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

Hand to Hand Combat

Experience Crappie Fishing in Ontario

Goulais River Muskie

Excellent fishing exists within a two-mile stretch near the mouth of Lake Superior.

Spring Perch Fishing

Use These Tips on Your Next Ontario Fishing Trip

Bass Love the Grass

Northern Ontario is home to incredible fishing for both smallmouth and largemouth bass.

Shoreline Strategies

Try These 2 Techniques For Targeting Winter Brook Trout

Spring Fishing Tips For Any Angler

Increase your chance of fishing success

Ready for Spring

Use These Tips to Winterize Your Outboard Motor

Ontario Fly Fishing Hotspots

The Top 10 List from The New Fly Fisher TV Show.

Top Ranked Flies For Catching Brown Trout

How to set up a fly rod, pick streamers, and catch some trout.

Hard Balling Walleyes

Spring Fishing Tactics to Catch Ontario Walleye

Fishing the Upper Ganaraska

One of Ontario’s most popular fishing destinations for trout and salmon anglers.

Do you know these 5 key tips for successful catch and release?

There are a few key practices anglers could keep in mind.

The Outpost Lodge

Ideal for anglers looking for a variety of fishing.

Winter Fish Scents

How to Use Fish Scents When Ice Fishing

Sweeping the Basin

October is a Great Time to Fish for Ontario Crappie

Summer Smallmouth

Bass Techniques to Help You Catch a Trophy

Drive-to Ontario Lodges

Ontario has the perfect easy-to-access fishing oasis for every angler!

Birchland Cottages

Fly fish for giant smallmouth bass.

The Perfect Shore Lunch

Try this award-winning recipe on your next Ontario fishing trip.

Hello Summertime Crappies

Crappies have a reputation for being much harder to find and catch in the lazy hazy crazy days of summer