The Lindy Rig
The Lindy Rig
By Bill Lodi
The Lindy Rig is a very basic type of presentation for Walleye.
What a Lindy Rig consists of is this. A sinker, leader of line, 2 way barrel swivel, and a hook. The types of sinkers that are generally used are walking, Texas bass casting, egg, and bottom bouncer. The hook can be a multitude of sizes, shapes, and colors. From a basic #2 Aberdeen hook, to a floating jig head. It can be trolled, drifted, dragged, and casted out of the boat. What I like to do when using a Lindy Rig, is to expand and change the presentation. When using the Rig as a search "lure", I will start off with a 3/8 oz. walking sinker, and instead of using a swivel, I'll pinch on a tiny split shot to hold my leader length. Which will usually be about 20-28 inches, and I'll use a black/silver or black/gold Rapala Floating minnow. Drop the trolling motor in, and slow troll along. This technique has paid big dividends, while slow trolling along deep weed lines in search of active fish. Pewaukee, Oconomowoc, Okauchee, Big Cedar, Geneva, Delavan, Pine, Lake Winnebago, and Lake Wisconsin have all produced nice Walleyes for me using this method.
When fishing in rivers, the Lindy Rig is my first choice of presentation. The Wisconsin River in the Dells is where I learned and perfected this Rig. Key areas to look for in a river have "dead" water or "boils" on the surface. These are called "eddies". These are areas that under the water, on the river bottom have some type of structure that diverts the water and creates a "boil" or a "slack" water area. Big boulders, logs, and wing dams all divert the current over and around them. These places are fish magnets, because the Walleyes can wait behind them in fairly current less water, and ambush an easy meal. What I like to do is to locate an "eddie" and anchor above it so I am almost even with the slack water. I will start out with a 3/8 ounce walking sinker and a #2 octopus style hook with a medium fathead minnow. Cast the rig out and make sure it hits bottom. Close the bail and reel up the slack line. A lot of times you will have a fish hit it as soon as it hits the bottom. If there is no hit, I will slowly start dragging the rig back to the boat. Every so often jig and jerk it a little to entice a strike, which they can't resist, and works 90% of the time. Sometimes a Walleye hit will feel like "dead" weight on the end of your line. If you can't tell that it's a fish, pull your rod just a little harder towards yourself and lightly jig it. This seems to get the eyes' mad, and they will pull back and let you know that they are there. Set the hook hard and get the net! In the Summer months this technique works well using a night crawler or a leech. Especially in the evening and after dark. Sometimes I will use a glow in the dark "Phelps" soft floating jig head. These soft jig heads work wonders because they make the walleyes think that they actually have a meal in their mouth, because they are soft and crushable. Well I hope you learned something from this article. Now it's up to you to go out and bag em' up!!
Good Luck and Safe boating.
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Bill is Knowledgeable on many of Wisconsin's Lakes and Rivers. He is a Strong Supporter of Catch & Release. He Supports Ethical conservation practices in both Hunting and fishing. 
