Blade baits in the summer?

Wondering if it’s worth pitching blade baits for walleyes in the warmer months.

I dont…. Not on the river. Not saying they wont work and would be willing to hear an application for it. I just dont have much luck using them in the summer. Not till the water starts to cool again in the fall.

Thanks, buschman. I scoured the archives here and only didn’t find much, only a mention “they work year around.”

I had a couple experiences myself long ago with blade baits in the summer. One time we were having a slow day on the Black River and for the heck of it I threw a Heddon Sonar in a hole under a RR bridge, just cast and retrieve and I caught 4 walleyes. I didn’t think much about it other than it was some good luck.

Then another time, mid-summer, on the Black River again we had a pole go overboard in a deep hole. I snapped on a sonar to help jig up the rod and I’ll be damned if I didn’t quickly pull up a 19″ walleye.

I just never followed up on any of this, and it was years before all this internet chatter. I guess I’ll have to see if I can drum up the old magic.

I always have one on a rod, many times casting it is the first thing I grab. As you found they catch fish all year I hardly ever vertical jig them but cast instead. I use them as a quick wingdam search bait, I can fish from the top of the dam to the base besides a jig it is the only bait that will do this. It will pick off those active fish almost better then a jig and I can work it a bit faster.

Thanks, Tom.

Part of this started last Friday when I was in a backwater hole messing around with crappies and I decided to toss a bare black hair jig (one of Trumar’s) and I quickly caught a couple 18″ walleyes. Hmmm, if they’re up for the jig maybe they’d take a blade. I know how aggressive post spawn walleyes can be with crankbaits, so I would think they’d snap a blade bait fluttering by.

Anyway, thanks for the comments I’ll have some fun exploring this.

Tom P. wrote:

I always have one on a rod, many times casting it is the first thing I grab. As you found they catch fish all year I hardly ever vertical jig them but cast instead. I use them as a quick wingdam search bait, I can fish from the top of the dam to the base besides a jig it is the only bait that will do this. It will pick off those active fish almost better then a jig and I can work it a bit faster.

x2

Back to the blade bait set up always ready on your boat – What size is the preference to have tied on? I know you need to change based on current and wind, but what is the go to size?

Depends I mostly use 3/16 big fish will not be in strong current fishing the river.

I always a lipless, blade or Jigging rap tied in one of the rod tubes!