Minnows work great for walleye. Anglers use a variety of minnows to catch walleye, but some of the popular minnows to use are fathead minnows, emerald shiner minnows and golden shiner minnows. Creek chubs, redtail chubs and suckers are also some great bait fish to use for walleye.
Smaller Minnows
Smaller minnows in the 3 to 4 inch range are great for action. Most anglers will go with extra large fathead minnows when using smaller minnows. Smaller chubs, sucker minnows and shiners can also be super effective in this size range. You will catch some bigger walleye with smaller minnows too, but expect to catch mostly smaller walleye.
Bigger Minnows
When you want to target bigger walleye, go with the bigger minnows. The 5 to 6 inch chubs and sucker minnows are perfect for targeting big walleye above 20 inches. You don’t need to go super big either, so don’t feel like you need the huge minnows that are typically used for northern pike and muskie. The 5 to 6 inch minnows will work well for walleye in the 18 to 30 inch range and even bigger.
Jig & Minnow
A simple jighead and minnow is one of the most popular ways to target walleye from spring through fall.
Carolina Rig
A Carolina rig is a great rig for drifting a lively minnow.
Drop Shot Rig
The drop shot rig is an awesome rig for using live minnows. At times, the drop shot rig will actually out fish the jig and minnow, so don’t rule this rig out when fishing for walleye on the bottom.
