Just Fishing - Fall 2023

Page 50

(slightly less erratic) makin’ it shine in colder water, or up shallow in snaggier stuff.

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TOP 10 HARD-BODIED JIGGING BAITS FOR WALLEYE – Brett McComas

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he ultimate Reaction Bite – and one of the most enjoyable ways to catch a walleye – is snappin’ a hard bodies jigging bait and letting it crash back down into the bottom. Here is some of our favourites, and more importantly, what makes each unique:

Made to compliment the Jigging Rap, not replace it. It has wider wings that grab a little extra water to lift and glide more. They also track a little s tr a ig h te r, w h e r e a s th e Rapala Jigging Rap darts off in Snap Wrap different directions a touch easier.

5:) Lunkerhunt Straight Up Jig: Great on pressured fish and big smart ones! The realistic patterns allow you to slow the bait way down when there’s a fish staring at it, without scaring ’em off.

Lunkerhunt Straight Up Jig

6:) Custom Jigs & Spins Rotating Power Minnow:

1:) Rapala Jigging Rap: The OG of hard-bodied jigging baits! Can be pitched, dragged, or vertically fished. Here’s what Al “you-might-have-heard-of-him” Lindner has to say about his all-time favourite walleye bait:

Rapala Jigging Rap

4: Rapala Snap Wrap:

“When everybody else is whining about how bad the bite is... I put a Jigging Rap on and catch 30 or 40 walleyes in the middle of the afternoon.”

No need for a barrel swivel... the RPM’s eyelet swivels to drastically reduce line-twist. Custom Has a super-wide glide and Jigs & Spins is designed to keep it from Rotating Power Minnow snagging itself.

7:) Rapala Flat Jig River rats: It’s 80% heavier than a similar length Jigging Rap, making it The option for heavy current or ultra-deep water.

Rapala Flat Jig

Doesn’t matter if it’s the middle of the summer, sunny, or glass calm, it straight up catches ’em! It’s a little different look in shallow water too ‘cuz it’s way less “darty” than the original Jigging Rap. Can get it to glide 4-8’ out 2:) Moonshine Shiver Minnow: to the sides with a slightly longer pause between rips. Darts and glides like other 8:) Phantom Lures Tilly: jigging baits, but what makes it different is how it rolls over Love the colours, internal rattle, no-hook front (for snaggy areas on the drop – like baitfish do – and so it doesn’t get hung Moonshine with a bit of slack. Some preup on the bottom of the ice) Shiver Minnow fer it’s nose-forward design and has a reeeeally nice (with no front hook) for pitching and casting to walleyes. Gotta say gliding action that covers a they absolutely nailed the colours! ton of real estate. Can now get Phantom Lures the Tilly in a big 1-oz (3.5”) Tilly 3:) Northland Puppet Minnow: size if you wanna go donkey Can get it in high-vis, optically-brightened UV colours for those huntin’! of you feeshin’ stained water. ‘Nuff said! IMO These next couple are a sorta in a category of their own... it fishes a bit lighter But because of the way you fish ‘em, felt they needed to be Northland and more “glidey” included in this list. Get your creative juices flowin’: Puppet Minnow (Continued from page 51.)

Just Fishing . 50

Fall 2023


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