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Walleye

Sander vitreus · also: pickerel (Ontario), doré (Quebec)

Canada's most-fished species. Light-biting, light-shy, and best at dawn, dusk and after dark.

Where to find them

Every province. Bay of Quinte, Lake Erie, Lake Nipissing, Lake of the Woods, Tobin Lake, Lac Saint-Pierre, the Winnipeg and Saskatchewan rivers.

Rigs by season

SeasonWhere and what to tie
Spring (opener–June)Rivers and river mouths, shallow rock and gravel after the spawn. Jig and minnow, slip bobber with a leech, flatline stickbaits at dusk.
Summer (July–Aug)Spread out on breaklines, flats and deep weed edges. Bottom bouncer with a crawler harness, Lindy rig, drop shot on reefs.
Fall (Sept–freeze)Back shallow on rock and current in the evening. Jig and minnow, trolling stickbaits, slip bobber with a big minnow.
WinterTip-ups with shiners and jigging spoons on flats and points; best at first and last light.

Gear

A 6'6"–7' medium-light or medium spinning rod with 6–8 lb fluorocarbon or 10 lb braid to a fluoro leader covers jigging, rigging and bobbers. Add a medium-heavy trolling rod with a line counter for bouncers and cranks.

Bait and lures

Minnows in cold water, leeches in early summer, nightcrawlers all summer. Green pumpkin and chartreuse plastics, gold and perch-pattern lures.

Tips

  • Fish low light. Walleye have a reflective layer in their eyes and feed when other fish can't see.
  • Keep bait 1–2 feet off bottom; they look up.
  • Wind is your friend — a "walleye chop" on a windy shore turns the bite on.

Rigs for walleye

15 rigs

Carolina Rig diagramMain line (15–20 lb)Egg weight 3/4 oz (slides)Bead Barrel swivelLeader 18–48"Offset hook, Texas-rigged

Carolina Rig

A heavy sliding weight, a bead, a swivel and a long leader let a soft plastic drift naturally behind the weight. Perfect for covering deep points, flats and rock piles.

bassBeginnerLargemouth BassSmallmouth Bass
Drop-Shot Rig diagramBraid main lineFG / Alberto knotFluoro leaderHook stands out, point upTag end 12–24"Drop-shot weight

Drop-Shot Rig

The weight goes on the bottom and the hook is tied above it, so the bait hovers off the bottom right where suspended fish feed. The number one finesse rig for smallmouth in Ontario and Quebec.

bassBeginnerSmallmouth BassLargemouth Bass
Ned Rig diagramLight fluoro or braid + leaderPalomar knotMushroom head + buoyant stick

Ned Rig

A short, buoyant plastic on a light mushroom-shaped jighead that stands up on bottom. The rig that made "do nothing" finesse fishing famous — and a smallmouth killer in Canadian rivers and lakes.

bassBeginnerSmallmouth BassLargemouth Bass
Slip Bobber Rig diagramMono 6–8 lbBobber stop (sets depth)BeadSlip float (slides)Split shot12–18"Octopus hook + leech

Slip Bobber Rig

A bobber stop, a bead and a sliding float let you fish live bait at any exact depth and still cast easily. The rig that puts walleye in the boat on rock reefs at dusk.

walleyeBeginnerWalleyeBlack Crappie
Jig and Minnow diagramMono/fluoro 6–8 lbPalomar or loop knotJighead 1/4 ozMinnow hooked up through the lips

Jig and Minnow

A lead-head jig with a live minnow hooked through the lips. The rig for spring walleye in the rivers and fall walleye on the reefs, from the Bay of Quinte to the Winnipeg River.

walleyeBeginnerWalleyeSauger
Lindy Rig (Live Bait Rig) diagramMain line 8 lbWalking sinker (slides) Barrel swivelLeader 3–6 ftOctopus hook + leech

Lindy Rig (Live Bait Rig)

A walking sinker slides on the main line above a swivel and a long leader to a plain hook with a leech, crawler or minnow. Feed line to a biting walleye and it never feels the weight.

walleyeBeginnerWalleyeSauger
Crawler Harness (Spinner Rig) diagramFrom bottom bouncerSwivel / snapColorado blade6 beadsFront hookRear hook

Crawler Harness (Spinner Rig)

A spinner blade, a run of beads and two snelled hooks on a leader, trolled behind a bottom bouncer with a nightcrawler stretched along the hooks. The summer walleye rig on Erie, Simcoe, Nipissing and the prairie reservoirs.

walleyeIntermediateWalleyeSauger
Bottom Bouncer Rig diagramMain lineBottom bouncerLeader 3–6 ftHook or harness

Bottom Bouncer Rig

An L-shaped wire with a weight on the long leg and a swivel on the short arm. It walks over rock and gravel almost snag-free while towing a harness, crankbait or live-bait leader.

walleyeBeginnerWalleyeSauger
Three-Way Rig diagramMain line Three-way swivelLeader 2–5 ftHook + minnowDropper 6–24" (lighter line)Bell sinker

Three-Way Rig

A three-way swivel splits the line into a short dropper to a sinker and a longer leader to a hook, minnow or floating crankbait. The rig for holding bait in the strike zone in river current.

walleyeBeginnerWalleyeSauger
Slip Sinker Rig diagramMain line 15–30 lbEgg / no-roll sinker (slides)Bead Barrel swivelLeader 12–24"Circle hook + cut bait

Slip Sinker Rig

An egg or no-roll sinker slides on the main line above a swivel, bead and leader. Fish pick up the bait and run without feeling the weight. The universal bottom rig for catfish, carp and stocked trout.

catfishBeginnerChannel CatfishCarp
Hi-Lo Rig (Dropper Loop Rig) diagramMain line Barrel swivelDropper loop #1Hook12–18"Dropper loop #2Hook8–10"Bell sinker

Hi-Lo Rig (Dropper Loop Rig)

A sinker at the bottom and one or two hooks on dropper loops above it. Two baits at two depths, perfect for perch schools and bottom feeders, and it drops straight down through an ice hole.

panfishIntermediateYellow PerchChannel Catfish
Wire Leader and Spoon Rig diagramMain line 12–17 lb Ball-bearing swivelWire leader 9–12"SnapCasting spoon 3–5"

Wire Leader and Spoon Rig

A snap swivel, a short wire or heavy fluoro leader and a red-and-white spoon. The rig that has caught more Canadian pike than any other, and still the first thing to tie on at a new lake.

pikeBeginnerNorthern PikeMuskellunge
Tip-Up Rig diagramDacron tip-up line Barrel swivelFluoro or wire leader 18–24"Split shot12"Hook + live minnow

Tip-Up Rig

The line, leader and hook that go on a tip-up so a live or dead bait hangs at a set depth and a flag pops when a fish takes it. The rig for a day on the ice with a few holes spread across a flat.

iceBeginnerNorthern PikeWalleye
Ice Jigging Rig diagramIce fluoro / braid Micro swivelFluoro leader 12–24"Jigging spoon + minnow head

Ice Jigging Rig

A light braid or fluoro main line, a small swivel to kill twist, a short fluoro leader and a jigging spoon, tungsten jig or lipless bait tipped with a minnow head. The active rig for hole-hopping walleye, perch and crappie.

iceBeginnerWalleyeYellow Perch
Flatline Trolling Rig diagramMain line 10–12 lb Ball-bearing swivelFluoro leader 4–8 ftCross-lock snapFloating stickbait / crankbait

Flatline Trolling Rig

A crankbait or stickbait tied to a short fluorocarbon leader and a small snap, trolled behind the boat with no added weight. The easiest way to find fish in a new lake.

multiBeginnerWalleyeNorthern Pike