Species Spotlight: Walleye

Written By: Dave Rush

For several reasons, walleye rank among the most sought-after freshwater game fish. Known for testing patience and skill, they’re a species that keeps anglers coming back for more. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro, this guide offers tips and tactics to help you land your first or your personal best walleye. From their biology and behavior to tackle selection and fishing techniques, we’ll cover everything you need to know about fishing for walleye.

Walleye, also known by their scientific name Sander vitreus, are one of the most popular freshwater gamefish in North America. They are highly regarded not only for the challenge they present but also for their excellent table fare. Their mild, white, flaky meat is considered one of the best-tasting among freshwater fish, making them equally appealing to anglers who fish for both sport and food. Their selective feeding behavior and reliance on low-light hunting make them particularly exciting to target, which forces anglers to adapt and sharpen their fishing strategies. Successfully landing a walleye often feels like a true reward.

Location & Habitat

Walleye are freshwater fish found in rivers, lakes, and reservoirs across much of the northern United States and Canada. They thrive in cooler water temperatures and prefer habitats with rocky or gravel bottoms, weed lines, and areas where they can ambush prey. Originally native to the Great Lakes region and northern U.S. waters, walleye have since been introduced widely, becoming a staple in many freshwater ecosystems.

Their seasonal movements are key to understanding how to fish for them. In the spring, walleye move to shallow, rocky areas to spawn, providing anglers excellent opportunities to catch them in accessible waters. As summer arrives and water temperatures climb, they retreat to deeper, cooler waters, often holding near drop-offs, submerged structures, or mid-lake basins. They remain in these deeper zones during winter, though ice anglers still target them successfully with specialized techniques.

Diet & Feeding Habits

As carnivores, walleye rely heavily on smaller fish once they reach maturity, though their diet evolves as they grow. Juvenile walleye feed primarily on aquatic insects, larvae, and small baitfish, but adults almost exclusively consume forage fish like minnows, perch, and shad. This fish-heavy diet explains why lures and live baits that mimic small prey are so effective. Anglers looking to maximize success should “match the hatch” and imitate whatever forage is most abundant in the body of water they’re fishing. Our How to Fish with Live Bait guide provides valuable insights for those looking to refine their approach.

Appearance

Walleye are instantly recognizable thanks to their distinctive features. Their large, glassy, silver eyes are designed for superior low-light vision, which makes them especially adept at feeding during dawn, dusk, or cloudy conditions. Their bodies are elongated and torpedo-shaped, perfectly adapted for quick bursts of speed when striking prey. Their coloration ranges from olive to golden, often with a white belly and faint vertical bars along their sides. Two dorsal fins sit atop their back, with a distinctive dark spot at the base of the first fin. Their mouths are filled with sharp teeth, perfectly suited for gripping slippery baitfish—and capable of cutting a careless angler’s line if unprepared. These glowing eyes are also the source of their name, since they often reflect light in a way that makes them appear to glow at night.

Size & Records

Most walleye caught by anglers weigh between one and five pounds, though larger specimens are always possible in fertile lakes and northern waters. Trophy walleye can easily surpass ten pounds, and in rare cases, they reach record-breaking size. The current IGFA all-tackle world record stands at 25 pounds, caught by Mabry Harper on Old Hickory Lake, Tennessee, on August 2, 1960. That record has held for decades, a testament to the challenge of finding such massive fish and the allure of chasing them.

Walleye Behavior

Understanding walleye behavior is crucial to consistently catching them. They are primarily low-light predators, taking full advantage of their reflective eye tissue, called the tapetum lucidum, which allows them to see well in murky or dim conditions. As a result, walleye are most active during dawn, dusk, overcast days, or at night. Many anglers plan their outings around these prime feeding windows.

Walleye are ambush hunters. Rather than chasing down prey, they prefer to lie in wait near structures such as rocks, timber, weed edges, or drop-offs and strike when unsuspecting baitfish swim past. Smaller, younger walleye often travel in schools, which can lead to fast action once a pod is located. Larger, trophy-class fish tend to travel alone, making them more challenging to find but far more rewarding when landed.

Tips on How to Catch Walleye

Catching walleye requires a mix of patience, timing, and strategic presentation. One of the most effective strategies is to keep your presentation slow. Walleye aren’t always aggressive feeders, so a subtle, controlled movement often outperforms fast retrieves. Choosing lures in natural colors like greens, yellows, whites, or perch patterns helps fool wary fish, especially in clear water. Because walleye frequently hug the bottom, anglers should focus on rigs and techniques that keep bait above it, such as slip-bobber rigs or bottom bouncers.

Fishing during low-light periods is another consistent producer, as walleye are naturally more active at these times. Targeting structure-rich areas where they ambush prey will also improve success rates. Finally, paying attention to the available forage in the system and matching your bait or lure accordingly can make the difference between a slow day and a productive one. For more techniques, Wired2Fish offers a comprehensive walleye guide that can help refine your approach.

Tackle & Techniques for Walleye Fishing

A proper walleye setup can make all the difference between frustration and success. A medium-light to medium spinning rod in the 6–7 foot range provides a balance of sensitivity and backbone, essential for feeling light bites and setting hooks effectively. Pair this with a 2500–3000 spinning reel spooled with 6–10 lb. monofilament or 10–15 lb. braid. Adding an 8 lb. fluorocarbon leader in clear waters can increase your chances of fooling finicky fish. If you need help selecting gear, our Freshwater Fishing Rod & Reel Buyer’s Guide is a great place to start.

Regarding techniques, jigging is arguably the most effective and versatile. Slowly bouncing a jig tipped with a minnow or soft plastic along the bottom is a tried-and-true approach. Trolling crankbaits is another productive method, mainly when covering large areas or targeting deeper fish in the summer. Live bait rigs, such as slip sinkers or bottom bouncers paired with minnows, leeches, or nightcrawlers, are excellent for enticing finicky walleye. Slip bobbers provide another reliable option, allowing anglers to present bait at precise depths for suspended fish.

The best bait choices often vary by season. In spring and fall, minnows are highly effective, while leeches excel during summer. Nightcrawlers are a consistent option across the season, making them a reliable all-around choice. For artificial options, jigs tipped with soft plastics, crankbaits like Rapala Shad Raps, and swimbaits that mimic forage fish are proven performers.

Forward-Facing Sonar & Walleye Fishing

In recent years, forward-facing sonar has changed the way anglers target walleye. This cutting-edge technology allows fishermen to see fish in real time and track their movements, rather than relying on traditional fish finders or structure scans. By watching how walleye react to lures and bait presentations, anglers can make instant speed, depth, or color adjustments, dramatically improving success rates.

Forward-facing sonar has proven especially effective when walleye are suspended in open water or scattered across large flats, situations where traditional tactics may struggle. While it adds a layer of complexity, it gives anglers an unparalleled window into walleye behavior and is becoming an increasingly important tool for those chasing trophy fish.  Jig head minnow presentations are some of the more popular baits anglers use to target Walleye with FFS.

Walleye Tournament Scene

Competitive walleye fishing has grown into a thriving tournament circuit across the U.S. and Canada, drawing dedicated anglers specializing in advanced tactics and precise presentations. Events like the AFTCO Walleye Throwdown and other regional and national events showcase the skill, strategy, and innovation in targeting this species at the highest level. Anglers compete for significant prizes and prestige while sharing valuable knowledge that often influences recreational fishing trends. The tournament scene has helped popularize new techniques, gear, and technologies, fueling the passion for walleye fishing among everyday anglers.

Fishing for walleye is a rewarding pursuit that combines patience, strategy, and the right equipment. Whether you’re jigging along rocky points in the spring, trolling crankbaits across a summer lake basin, or dangling a live minnow beneath a slip bobber at dusk, success comes from understanding walleye behavior and adapting your approach to the conditions.  With the proper preparation and techniques, you’ll be ready to experience the thrill of catching one of North America’s most iconic freshwater fish.

Author's Profile: Dave Rush

Dave Rush is a veteran outdoor writer and photographer who has worked in the fishing industry since 2009. As Editor in Chief of Best On Tour, he brings over a decade of experience and a deep passion for telling the stories behind the sport.