Updated: November 2026. Walleye Icer, Ugly Bug, Teardrop and Ice-N-Ant prices checked on the live gapen.com product pages Nov 10, 2026.
The best walleye ice fishing jigs, the short answer: put a jig big and strong enough to carry a minnow on your main rod, like the Gapen Walleye Icer ($2.00). Tip it with a minnow, minnow head or crawler chunk and jig it with short lifts and long pauses just off bottom. Switch to a 3/8 or 5/8 oz Ugly Bug when deep water or current pushes your line around, and keep a small Teardrop or Ice-N-Ant on a second rod for the jumbo perch and fussy fish that share walleye spots.
Below: a four-jig picker table, a jigging rhythm that works under the ice, a depth and tipping chart, and what ice anglers say about these jigs.
Which Gapen ice jig should you tie on for walleye?
| Walleye Icer | Ugly Bug | Teardrop | Ice-N-Ant | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Larger ice jig with a strong hook | Wedge-head stand-up jig that rides level when jigged vertically | Small nickel-coated jig that flutters on the fall | Tied ice jig fly with a slow drop |
| Job on a walleye trip | Main jigging rod | Deep water, river ice and wind | Second rod for perch and lookers | Second rod for perch, panfish and trout |
| Best tipping | Minnow, cut bait or crawler chunk | Minnow on light colors, crawler or leech on dark colors | Minnow head, wax worm or spikes | Wax worm |
| Sizes and price | One size, $2.00, 9 colors | 1/32 to 5/8 oz, from $3.10 (3/8 and 5/8 oz for deep ice) | #10 and #8, $1.25 | #12 and #8, $1.85 |
| Weak spot | More jig than small panfish want | Bigger profile than a panfish jig | Light, so slow to get deep | Too small to be your main walleye bait |
Our shop rule of thumb: the Walleye Icer goes on the jigging rod first. If you are in 20-plus feet of water or the wind is bowing your line, switch that rod to a 3/8 or 5/8 oz Ugly Bug. Rig the second rod with a #8 Teardrop or Ice-N-Ant for the perch that move through between walleye bites.
What is the Gapen Walleye Icer?
The Gapen Walleye Icer is a larger ice fishing jig built to carry minnows, cut bait and crawler chunks, with a strong hook made to pull big walleye up through the hole. It works in shallow stained lakes and in deeper water, it is a good jumbo perch jig too, and it is made in the USA. It comes in 9 colors, and 7 of them glow (chartreuse, fire red, fire tiger, green, purple, white and yellow), with gold and silver for clear water and sunny days.
Can you ice fish with an Ugly Bug?
Yes. The Gapen Ugly Bug, created by Dan Gapen Sr. in 1969, stands up on bottom at about 45 degrees, and when you jig it vertically the same wedge head rides level. That level ride is what you want through a hole. The Ugly Bug size advisor puts the 3/8 oz at 15 to 20 feet and the 5/8 oz at 20 feet and deeper or in strong current. Tip light colors with a minnow and darker colors with a crawler or leech. It is made in the USA. For open-water jigging, see how to jig an Ugly Bug for fall walleye.
Where do a Teardrop and an Ice-N-Ant fit on a walleye trip?
Both are panfish-size ice jigs, so they belong on your second rod, not your main walleye rod. Walleye spots often hold jumbo perch, and a small bait held still catches them while you wait on the walleye.
- Gapen Teardrop: a classic nickel-coated ice jig in #8 and #10 that wobbles and flutters on the fall, made in the USA. Gapen itself points you to the Walleye Icer for bigger baits and bigger fish. Tip a #8 with a minnow head or a few spikes and set it a few inches off bottom.
- Gapen Ice-N-Ant: a tied ice jig fly in #8 and #12 known for its vertical action and slow drop. Tip it with a wax worm and work it with a subtle jigging motion. It is a favorite for trout and panfish, and the slow drop gives a fish time to look and commit.
How do you jig for walleye through the ice?
- Rig it. Tie the Walleye Icer or Ugly Bug directly to 6 to 10 lb line on a medium ice rod with enough backbone for the hookset.
- Tip it. Hook a minnow through the lips or behind the head, or use a minnow head or crawler chunk. A whole minnow adds action; a head adds scent and cuts down on short strikes.
- Find bottom, then come up. Drop to bottom and reel up 6 to 12 inches. Walleye often feed right off the bottom.
- Snap and settle. Lift the rod tip 6 to 12 inches with a short snap, then let the jig fall back on a semi-slack line.
- Pause longer than feels right. Hold it still 5 to 15 seconds. Most walleye eat on the pause or as the jig settles.
- Read the fish. If a fish shows up on the flasher, stop snapping and just quiver the rod tip. If it leaves, give one more lift to call it back.
- Set firm. Sweep the rod up hard and keep steady pressure. A strong hook matters at the hole, which is why the Walleye Icer is built heavier.
Low light at dawn and dusk is prime time for walleye under the ice, so be set up and fishing before the sun gets low.
Which jig, tip and color for your depth?
| Situation | Jig | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Shallow stained lake, 6 to 15 ft | Walleye Icer | Whole minnow |
| Mid-depth basin or point, 15 to 20 ft | Walleye Icer or 3/8 oz Ugly Bug | Minnow head or whole minnow |
| Deep water, 20 ft and deeper, or river ice | 5/8 oz Ugly Bug | Minnow, or crawler chunk on dark colors |
| Jumbo perch mixed in | #8 Teardrop or #8 Ice-N-Ant on a second rod | Minnow head, spikes or wax worm |
| Low light or stained water | Glow or bright color | Whole minnow for extra action |
| Clear water, bright sun | Gold, silver or a darker color | Minnow head |
Color: brighter colors often fish better in deeper water and low light, and darker colors can be better on bright days. Carry both and switch when the bite slows.
What ice anglers say about these jigs
The Walleye Icer averages 4.8 of 5 stars from 5 reviews on gapen.com. Jordan Thompson wrote, "These jigs kick butt for icing big walleye!" and added that "to catch hogs u need a good strong hook to pull them through the ice like gapen hooks!" Harold Taylor said they "look especially fine for walleye & jumbo perch. Colors ideal for these fish also." Brent Fuchs called them his "favorite winter jigs" and said, "The quality of these jigs is top notch!"
On the Ice-N-Ant, Johnny wrote that it is "one of my go-to ice jigs because of its slow drop. Fish hit them hard," and Frank Akins said he catches "a lot of Brook trout and rainbow trout on these tipped with wax worms."
To be fair, Jordan also made the point a lot of walleye anglers argue about: smaller jigs can be better for little fish. If the fish you are marking are small or will not commit, that is when the second rod earns its keep.
When should you use a different Gapen bait?
- More flash and a faster drop for perch: see what is a Gapen Flicker Spoon.
- Perch right on the bottom: see what is a Gapen Red Ball Jig.
- Open-water walleye in current: see how to rig a Bait-Walker for walleye in current and Bait-Walker vs bottom bouncer.
Shop the Gapen Walleye Icer
Gapen Walleye Icer: a larger ice jig with a strong hook for minnows, cut bait and crawler chunks, for walleye and jumbo perch, $2.00 in 9 colors, made in the USA. Shipping to the contiguous US is $7.95 on orders under $75, $3.95 on orders of $75 to $199.99, and free on orders of $200 or more. Questions? Call the shop at 1-877-623-2099 and talk to an angler.
Walleye Ice Fishing Jigs FAQ
What is the best ice fishing jig for walleye?
A jig big enough to carry a minnow with a strong hook, like the Gapen Walleye Icer. Tip it with a minnow or minnow head and jig it just off bottom with short lifts and long pauses.
What size jig should I use for walleye through the ice?
Use the Walleye Icer as your main jig. In about 15 to 20 feet a 3/8 oz Ugly Bug works, and in 20 feet and deeper or current use the 5/8 oz so you keep contact with bottom.
What do you tip a walleye ice jig with?
A whole minnow, a minnow head or a crawler chunk. A whole minnow adds action in stained water; a head adds scent and helps when walleye short-strike.
How do you jig for walleye under the ice?
Drop to bottom, reel up 6 to 12 inches, snap the jig up 6 to 12 inches and let it fall, then hold it still 5 to 15 seconds. Most bites come on the pause.
Can you catch walleye on a Teardrop or Ice-N-Ant?
They are panfish-size jigs, so use them on a second rod. They shine on the jumbo perch that share walleye spots. For your main walleye jig, use the Walleye Icer or a heavier Ugly Bug.
Do Gapen walleye ice jigs glow?
Most do. Seven of the nine Walleye Icer colors are glow colors, and most Teardrop colors glow too.
How much is the Gapen Walleye Icer?
On the live product page in November 2026, the Walleye Icer is $2.00.
Gapen Tackle Company, a family tackle shop in State Center, Iowa, making jigs in the USA since the Ugly Bug in 1969.