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The EGO S2 Slider Large 22” Deep Rubber Net is North America’s top pick for walleye fishing. |
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All Stick, No Carrot |
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Stickbaits – aka jerkbaits – are spring’s unsung heroes for putting walleyes on the measuring board. |
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By Noel Vick |
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Caldwell, ID (April 25, 2025) – The jig is ubiquitous to spring walleyes. Dressed with a live minnow, or contemporarily with a soft plastic body, jigs are likely responsible for more spring walleyes than all other lures combined. There’s no fault in trusting the old tried and true, either. But at the same time, there’s intelligence in messing with other approaches, especially if jigs aren’t carrying their weight, you want to upsize the catch or are simply looking for a change of pace. For me, stickbaits are that alternative. Stickbaits – aka jerkbaits – are loosely defined as hardbody, shallow-running, baitfish-imitating lures that can be cast or trolled to catch a menagerie of species, walleyes included. The first of its kind was developed by Finlander Lauri Rapala in 1936, later introduced to the North American market in the late 1950’s. And although the Original Floating Rapala – the mass produced iteration of the 1936 carving – still fools fish, the category has come a long way. However, before isolating my faves, let’s explore the when’s and where’s. |
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Offshore trollers embrace the larger hoop of the EGO S2 Slider XL Rubber Coated Nylon Net. |
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THE SITUATION Spring – let’s say late April through May – sees walleyes coming off the spawn and amplifying their eating as waters warm and baitfish amass in the shallows. Local spawning times vary based on geography and variables like weather, but on natural lakes and northern reservoirs in the Walleye Belt, it lands somewhere in April or into early May. Midsouth river and reservoir walleyes generally ripen earlier, say late February and March. Male walleyes will bang baits the moment their spawning assignment is completed. Females often drop out of the public eye for a spell, but they will return to the shallows and feast. For the purposes of fishing stickbaits, I consider “the shallows” depths from 10-feet to knee-deep water. Factors that drive bait and walleyes to the bank include sustained onshore winds and a classic “walleye chop”, overcast skies with low barometric pressure, as well as the cover of darkness. What all three influences share is the reduction of natural light, which advantages walleyes – it’s a low-light vision thing. Less light penetration equals shallower dwelling fish. You can bank on that. To that point, there’s wisdom in selecting naturally turbid lakes in the spring. They warm the fastest and tend to give up fish first, before clearer and deeper lakes. Seek out those tinted to downright boggy lakes with juicy walleye populations. Note that these colored waters are also the first to settle into a summer funk as water temps escalate through the 70’s. Zones that hold walleyes in the spring might be slopped and unfishable by June, so hit them first. |
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THE TERRAIN So, where to launch those stickbaits? The same spots you’ve previously peppered with jigs. Shallow points are first in line, especially given some wind and correlated structure. Bigger is better when it comes to fish holding capacity, too. The best points are gradually tapering with a lip of sorts that ultimately leads to the fathoms. Harder bottoms are superior, too. Love those sand and gravel mosaics with patchy rubble or rocks. Adolescent coontail, cabbage, and the like improve a point’s baitfish holding capacity, too, as does stubbly bottom vegetation or chara. It all adds up. Emerging weeds in general are a draw – point or no point. Your electronics might I.D. the beginnings of the summer bloom, too, but it’s also prudent to know how deep the weeds grow on your lake, i.e. the weedline. In the spring, start casting the outer edge and press inward until making contact. Again, you might be working shallows that’ll be weed-choked in weeks. These fertile zones are sublime baitfish and walleye haunts in the spring. Take advantage of the opportunity. Onshore winds move entire food-webs inward, especially after a couple days of consistent wind. Algae and zooplankton drift in and aggregate, summoning schools of baitfish like shiners to feed. And along come the walleyes… The chop also nixes sunlight penetration and it’s not uncommon to find walleyes in only a few feet of water. Shoreline rocks are another boon. Not a steep boulder precipice – save those for summer – but rather rocks that look like they tumbled out of a metaphorical wheelbarrow. You want them strewn and shallow. In some areas, they can appear as a submerged continuation of shoreline rock. But fishy rock can also occur randomly with no exposed shoreline tell. Those spots are earned. On lakes with emergent shoreline vegetation, the incidence of hardstem bulrushes indicates a firm bottom, which quite possibly can be intermixed with rock. Check it out. |
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THE BAIT Up until now, this could have been a story about jigging for walleyes – same spots. But we’re upping the ante and flinging hard-bodies. The “duh” is that stickbaits are designed to replicate baitfish, which is achieved through their minnow-esque profiles and tailored locomotion. Hurl that puppy out and retrieve it on a straight line. Most of the time, your better baits supply enough inherent swimming action to illicit strikes. Your best of the better also roll side-to-side while finning and throwing flashes off their flanks. Balsawood baits like the Original Floating Rapala are fine for trolling, but limited in casting distance, which is unacceptable for moonshot casts at the bank. You’re far better served with a heavier composite body, particular ones featuring a weight-transfer system for leveraging casting distance. |
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Let’s start at the top of the food-chain with specific recommendations. DAIWA’s HMKL Minnow is a barn burner, but they don’t give them away. If getting bit-off by a pike can ruin your day, go cheaper. But throw an HMKL Minnow if you desire a big fish magnet and won’t pout if one gets sacrificed to the lake. And what makes it so extraordinary? Design and componentry. The 5.4-inch HMKL Minnow sports the first ever circuit board carbon fiber bill. Try breaking that off on a rock. The robust bill also works in concert with the lure’s precision tuned body to swim on a stripe while delivering a gawdy side-to-side action. Its weight-transfer system will put it up in the brush or a cabin porch if you’re not careful, especially with a tailwind. Color options are realistic and righteous as well, which matters in clearer conditions. DAIWA’s HMKL Minnow will run down to 6-feet on braided line. |
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While on the organic theme, it’s prudent to name LIVETARGET’s Rainbow Smelt Jerkbait. LIVETARGET’s mantra is developing baits that truly emulate the real thing. In my opinion, this is the company’s best foot forward. Its seductive swim is a siren song for walleyes. I’ve fished them for years and caught an incalculable number of walleyes. I like the 3- 5/8” size in natural Silver/Black in clear water; consider Pearl and Gold/Orange in colored conditions. |
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Newer to the scene, and flaunting the most advanced color-science in the industry, Mad Scientist Tackle’s Suspending Predator Jerkbait kicks open the door on visibility. The company’s Apex Vision caters to what the fish see. Too much technology to cover in this story, but trust that it works. Consider Apex +BLUE and Apex +PINK for dark water walleyes and Apex +NATURAL and Apex +CISCO in clearer water. |
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Rapala’s Shadow Rap is a gem in especially skinny water, maxing out at around 4-feet. It’s signature tight wobble and unique behavior when paused and snapped agitates walleyes. Yes, this is the one stickbait that yields the best results when fished like a traditional jerkbait. There’s a massive menagerie of color options, too. I’m partial to Moss Back Shiner and Ghost Shiner in clean water, switching to Carbon and Halloween when there’s stain. |
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THE CAPTURE This isn’t lip and grip country. You’re dealing with mouthfuls of flesh-shredding teeth, not to mention lures with hookpoints galore. A landing net is required. For the purposes of walleye fishing from a boat, the EGO S2 Slider Large 22” Deep Rubber Net is ideal. The handle extends to 60” for long reaches on feisty fish, while premium rubber netting prevents treble hooks from building permanent nests. |
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Minimum sizes, maximum sizes, and slots are more common than not in walleye world. You’re playing with fire not having a “bump board”…onboard. EGO’s 34” Measuring Board features laser etched 1/16” increments on a sleek and durable anodized aluminum plate. |
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Again, these are fangs and hooks you don’t want to brave with bare hands. EGO’s Kryptek 8” Aluminum Pliers are forged from an aircraft-grade alloy resulting in an ultra-lightweight and durable tool. Includes a split-ring tool, crimping slots, and replaceable stainless-steel cutters. |
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THE COMBO The truth is selecting a rod to effectively cast and retrieve stickbaits isn’t complicated – less so than picking rods for wide ranging jigging techniques. The baseline is something from 6’ 10” to 7’ with medium-power and a regular or modestly fast action. Faster actions and longer blanks promote casting distance, but at some sacrifice of backbone and hook-setting authority. DAIWA’s KAGE Premium Bass KAG701MFS-B is a ringer for stickbait walleyes at 7’ with medium-power and a fast action. 2500- and 3000-size spinning reels are proper. Personally, I like the control of a 2500, although a 3000 will usually cast longer. DAIWA’s new KAGE LT is a perfect companion for the abovementioned rod. I spool braids while others prefer monofilament or fluorocarbon, citing their forgiveness on the hookset and fight. For me, the casting distance and sensitivity of braid is nonnegotiable, tying in a 2-foot or so span of 10-lb. fluorocarbon leader for some shock absorption. XBRAID is the longest throwing line I’ve ever fished, and I like 15-lb. XBRAID X8 for stickbait walleyes. I also employ snaps for quick lure changes and belief that the devices maximize a lure’s action. |
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ABOUT EGO Fishing Fourteen years ago, we set out on a simple mission – to develop a better fishing landing net solution that addressed the many functional and performance problems that existed with the traditional products. What started out as a small landing net company has now grown into the innovation leader in the fishing net and accessories category of the sport fishing industry. EGO products are sold at most major sporting goods retail chains and are carried by a large network of distributors and independent dealers in the United States. Distribution has also grown internationally to include countries such as Canada, Russia, South Africa, South Korea and Japan. |