If you follow credible walleye fishing platforms such as Target Walleye and Angling Buzz, you’re aware that artificial lures have replaced live bait in many situations. While legends like Al Lindner have lead the charge, young guns are taking a serious bass fishing approach to catch more and bigger walleyes. We caught up with Dylan Nussbaum for a breakdown of his top 3 artificial-only lure categories for power fishing walleyes off the bow. This video comes at a good time, being it’s the start of walleye fishing for many throughout the US and Canada.
FEATURED TACKLE
- LIPLESS CRANKBAIT – Rapala Rippin’ Rap, size 6 or 7
- LIPLESS TWEAK (hook upgrade)- VMC Bladed Hybrid Treble
- GLIDING JIG – Rapala Flat Jig
- GLIDING JIG – Rapala Jigging Rap
- SWIMBAIT JIG – VMC Neon Moon Eye Jig, 3/4-ounce
- SWIMBAIT JIG – VMC Hybrid Swimbait Jig
- SWIMBAIT – Storm Largo Shad
- SWIMBAIT – Keitech Fat Swim Impact Swimbait
- TACKLE BOX – Just Encase Jigging Glide Bait Box
Nussbaum’s Top 3 Walleye Baits:
- Lipless crankbaits: Rapala Rippin’ Raps are proven performers when walleyes are shallow and aggressive in the springtime and fall. The addition of a VMC Bladed Treble hook adds extra fish-triggering flash and vibration. Dylan prefers pitching them out and ripping them back to the boat across the bottom. He uses a size #6 in the springtime and steps up to a #7 in the warm water period or targeting big fish.
- Gliding jigs: pitching Jigging Raps and Flat Jigs is Nussbaum’s top all-around reaction tactic for summer and fall walleyes, and of course vertical jigging through the ice. The key is to work the baits with an aggressive snap and fall, almost creating a darter minnow-like action as the bait bounces across the bottom. Walleye have no choice to eat it or lose out on a meal.
- Paddle tail swimbaits: like in the bass fishing world, paddle tail swimbaits are workhorses in versatility. Nussbaum fishes them all year but hones in his paddletail game in the fall. Like the above baits, he prefers fishing them with an aggressive rip and fall, which explains his preference for a heavy jig head.
Do we see a trend here? Get after it this year and if you haven’t already — leave the live bait behind and take a power fishing approach to your walleye fishing. You can find more proven walleye lures here!
