A Lively Option For Fussy Walleyes

“For instance, sometimes the fish want big baits, like big river chubs. I noticed that at the In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail tournament at Leech Lake last year. Other times, a leech is better. But it’d better be a lively one; weak leeches don’t swim actively and catch fish as strong ones do. I keep my crawlers in Fat and Sassy Bedding to maintain them in top condition—big, fat, and squirming. I can’t stress enough the importance of prime, healthy livebaits. They make all the difference in their ability to fool walleyes and trigger bites, especially when you need to slow down or pause and let the bait squirm right in front of their noses.”

When to fish a livebait rig versus a jig? “Pay attention to the signals fish send you. If walleyes hit a jig and then drop it, that tells me they’re not real active and probably would prefer a livebait rig. Or, if I’m rigging, and fish are active enough to hit a colored sinker on the rig, that tells me they’ll likely hit a jig; if so, I’ll either shorten my snell to 12 to 14 inches to add some lift-drop action to the rig, or I simply switch to a jig.

“In average livebait rigging conditions, I start with about a 4-foot snell. If lots of boulders or rocks are present, I shorten down to 2 to 3 feet to minimize snags. If the water’s clear and fish are spooky, like on Mille Lacs Lake, Minnesota, I may opt for 7- to 9-foot snells to add finesse. I just adjust.

“When I’m fishing crawlers, I like a sharp, lightwire Tru Turn hook. With leeches or minnows, stouter sharp Daiichis work better for me, matched to the size of the bait—small for leeches, bigger for minnows. In the Dakota reservoirs, I’ve had good luck with gold hooks. If I want to camouflage the hook when I’m fishing a leech, bronze is a better color choice. In darker water, like Lake of the Woods, a Bleeding Bait red hook often is better because the fish can see it. You must be willing to retie often and experiment to notice the difference. I keep my little component tackle box handy and I constantly vary combinations throughout the day, always looking for a better setup.

“I don’t use a floating jighead as much as I did in the old days, but I’m a big believer in adding a small colored bead ahead of the hook to draw attention and help focus the strike. A bead is like a weightless jighead, allowing a leech to swim easily and retain its natural action. If you want a bigger bead with more attraction, try a Northland Rattle Bead.

“Occasionally I add a small clevis and tiny flicker blade—like a size 0 or 00—ahead of the livebait, in order to add a little attraction. Silver is great for clear water, gold or orange for cloudy days. Actually, I prefer willow leaf blades over Colorados or Indianas, because if I’m going to use a blade, I want to move quicker, and willows work best at faster speeds. You don’t actually have to move fast enough to make it spin; a little side-to-side wobble is fine.