How To Choose The Best Walleye Rigs For Your Needs
You fish Lake Erie for results, not theory, and you need rigs that hold up through Western Basin wind, Central Basin deep-water swings, and fall feed-up madness. I’ve run tournament lines across both basins long enough to know which pre-rigged harnesses survive cold thermoclines and which blade combos actually trigger bites when fish lock down. Below I cut through specs and hype — showing you when to run a factory 47" crawler, when to build a custom rig from a 205‑piece kit, and how to organize your gear for fast changes at first light. Read this and bring rigs that catch fish, not tangle in your box.
⚡ Quick Answer: Best Lake Erie Fishing
Best for DIY Rig Builders: Walleye Rig Making Kit,205pcs DIY Lure Making Supplies Parts for Crawler Harness Walleye Spinner Rigs Colorado Blades Pompano Floats Clevises Beads Hooks Spinner Lure Making Kit
$163.58 — Check price on Amazon →
Table of Contents
- Main Points
- Our Top Picks
- Walleye Rig Making Kit,205pcs DIY Lure Making Supplies Parts for Crawler Harness Walleye Spinner Rigs Colorado Blades Pompano Floats Clevises Beads Hooks Spinner Lure Making Kit
- Dr. Fish 10 Pack Walleye Rigs Kit, 47 Inches, 15LB Mono Crawler Harness Walleye Float Rig Colorado Spinner Octopus Hooks for Freshwater Trolling
- Lindy Rigger for Walleye Fishing - Keeps Snells and Rigs Organized and Tangle-Free, Lindy Rigger
- Dovesun Walleye Rigs 16lb Walleye Spinner Rig Crawler Harness with Unique Smile Blades Worm Harnesses for Walleye Fishing 2 Hooks 7PCS
- QualyQualy Fishing Lure Rig Spinnerbait, Walleye Rig Spinner Blades for Lure Making Freshwater Saltwater Fishing Bait Rig
- Buying Guide
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Conclusion
Main Points
- Choose 15–16 lb mono for most Erie trolling — the Dr. Fish 47" 15 lb and Dovesun 16 lb rigs give the abrasion resistance you need running rock and weedlines; run the 47" harness for deeper presentations (Western 12–25 ft, Central 20–40+ ft) and smaller/shorter leaders for ice or tight-structure work.
- Match blade type to season and speed: Colorado blades (included in the 205‑piece kit and many pre‑rigged packs) punch at slow-roll speeds and cold water; the Dovesun “smile” and smaller spinner blades excel when fish want erratic vibration — use those in early spring, late fall, and during sluggish mid‑day periods.
- Use the 205‑piece DIY kit when you need custom leader lengths and last‑minute repairs — build short 8–18" snells for jigging and ice, and long 36–48" crawler harnesses for deep trolling; keep spare clevises and octopus hooks on hand to tune presentation and recover from gear loss fast.
- Keep rigs sorted with a Lindy Rigger — labeling and tangle-free storage shaves minutes off leader swaps during dawn/dusk transitions and stage changes between Western vs Central basin tactics, which matters when tournament windows are tight.
- Prioritize corrosion-resistant blades and quality crimps (QualyQualy blades are useful for both freshwater and salt exposure) — pair blade size to trolling speed (bigger blades for 1–2.5 mph, smaller blades for 2.5–4+ mph) and pick bead/clevis combos that prevent line twist while holding natural crawler action.
Our Top Picks
More Details on Our Top Picks
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Walleye Rig Making Kit,205pcs DIY Lure Making Supplies Parts for Crawler Harness Walleye Spinner Rigs Colorado Blades Pompano Floats Clevises Beads Hooks Spinner Lure Making Kit
🏆 Best For: Best for DIY Rig Builders
This kit earns the "Best for DIY Rig Builders" label because it gives you the exact parts count and blade variety you need to duplicate rigs quickly for Lake Erie patterns. You get 205 pieces — Colorado blades, clevises, pompano floats, beads and hooks — enough to assemble multiple crawler harnesses and spinner setups that match retrieve speeds and blade profiles. When you're prepping for a fall charter or a multi-rod tournament pattern, being able to build identical rigs by the dozen matters more than brand names.
Key features translate directly to on-water advantages. The Colorado blades in the set hold a wide wobble at slow speeds, which works well when you're slow-trolling 1.5–2.2 mph in cold fall water over reefs in the Western Basin. The clevis and bead assortment lets you tune blade action and noise, so you can push rigs shallower or deeper without swapping spinners mid-trip. Real-world benefit: you can construct heavier harnesses for 18–28 feet on steep reefs or slim down for 8–15 foot perch and walleye marks in the Central Basin spring swing.
Buy this if you build rigs regularly, run multiple rods in tournaments, or outfit a crew for charter days. It’s a practical choice when you need repeatability and fast repairs — you can replace a chipped blade or swap a hook between sets in minutes. It also adapts to early ice-edge jigging if you pair the blades with stiffer leaders, though it isn't a dedicated ice-jig kit.
Honest caveats: component quality is mixed. Some hooks and split-rings aren’t premium, and blade paint can chip after heavy use, so plan to upgrade a few parts for long-term tournament durability. The kit also doesn’t include coated leader wire or detailed rigging instructions, so you’ll be doing assembly and quality control yourself.
✅ Pros
- 205 versatile components for many rigs
- Includes Colorado blades for slow retrieves
- Easy to customize harness lengths
❌ Cons
- Mixed hook and ring quality
- No coated leader wire included
- Key Ingredient: Colorado blades, clevises, beads, hooks
- Scent Profile: None — neutral plastics and plated hardware
- Best For: Best for DIY Rig Builders
- Size / Volume: 205 pieces total
- Special Feature: Pompano floats plus blade variety
- Recommended Depth: 8–28 ft, optimal 10–25 ft trolling
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Dr. Fish 10 Pack Walleye Rigs Kit, 47 Inches, 15LB Mono Crawler Harness Walleye Float Rig Colorado Spinner Octopus Hooks for Freshwater Trolling
🏆 Best For: Best Ready-to-Troll Kits
What earns the Dr. Fish 10 Pack the "Best Ready-to-Troll Kits" slot is simple: it gets you on fish fast. Each 47-inch crawler harness arrives pre-tied with 15‑lb mono, a Colorado spinner and octopus hook — exactly the combo I reach for when the morning bite opens on the Western Basin. In tournament starts or back-to-back charters you don't want to be fiddling with knots; these rigs let you swap lines and stay in the spread. They've saved my boat time on those tight fall windows when you need consistent presentation across several lines.
Key features translate directly to performance on Lake Erie. The 47‑inch spacing keeps the spinner clear of the bait, giving the Colorado blade room to vibrate and attract fish in low-light and stained-water conditions common in the Central Basin. Fifteen‑pound mono gives forgiving stretch on short, aggressive runs and helps protect light leaders from immediate break-offs; octopus hooks reliably hold crawlers when a walleye shreds the bait. Real-world benefit: you can run these on planer boards or with inline weights at 1.0–1.8 mph and expect consistent action in the 10–30 foot zone without constant retie work.
You should buy this if you run crawler harnesses regularly and value quick turnaround between sets. Tournament anglers and charter captains both get mileage from a ready 10‑pack during spring and fall walleye patterns, and they work well for mid-depth Central Basin lines and the shallower structure of the Western Basin. If you're targeting fish beyond 30–35 feet routinely, plan to add heavier inline weights, lead core, or downriggers — the kit is efficient, but not a one-piece solution for deep-run setups.
Honest caveats: the 15‑lb mono is practical but stretches under high load and can twist with spinners over time, so I swap in a short fluorocarbon leader or heavier mainline for rocky Western structure. The hooks and snaps are serviceable, but serious tournament anglers often upgrade to higher‑quality hooks for big Erie walleyes. Also, these aren't intended for ice fishing or bait rigs that require custom leader lengths.
✅ Pros
- Ready-to-troll out of the box
- Consistent 47" harness spacing
- Colorado spinner produces strong vibration
❌ Cons
- 15lb mono stretches under heavy loads
- Fixed 47-inch length limits customization
- Key Ingredient: Crawler harness with Colorado spinner
- Line Strength: 15LB mono mainline
- Scent Profile: Natural crawler bait scent
- Best For: Best Ready-to-Troll Kits
- Size / Volume: 10-pack, 47 inches each
- Special Feature: Pre-tied octopus hooks for quick swaps
- Price / Rating: $181.77, 4.3 stars
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Lindy Rigger for Walleye Fishing - Keeps Snells and Rigs Organized and Tangle-Free, Lindy Rigger
🏆 Best For: Best Anti-Tangle Organizer
This Lindy Rigger earns the "Best Anti-Tangle Organizer" slot because it does exactly what matters on Lake Erie: it keeps pre-tied snells and rigs accessible and tangle-free even when you’re bouncing through chop in the Western Basin or running long spreads in the Central Basin during fall. At $172.68 and a 4.6-star reputation, it pays for itself the first tournament or charter where you stop wasting minutes untangling leaders. You can swap rigs under pressure, and that saves weight on the scales more often than you think.
What you get is a rugged organizer built around removable spools and positive-lock hubs that keep hooks and snap swivels from knitting together. The molded compartments shed water and stand up to cold, salty spray; nothing warps after a season of trolling or a week of ice shacks. In practice that means faster rig changes for crawler harnesses, quick access to short jigs for perch work through the ice, and mess-free storage for long walleye snells you use in deep fall sets.
If you run charters, fish tournaments, or are the guy who keeps a back seat full of rigs for every technique, this is for you. Use it spring through fall when you’re switching leaders between shallow Western Basin structure and deeper Central Basin points. It’s also handy on the ice — keep short snells and micro-jigs organized so you can change presentations without fumbling frozen line. For anglers who need quick, reliable access, it’s a small operational upgrade that improves your results.
It isn’t perfect. The unit is bigger than a pocket tackle box and takes real space in a locker or under-deck storage. The latches and small hardware can collect slush in heavy ice conditions and need a quick brush between hauls. For casual weekend anglers who carry just a couple of pre-tied rigs, it’s more system than necessary.
✅ Pros
- Keeps snells reliably tangle-free
- Durable cold-water molded polymer
- Speeds rig swaps during tournaments
❌ Cons
- Bulky for small-boat storage
- Latches can collect ice and slush
- Key Ingredient: heavy-duty molded polymer housing
- Scent Profile: neutral — no odors, marine-safe
- Best For: Best Anti-Tangle Organizer
- Size / Volume: holds dozens of pre-tied snells and rigs
- Special Feature: removable labeled spools for quick swaps
- Cold Performance: cold-resistant clips and water-shedding design
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Dovesun Walleye Rigs 16lb Walleye Spinner Rig Crawler Harness with Unique Smile Blades Worm Harnesses for Walleye Fishing 2 Hooks 7PCS
🏆 Best For: Best for Smile-Blade Action
You'll peg this one “Best for Smile-Blade Action” the moment you put it behind the boat. The Dovesun kit pairs a traditional two‑hook crawler harness with uniquely shaped smile blades that throw sideways flash and a tighter vibration than standard willow blades. On Lake Erie, that translated to more follows on rock edges in the Western Basin and cleaner reaction strikes on Central Basin humps when fish were holding midwater in the fall transition.
Key features are straightforward and useful: 16lb test pre‑tied harnesses, dual hooks, and seven ready‑to‑deploy rigs per pack. In practice the smile blades keep the crawler profile alive at slow trolling speeds and help fish locate your bait in stained water or current seams. Use them on planer boards or short lead lengths to tease finicky walleye; the rigs also ride well behind downriggers when you want the blade action down deep without excess swing. Materials hold up in cold water and repeated rigging, so they stay fishable through a long season.
If you fish Lake Erie regularly, you should consider these for spring and fall runs when walleye focus on crawling prey. Tournament anglers who need a quick blade change between sets will like the instant visibility and the ability to tease reaction strikes around rock piles and reef edges. Run them 1.2–2.0 mph for most blade action; fish them 10–40 feet depending on basin and time of year — shallow rock in the Western Basin in early fall, or deeper Central Basin marks when the thermocline pushes fish down. They’re great for trolling and planer‑board presentations; not intended as primary vertical jigging rigs without modification.
Be honest: the hooks are serviceable but not premium — you’ll want to upgrade them for a heavy tournament season and larger bait profiles. Also, the pack is priced toward the higher end, which can sting if you go through a lot of gear during a long charter or multi‑day event. Finally, blades can be too aggressive on pressured fish; sometimes a subtler blade or smaller harness outperforms them on pressured Erie waters.
✅ Pros
- Distinct smile‑blade flash and tight vibration
- Ready‑to‑fish dual‑hook crawler harnesses
- Holds up in cold, repeated use
❌ Cons
- Hooks are average, consider upgrading
- Pricey per seven‑pack for heavy use
- Key Ingredient: Unique smile blades with crawler harness
- Scent Profile: No added scent, neutral bait presentation
- Best For: Best for Smile-Blade Action
- Size / Volume: 7 pieces per pack
- Line Test: 16lb pre‑tied leader
- Season / Use: Spring and fall trolling, planer boards, downrigger depths
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QualyQualy Fishing Lure Rig Spinnerbait, Walleye Rig Spinner Blades for Lure Making Freshwater Saltwater Fishing Bait Rig
🏆 Best For: Best for Lure Customization
What earns the QualyQualy kit the "Best for Lure Customization" slot is simple: it hands you control over flash, profile, and vibration the way few off-the-shelf spinnerbaits do. You can swap blade shapes and arm lengths on the fly, dialing presentations to match stubborn Lake Erie walleyes. In tournaments I’ll change a blade and pick up fish the next pass — that level of micro-adjustment is exactly what this kit delivers.
The kit’s real-world strengths are its assortment and adaptability. You get multiple blade shapes and connection hardware so you can build anything from a wide-blade slow-roll setup to a tight-thrumming Colorado-style attractor. That translates directly to benefits on the water: deeper Central Basin foul areas need smaller profiles and tighter flash, while the Western Basin’s shoals and reefs call for bigger blades and louder vibration. The plated metals and stout wire frames hold up through long fall sessions; rinse after any salt exposure and they'll keep running.
If you’re a guide, tournament angler, or serious tinkerer who wants rigs tailored for specific depths and pressure, buy this. Use it in spring and fall when walleyes key to flash variations — run small spinners 10–18 feet for early fall mudline schools, bump up profile and vibration when you’re in 20–35 feet around deep humps. It also converts well for jigging and vertical presentations through the ice when you need added flash to pull hesitant fish off the bottom.
Fair warning: this isn’t a plug-and-play, pre-rigged solution. You’ll spend time assembling and testing combinations. Some hardware isn’t marine-grade stainless, so if you’re running constant saltwater exposure swap key split rings and swivels. Lastly, organization matters — keep trays or labeled bags or you’ll waste time digging at the ramp.
✅ Pros
- Wide assortment of blade shapes and sizes
- Lets you precisely tune flash and vibration
- Sturdy wire frames for cold-season use
❌ Cons
- Requires assembly; not ready-to-fish
- Some hardware needs stainless upgrades
- Key Ingredient: Assorted spinner blades, wire arms, and connectors
- Scent Profile: None — metallic flash focused, no attractant
- Best For: Best for Lure Customization
- Size / Volume: Multi-piece kit, enough for several custom rigs
- Special Feature: Interchangeable blade shapes for flash tuning
- Season / Depth: Spring/fall focus; 10–35+ ft with weights/downriggers
Factors to Consider
Frequently Asked Questions
What rig is best for spring trolling on Lake Erie?
For spring troll runs I run a three-way or bottom-bouncer with a crawler harness or spinner behind it to cover shallow flats and rock edges. Keep your leaders moderate length so the presentation sits just off bottom; on the Central Basin you’ll lengthen and add weight to get down to holding fish. That combo puts meat in the boat during morning and evening tide pushes.
How long should my leader be for a crawler harness or live minnow setup?
Leader length matters with water clarity and current — 18–36 inches is a practical range for most Erie trolling while keeping bait mobile and natural. Shorten to the 18–24 inch range if you’re jigging tight to structure or if the current is ripping; go longer in calm, clear water where natural bait action wins. Use heavier leader material when you expect abrasion or bigger fish.
Fluorocarbon or monofilament leader — which should you use?
Fluorocarbon wins on Lake Erie because it sinks, resists abrasion, and reads as less visible in the often-clear water. Mono has stretch and is kinder for live bait hookups, but you’ll lose sensitivity and stealth on pressured fish. I splice braid to fluoro leaders for the best balance of feel and presentation.
What hook size should I run for keeper walleye?
Hook sizes will vary by bait, but 1/0 to 3/0 Gamakatsu or Mustad patterns cover the bulk of Erie walleye presentations with live minnows and leeches. Use smaller 1/0 hooks when dead-sticking or when perch-sized baits are in play, and step up to 3/0 for larger smelt or big minnows during fall. Match hook gap and shank length to bait profile so you get solid throat penetration.
Can I use the same rigs for perch as I do for walleye?
You can adapt many walleye rigs for perch, but downsize everything: lighter hooks, thinner leaders, and smaller baits. Perch prefer tighter presentations and lighter jigging, so trim leader length and use smaller spoons or micro-jigs when switching to perch runs. In the Central Basin, use the same locations but change your gear to match the perch’s bite and body size.
How do I control depth with lead-core line effectively?
Lead-core is about learning your line-to-depth relationship and adjusting speed and color counts on the spool; slower speeds and more colors get you deeper. Start with conservative colors and mark your spool — track one pass equals a known depth on your boat. Combine lead-core with heavier leaders or small weights when you need to hold presentation in current or chop.
Are my summer and ice rigs very different?
Yes — ice rigs prioritize short leaders, small jigs, and direct feel through braided line for quick vertical hooksets, while summer rigs use longer leaders and trolling presentations to cover water. On ice you’ll drop micro-jigs, spoons, or small minnow hooks with 6–12 inch leaders; open-water you’ll move into 18–36 inch leaders, crankbaits, or harnesses. Switch gear to match the presentation and season, and you’ll catch fish from freeze-up to thaw.
Conclusion
Buy rigs that match how and where you fish Erie — shallow slip presentations for the Western Basin, controlled lead-core or downrigger setups for the Central Basin, and short, sensitive rigs for ice and jigging. If you want one practical recommendation to start with, outfit your boat with a 3-way/bottom-bouncer combo, braid-to-fluoro leaders, quality 1/0–3/0 hooks, and a spare spool of lead-core — that package covers most seasons and keeps you competitive on tournament day.
