Many anglers love fishing for walleye in rivers. Rivers usually have stable populations of fish, and the river walleye are not as affected by weather and temperature changes. This is why fishing on rivers is a favorite of many anglers. If you’re going to fish on the river you need a good lure through. Here we will take a look at some of the best picks for river walleye lures.
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Best Walleye Lures for Fishing Rivers
- Rapala Shad Rap 07 Fishing Lure
- Rapala Original Floater
- Cordell Wally Diver Triple Threat
- Berkley PowerBait Rib Worm
1. Rapala Shad Rap 07 Fishing Lure
Product Features
Brand Name: Rapala
Type: Minnow Lure
Quantity of Lures: 1 Lure
The first spot on our list goes to the Rapala Shad Rap 07 Fishing Lure. This lure is made from balsa wood and is designed with colors to attract big fish. It has a wounded minnow wobble which attracts walleye as it swims its way through the water. The lure has treble hooks is made to survive tough fights with even the biggest fish. They have 10 color options to choose from so you might want to try a few and see what works best on your rivers.
2. Rapala Original Floater
Product Features
Brand Name: Rapala
Type: Floating Minnow
Quantity of Lures: 1 Lure
The second spot on our list goes to the Rapala Original Floater. Many anglers love Rapala lures for their walleye fishing, and this lure lives up to that standard. This one like their previously mentioned model is made from balsa wood. It has has a lifelike silver minnow design. The lure itself is about 1 1/2″ in length and weights 1/16 ounce make it a great lightweight lure for river fishing.
3. Cordell Wally Diver Triple Threat
Product Features
Brand Name: Cordell
Type: Crankbait
Quantity of Lures: 3 Lures
The Cordell Wally Diver Triple Threat Lure is one of the first crankbaits ever designed specifically for walleye. Many walleye fishers swear by them. Though they can also be used for a variety of gamefish. In this set, you get three lures, each a different color designed for attracting fish. They are made with a tight wiggle action. These lures dive to about 8 feet, or troll at around 11, so that is something you want to keep in mind depending on where the walleye are in your river.
4. Berkley PowerBait Rib Worm
Product Features
Brand Name: Berkley
Type: Powerbait
Quantity of Lures: 15 Worms
Last on our list is the Berkley Powerbait Rib Worm. Many anglers love using PowerBait on their fishing trips, so we had to include this one on the list. This one is a favorite of many walleye anglers. If you’ve never used PowerBait before, these artificial worms are scent and flavor impregnated to attract fish and keep them biting. In this pack, you get 15 worms, each measuring approximately 4″ in length.
Walleye River Fishing Lure Guide
When shopping for a lure to catch walleye on rivers, there are a few things you need to consider
- Lure Type
- Lure Depth
- Number of Lures
How to Choose a Lure for Walleye Fishing on Rivers
1. Lure Type
Many anglers like to use a floating minnow style crankbait to cast along shorelines or other structure in rivers. This can be a very effective presentation for getting walleye to bite. You can also use most lures that work on lakes in rivers. If you already have a favorite walleye lure for lake fishing, you might look for something similar to try on the river.
2. Lure Depth
Lure depth is an important thing to consider when shopping for your lure. Like stated earlier, floating minnow style lures are pretty popular for rivers. If you’re going to use a diving crankbait make sure that the river is deep enough for your lure.
3. Number of Lures
You might also want to buy a set that contains more than 1 lure. Some days different colors may attract more fish which is why a versatile angler will always have a wide variety of lures to experiment with on any given fishing day.
Check out our basic tips on walleye fishing
Read our guide on choosing a walleye fishing line