- REAL WALLEYE FISH ATTRACTANT GEL — Gel made with real bait mimics the natural forage of walleye to drive stronger bites.
- PRO-SIZE 60 ML / 2 OZ TUBE — 60 targeted applications; each casts up to 30 times—roughly 1,800 casts per tube.
- AMINO & ENZYME ACTIVATED — Boosts feeding instincts with bait proteins and amino acids that promote longer hold times.
- UV ENHANCERS AMPLIFY VISIBILITY — Ideal for dusk, stained water, and deep lake structure.
- SUPER-STICKY LAB-FORMULATED GEL — Bonds to jigheads, trolling harnesses, and soft plastics for all-day performance.
- Versatile Multi-Species Lures：Designed for bass, trout, salmon, walleye, pike, and panfish in both freshwater and saltwater. Effective for casting, trolling, or jigging across lakes, rivers, and coastal waters.
- Professional-Grade Construction：10 durable spinnerbaits (5x 0.22oz + 5x 0.11oz) with 2.36" lifelike profiles. High-carbon treble hooks maintain razor sharpness, while UV-reactive sleeves enhance visibility in murky waters.
- Optimal Flash & Vibration：Patented rotating blades generate intense flash and low-frequency vibrations without aggressive retrieval. Mimics injured baitfish movement to trigger predatory strikes.
- Portable Storage Solution：Heavy-duty tackle box prevents hook tangling and rust. Compact design fits in vest pockets – ideal for bank fishing, ice fishing, or boat tournaments.
- Ultimate Angler Gift Set：Premium packaged kit perfect for birthdays, Father's Day, or Christmas. Backed by 100% satisfaction guarantee for worry-free gifting.
- ATTRACTIVE FISHING LURE RIG:The Walleye Rig is great for trout. Easy to set up- fishing beads, fishing blades, fishing hooks. Colorfulblades swimming vividly in the water, made the rigs attract all the focus from other fish. Great apperance and easy to use. Each wire is finely crafted.
- VIVID SWIMMING ACTIONG: The exquisitely designed fishing spinner rig have a natural and unique swimming action under water, smooth and sinking quickly. The reflection of metal baits underwater makes it tempting for trout to attack, Life-like swimming actions are irresistable to kokanne walleye,etc.
- PREMIUM MATERIAL: All these kokanee lures for trout come with one sharp high carbon steel hook, sharp, wear-resistant, and not easy to bend. The hard plastic Material beads make it endured and reusable, great for fishing worms. Fishing blades provide a duper-bright, vibration-heavy presentation that grabs the interest of a wide range of predators.
- MAKES FISHING MORE CONVENIENT: All you have to do is tie the loop to your line and a leader to the swivel and you are ready to fish. Stainless steel wire with a swivel on one end and a ready to use loop on the other. Wonderful fishing ready rig for angler!
- WIDELY APPLICATION:the Walleye Rig lures are widely applied to many species of fish, such as kokanee, walleye, bass, trout, bream, muskie and so on; The fishing Spinner baits are also suitable for both freshwater and saltwater, really suitable for fishing lovers
The Ultimate Buying Guide: Landing More Walleye
Walleye fishing can be exciting. Choosing the right bait makes a big difference. This guide helps you pick the best artificial lures to attract those prized fish.
1. Key Features to Look For
When you shop for walleye bait, look closely at a few important things. These features help the bait look real underwater.
- Realistic Action: Good lures move naturally in the water. They wiggle, dart, or swim like real baitfish. This movement triggers a walleye’s predatory instinct.
- Vibrant Color: Walleye see color differently depending on the water depth and sunlight. Bright colors work well in murky water. Natural colors are best on sunny days or in clear water.
- Effective Vibration/Sound: Some lures have rattles inside. These make noise when you retrieve them. Sound travels far underwater, attracting fish from a distance.
- Quality Hooks: Sharp hooks are non-negotiable. Dull hooks let the fish escape. Ensure the hooks are strong enough not to bend when a big walleye strikes.
2. Important Materials Matter
The materials used in the bait affect how it floats, sinks, and lasts.
Plastics: Soft plastic baits are very popular. They feel soft, like real prey, encouraging the walleye to hold onto the lure longer. Look for durable plastic that resists tearing from repeated hook sets.
Hard Baits (Plugs): These are usually made of hard plastic or sometimes wood. Hard baits often have realistic eyes and scale patterns molded onto the body. The internal components, like rattles or weight transfer systems, must be securely sealed.
Metal: Spoons and jigs often use metal. Metal jigs sink fast, which is good for deep water. They must resist corrosion, especially if you fish in brackish or slightly salty water.
3. Factors That Improve or Reduce Quality
Quality directly impacts your success rate. Think about how the bait performs over time.
Improved Quality: High-quality baits feature detailed paint jobs that do not chip easily. They use stainless steel or high-carbon steel for hooks. Lures with through-wire construction (where the wire runs through the entire body) are much stronger.
Reduced Quality: Cheap paint jobs wash off quickly. Soft plastics that are too thin tear immediately. Poorly balanced hard baits might wobble incorrectly or dive too deep or shallow, making them ineffective.
4. User Experience and Use Cases
Different situations call for different baits. You need a varied tackle box.
Trolling (Pulling Lures Behind a Boat): When trolling, you need hard baits (crankbaits) that run at specific depths. Ensure the lure profile matches the size of the baitfish present in the lake.
Casting and Retrieving: For casting near structure (like rocks or weed lines), jigs or soft plastic swimbaits work wonderfully. You control the speed and depth precisely. A slow retrieve often catches more fish.
Vertical Jigging (Fishing Straight Down): In deep water or when you spot fish on sonar, a metal jig or a slip-bobber rig with a live bait imitation works best. These baits need to sink quickly and appeal to stationary fish.
10 Frequently Asked Questions About Walleye Bait
Q: What is the most popular color for walleye bait?
A: Chartreuse (bright yellow-green) and white are consistently top choices. They show up well in many water conditions.
Q: Should I use live bait or artificial bait?
A: Both work! Live bait (like minnows) often triggers more bites, but artificial baits are easier to carry and stay on the hook longer when casting repeatedly.
Q: How does water clarity affect my bait choice?
A: Clear water calls for natural, subtle colors (like silver or smoke). Murky or stained water requires bright, high-contrast colors (like orange or bright green).
Q: What size hooks should I look for?
A: For average walleye (15-20 inches), size 1/0 or 2/0 hooks are standard on jigs. Larger hooks can scare smaller fish away.
Q: Do rattles really help catch walleye?
A: Yes, especially in low-light conditions (early morning, late evening, or deep water). Sound helps the fish locate the lure when visibility is poor.
Q: Are expensive crankbaits worth the money?
A: Often, yes. Higher-priced lures usually have better finishes, superior internal components for better swimming action, and tougher hardware.
Q: How do I store my soft plastic baits?
A: Keep them in their original packaging or in a container specifically designed for scented plastics. They can melt or leach color if mixed with other types of plastic.
Q: What is a “jig head”?
A: A jig head is the weighted, hook-shaped piece of metal you attach soft plastics onto. The weight determines how fast the bait sinks.
Q: When should I use a suspending lure?
A: Suspending lures hold their depth when you stop retrieving them. Use these when walleye are holding tight to structure and you need to pause the lure right in front of their face.
Q: How often should I change my bait?
A: If you haven’t had a bite in 15 to 20 casts, change something. Try a different color first. If that fails, switch to a different type of lure action.