Best Lure Collections for Walleye Fishing

The best lure collections for walleye fishing are built around specific presentations that match water conditions, seasons, and fish behavior. At UntamedSportsman, we've engineered soft plastics and swimbaits designed to perform in the exact scenarios walleye anglers face most often.

A beginner with five proven lures will outfish someone with fifty random options. Below, we'll show you exactly how to build a collection that covers spring through fall, shallow to deep water, and clear to stained conditions.

Walleye fishing success hinges on matching your lure selection to the specific water you're fishing. The collections we cover have generated consistent results across different regions and seasons because they're built on presentations walleye can't refuse.

Quick Lure Comparison Table

Lure Type	Best Depth	Best Season	Key Advantage	Price Range
Jigs with soft plastics	5-25 feet	Spring/Fall	Vertical presentation control	$2.99-$4.99
Swimbaits	5-20 feet	Summer/Fall	Natural baitfish profile	$2.99-$4.99
Grubs	10-30 feet	Year-round	Versatile rigging options	$2.99-$4.99
Crankbaits	3-15 feet	Spring/Summer	Trolling efficiency	Varies
Shore-casting lures	3-12 feet	Summer/Fall	Accessibility	Varies

Walleye Fishing Lures for Beginners: Start Simple

Build a beginner collection around three core presentations that cover 85% of walleye situations, then expand systematically as you develop confidence and skill.

Walleye Fishing From Shore! The Best Walleye Fishing Lures For Shore Fishing Or Trolling!

The Fisher Brad

The Beginner Foundation Collection

Start with these three presentations:

Soft plastic on a jig head (vertical presentation and structure fishing)
Swimbait on a weighted hook (casting and trolling)
Grub as a jig trailer or standalone (versatility and backup option)

This combination handles shallow water (3-12 feet), mid-range depths (12-20 feet), and transitions between structure. Master this setup before expanding.

Specific Beginner Kit: Quantities and Sizes

Here's a concrete starting collection:

5-inch fluke-style soft plastics (10 count): Use on 1/4 to 3/8 ounce jig heads. Cost: ~$4.99.
4-inch swimbaits (6 count): Rig on 1/8 to 1/4 ounce weighted hooks. Cost: ~$2.99.
4.5-inch grubs (10 count): Use as jig trailers or standalone. Cost: ~$3.99.
Jig head assortment: 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 ounce (10-15 each). Cost: ~$8-12.
Weighted hooks: 1/8 and 1/4 ounce. Cost: ~$3-5.

Total beginner collection cost: $25-35 for lures and hooks.

This kit gives you 30+ lures and multiple rigging options without overwhelming complexity or expense.

Condition-Based Selection Matrix for Beginners

Instead of guessing which lure to throw, use this simple matrix to match your lure to water conditions:

Water Clarity	Depth	Fish Activity	Best Presentation	Lure Color
Clear	Shallow (3-10 ft)	Active	Cast swimbait, steady retrieve	White, chartreuse, natural shad
Clear	Mid-depth (10-18 ft)	Active	Vertical jig, moderate speed	White, perch pattern, chartreuse
Clear	Deep (18-25 ft)	Neutral	Vertical jig, slow lift-and-fall	Natural colors, white
Stained	Shallow (3-10 ft)	Active	Cast swimbait, faster retrieve	Orange, chartreuse, black
Stained	Mid-depth (10-18 ft)	Neutral	Vertical jig, slow presentation	Orange, purple, chartreuse
Stained	Deep (18-25 ft)	Neutral	Vertical jig, tight jigging	Black, orange, purple
Turbid	Any	Neutral/Negative	Vertical jig with pauses	Chartreuse, black, bright orange

Water clarity is the most important variable. Clear water requires natural colors and realistic profiles. Stained water requires higher-contrast colors and more vibration. Turbid water demands bright colors and slower presentations.

Rod, Line, and Tackle Compatibility

Match your rod and line to your presentation: vertical jigging (6-6.5 ft medium-light rod, 6-8 lb mono), casting swimbaits (6.5-7 ft medium rod, 8-10 lb mono), and trolling (6-6.5 ft medium rod, 8-10 lb mono). Mismatched tackle kills lure action and reduces hookup rates.

Pro Tip Many beginning anglers rig their soft plastics too heavy. Start with 1/4 ounce jig heads in shallow water (under 10 feet) and move up to 3/8 ounce only when you need to reach 15+ feet. Light jigs let the plastic move naturally and feel more bites. You'll lose more lures to snags, but you'll also catch significantly more walleye.

Progression: When to Expand Beyond the Beginner Kit

Once you've spent 10-15 hours on the water and consistently catch walleye, expand strategically: add a second swimbait profile after mastering vertical jigging, add crankbaits after learning seasonal patterns, and add color variations after fishing multiple water types. This prevents buying 50 lures and mastering none.

Best Walleye Jig Colors and Presentations

In clear water, use natural colors like white, chartreuse, and perch patterns. In stained water, use darker colors like black, purple, and orange to increase visibility.

The Grub 4.5" from UntamedSportsman comes in multiple colors including White, Chartreuse, Orange Gold Flake, and Violet Halo. Use White or Chartreuse in clear water; switch to Orange Gold Flake or Violet Halo in stained water or low-light periods.

Vertical jigging works year-round: drop to the bottom, raise with a sharp upstroke, then fall on slack line. Walleye often hit during the fall. Slow your presentation in spring and fall; speed up in summer. The same lure fished at different speeds produces different results.

Soft Plastics That Work: Swimbaits and Grubs

Swimbaits excel for casting and trolling; grubs handle vertical presentations and work as jig trailers. Together, they solve most walleye situations.

Close-up of soft plastic swimbaits and grubs arranged on a tackle mat showing multiple colors and tail designs, with fishing line and a walleye lure in natural daylight

The Thumping Shad 4" delivers the baitfish profile walleye chase, with a paddletail that adds vibration and a thin body that catches light. At $2.99 per package of six, use it on a jig or weighted hook for casting, or rig multiple on an umbrella rig.

The Goby from UntamedSportsman is a two-piece swimbait with insertable fins that create gliding action. Work it with a stop-and-go retrieve to mimic natural movement. Mix and match body and fin colors to create custom combinations. Eight per package at $4.99.

Split Tailed Crush 5" →

The Grub 4.5" works as a jig trailer, standalone swimbait, or worm-style presentation. Ten per package provides backups.

Key Takeaway The most effective walleye collections combine one primary swimbait for covering water with multiple grub options for vertical presentations and trailers. This two-pronged approach handles 80% of walleye situations.

Walleye Crankbaits for Trolling and Casting

Crankbaits excel in spring and early summer when walleye are aggressive. They cover water quickly and trigger reaction strikes, but are situation-specific, a shallow diver won't reach suspended fish, and clear-water colors disappear in stained conditions.

Diving Depth and Water Type Matching

Shallow-diving crankbaits (3-8 feet) work for spring and fall. Medium-diving models (8-15 feet) handle transition zones. Deep-diving crankbaits (15-25 feet) are less essential because vertical jigging is more efficient at depth, but excel when trolling over deep structure.

In clear water, use natural patterns (shad, perch, crawfish). In stained water, use high-contrast colors (chartreuse, orange, black). In turbid water, use solid bright colors that rely on vibration and flash.

Action Profile and Retrieve Speed

Tight-wobbling crankbaits appeal to aggressive fish; wide-wobbling crankbaits work better for neutral fish and stained water. In cold water (below 55°F), fish slowly with pauses. In summer (65-75°F), increase speed and use erratic rod movements. The same crankbait fished at different speeds produces different results.

Crankbait Size and Forage Matching

Start with 2-3 inch crankbaits (3/8 to 1/2 ounce) that match local forage: shad patterns for shad-dominant waters, perch patterns for perch-dominant lakes, and crawfish patterns for crawfish-heavy systems.

Trolling vs. Casting Strategy

Crankbaits work in two distinct presentations. Trolling behind the boat lets you cover large areas and maintain precise depth control by adjusting line length and boat speed. This method excels when you're searching for active fish over structure like drop-offs, weed lines, and rocky points. Casting crankbaits from shore or a stationary boat works better in confined areas, around docks, along weed edges, and over shallow humps, where you need to target specific features rather than cover open water.

When trolling, maintain a steady retrieve speed (typically 1.5-2.5 mph depending on water temperature and lure design). Vary your trolling path to cover different depths and structures. When casting, use a steady retrieve with occasional pauses and rod twitches to add erratic action. The pause is critical, many walleye strikes occur as the crankbait rises after a pause, mimicking an injured baitfish recovering and then fleeing again.

Pro Tip Crankbait collections don't need to be large. Two or three models covering different diving depths (shallow, medium, and one deep option) in two or three color patterns (natural and high-contrast) handle 90% of trolling situations. Rotate through these proven options before adding specialty lures.

Best Lures for Walleye from Shore

Shore anglers face unique challenges. You can't position your boat over deep structure, so your lure selection must work in shallower water and along visible features like docks, weed lines, and rocky banks.

The Split Tailed Crush 5" works exceptionally well from shore. Cast it along structure and work it back with a steady retrieve or occasional pauses. The fluke-style profile imitates fleeing baitfish, triggering strikes from walleye patrolling shallow structure. Early morning and evening produce best from shore because walleye move into shallow water to feed during low-light periods.

The Ring Worm from UntamedSportsman offers versatility for shore fishing. Rig it Texas-style for weedless presentations in vegetation, or use it as a swimbait with a simple weighted hook. It undulates better than typical worms and zigs and zags with ease. The thicker profile attracts attention compared to standard worms. Twelve per package at $5.99 means you have plenty of options for different presentations.

Summer nights produce exceptional shore fishing for walleye. Fish the hours after sunset when walleye move into shallow water under cover of darkness. Use darker lure colors and slower presentations. The same lures that work during day fishing require adjustment for low-light conditions.

Best For Shore anglers targeting walleye in summer should focus on early morning (first hour after sunrise), evening (last hour before sunset), and full darkness. These periods concentrate walleye in shallower water where shore casters can reach them.

How We Evaluated These Collections

We built these collections around presentations that consistently produce walleye across different water types, seasons, and skill levels. Every lure included handles multiple situations, reducing the need for excessive specialization.

Our selections prioritize action and profile over color alone. A lure that creates the right vibration and movement pattern catches walleye regardless of minor color variations. We focused on soft plastics and swimbaits because they offer the versatility that walleye fishing demands. These presentations work on jig heads for vertical fishing, on weighted hooks for casting, and as trailers for other presentations.

The price points reflect real value. Quality lures in the $2.99-$4.99 range are designed to hold up on the water.

Building your best lure collections for walleye fishing means starting with proven presentations and expanding systematically. The soft plastics from UntamedSportsman cover shallow to deep water with natural baitfish profiles that walleye can't refuse. Our Split Tailed Crush, Goby, Thumping Shad, and Grub options give you the foundation to fish confidently from spring through fall. Start with the beginner collection, master those presentations, then expand into specialized options as you develop your skills. Shop our newest bait and build a collection that delivers results.

Frequently Asked Questions

What lures should be in a basic walleye tackle collection?

A beginner walleye lure collection needs soft plastics that cover multiple presentations. Start with the Split Tailed Crush 5" ($4.99) for casting along structure, the Thumping Shad 4" ($2.99) for shad imitation, and the Grub 4.5" ($4.99) for jigging. These three cover casting, trolling, and vertical presentations. Add the 2" Crappie Grub ($2.99) for shallow water and panfish. This gives you four proven options across different depths and fish species for under $20.

What are the best walleye jig colors for different water conditions?

Walleye jig color selection depends on water clarity and light. In clear water, use natural colors like white and minnow patterns. In stained or murky water, switch to brighter colors, orange, chartreuse, and glow colors create visibility. The Grub 4.5" comes in multiple colors including Violet Halo, Orange Gold Flake, and Green Mist Halo, letting you match conditions.

Are jigs or soft plastic swimbaits better for walleye?

Both work, but they excel in different situations. Jigs (using trailers like the Bullet-Head Grub 4" for $4.99) work best for vertical presentations and bottom contact in deep water. Soft plastic swimbaits like the Thumping Shad 4" ($2.99) and Goby ($4.99) cover more water when casting or trolling and imitate baitfish schools. Many successful walleye anglers use both, jigs for precision in deep structure, swimbaits for searching shallow and medium depths.

What is the best way to catch walleye from shore?

From shore, cast soft plastics along structure and work them back slowly. The Split Tailed Crush 5" ($4.99) and Thumping Shad 4" ($2.99) both cast well and cover water efficiently. Fish early morning, evening, and overcast days when walleye move shallow. Cast parallel to shoreline structure like rocks, fallen trees, and drop-offs. Use a steady retrieve with occasional pauses to trigger strikes. Walleye from shore respond well to subtle presentations and patience.

Split Tailed Crush 5"

Best Lure Collections for Walleye Fishing

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