Has anyone used blade (rip) baits for walleye?

[muskyhunter34]

LOCAL BAITSHOP IS PUSHING BLADE (RIP) BAITS FOR CATCHING WALLEYE...HAS ANYONE EVER USED THIS BAIT? ANY LUCK?

[JayM5209]

MuskyHunter, I haven't used blade baits for walleye, so can't answer your question directly. However, during my annual end of May trip to NW Ontario this year one of my regular group tried using them for both trolling and jigging lake trout. It was of the most productive laker days we've ever had. Last week my son and I were on Eagle Lake for the week and went into Clearwater Lake off the west arm for two days of laker fishing. I had several of the largest blade baits I could find via the internet and we jigged up lots of lakers and some whitefish that were on the bottom in 70-75 FOW.

I want to try some smaller ones for walleyes, but I'm sure a believer now in using them for jigging lakers!

[MSUICEMAN]

we use them for eyes in erie in the spring quite often. also through the ice from time to time.

[Jason Halfen]

Blades are a great, cool-to-cold water reaction strike presentation. I use them most often Nov-March on the Mississippi.

The biggest mistake that most walleye anglers make with blades it to fish too heavy of a blade, far too aggressively. I fish as light a blade as I can find, and I fish it with the same subtlety that I fish a light jig/plastic or bait presentation.

Very light blades, lighter than 1/4 oz, are hard to find. These are the ones I use most often. Light, well-balanced, and available in proven fish-catching patterns:

http://www.deanstacklebox.com/blades.html

[REW]

I agree with Jason,
Blade baits are very productive in current environments like rivers.
I also use them a great deal in the cold water times on the Mississippi with great success.

REW

[Water Wolf]

I use blades like the Cicada and Sonar for vertical fishing through the ice or in open cold water. They have the ability to call fish in with vibration when ice fishing. When walleyes are skittish, I use a blade bait in one ice hole to attract the fish and then present a swim bait in an adjacent hole, like a jigging rapala, to get bites.

[peter8]

Zip lures are popular on the Menominee river for the spring run . I use 3/8 & 1/2 oz. and have caught fish up to 28" on them. It is a good presentation to get a reaction strike when draggin or hoppin a jig doesn't produce. You have to watch your line as they tend to strike on the flutter down.

[muskyhunter34]

Thank you to all my fellow fishermen on the information given for blade baits...along with my jig/minnow presentation, i'm going to "rip" a few blades in the waters of lll/teal in hayward, wisconsin this october...god bless everyone!:d

[seeds]

I take it you're not a long time fan on Gillespie's show?

"Big Dave - Get the Frabill!! - I got another one on the ZIP lure!!"

[jignpig]

Great baits when fish are tight lipped. I like them right before our lakes ice up.