I have video proof that walleyes will hit an empty harness. We didn't hook the fish but it did hit it, that harness was hit up with some kishels maybe that's it or not. I personally think the back color of the blades make more of a difference. We logged hundreds of hour of video on the waterwolf cameras and, most of our fish this past year came in from behind the harness. There were way more sideways and front strikes on our cranks than on harnesses.