Walleye Whipping: The Aggressive Night Bite

WalleyeSt Clair River
Written By jordan slipek

If you want to target aggressive feeding walleye and fill the livewell, it’s time to learn how to "whip." This unique technique is highly effective and usually starts at dusk, continuing well into the night. As the sun goes down, walleye move from deeper water into the shallows to chase baitfish, making them prime targets.

The Setup and Location

Whipping is typically done in depths ranging from 15 to 25 feet. You'll want to anchor or use your trolling motor's Spot-Lock feature to secure your boat in your desired depth range.

The Whipping Rod

This technique uses a very specific rod setup:

  • Rod: A unique, very short trolling rod, usually a 3-foot heavy action model.

  • Reel: Any quality line counter reel will work.

  • Main Line: Spool up with 30-pound braided line.

The Rigging: A Triple Threat

The key to whipping is the specialized, multi-lure rig:

  1. Three-Way Swivel: Tie your main braided line to a three-way swivel.

  2. Dropper Weight: From one eyelet, attach a dropper line (a leader) that is 24 to 42 inches long. This line holds your weight, which should be 2 to 3 ounces—adjusting based on the current.

  3. Pencil Plug Leader (The Forward Lure): From the second eyelet, tie a 10-foot leader connected to a pencil plug (or similar diving lure). Pro Tip: Use small barrel swivels on all your leaders to make them quickly interchangeable.

  4. Shallow Crankbait Leader (The Trailer Lure): Now, tie an 8-foot leader from the back eyelet of the pencil plug and attach a shallow-diving crankbait (Rapala F-9s and F-11s are popular choices).

The Whipping Action

Once rigged, here’s how to deploy and fish the setup:

  1. Drop In Sequence: Start by dropping the trailer crankbait in the water, followed by the pencil plug, making sure both are running true.

  2. To the Bottom: Drop the weight and send the whole rig down until the weight hits the bottom.

  3. The Whip: Once your weight is resting on the bottom, use an aggressive, forward-sweeping motion with your rod. This "whip" causes the lures to dart and rise off the bottom. Immediately let the rod back down so the weight hits the bottom again, similar to a jigging action.

  4. Working the Shelf: After whipping in one area for a couple of minutes, use your reel to let out an additional 5 to 10 feet of line. Whip again in this new zone. Continue letting line out and working the area, sometimes reaching 150 to 200 feet back before reeling in and restarting the process.

The Importance of the Line Counter: Your line counter reel is crucial. It allows you to dial in on a "pod" of fish once you find them, quickly and efficiently sending your rig back to the exact depth where the bite is hottest.

Master this technique, and you'll be on your way to a successful night of walleye fishing! THAT IS WHIPPING!

jordan slipek