| Because walleye are predators, the walleye baits you | | | | deep or murky waters or when it's dismal out or |
| will want to use are slightly different than with many | | | | dark. |
| other fish. Also, certain conditions in the walleye | | | | Another special provision you'll notice when catching |
| themselves make your choice of baits more | | | | walleye is that they have incredibly sensitive nerve |
| important. There are some special aspects and well | | | | endings lining the sides of their bodies, which allow |
| known habits of walleye that, if you are aware of | | | | them to feel any sort of vibration made by small fish |
| them, you can have a lot more luck in fishing for | | | | nearby. This means that your walleye baits, especially |
| them. | | | | if you are bottom bouncing or have a spinner, can |
| First of all, walleye baits should be geared towards | | | | create those vibrations and attract walleye very |
| the special eyesight of the walleye. Note that, unlike | | | | clearly. These conditions make it easy to target |
| some fish, walleye don't hunt by smell; these | | | | walleye over other fish because other fish don't have |
| predators have an incredible sense of sight by which | | | | the same sensitive eyes and nerves as this species |
| they track down food. This is due to the membrane | | | | and won't catch onto your fishing tactics. |
| behind their retinas that cause their eyes to look | | | | Note that recently hatched walleye will feed on |
| milky and glassed over, as though they were actually | | | | things like plankton before moving up to insects and |
| blind. Instead, this gives them an advantage in brilliant | | | | other small aquatic life, and larger fish will go for |
| sun, allowing them to reflect light they don't need | | | | minnows, other small fish, worms, or just about |
| that would blind other fish. At the same time, in very | | | | anything that fills their stomachs. If you want to |
| dark places, where other fish would not be able to | | | | target the larger of the species (at least six to ten |
| see, this membrane helps to filter in every bit of light | | | | inches in length), your walleye baits should consist of |
| possible, allowing walleye to see their prey when it | | | | minnows rather than any kind of insect. Walleye of |
| cannot be seen in return. Therefore, if you have | | | | this size will eat like they are starving, feeding their |
| large enough walleye baits (but not too large to fit in | | | | need to grow at a rapid rate. In fact, even fully |
| their mouths), as well as brightly colored lures | | | | mature walleye will eat like crazy because they |
| (chartreuse and any kind of neon colors work well), | | | | continue to grow throughout their lifespan and need |
| you are more likely to catch walleye, especially in | | | | to nutrients to maintain that growth. |