Top Performing Lures

Over the course of the summer certain lures seem to out fish most others. Every winter I venture to various fishing stores, pluck a lure from the shelf and convince myself a trophy pike or walleye is sure to enjoy this tasty morsel. However, I would estimate about half the time that lure goes back in the tackle box without even a tooth mark on it. With all these lures clouding my ever so heavy tackle box, I now tell myself "Lures catch the fisherman and not the fish." For example, this spring I purchased a Sebile white suspending broken back crankbait. I was sure this was the next great lure for the Opasquia Provincial Park. My enthusiasm was rewarded the first time out with a 37" pike. "Oh boy!" I thought to myself, time to get on the web and order at least a dozen. Now looking in hindsight, I am glad I didn't. Over the course of the summer and after 1000000000 casts with this lure I am pretty sure I only boated one other small 20" pike. Now mind you this Sebile is one of the most expensive in my tackle box, which I believe is why I wanted it to work so well. Price dictates usage right? Most fisherman will think to themselves "Well this darn lure cost me $20 bucks! It better catch me something!"
With all that said, I guess my message is when fishing gets tough, don't go to the glitz and glamour of "new and improved" lures; stick to the basics such as the good ole jig and twister for walleye and the Johnson silver minnow for pike.


After conversing with hundreds of guests this summer I can confidently list the top five lures for each species, that being walleye and northern.
Lures listed in no particular order.

Northern Lures:

Johnson Silver Minnow 3/4 oz-1oz with a white twister tail trailer

Copper or Orange Bladed bucktail. Skirt color seemed to make little difference.

Bulldawg-medium size, not the magnum. Black, white, brown were all effective

Jig and twister-go figure, some of the biggest pike this year were caught jigging for walleye

Buzz bait-probably the most entertaining way to fish for northern.

Walleye:

Jig and twister. No surprise there. Popular jig heads 3/8 oz black, flour orange, pink, red.
Tails: white, yellow, black, pumkinseed, flouro orange, any color Gulp.

Worm harness. Simple rig with various color blades. Attach spilt shot, worm and your in
business.

DOA Tiny Terror-eyze. A new lure that is awesome only in the spring when fish are shallow.

Rapala RS suspending. A great trolling bait in about 12 ft of water. Blue and silver the best
color.

Rattle Trap. Small sized silver and blue rattle traps were a great casting/trolling combo.

Good luck on the water to everyone this fall/winter.
-Nathan
Big Hook Wilderness Camps