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

5 Places to Shore Fish

Fish’n Canada shows you where to go shore fishing in Ontario.

Don’t Be Afraid Of Muskies

Muskies are fish of 10,000 casts and are found in large bodies of water in Northwestern Ontario.

Top 5 Flies for Smallmouth Bass

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

Top 5 Baits for Smallmouth and Largemouth Bass

What baits do you use to target bass? Find out why these 5 are the best!

Lake of the Woods

10 Facts You Didn't Know

Summer Brook Trout

Expert Advice for Fishing Ontario Lakes

Top 5 Musky Destinations in Ontario

The Musky Hunter shows you where to land the best musky in Ontario waters.

3 Great Ontario Walleye Destinations

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

Eating Northern Pike

The Best Recipe to Cook This Fish

St. Francis Titans

Fishing the Original Muskie Capital of the World

WOW Summer Whitefish

Whitefish hit harder in the open water season than in the winter

Terrestrial Flies for Brook Trout

These fish feed like crazy and look for opportunities for a big protein meal.

Top 5 Tips To Fish Smallmouth Bass in Ontario

Ontario has some of the top smallmouth bass opportunities. in the world.

High Water on the Woods

When fishing in high water, there are a few ways to navigate them and land your trophy muskie.

The Eagle has Landed

If you're looking to make your Ontario fishing dreams come true, this is the place to do it.

Summer Smallmouth

Bass Techniques to Help You Catch a Trophy

5 Canoe & Kayak Fishing Destinations

Where to go canoe and kayak fishing in Ontario.

Fishing and Foraging

Add some fresh foods and forage to your fishing adventures!

Five Brook Trout Flies

What flies to bring when fishing for brook trout.

The Tigers of Sunset Country

The most picturesque of all freshwater fish.