Comparing Ice Fishing Techniques For Walleye And P
You fish Lake Erie hard and you want lures that earn days on the ice. I’ve run tournaments out of Marblehead and Conneaut and learned fast where perch pack up and when walleye suspend between basins. This roundup compares the Lindy Perch Talker and the Lindy Wally Talker for real winter work — depth ranges, cadence, and when to swap colors. Read on and you’ll know which talker to drop next time the spud hits hard ice.
⚡ Quick Answer: Best Lake Erie Fishing
Best for Perch and Panfish: Lindy Perch Talker Ice Fishing Lure - Great for Perch, Walleye, Trout and Whitefish
$14.99 — Check price on Amazon →
Table of Contents
Main Points
- Species split: use the Perch Talker for tight schools and aggressive perch (also good for trout/whitefish), and the 1/8‑oz Wally Talker when walleye are suspending or in low light — Perch Talker 6–20' on flats and weed edges; Wally Talker 10–30' with Western Basin on the shallow end and Central Basin toward the deeper end.
- Presentation matters: fish both as vertical talkers on a light tungsten jig or drop‑shot style — short lifts and long pauses for walleye, quicker twitches and shorter pauses to trigger perch; dead‑stick presentations with tiny twitches work when fish are pressured.
- Rigging and sensitivity: run a low‑stretch mainline for feel (light braid) with a short fluorocarbon leader so you feel the talker’s vibration and guard against short strikes; pair with 1/32"–1/8" tungsten if you need to get the rig down through a current or slush.
- Color and weight strategy: the pink 1/8‑oz Wally shines in stained water and dim light, provoking reaction bites from walleye; Perch pattern finishes imitate local forage and pull more follows in clear water — step up weight in the Central Basin when fish are holding deeper or current is present.
- Cold‑water durability and tournament use: both Lindy talkers are built to keep rattle and action in subzero temps and will hold up to repeated use on Lake Erie ice; in tournament situations carry both sizes, change depth fast, and let cadence be your variable when fish stop committing.
Our Top Picks
| Best for Perch and Panfish |  | Lindy Perch Talker Ice Fishing Lure - Great for Perch, Walleye, Trout and Whitefish | Key Ingredient: compact perch silhouette with micro-vibration | Scent Profile: mild attractant scent | Best For: Best for Perch and Panfish | Check Price on Amazon | Read Our Analysis | |
| Best for Finicky Walleyes |  | Lindy Wally Talker Ice Fishing Lure for Walleye, Pink, 1/8 oz | Key Ingredient: compact profile with internal rattle | Action: subtle vibration, tight twitches, deadstick-friendly | Best For: Best for Finicky Walleyes | Check Price on Amazon | Read Our Analysis |
More Details on Our Top Picks
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Lindy Perch Talker Ice Fishing Lure - Great for Perch, Walleye, Trout and Whitefish
🏆 Best For: Best for Perch and Panfish
I give the Lindy Perch Talker Ice Fishing Lure the "Best for Perch and Panfish" slot because it nails the silhouette and motion that Lake Erie perch key on. You’ll notice small, subtle profile action that imitates young baitfish and gizzard shad better than oversized plastics. In the Western Basin where perch school tight and shallow under early ice, that compact presentation pulls consistent marks; in the Central Basin, it’s a reliable attractor over reef edges and breaklines where panfish lock up on small forage.
Key features are straightforward and built for results: a soft, fishable body with a faint scent profile, a built-in micro-vibration, and a profile that fishes well on 1/32 to 1/16-ounce ice jigs. In real-world use you’ll fish it vertical with a slow lift-fall cadence and watch stacked perch hammer it on the drop. It holds up better in cold water than bargain plastics and keeps its action even when water temps are down in the teens. When perch are schooling tight, it produces more bites per hole than bulkier plastics.
If you target perch and other panfish through the ice, you should buy this. Use it through early ice into midseason when perch compress onto flats and edges—think 8–14 feet on flats, 12–20 feet along reef shoulders on the Central Basin. Tournament anglers use it as a primary bait for perch rounds or as a trailer on small jig heads when walleye are keyed to perch. If you run ice rods with light touch, this lure reads bites clean and converts those tentative taps into hookups.
Honest caveats: it’s a small-profile bait—great for perch but less likely to draw big, trophy walleye on its own unless fished as a trailer. Also, aggressive perch can shred the soft body; carry extras. Price is reasonable at $14.99 for a pack, but expect to replace a few after heavy days on tight schools.
✅ Pros
- Small, lifelike perch profile
- Works on light ice jigs
- Retains action in cold water
❌ Cons
- Soft body tears from heavy chewing
- Too small alone for big walleye
- Key Ingredient: compact perch silhouette with micro-vibration
- Scent Profile: mild attractant scent
- Best For: Best for Perch and Panfish
- Size / Volume: small profile, multi-pack
- Special Feature: maintains action in sub-freezing water
- Recommended Technique: vertical jigging, trailer on light jigs
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Lindy Wally Talker Ice Fishing Lure for Walleye, Pink, 1/8 oz
🏆 Best For: Best for Finicky Walleyes
This little pink 1/8 oz Lindy Wally Talker earns "Best for Finicky Walleyes" because it delivers a tiny, highly controllable presentation that pressured Erie walleyes refuse to ignore. When fish tighten up in January and February — especially in Western Basin flats and around shallow reef edges — that subdued vibration and internal rattle imitate a hooked bait with surgical precision. You can fish it almost weightless; the lure reads subtle twitches and returns, which makes it deadly on fish turning away from louder, bulkier offerings.
Key features translate directly to catches. The compact profile and built-in rattle provide through-ice sound and micro-vibration without the wide flash that spooks wary fish. You can deadstick it under a flasher for long, patient presentations or use short, horizontal hops to trigger reaction strikes. Pair it with a 1–1.5" twister-tail or a small live minnow and you’ve got a presentation that holds for long hangs in front of the fish. In tournament situations, that ability to coax follows into committed strikes beats brute-force approaches more often than not.
If you fish Lake Erie and target late-season walleye, pick these up. Use them mid- to late-winter when fish are shallow and keyed on small bait, particularly in the Western Basin between 12–20 feet. In the Central Basin, fish them a bit deeper — 18–30 feet — and slow your cadence; the same subtlety that wins you school fish in the West will draw singles in deeper, colder water. This is a go-to for anglers who need finesse on pressured fish during big opens, derbies, or any high-pressure weekend.
Honest caveats: at 1/8 oz this lure struggles in strong current or windy open-water holes, so you’ll need heavier offerings for brute drift. Bright pink is a consistent producer on Erie but not universal; keep it as part of a micro-kit and switch colors when visibility or forage changes.
✅ Pros
- Subtle vibration attracts wary walleyes
- Perfect for deadstick and micro-jigging
- Works well under flashers
❌ Cons
- Too light in strong current
- Pink not always optimal color
- Key Ingredient: compact profile with internal rattle
- Action: subtle vibration, tight twitches, deadstick-friendly
- Best For: Best for Finicky Walleyes
- Size / Volume: 1/8 oz, pink
- Recommended Depth: Western Basin 12–20 ft, Central Basin 18–30 ft
- Special Feature: pairs well with live minnow or micro plastics
Factors to Consider
Frequently Asked Questions
What rod and line combo is best for Lake Erie perch through the ice?
Use a 24–28" fast-tip ice jigging rod with 4–6 lb fluorocarbon mainline and a short leader. Run 1/64–1/16 oz tungsten jigs tipped with a small minnow or soft-tail; in Western Basin flats you’ll fish shallower and can downsize the profile for picky fish.
Which jigs and colors trigger winter walleye on the Central Basin?
For Central Basin walleye, use 1/8–1/4 oz tungsten spoons and jigs in chartreuse, glow, or natural shiner patterns. Fish them vertically around humps and edges at 20–50 feet and switch to a live-bait deadstick or tip-up when activity drops.
Do I need a flasher or will a GPS/sonar unit do the job?
A flasher gives immediate bite feedback and is superior for jigging and watching fish react under the hole. CHIRP/GPS units are better for mapping structure and finding schools, so run both if you want to be fast in tournament situations.
How do I choose between battery and gas augers for Erie trips?
Battery augers are lighter and quieter, ideal when you’re moving holes across shallow Western Basin water; bring an extra battery. Gas augers are more reliable in deep, thick ice or when you’re augering many holes; they’re worth the weight if you plan extended Central Basin sessions.
What tip-up setups work for late-ice Erie walleyes?
Set tip-ups with whole shiners on 12–18" leaders and 1/0–2/0 hooks, and use 1/2–1 oz sinkers for current areas. Park them on edges and troughs where big fish stage during cold fronts, and check them often — you don’t want to lose a big Erie walleye to a frozen spool.
How does season and basin affect tackle choice on Lake Erie?
In fall and early ice you’ll see aggressive, shallower fish — lighter jigs, brighter colors, and more active jigging pay off. Later in winter, especially in the Central Basin, fish move deeper and sulkier; heavier tungsten, slower deadsticking, and tip-ups with larger live bait become the ticket.
What safety gear should be non-negotiable on Erie ice?
Wear a slim float suit or approved PFD, carry ice picks, a throw rope, and a cutting tool for line; always bring a buddy if you can. Know the local current lines — river mouths and shipping channels ice differently — and plan your exits accordingly.
Conclusion
On Lake Erie you win by being mobile, dialing electronics, and matching jig weight and profile to basin and season. For most anglers I recommend a short, sensitive jig rod, a high-frequency flasher or CHIRP combo, a mix of tungsten micro-jigs and a couple of tip-ups, plus redundant batteries and safety gear so you can fish harder and longer.
