The Best Walleye Fishing Lures in 2022
When it comes to fishing, there are thousands of different lures and types of bait you can use. Every fisherman has his own favorite lure that he stands behind 100%. However, when it comes to walleye fishing, all lures are not created equally. There are definitely some that are better than others.
A quick Google search, though, will show you hundreds, maybe even thousands, of lures. How do you choose the right one?
We've found that the trick is to pick out the best lure for the right situation. No single lure is going to work for every fishing trip. No single lure is going to work for every type of weather or in every season. No single lure is going to work at every time of day.
Knowing that in advance, though, will allow you to pick out the perfect lures for your upcoming fishing trips. The most common walleye lures are jigs, trolling lures, crank baits and blade baits, and each of these has its own special time and place for use.
In this post, we'll examine some of the very best lures for walleye fishing and when to best use them.
Best Walleye Lures
Here are some of the very best bait for walleye fishing on the market today:
Lindy Watsit Jig
Designed To Mimic
There are several different color variations for the Watsit, each made for different bodies of water around the world. The Watsit is rigged up with a matching tail and jig head.
There are different sizes, as well. The smallest is about one-sixteenth of an ounce in weight and one and three-fourths inches long, while the largest is two inches long and weighs about a fourth of an ounce. No matter the size, the construction of the bodies is the same, with a split tail and legs that look very realistic.
If you're looking for something lightweight to use for shallow water walleye fishing, the Lindy Watsit might just be the lure for you.
Rapala Husky Jerk
Runs Straight and True
The Husky Jerk is one of the best walleye trolling lures on the market, but in addition to that, it's also incredibly versatile. It is something known as a "suspending model," which means it's made to be buoyant and lightweight. This makes it perfect for casting and trolling, performing equally well at both.
It has a neutral-level buoyancy, which in addition to making it light and perfect for casting, allows you to smoothly use a "go - stop - go - stop" method of reeling in fish without all the choppiness of other lures. This works even while fishing in areas with thick weed beds and gravel bottoms.
This retrieval method is also what gives the Husky Jerk its name. When you're using the lure for fishing from the shore, you can jerk the rod at the tip to get the lure moving once again instead of having to reel it in each time.
This makes this lure perfect for cold water trolling because when it is cold out, the walleye are lazy and harder to arouse. The jerking motions will catch the attention of even the laziest walleye in the water.
Another great thing about these lures is that they run deeper than some of the other walleye trolling lures, even without the added weight of split shot or lead core line on your rig.
Lindy Fuzz-E Grub
Great Little Jigs
These types of grubs are some of the most classic, oft-used lures for walleye jigging and have been popular for years. They have a very unique tail, known as a marabou, that makes them perfect for jigging because they look so realistic. A Fuzz-E grub swimming looks like a real worm moving through the water.
There are plenty of different color varieties from which to choose, everything from blue, yellow, pink, white and more. Each specific fisherman has his or her own color of choice, but we prefer these pink and white ones. Also, any of the darker ones, black in particular, tend to work well too.
Bandit Walleye Perch Bait
Jerky Motion
When it comes to good walleye baits, the Bandit Perch Bait, produced by the Band-It company, is top-of-the-line. In fact, it was actually designed with the help of professional walleye fishermen, meaning it is specifically designed for walleye fishing.
It's great for trolling and can reach depths of up to 27 feet below the water's surface unassisted. The price of the lure is reasonable, and there are a ton of different colors and patterns from which to choose.
The rounded lip is designed for perfect and deep dives every time, and the jerky motion works to catch the eye of not only walleyes, but also zander and any other predatory fish in the waters.
Rapala Original Floating
It's a classic
The Original Floating Rapala is called "the original" for a reason; it's a classic. It's widely believed to be one of the highest selling fishing lures of all time. It is great for walleye, but it can also be used for trout, salmon and more. It's the perfect trolling lure and has amazing swim action.
Rapala is one of the most trusted brands in fishing equipment, and for good reason. Rapala tests each and every one of these lures individually by hand in order to ensure they work perfectly before hitting the shelves.
There are multiple sizes, colors and patterns available for purchase, but each one is built from lightweight, yet durable, balsa wood, giving them ultimate buoyancy. These lures can also be used with down-riggers, lead core lines or simply flat lined.
Cotton Cordell Wally Diver
Impressive Lip
The Wally Diver is another great lure if you're looking for trolling bait. In fact, it's quite possibly one of the most successful baits out there. It's made with a large, impressive lip that allows the diver to quickly hit 20 feet and easily troll there.
There are quite a few different color options and two different sizes available. These sizes are known as the CD5 (two and a half inches long) and the CD6 (three and one-eighth inches long). The CD6 dives deeper than the CD5, with the CD5 only reaching depths between eight and 11 feet deep.
The CD6 reaches the advertised depths of nearly 20 feet. However, these depths can, of course, be extended by using heavy weights, down-riggers or line with a lead core. Both models have the same slim design, which allows them a great, wiggling movement that looks incredibly realistic.
Purchasing one of each of the available models allows fishermen the opportunity to troll for walleye in both the shallow and the deep water depths.
Rapala Shad Rap
Best running hardbait
The Shad Rap is another Rapala product, and along with the aforementioned Wally Diver, it's one of the best crank baits for use with walleye out there today. If you're a fan of the Wally Diver, you'll love the Shad Rap. They are quite similar and are both excellent lures.
There are two different versions available - the deep diver and the shallow diver. The shallow diver has a shorter, more angled lip. There are also a lot of different colors and patterns from which to choose.
The color you need will depend on which depths you're fishing in, what time of year you're fishing and where you're fishing. We suggest starting with the silver, grey and white models and see if those work for you. If not, try different options until you find the best choice for you.
ARTITAN Hard Moving Fishing Lure
Artificial Bait
It seems like technology is a part of everything these days, and that does include fishing equipment. This hard moving walleye lure from ARTITAN is actually battery-powered. It uses AAA batteries to make the tail move in a very convincing manner. After the battery is inserted, the lure activates automatically when touching water.
The lure comes in three different color combinations: green and yellow, green and red and white and red. It has double hooks for maximum hold once you catch a fish. The eyes are extremely realistic, as is the rest of the lure. The lifelike eyes, paint job and swimming movement all add up to one delicious treat the walleye just can't resist.
Rapala Jigging Rap
Balanced Design
Rapala's jigging rap is often overlooked as a walleye lure because people mistakenly think of it solely as a lure for ice fishing. However, it can also be used for walleye fishing, specifically early on in the walleye season or in colder months.
It works great for vertical jigging in large bodies of water. The jig has an incredibly distinct and unique swim pattern that is circular in nature. It can be used in many different types of water, but it works especially well when there is an unsteady bottom and fluctuating depths in the water.
Reef Runner Deep Diver
Little Ripper
For walleye fishermen who can't resist trolling in the deepest depths, the Reef Runner Deep Diver is exactly what they'll need. These lures come in a wide variety of different colors, but no matter the color, they all go down deeper than most other lures on this list.
If you're looking to catch walleye based on large size rather than large quantities of fish, this is the lure for you. Because some of the biggest walleye are also some of the laziest, they tend to hang around the bottom of the water. When you are trolling in the deepest depths, you might not catch as many fish, but the ones you do catch are likely to be very large.
Berkley Gulp! Night Crawler
Highest quality materials
These night crawlers, which come in either natural or pumpkin seed colors, are made specifically by fishing equipment engineers using high-quality, durable materials made specifically for anglers who want to catch a large quantity of fish.
Berkley is one of the biggest names in fishing equipment, and they do not disappoint. The night crawlers come equipped with scent dispersion to keep fish from being distracted by the lure's smell, and they work great on both spinner rigs and other jig heads.
They are six inches in length, and they come in packs of ten for multiple uses. The price is also very reasonable for such a large pack size.
Salmo Hornet
Super-durable
This crank bait is short and stocky, making it the perfect size to catch some great fish. They come in sizes three and five, with the fives being a little more suited to walleye fishing. The lip is wide and that, in conjunction with the stockiness of the body, gives the lure a deep dive and an aggressive swimming style.
There is an alternate model known as a rattling model that looks just like this one, but it comes with a rattle inside for added sound to attract fish. This model is great for dirty water or dark areas.
Unlike many others on this list, this lure is made from high-quality, extremely durable foam rather than any type of wood or plastic. This gives it a lightweight feel and makes it really resistant to wear and tear.
Storm Hot ‘n Tot Mad Flash
Higher pitch
Although it has one of the oddest, most erratic right to left movements of any lure, people still love this lure. It's a great lure for walleye fishing, especially during the early summer or late spring months.
It is very lightweight, coming in at only a half ounce in size. This makes it perfect for fishing in placid bodies of water such as lakes. There are numerous color combinations from which to choose, but we prefer the gold and black combo and the chrome and black combo.
There are, of course, brighter colors available, including the ever-popular fire tiger color palette. As with other lures on the list, the perfect color combination will depend on the fisherman and where and at what time of day he is fishing, but we find it best to buy a few different color combinations to use during the different seasons and times of day.
Strike King Red Eye Shad
Unique Shad Styled Body
This particular crank bait takes its name from its appearance. It has a very distinctive and noticeable red eye. When the light hits this eye, it almost appears to shimmer or to glow. The lure also comes with a built-in rattle for added sound to attract fish in low-light areas or muddy waters.
The Red Eyes are usually used in shallow water. They are what is known as a sinking lure, which gives you ease of depth control simply by slow counting after your initial cast and before you reel them back in again.
Furthermore, these lures just look incredible. They are designed by a pro team and have some of the most exceptional, intricate paint jobs that can be found on a fishing lure anywhere.
Bandit Walleye Deep Sbtb
A go-to fishing lure
This rainbow colored, slender jerk bait by Bandit Lures is great for walleye fishermen who like to fish in deeper waters. It comes equipped with an over-large round lip for a straight, deep dive each and every time, and it's capable of reaching depths of nearly 30 feet without any weights or a lead core line.
It's great for walleye fishing, but it can also be used for zander and any other predatory fish. Bandit Lures has been producing high-quality lures since the 1970s, which means they are great at producing lifelike and deep-reaching lures at reasonable prices.
LKQBBSZ 8-Segment Swimbait Bait Minnow
VIB Lure with Treble Hook
This particular lure is really interesting. It's divided into eight separate body segments and has a total length of over five inches. The distinctive eight segment body provides the lure with some of the most realistic swimming movements of any lure on this list; it looks like a real fish swimming through the water, which is great because it entices predator fish like walleyes to attack.
The eyes of the lure are three dimensional, vivid and lifelike, adding to the illusion that the lure is something real as opposed to bait. Because of the size of the eyes and their realistic paint job, light will catch them and bounce off, giving the walleye another chance to spot the lure and grab onto it.
Sougayilang Sinking Metal Spoons Micro Jigging Bait
Micro Jigs
These micro jigs are great for deep water fishing and walleye fishing near reefs or brush beds. They come in five different, bright colors and have a great fall after the cast. They are each hand-painted and look gorgeous. They also have amazing three dimensional eyes that catch the attention of any walleye or predatory fish in the area.
They're great for jigging, but they can also be used while trolling for walleye. They're made of a very durable zinc alloy, which gives them a smooth, quick and effortless dive. Their spear-like shape and lightness allow them to move swiftly and smoothly through the water, drawing the eye of any passing fish.
They each have a strong, sharp treble hook to ensure a fish stays on the line once it's been caught. With this particular kit, you also get a neat little plastic tackle box as a free bonus gift, as well.
Dynamic Lures Trout Fishing Lure for Trout, Walleye and Bass
Durable Plastic
With twenty different colors and two different sizes from which to choose, these Dynamic lures are specifically designed for trout. However, they are also perfect for fishing for walleye. These are crank bait lures perfect for fishing for walleye in shallow waters of one or two feet deep.
The lure has slender body and a small front lip, which help it dive and move through the water easily and swiftly. The inside of the lure is filled with multiple BBs, which serve the dual purpose of keeping the lure upright while flying through the water and making a distinct rattling sound while moving to attract fish that hear it.
It's made of a very durable plastic and comes equipped with two large treble hooks, making it nearly impossible for even the largest of fish to flop themselves off your hook once they've been caught. The over-sized red jeweled eyes also reflect light to help catch the eye of any fish that passes by the lure.
Rapala Deep Tail Dancer
Deep Diving Lip
With this being the fifth Rapala lure on the list, the brand pretty much speaks for itself. However, if the Rapala name isn't enough to let you know this lure is excellent for walleye fishing, maybe its specifications will be.
Like many Rapala lures, the Tail Dancer is made of lightweight balsa wood, and it comes with an extremely long deep-diving lip. The lure's light weight and long lip ensure an excellent cast each time, followed by a really graceful and a really deep dive. It can reach depths of up to thirty feet without any added weights or lead core lines.
It has an internal rattle mechanism that adds a little weight to help the lure go deeper and also gives it a rattling sound that helps attract some of the lazier walleyes along the bottom of the lake or other body of water.
The lure also comes equipped with two black nickel treble hooks that help ensure a catch stays on the line while you're reeling it in. The wide tail also ensures a smooth swimming experience and an easy retrieval process. It gives it what Rapala refers to as a "wounded minnow" way of swimming, which is exactly what it sounds like. It's a great lure.
