If you’re fishing for walleyes on one of the rivers that criss-cross the Midwest, a jig will probably be the best choice of lures.

If you won’t be chasing walleyes until early summer, or even later, a jig will still be a very good choice. But when walleyes are the quarry early in the season, a jig is tough to beat.

Jigs come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Selecting a jig that matches the conditions is important, but selecting the appropriate jig is also pretty simple. Here are some ideas for selecting an effective jig for walleyes early and later in the season.

At this time of the year, rivers and some lakes are often stained by run-off water. In stained water, especially when the water is cold, should crawl your jigs along the bottom, especially if there aren’t a lot of snags. A stand-up jighead is a good choice. This jig will be most effective as it crawls across the bottom because, when paused, the minnow it’s tipped with will remain in an upright position, making it more visible to walleyes. A round head jig, when paused on the bottom, will lay on its side and be less visible.

When the fish are active or spread out, a jig tipped with plastic is usually better. Try a jig tipped with a smaller Rage Swimmer or a Mr. Crappie Grub. These baits allow you to fish a bit faster and potentially show your bait to more fish.

Don’t work this combo on the bottom like we did with the jig and minnow setup. A swimming retrieve is usually better. Cast the jig out, let it sink to within about a foot of the bottom, then begin the retrieve. Just reel the jig slowly with your rod tip in about the two o’clock position. Maybe let it sink closer to the bottom every now and then, but mostly swim it just above the bottom to avoid snags.

Use a jighead of one color with a body of another color. Sometimes, the fish want a particular color, and if you show them two colors on the same jig, you’re increasing the odds of showing them what they want that day. An orange jighead with a chartreuse piece of plastic is a walleye-catcher in many places.

Six- or 8-pound-test line works very well with jigs. If a 1/16- or 1/8-ounce jig is being used, 6-pound line would be a good choice, while 8-pound line would be good with heavier jigs. Sometimes, 8-pound line with 1/8-ounce jigs will be very productive if you want to slow the speed at which the bait falls. The larger diameter of the 8-pound line creates a bit more water resistance, and that allows the bait to fall a tad slower. If the area being fished has more snags, line that’s a bit heavier allows you to save a few snagged jigs that might have been lost with lighter line.

For the next few weeks, jigs will probably be your best bet for walleyes. In fact, wherever and whenever you’re trying to catch a walleye, a jig in some form is a good choice.\

Bob Jensen has been involved in fishing education, promotion and communications for the past 35 years. He is a popular television host and a member of the National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame. To see episodes of Fishing the Midwest television, fishing-related tips and articles, visit fishingthemidwest.com. Follow on Facebook @fishingthemidwest.