How to Tie a Nightcrawler Harness for Walleye Fishing: Step-by-Step Guide

Slide the line through the eye of your hook, running a short length of it through the eye and parallel with the hook shank.

Wrap your line around the hook and the tag end of your line, just behind the hook eye. Make seven or eight tight wraps, working from the eye and running down the shank. Then run the line back through the eye of the hook and pull the standing line to snug up the knot.

At this point, you could make a single-hook rig, which is usually used with minnows. To do so, skip the second hook and begin adding beads.

How to Tie and Space Multiple Hooks

Slide a second hook down the line in the same orientation as the first. For nightcrawlers, you generally space the hooks about 3  inches apart, but slide it to whatever length you like. Tie a snell in the same manner as the first, wrapping around the hook shank and then threading the line back through the eye of the hook from the back toward the front of the rig. Some crawler harnesses encompass a third hook. If you'd like to add another, repeat the process a third time.

Adding Beads and Spinner Blades for Flash and Vibration

Now it's time to add some beads and a spinner blade. The beads give off some color and create a gap between the spinner blade and the hook. Pick whatever size and color you like and slide them down the line in whatever quantity you choose. Next, slide a spinner onto a clevis with the concave side of the spinner pointing toward the hooks. Then slide both ends of the clevis through the line and down to the beads.

Finishing the Rig: Loops, Swivels, and Attachment Tips

Finish your nightcrawler harness by doubling up the tag end of the line and tying an overhand knot. This creates a loop that allows you to attach the rig to your main line. Trim the tag end. Alternatively, you could tie a surgeon's loop knot, or tie the end to a swivel.