Home >> Hobbies >> Other Hobbies

How to Fish With a Nightcrawler Harness for Walleye

Walleyes live in rivers, lakes and ponds throughout the U.S. Anglers using a night crawler harness typically catch more walleyes, who will hold a night crawler in their mouths much longer than other baits. This increases an angler's chances of setting a hook into the jaw of a walleye. When fishing, assemble a night crawler harness, tie it onto your line and cast the harness around structures and sand bottoms that walleyes frequent.

Things You'll Need

1-foot long piece of fishing string
No. 8 hook
Small round in color beads
No. 00 spinner blades, 2
Small 1/8-ounce brass beads, 2

Instructions

- 1
  Create a night crawler harness from a 1-foot long piece of fishing string. Add a No. 8 hook, then a four small round in color beads, along with two No. 00 spinner blades. Place the thread beads about 2 inches from the bottom of the hook. Tie a small knot onto the line to prevent the beads from slipping down to the hook. Additionally, place two small 1/8-ounce brass beads at the top of the last beads to give the harness weight when casting.
- 2
  Employing the harness with a whole night crawler is the best way to fish this bait rig. It is heavy enough to cast, yet light enough to move with the current. The harness is designed to get the worm as close as possible to the bottom where walleyes search for food.
- 3
  Cast the harness into the water and allow the night crawler to drift; it will sink and come to rest on the bottom. Let the night crawler rest on the bottom until you get a strike. Reel in the line after 10 minutes to check to see if the night crawler is still on the hook.
- 4
  Cast the harness among bridges, logs and rocks. Work the harness as close to these objects as possible. Make sure the night crawler runs over the top of these structures before descending to the bottom.
- 5
  Work the night crawler close to shore where gravel, sand and rocks form. When the water temperatures cool, walleye will travel to the shallower parts either to spawn or in search of food. Cast your harness within aquatic weeds as well as into deep spots that have pockets of eddies and flowing water.
- 6
  Make sure to give walleyes time to react and strike the night crawler, if trolling from a boat. Walleyes will chase a floating night crawler at various speeds at various times of the year. During hot weather, operate the boat at a brisk pace so the walleye will see and have time to catch up to the worm. In cold weather, walleyes prefer a night crawler to travel at a slower pace.
- 7
  Yank the rod back to jam the hook within the walleye's fleshy jaw. Continue reeling the line to confirm that the fish is on the line.

Other Hobbies