Pre-planning your winter fishing rigs for ice walleyes

The mid-ice season provides a great opportunity to rig for walleyes. I keep three to six separate rods for walleye fishing. On one, I’ll tie on a swimming lure, like a Jigging Shad Rap. Use a barrel swivel with Fireline on one end, then flourocarbon and a 3-foot section of mono line.

Then tie directly to Jigging Shad Rap, and that mono is 8-pound-test.

Rig two rods with vertical jigging spoons and use different styles and colors. Rig  a fourth with a jig – 1/16 or 1/32-ounce. I find that 1/8-ouncer may be too heavy depending on the aggressiveness of fish and depth of water. And stick with short shanked jigs.

Last vertical jigging spoon tip: Just put one minnow head on one tine.

Your last rod should have a bobber, split shot, colored hook, and bead. I find my best success with colored hooks – red, pink, chartreuse. Mix it up color wise.

That’s five, right? Bring one more rod with a different color under that bobber setup!

Good luck!