The 3 Best Baits For Northern Ontario Walleye

Use these baits to help you catch Ontario's favourite fish species no matter the depth and time of year with open water.
angler fishing ontario walleye

So, you booked your angling vacation to a Northern Ontario fishing lodge and they have an abundance of walleye.

What baits should you consider essential? 

The following walleye bait recommendations will help you catch those golden bars at any depth and at any time of year there's open water.

anglers fishing ontario walleye

Northern Ontario walleye are not hard to catch, they really are easy especially when you have the guidance and experience of a lodge guide showing you the ropes and putting you on the walleye and offering you some intel on how to find them on your own the rest of your trip if that is your choice. Lodge guides are priceless and help you save a ton of time locating walleye. This is your vacation, right?

Treat yourself to the experience and knowledge of these guides, that is how they make a living and they will indeed put you on the fish.

angler fishing ontario walleye

1. Ball Head Jig

walleye jighead

Our number one bait for walleye is the simple yet effective ball head jig. Sizes from one-eighth to three eight ounces are standard depending on time of year, lake or rivers you are fishing and walleye location. Jig colour options are your choice but orange, chartreuse, pink and purple are hot almost everywhere across Ontario regardless of water clarity. Tip these jigs with a leech, nightcrawler or minnow and your set.

2. Curly-tailed Grub

walleye curly-tailed grub

Number two, a three to four-inch curly-tailed grub, simple yes, but deadly on walleye. You can vertically jig these baits, hop and crawl them off bottom or simply cast and slowly retrieve them and walleye will eat them. Again, colour options are your choice and what gives you confidence. Yellow, white, chartreuse and black tones are some of my favs. 

3. Crankbait Or Jerkbait

walleye crankbait

And lastly, a three-inch minnow-shaped hard crankbait or jerkbait will find walleye fast and make them bite. Depending on the depths the walleye are located, you can troll these baits, cast and twitch them or simply cast them and reel them back to the boat and walleye will find them. A great option when fishing new lakes or rivers and locating the most active walleye.

Remember, Northern Ontario walleye are NOT hard to catch.

Find them, catch them, and enjoy eating them.

About Karl Kalonka

It's possible Karl's love for fishing began as early as the age of five. His parents took the kids on weekend trips across Ontario fishing for panfish, catfish, and bass. "I started with a bobber and worm from the time I was five years old," says Karl. These days, he has the enviable task of doing what he loves for a living, travelling across Ontario fishing, filming and producing two outdoor series, Extreme Angler and Crappie Angler TV.

Recommended Articles

10 Facts About Lake of the Woods

10 facts amazing about this massive Northwest Ontario Lake!

Preparing for Ice Fishing

Five Things to Know About ice Fishing

Eating Northern Pike

The Best Recipe to Cook This Fish

Yellow Perch Egg-Stacy

Hardcore perch anglers, read on!

Ten Mile Lake Lodge

Enjoy Northern hospitality fishing for splake, brook trout and lake trout

Predicting Lake Thickness

When Will Ontario Lakes Freeze Over This Winter?

Fishful Dreams Do Come True

Landing my favourite species on back-to-back casts at Cedar Lake Camp

3 Great Walleye Lakes

Lakes Home to Both Eaters and Trophies

3 Great Ontario Walleye Destinations

Karl of Extreme Angler recommends must do walleye lakes in Ontario.

Frequently Asked Questions About Grass Carp

Learn how to detect these fish species and how to keep them out of the Great Lakes.

10 Tips For Ice Fishing Safety

Proper preparation is key to ensuring a safe day on the hard water

Indian Lake Lodge

The Musky Hunter visits Ontario's Sunset Country for large active musky.

An Angler’s Perspective on Northern Ontario

Find Your Favourite Fishing Adventure in the North.

Catching Ontario Walleye

Pro Tips for Bait and Walley Presentations

Eagle Lake Island Lodge

Your private island escape and off-the-grid adventures await.

Ned Head Walleye of Algoma

Springtime Walleye Doesn't Have To Be A Crowded Affair

Top 5 Flies for Smallmouth Bass

The inside scoop on bass flies from the hosts of The New Fly Fisher.

Ontario’s Array of Fishing Opportunities

From drive-to, fly-in, and train-in lodges, to outpost camps in Ontario, here's everything you need to know.

Ultimate Drive-to Smallmouth Bass Fishing

Explore Rocky Island Lake part of Zone 10 with Ontario bass fishing in May and June.

Walleye on Lake Temiskaming

Fish'n Canada heads to Lake Temiskaming to tackle Ontario Walleye.