Invented in the late 60's by the Lindner brothers, the Lindy rig is one of the most popular setups used by walleye fishermen today. While there are a myriad of variations, the principles remain the same. When they first started marketing the rig there were skeptics, but Lindy rig sales have passed the $35 million mark and is one of the standards of walleye fishing today. It is so common today that most fisherman simply stock the basic components and tie up their own out on the water.
The strength of the rig is its simplicity. A sinker, swivel and hook tied with a snell. Some fishermen add a spinner, some add a floating hook, but the essence of the rig is to allow live bait to move in a free and natural fashion on the end of the line. The walking slip sinker allows the line to move freely as the walleye takes the bait. This minimizes the resistance the fish feels when it takes the bait. A slow presentation allows the minnow, leech or crawler to swim naturally to attract finicky fish and the ability to change the length of the snell allows the fisherman to target fish based on their relative position to the bottom of the lake.
The Lindy rig lends itself well to a variety of fishing styles. Backtrolling and drifting are perhaps the most common methods, but fisherman can anchor and toss the rig into cabbage or hang it below a bobber to attract suspended fish.
The basic components of the Lindy rig make this a simple rig to put together. Most can tie one up in about the same amount of time it takes to tie on a jig.
For a detailed diagram of the Lindy rig and tips on how to fish it, visit the WalleyeGuy Blog and subscribe to my free newsletter.