How to pick the right rod and bait combo for every walleye presentation, all season long

THE ROD FACTOR

Walk into any tackle shop and you’ll see fishing rods of various lengths. Look closer at each rod and you’ll also see markings just above the handle telling you the length, power and action of the rod. Most fishing rod manufacturers use this labeling convention, which tells you how each rod will perform. And once you start matching that information to specific fishing presentations, you’ll soon realize you can catch more fish if you use more than just one utility rod.

Length is the overall measurement of the rod from the tip top to the end of the butt. Shorter rods are easy to control, and ideal for fishing vertically or short distances from the boat. While they are very accurate for making short casts, they don’t perform very well when casting longer distances. Longer rods, on the other hand, are harder to control, making them tough to use for close-quarter fishing. However, they work well for effortlessly casting long distances, and for trolling.

The power rating refers to how much backbone or strength the rod has. Typical ratings are ultralight, light, medium-light, medium, medium-heavy and heavy. Power aids in hooksets, castability and the ability to fight a fish without wearing out yourself or the fish. For example, it would be much more difficult to hook and land a large fish using a rod with a lighter power than one with a heavier power. Inversely, it would be much easier and more effective to cast light lures using a lighter power rod than it would with a heavier power rod.

Action refers to where a fishing rod bends under pressure, and how fast it snaps back to its straight position when the pressure is released. Actions are categorized as extra-fast, fast, moderate-fast, moderate and slow. Rods with faster actions bend closer to the tip, while those with slower actions bend more towards the middle and handle areas. A faster action rod is more responsive and allows you to make quick, forceful hooksets, such as when you’re jigging. A slower action rod, on the other hand, takes more time to load up, allowing the hook to set simply through pressure, such as when you’re trolling crankbaits.

With all that in mind, here are my recommendations for matching various walleye presentations with just the right rod.

JIGGING A six-foot, medium-strength, extra-fast spinning rod is ideal for jigging. The shorter length gives you more control, especially when jigging vertically, yet it’s long enough to easily cast or drag smaller jigs. The medium strength is ideal for small to medium-sized jigs, while still providing plenty of backbone to fight even the largest walleye off the lake bottom. The extra-fast action, meanwhile. is excellent for detecting the lightest of bites. It also reacts quickly to drive home hooks.

DROP-SHOTTING This bass-fishing technique is also becoming popular for catching walleye throughout the open-water season. The idea behind this finesse presentation is to suspend a live bait or soft-plastic offering eight to 12 inches above a weight sitting on the lake bottom. You can either hold the bait still or impart slight movements, then sweep the rod up to set the hook. For this, a 6½-foot light or medium-light, fast-action spinning rod is the ticket. The length allows you to get your bait a little further away from the boat, making it easy to work and move. The combination of a lighter power rod with a fast tip allows you to feel the fish grab your offering, then make a smooth hookset.

LIVE-BAIT RIGGING Once you try live bait-rigging with a seven- to 7½- foot, medium-light, fast-action spinning rod, you’ll fully learn to appreciate being able to feel a walleye tap your bait without it knowing you are on the other end of the line. That’s because a medium-light rod will easily bend with little to no resistance. Then when it’s time to set the hook with a long sweeping motion to tighten the slack, the fast-action tip will allow you to complete the hookset with power and speed.

SLIP BOBBER This technique is all about lobbing a bobber with a small lure and bait to distant fish, without the bait getting thrown off in the process. For this presentation, a 7½-foot, medium-light, moderate-action spinning rod is ideal. This set-up is very forgiving when casting, and it allows you to cast long distances. And when the bobber goes down, the longer rod lets you quickly tighten slack line by lifting the tip. Given the fish and lure will be a fair distance away, and on an angle, the moderate action will result in a slower hookset, preventing the hook from getting yanked out of the fish’s mouth.

BOTTOM-BOUNCING Trolling bottom bouncers with spinner rigs requires a stouter rod than you’d use for finesse fishing. For this presentation, a seven-foot, medium, fast-action rod will do the trick. I like to use a casting rod for this style of fishing, because a baitcasting reel gives me more control over releasing and pulling in line as I troll. That said, a spinning rod and reel will also work. A medium-power rod is strong enough to stay straight with all sizes of bottom bouncers, including super-heavy three-ounce versions. That’s important because it’s hard to detect bites if your rod bends while you’re trolling. The fast action, meanwhile, allows for a solid hookset when a fish strikes. As for the longer rod length, it helps keep your presentation away from the boat, while also helping to reduce tangles when you guide your bottom bouncer back in on the retrieve.

TROLLING CRANKBAITS & SPOONS Pulling crankbaits and spoons requires a rod with a strong backbone and slower tip. A six- to seven-foot, medium-heavy to heavy rod with a moderate action suits this technique perfectly, as it’s able to pull even the largest of lures without bending over. Plus, the slower tip allows fish to grab and hold onto to the offering. Either a baitcasting or spinning rod will work for this, although a casting rod with a line-counting reel lets you control exactly how much line you have out. That also makes it easier to duplicate an effective presentation.

RIPPING BAITS When it comes to ripping lipless cranks, jigging raps and blade baits, a six- to seven-foot, medium-heavy spinning rod with a moderate action works very well. A medium-heavy rod gives you plenty of power to snap your lures, as well as battle even the biggest fish vertically from the lake bottom to the net. The softer moderate tip, meanwhile, is a little forgiving, which helps prevent you from yanking the bait from a fish’s mouth when setting the hook. Of all the walleye presentations, this one can be the most physically demanding on your casting arm and shoulder, so make sure the rod and reel are well balanced in your hand, and the rod handle is comfortable.

PITCHING & CASTING Whether you’re casting spoons from shore or pitching sonar-friendly baits from the deck of your boat while monitoring a forward-facing sonar unit, a 6½- to 7½-foot medium spinning rod with a moderate action is a good choice. With this longer rod, you’ll be able to make long casts, while the medium power will be good for fighting fish and pulling lures out of weeds, if necessary. As for the moderate action, it will serve you well on longer hooksets, allowing the rod to load up when fish are mouthing and swimming away with your offering.