Over the years, Joe Henry has seen the benefits of using sound and vibration.

The difference between success and failure can be minute. In the world of walleye fishing, all it takes is getting that split-second reaction from a walleye for an ice angler to experience success. An effective and proven method to get that reaction bite is utilizing the walleye’s high-tech, forage-detecting system of their lateral line and inner ear to your advantage.

Sound and vibration travel five times faster in water than in air. From an angler’s perspective, a walleye is always dialed into noise, both for safety and to find their next meal.

From an ice fishing perspective, sound and vibration can be created in many ways. Pounding the bottom with your lure, the jigging action you create, water displacement, rattles, vibration and spinners can all get the walleye’s attention.

The walleye primarily has two ways it detects sound and vibration. The first is their lateral line, which is made up of hair cells within tiny neuromasts of the lateral line that face different directions, detecting low frequencies (1 to 200 hertz). The lateral line detects the slightest vibration in the water, and not only attracts walleyes, but can cause a natural triggering effect.

The second way is an inner ear that hears different frequencies than is detected by the lateral line (100 to 2,000 hertz). Between the two methods of detecting sound and vibration, these are highly sensitive creatures able to sense prey, in most cases, before they ever see it.

In layman’s terms, one hertz is one vibration per second. With the walleye’s range of 1 to 2,000 hertz, the walleye has a large spectrum of sound and vibration in their world covered nicely.

Over the years, I have seen the benefits of using sound and vibration firsthand. I have added presentations that include more aggressive techniques. Trial and error have proven to me the effectiveness of utilizing sound to trigger walleyes.

There are a few go-to presentations and lures I start with when I want walleyes to feel the noise.

I normally begin with a vibrating lure with BBs in it, such as a Rapala Rippin’ Rap. For years, I used lipless crankbaits with good success exclusively for open-water fishing, but had never used them through the ice. This technique first caught my attention when a local guide up at Lake of the Woods shared stories about how, years back, he used a Rat-L-Trap in Four Mile Bay to ice walleyes in March.

He said he would be ripping a Trap in one hole and deadsticking (a live minnow six inches to a foot off the bottom) his second hole. There were times, he said, when walleyes would hit that Trap so hard, it would almost rip the rod right out of his hand.

I experimented a bit with lipless cranks through the ice, but really started having success with the Rippin Rap. Now, I often lead with the lure for my jigging line through the ice.

I experiment with jigging action, watching my electronics, allowing the walleyes to teach me what they want that day. Some days, the walleyes’ moods are consistent, wanting the same action for the lure. Other days, it is basically fishing each individual fish to learn what it will take to get them to eat.

The normal jigging cadence I begin with is to pull the lure up in about two-foot increments, enough to feel the vibration and hear the rattles. I then let it free-fall back to the bottom, which is often the strike zone.

I do mix up the jigging, giving extra-long and fast rips, shaking the lure as fast as I can, or elevating the lure in the water column. Often, as the bait is elevated, fish see up, and it is natural for them to shoot up to grab a meal.

When a fish slides in slowly, I work various jigging cadences until I get that fish to go. Sometimes, they want the normal jigging routine with a short free-fall. Other times, I will hold it just above them a bit and jig it more subtly, much like I would a jigging spoon with a minnow head. Jig, jig, hold in the strike zone. Shake, shake, shake, shake, hold in the strike zone. Walleyes will actually hit this presentation sitting still, and at times, actually prefer it sitting still in front of them versus moving.

When a walleye flies in out of nowhere, this fish is hot and is ready to eat. Normally, all I must do is get the lure in front of them, give it a couple of shakes and pow!

On Lake of the Woods, as an example, nice walleyes will come through beneath your hole, suspended. Keep an eye on your electronics. When you see a suspended fish, get your lure up to them quickly; but when you are about two feet below them, slow your reel and gently introduce the lure in their strike zone. Through experience, I have noticed that screaming a lure up to a suspended fish out of nowhere will often spook that fish.

My second choice in lures with sound and vibration is a jigging spoon with rattles, tipped with a minnow head or tail. There are certainly times when rattles will out-fish a spoon without rattles, and vice versa. As a rule, when I fish stained-water lakes, such as Lake of the Woods, I am a fan of rattles, sound and vibration.

Whether in the form of a rattle inside the spoon, an extra spinner blade or an extra flapper attached to the split ring of the treble hook, creating that extra kind of noise can trigger a walleye.

There are many good choices in choosing a spoon with noise. Tackle manufacturers have dialed in on noise and found creative ways to gain that extra attention from a walleye or sauger.

Like the lipless crank, my jigging cadence starts out with a jig, jig, about one to two feet up, followed by a free-fall into the strike zone. If a fish on my electronics isn’t reacting, I will pound the bottom and lift it into the strike zone. This can trigger fish in winter, as walleyes and saugers are tuned into forage opportunities on the bottom, such as minnows feeding, bloodworms or larvae of different types.

My third jigging succession is normally shaking the lure super-fast just above the fish, and then stopping, letting the lure sit right in front of its nose or just above it a bit, as fish are used to feeding up.

Finally, I emulate an escaping baitfish by shaking the lure with short, fast strokes, while slowly raising the bait in the water column. If you get the walleye to chase, you can often trigger it to eat.

When you are reeling your lure higher in the water column, it is important to not stop the lure when a fish is closing, as this will often cause the fish to lose interest. Keep the lure rising in the water column, representing a fleeing baitfish. Often, the walleye will hit the lure from the bottom, creating slack in your line. Set the hook!

Tempting walleyes with sound and vibration catches both active and inactive walleyes, draws fish in from a distance, and if they don’t hit your jigging line, you have a shot at them with your deadstick as well.

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