What are the top3 live baits for catching walleye, and how do I fish with them?

There is no defined set of “top 3 live baits” when it comes to walleye fishing. These characters are picky eaters. What works great one day could bomb out the next. A good rule of thumb to follow would be to pick small minnows as live bait starters for spring. In the fall, switch off to larger sized minnows. Walleye tend to favor minnows above other live baits so this is a good starting point. After that, add leeches or night crawlers into the mix when the weather turns warm. Keep a few extra live bait options handy if their mood suites something different. A few suggestions here would be small minnows for summer months and crawlers at the start of spring time walleye season. Another thing to keep in mind is how the walleye eat the bait. Walleye have been known to slowly nibble at a crawler tail or minnows. For this reason, they need time to get a bite before latching fully onto the hook. If fast retrieves are not working, try switching to a slow retrieval. This will give the walleye time to take a bite and you time to set up to reel in the catch. One of the best ways to present live bait to walleye is through a slip sinker. Let this sink below the water surface and travel the bottom in a drag motion. This lets you cover a tremendous amount of water territory in a short amount of time. It is also another great way to target drop offs areas where walleye may be hiding out. For another slow-motion rig, thread a walking sinker onto your line and top with a barrel swivel. Select the lightest sinker weight possible. Ideal weights are _ oz to _ oz. This will let you navigate the bottom and still maintain the weight needed to stay there.