Walleye Tackle Box – What’s in it?

I’d like to get a post going that will help novice and even experienced Walleye anglers determine what to put in the tackle box. We have a wealth of knowledge here, so let’s share please. You can be as specific or general as you want.

I’ll start with a little bit of info. The number one piece of tackle for me has to be a simple Lindy style spinner rig, with chartruese being the best all around color for me. Get some lindy walker sinkers or no-snag singers in various weights, from 1/8 oz to 1 oz or more for various depths. Have single-hook set ups for pulling leeches and minnows, and have two-hook set ups (nightcrawler harness) for pulling nightcrawlers. For me, it’s minnows in the Spring, crawlers/leeches in the Summer, and minnows when the temps drop again. Sometimes the spinner blade can be replaced with just a colored bead, or sometimes just a plain or colored hook will work best. Generally, this is a rig best trolled slow.

This presentation will put Walleye in the boat all seaon long. Good fishing!

Okay, which one of you Walleye professors is next…

Here’s a pic for example.

Here goes….

Crankbaits: I alway keep a good supply of crankbaits with me. I use Shad Raps, Wallydivers, Grappler Shads, Hot N Tots, Reefrunners, and various straight raps. Some of my favorite colors are perch, clown, blue chrome, crawdad, shad, and orange colored cranks. I troll both long line and leadcore.

Jigs: I wouldn’t be caught on the water without my jig box. There is no technique I enjoy more than pitching jigs into the shallows. I keep mostly round heads in various weights but lately I have become quite fond of the Nuckle ball jig. I keep the usual supply of plastics.

Live bait: I use both Lindy rigs and bottom bouncer quite a bit in the summer so I carry the supplies for that too.

Misc: I keep a pair of hemostats for removing hooks. I also always carry a fingernail clippers for cutting Fireline. I also keep my fish scale in my box.

I think the most important thing I always carry in my tackle box is an agate that my daughter gave me about 3 years ago for good luck. I never fish without that.

Gator Huter

My stuff, I mostly use lindy rig. I have been using the snap-loc weights for past few years, easy to switch when ya need to go lighter or heavier. I use leeches and willowcats for fishing the wingdams. Use crawlers too, but seem to catch more eyes with leech or cat. For lures it is mostly raps or bomber model A. Lost a pure white Bomber a few years ago that was the best fish producer for me and have not been able to find one like it since. Shouyld also mention that using a floater on the dams has worked for me also. I do have a questions for you? Has anyone used a stinger hook while lindy rigging, I have not but should maybe give that a try.-John

You know when you have the right equipment and tackle when it is so heavy that you can hardly pick it up!

Jigs, jigs and more jigs!! Little jigs, big jigs, hair jigs, bare jigs, Jigs & plastics, Jigs & pigs, ji… anyway you get the idea.

My biggest challenge with this question is the singular tense. I can’t even identify with tackle “box”, singular…………… and fishing! Truthfully, I envy the guys that do so maybe I just like to stress myself with so much selection?

What I bring in my walleye tackle “boxes” is cranks of all kinds, deep, shallow, stick, shad, jointed…………..snap weights and/or 3 ways to go with them, Dubuque rigs, stingers and jigs, plastics and jigs, various snells and harnesses, scent, multi-tool, scale, tape measure, camera, sonars, hair jigs, and extra line and hooks. That about covers the gammit…………and it’s toooooo much stuff to be practical, but I dooooooo like having choices. LOTS of ’em!

Crankbaits, jigs and 3-ways with floaters are a must along with bottom bouncers and spinners. Plastics consist of ringworms and superdoos. For panfish bobbers, hooks, and twister tails and tubes.
Thanks, Bill