Walleye spinners

[Muskygary]

One of the biggest walleye catchers is the spinner rig trolled slowly along with a live nightcrawler, however in a lot of waters this gets expensive because of all the little perch and bluegill pecking and tearing the bait up. Several plastics (gulp and Trigger X) claim that you can pull the spinners with the plastics and get the same results. Al Linder (one of my heroes) said that he hasn't used livebait in three years for walleye. I just haven't had good results trying that and wondering if anyone else has. I have been thinking about making a Alabama rig (three hooks here in Indiana) and rigging it with trout worms and larger worms to see if it will produce walleyes. Any ideas or what luck have you had?

[ctom]

On a regular hook and hooked like a real minnow, the gulp 3" minnows work ok, but be sure to buy a spray jug to freshen them up every half hour or so. I swap the one thats been in the drink for one in the tub so it cam suck up more of that good stuff. DON'T try these baits with slow death hooks....you won't like the outcome.

[andrewlamberson]

I do pretty well with the Glider (in black) especially if I use sheet of aluminum in the center and make 1/2 baits. Looks even more like a leech. I've posted about this a couple times a couple years ago. More along the line of nose hooked on a  Lindy Rig than the spinner rig.

I also like the Swim Worm on these rigs ... often cut down to about 50% long. They work well on the spinner rigs.

I'm thinking that the 4.75" ribbon tail would work well...but haven't tried it yet.

I think the longer "worm" type baits act like a rudder and the run straighter on a faster moving spinner rig.

[Muskygary]

Now I've also heard that you can use the gulp on regular plastics as you fish. Just don't put a bunch of plastics in the gulp beforehand as it will ruin the plastic. And any plastic you use with gulp will be shot after fishing; so just throw it away. I've never tried it, but consider it on those days when it's hard to get a bite.

[ctom]

Just don't put a bunch of plastics in the gulp beforehand as it will ruin the plastic. And any plastic you use with gulp will be shot after fishing; so just throw it away. I've never tried it, but consider it on those days when it's hard to get a bite.

I do this all the time and hand those plastics out to greedy buddies AFTER I have fished them. lol

[TommySkarlis]

I use artificial shapes a lot in live bait situations.  Especially in agreement with Muskygary about the expense of live bait with pesky critters like perch, bluegill, goby, etc.  Sometimes tough to fool mother nature - I really wish that all tournaments would go to Artificial Only.

Where artificial baits really shine is with a slow death hook - I will use a Gulp! Fry, Pinched Crawler, 2.5" Minnow or the best one yet - the Killer Crawler.

For single hook spinners - the 3" Gulp Minnow is deadly. 

Re-Charging the baits by putting them back in the Alive! Solution or spraying them down works well too.

[Muskygary]

Thanks for the information guys. I agree Tommy, walleye tournments  should go to all artificial baits. If they would; we would see a lot of advancement in the bait lines!

[Shane70]

One of the biggest walleye catchers is the spinner rig trolled slowly along with a live nightcrawler,?

I'd love to see a picture of this, If you have one