Like bass fishing, walleye fishing is rife with nuances in techniques and presentation, all of which require the right tool for the job. That makes it easy to fill the rod lockers when pursuing marble-eyes – this rod for jigging, this rod for glide baits, this rod for FFS sniping, another rod for slip bobbers, and so forth.
Depending on seasonality and the techniques used at any one time, there’s no need to carry a dozen rods. You might only need one or two rods to catch walleyes on an outing, especially if you don’t mind changing baits during the heat of battle. But it is nice to have one rod rigged for each presentation – and in spring, that means four main presentations for me:
- Jig and minnow
- Blade bait
- Hair jig or glide bait
- Jig and plastic (swimbait) or small- to medium-size jerkbait.
Although I will pull Dubuque Rigs and stickbaits early season on rivers, I don’t do it nearly as much as I cast or jig. That said, here are my four favorite spring walleye rods – sticks I will rig up with the aforementioned presentations for early-season walleye fishing on rivers and lakes. And though this list is aimed at the spring, the following rods will work with these techniques no matter what the season.
- St. Croix Legend Tournament Walleye “Jig & Rig” Rod — Buy from Bass Pro Shops
- JT Outdoors JTX-Mag Rod — Buy from Scheels
- TRIKA 6X Rod — Buy from Amazon
- St. Croix Legend Tournament Walleye MXF — Buy from Bass Pro Shops
- Daiwa TD Eye Walleye Series Spinning Rod — Buy from FishUSA
Best Vertical Jigging Walleye Rod
St. Croix Legend Tournament Walleye “Jig & Rig” Rod
Medium-light power, fast
6’6”
MSRP: $280.00
Springtime and jigs go together like peanut butter and jelly. If you can’t catch walleyes on a 1/8- to 3/8-ounce jig and a lively minnow, you’re probably not on fish. For vertical jigging in the river or pitching in lakes, the St. Croix Legend Tournament Walleye Spinning Rod is my favorite rod for tapping bottom with metal and meat.
This rod is medium-light power, fast action, and can be fished easily with anything up to 3/8-ounce jigs, especially when paired with 8-pound hi-visibility monofilament for jig loft and bite detection and terminated to a foot-long 6-pound Advance Sufix copolymer (or similar fluoro) leader with a tiny barrel swivel. It’s short (6’6”) for by-the-boat sensitivity, easy manageability, quick hooksets, and negligible weight – especially when paired with a 1000 or 2000 size Daiwa Tatula spinning reel. This rod is a workhorse pure and simple, yet feathery and extremely sensitive due to its SCIV+ carbon fiber blank construction.
SPECS
- 6’6” medium-light power, fast action
- SCIV+ carbon fiber blank
- Alconite and stainless steel guides
- Nylon, aluminum, and stainless steel reel seat
- Super Grade Cork and Composite Cork handle material
- IPC, ART, TET, and FRS proprietary technologies
- 15 Year Warranty
Best Bladebait Walleye Rod
JT Outdoors JTX-Mag Rod
Medium-Light, Fast
6’10”
MSRP: $329.99
For me, there’s nothing better than fishing spring walleyes on blade baits. I live for the upstroke when all you feel is the weight of a walleye that’s pinned metal to the bottom.
The JT Outdoors JTX-Mag is just one of those rods that just does what it’s supposed to do. After a few tips about this particular rod from some river walleye tournament pros, I am now going on my third season of cold-water fishing with it – and couldn’t be happier. Everything about it just feels like an extension of my arm; it’s lightweight and super-duper sensitive. Available in 6’10, 7’1”, and 7’9”, I really like the versatility of the 6’10’, which could also be used with everything from jigs to swimbaits to small jerkbaits.
To my knowledge, JT Outdoors uses a Batson carbon fiber blank, which will let your hand know everything going on down below given the reel seat design and direct contact to the blank.
And the company story is pretty cool, too. They’re made in Minnesota—designed by NWT pro and rod company founder Joe Bricko and other top walleye pros.
Paired with a Daiwa Tatula 2000, 10-pound braid ,and 10-pound fluoro leader for blade, there’s just something about the medium-light action that catches more fish than using a medium power rod with blade baits. You feel every shimmy of the blade and when a fish hits on the fall or bottom it has plenty of backbone to sink metal into maws.
SPECS
- 6’10” medium-light power, fast action
- Proprietary Toray carbon fibers spun with zonal technology
- SeaGuide Hero High Grade with Silicon Nitride Insert and Recoil guides
- Blank-through SeaGuide Alien reel seat handle or Sure-Grip Tennessee Handle option
- Available in four different color combinations
Best Swimbait/Jerkbait Walleye Rod
TRIKA 6X Rod
Medium-light power, fast
7’
MSRP: $280.00
I’m always apprehensive of new rod companies but was convinced by an old buddy who retired from St. Croix Rod and went back to work for TRIKA that the company was “doing revolutionary things” with rod design. Founded by the brains behind Raven Archery, my friend was enthusiastic about the rods, their unique engineering, and exceptional casting distance.
Turns out Dave’s enthusiasm wasn’t unfounded. I tested the $280 medium-light power, fast action 7’ TRIKA 6X alongside other 7-foot rods in the same powers and actions and yes, the rod does cast noticeable farther, which their marketing advertises.
Not entirely sure why it casts farther, I asked Dave. Turns out, it has a lot to do with the “recovery” of their proprietary carbon-weave blank design which returns to form faster after the cast, creating farther lure-testing distances – up to 20% more than competitive rods.
It also feels really good in the hand and is a real conduit for what the bait is doing on the other end. This is thanks to a reel seat with a highly sensitive titanium frame and the carbon weave blank creating something called EkkoChamber, as well as Axial Weave technology for greatly reduced weight (3.8 ounces) and telegraph-like sensitivity.
While a valuable jigging rod, I really like it for pitching and far-casting jigs and plastics – either dragging or slow-rolling. And it’s also perfect for launching smaller jerkbaits and crankbaits great distances which can be advantageous on clear waters where walleyes are spooky.
And if you’re fishing from the bank, this rod is a no-brainer, especially paired with a Daiwa Tatula 2500/3000 MQ LT and thin braid; it will help you reach spots far away from your footing on shore or in waders, which is always a good thing. One river-rat buddy of mine uses the TRIKA 6X rod specifically for that reason. He typically throws stickbaits in the early mornings and evenings, covering a lot of water and not spending much money on gas!
Read our full review of the Trika 6X spinning rod.
SPECS
- 7’ medium-light power, fast action
- EkkoChamber technology
- Axial-weave carbon blank technology
Snap Jigging/Jigging Rap Rod
St. Croix Legend Tournament Walleye MXF
Medium, extra-fast
6’8
MSRP: $280
For walleye anglers looking for one rod that works great for snap jigging hair and jigging raps, the St. Croix Legend Walleye Tournament 6’8 MXF is the absolute best. I typically carry one with a #7 Jigging Rap and one with a hair jig.
It’s medium power, which will accommodate Jigging Raps up to size 9 or hair jigs to a half-ounce or so, and features an extra-fast tip, useful for both techniques and keeping walleyes pinned.
In terms of construction, the rod features SCIV+ carbon fiber blank material; rugged Alconite and stainless-steel guides; and a nylon, aluminum, and stainless steel reel seat; and old school cork handle for proven ergonomics.
This really is a Swiss-army-knife walleye rod, and it will work with a variety of techniques, including hair jigs, glide baits, plastics, Rattlin’ Raps, and heavier jigs.
SPECS
- 6’8” medium-power, extra-fast action
- SCIV+ carbon fiber blank
- Alconite and stainless steel guides
- Nylon, aluminum, and stainless steel reel seat
- Super Grade Cork and Composite Cork handle material
- IPC, ART, TET, and FRS proprietary technologies
Best Value All-Purpose Walleye Fishing Rod
Daiwa TD Eye Walleye Series Spinning Rod
Medium-light, extra-fast
7’1″
MSRP: $129.99
While huge players in the bass and bluewater realms, DAIWA rods have never really been big with walleye anglers. That’s all changed.
Daiwa has taken all of the technologies in the 2022/23 Kage walleye rod line and other bass rods and put them into a price-point walleye rod called TD Eye. The result is a light, well-balanced, and extremely sensitive stick that performs at a level easily twice its price range.
2024 NWT Champion Tom Hunyh used them the past two seasons and swears by them, despite the fact he could fish $500 rods if he wanted to. His big thing is being able to see the bite on slack line when he’s scoping fish. Yes, they are that sensitive.
That said, this model makes a great FF scoping rod, jig rod, pitching, or rigging rod – and I even used it to power cork on Mille Lacs. It really is a Swiss Army Knife.
This rod is a one-piece 7-foot medium-light power, extra-fast action spinning rod recommended with line weight between 4-10 pounds and 1/8-3/8 ounce baits. It features premium Fuji guides; Fuji reel seat; High Volume Fiber (HVF) carbon for light-weight and sensitivity; Megatop rod tip construction; and something called X45 technology. According to Daiwa, Megatop is a standout feature that brings lots of sensitivity to the rod tip, obviously critical when fishing walleyes. X45 Bias Graphite fiber construction “significantly reduces rod twisting and increases power and sensitivity” as well as creating more stability and accuracy when pitching to fish on your screen.
So Daiwa took several of their top rod technologies and combined them into TDEYE. Very cool. The rods are sensitive, lightweight, and easy on the pocketbook. What’s not to like?
SPECS:
- 7’1” medium-light power, extra-fast action
- Light and durable cork grip
- Fuji guides
- Fuji reel seat
- HVF (High Volume Fiber) carbon construction
- X45 carbon weave for strength and durability/rod twist prevention
What to Look for in a Fishing Rod
Materials
Not all rod materials are created equal. Higher modulus graphite, advanced carbon fiber weaves, and even the resin and clear coat can significantly affect a rod’s performance, sensitivity, weight and balance. Generally, rods built with premium materials offer better sensitivity and a more consistent action, avoiding torque against the rod’s spline.
Price
Price is a major consideration for many anglers. While budget matters, it’s often worth saving a little longer for a higher-quality rod. In the long run, a well-made rod can last a decade or more if properly maintained. It’s an investment in durability—and your time on the water should be enjoyable, not filled with frustration from cheap gear.
That said, don’t overlook affordable options entirely. Some rods in the $100 range offer surprisingly good performance and sensitivity. However, ultra-budget rods—especially those priced under $30 on Amazon—are typically best avoided.
Length
Rod length is both a personal and functional choice. For certain techniques using a rod that’s too long for your height can make the task unnecessarily difficult and even lead to overuse injuries. Always consider the technique when choosing length.
For example, when fishing lures that require downward rod movements, such as jerkbaits, a shorter rod, around 6 feet, 10 inches, can provide better control. On the other hand, longer rods excel in techniques that benefit from greater casting distance, such as throwing deep-diving crankbaits.
Action and Power
If you’re fishing single-hook lures like jigs or worms, opt for a rod with more backbone to drive the hook. For treble-hook lures, a rod with a more forgiving action helps keep hooks planted. Techniques involving more wrist and arm movement call for faster action, while steady retrieve techniques pair better with moderate-action rods.
Brand
Brand preference can be personal, but it’s also a practical consideration. Established names like St.Croix, Daiwa, TRIKA, and G. Loomis are known for their craftsmanship and consistency, giving you confidence in the rod’s quality from the start. Whatever you choose, make sure it’s from a reputable brand that has stood the test of time.
Brands We Trust
There are many excellent brands on the market, so please don’t think of this as a complete list. They are just some of the brands that have proven themselves over time,
- Ark Rods
- Daiwa
- Fenwick
- JT Outdoors
- Shimano
- St. Croix
- TRIKA
