It doesn’t matter what state, it doesn’t matter whether you are fishing a small lake in northern Wisconsin or a massive reservoir in the Dakotas, June is a magical time of year for walleye fishing. Specifically, everything seems to happen as water temps consistently creep into the low sixties. Realistically, this window where water temps are between sixty to sixty-six degrees offers some of the easiest and best fishing of the entire year. Of course there are regional preferences, and the month of June can also be a time of transition where locations and patterns change as the month progresses. Favorite walleye presentations and tackle options can change based on this annual post spawn transition. Regardless of the lake, however, this list would be all time top tackle picks for June walleye.
Live Bait Rig with Tungsten Weight
In our opinion, every June list starts with a live bait rig or Lindy rig. This basic live bait delivery has perhaps caught more June and July walleyes as any presentation in existence. Snell length can vary, and the preferred live bait can vary. Night crawlers are popular. Good minnows like large fatheads, shiners, rainbows and chubs can all be productive. Leeches can be excellent. Many walleye anglers are starting to shift from classic lead walking sinkers or egg weights to some of the new tungsten options like Northland Fishing Tackle’s Cylinder Weight. The tungsten has a much smaller physical profile and also is harder than traditional lead, so it is much more sensitive.
Quick Tip: keep a worm blower in your rigging box to add a puff of air into night crawlers.
Jigs and Plastics
This is a period where walleyes can still be shallow, especially with wind or weeds present. Casting good stands of weeds like sago pondweed, curly leaf cabbage or milfoil in shallow water is a June standby for catching walleye. Not many presentations beat the jig and soft plastic combination. Many anglers like both paddle tails and fluke style soft plastics that range between three to five inches. Some favorite paddle tails include the Scheels Pro Swimmer and the Eye-Candy Paddle Shad. Top fluke style baits include the Eye-Candy Minnow, Kalin’s Jerk Minnow and the Berkley. For larger profile soft plastics, we like to use jigs with a wider gap hook and a long shank overall. The Northland MVP Jig has one of the very best hooks and head designs for throwing larger paddle tails and fluke style plastics.
There is another new trend gaining a lot of momentum with more of a finesse style jig like a Ned Rig. Typically a smaller profile with a lighter jig for probing shallow structure. This style of jig is using more twitch or shake versus casting and reeling or long hops. Perhaps the most popular jig and plastic combination right now in the walleye world in the Northland Tackle Tungsten Short Shank paired up with an Eye-Candy Jiggin Leech or Jig Crawler. The Eye-Candy floats and has a subtle action where it really bounces and moves when you shake it or give it a twitch. The short shank tungsten jig being used with soft plastics is a fairy new trend originated and made popular by NWT Pro Tom Huynh. The short shank seems to roll or pivot more, giving these shorter finesse plastics more action.
Quick Tip: use a high strand braid like Sufix 832 in six- or eight-pound test with a fluorocarbon leader for adding distance to your cast when using jigs and soft plastics.
Jig and Live Bait Trends
Across northern Minnesota and Wisconsin, it would be easy to argue that a jig and shiner cast into shallow weeds, timber or wind-blown rock has caught more June walleye than just about any presentation. Traditionally, light jigs that often weigh less than a ¼ ounce shine for this shallow weed work. The Northland Stand Up Fireball Jig is the holy grail of jigs when you fish places like Cass Lake, Bemidji, Leech Lake, Winnie and Mille Lacs. This stand-up head design cuts through weeds and has just the right slide and hang with six-pound mono. There is a joke in northern Minnesota that the only color you need is “parrot.”
For probing transitions and deeper structure with live bait, nothing beats the Northland Stand Up Tungsten with the short shank. We really like the collar on this jig for keeping a crawler, leech or minnow pinned up against the head of the jig.
Bottom Bouncer and Harness Trends
Especially on reservoirs or deep outside weed edges, bottom bouncer and spinner harness options are deadly for covering water and finding fish. Basically bottom bouncers and harnesses are viable whenever you need to look for fish and break down water. Early in June, we seem to rely more on what we call finesse harnesses. Something smaller, more subtle than a traditional spinner. It could be a small float or flicker blade. There might be just something to add a big of color or vibration above the bait. As water temps warm up into the high sixties or stain up, we start to lean on the traditional metal blades.
Our favorite June harness is a Northland Butterfly Blade Harness, these blades are plastic and turn at much slower speeds and seem to displace less water than a traditional metal blade. In early June, walleyes love Butterfly Blades. We traditionally use live bait like nightcrawlers, minnows or sometimes leeches but soft plastic options like Gulp! or the Eye-Candy Riggin Leech can be deadly for added durability if you are getting harassed by stunted perch or bluegills.
