Walleye Trolling Cranks

[Far-I]

I'm looking for a thread about definite, must-have walleye cranks for trolling lakes around MN. I know it must have been talked about countless times, but cant find many lists.

I just scored a boat a few weeks ago for a great deal that I'm eager to set up as a trolling rig and want to use a big chain store coupon on some cranks for next spring.

I have heard the reef runners are good, so i may get a couple of those. What other cranks do you guys go to when searching for fish?

[goblueM]

depends on the depth and the forage

but i'd say you can't go wrong with shad raps

[hanson]

Gotta have Rapala Shad Raps! No doubt about it! Make it more complicated, get the original Shad Raps (balsa), Shad Rap RS (plastic), and Glass Shad Raps. I'd also go with some Berkley Flicker Shads & Lindy Shadlings. That should cover you pretty good in the shad style crank department.

For the fall and shallow water trolling, Rapala Husky jerk-baits, Original Floaters, and Rapala Shallow Shad Raps.

Salmo Hornets should be put on that list as well.

That should get you started.

[Esox_Magnum]

Salmo Hornets are also a must have

[Chad Peterson]

The one I have the best luck is the Lindy Shadling#7 and the JR7 Rapala's. Perch color is always safe to start with too.

Sniffer

[jwmiller33]

CrappieSniffer is right on with the Lindy Shadlings. I couldn't agree more. I love the Shadlings in the perch pattern

My other go to walleye trolling cranks are salmo hornets, rapala shad raps (sizes 5,7 and 9), husky jerk-baits (size 10 and 14), jointed shad raps (size 7), and shallow shad raps to name a few. For any of these cranks, my favorite patterns are without a doubt 1) perch and 2) firetiger. It is hard to go wrong with those patterns in any crank bait. Any crank bait that has a good "wobble" in the action is going to be great for walleyes. It is also key to upsize or downsize your cranks for the time of year you are fishing. I have cranks as large as size 14s and as small as size 4, and have caught walleyes on both extremes. On mille lacs a month ago, I was using cranks this size when i was trolling lead:

The top is a rapala shad rap (size 5) in the purpledecent pattern and the bottom is a size 4 salmo hornet in the greentiger pattern. Both are killers for fall

For night trolling on Mille Lacs in the fall, the husky jerk-baits in sizes 10-14 are killers! the wobble on husky jerk is unlike the action on any other type of crank IMHO, and sometimes the husky jerk will outfish any other crank. This walleye bit this size 12 HJ

[JohnMickish]

#7 Flicker Shads, Shad Raps, Shadlings and Hornets. If I had to pick one size and style of bait this would be it. You can control the depth with other means but this is the lure for me.

[Northlander]

I cant chose just 1 thats why I have about 300 in the boat when Im trolling.

[Esox_Magnum]

I'm with northlander on that one to.

[Chad Peterson]

You guy's are right on having options in the boat.Over the summer I wanted to doing something different other than vertical jigging for walleyes and talking to a few guides up here they turned me on to trolling. So,I am starting to build a collection of rep's and the Lindy Shadlings were the ticket.

Sniffer

[Jim Hudson]

No doubt.. Once you get hooked on crankbaits, watch out!! It is a vicious disease..

But, here is my thoughts for someone just getting into the trolling game.. Pick a few cranks of each type.. Stickbaits (non-diving, like original rapalas, thundersticks, etc), Shad Baits (Berkley Flicker Shad), Deep Diving Minnow Baits (reef runners, deep thundersticks, etc), and Suspending Baits that are both shallow and deep running (Husky jerk-baits, X-Raps, etc) and go from there..

Pick a few that covers different color types, and you should be golden for starters..

[tunrevir]

That is great advice Jim but I find that I have this overwhelming need to buy say 5-6 of each color, model ect. I guess I have the disease bad when it comes to cranks

Tunrevir~

[goose89]

Hornets (4,5 &6's), Shad Raps (JR4's, SR and SRR 5,7,8&9), Rapala FLs(5-18's) and HJs'(8-13), deep and shallow Thundersticks, Smithwick Rogues & deep Reef Runners.

If I had to narrow it to 2- Shad raps and Reef Runners. I'd probably not fish if I had to narrow it to 1.

Looking at Hornets on Red Rock Outfitters site and Reef Runner's on their site is a crank addicts heaven, if you're still "crankin'". It's hell if you're trying to stay on the crankbait wagon. They are addicting!

I'm afraid to look seriously at the Shadlings yet. I topped off my 4th Special Mate box (many slots doubled up), and am spilling over into my old flat Plano's again. High Class problem.

Good advice from Jim. Choose 1 style of each, and stick with them. Most of it is what you're confident in. I've caught fish on Hornets when the majic bait was something else. I just had confidence in that situation with a Hornet, and fished better with it. Good luck, and be careful.

[goblueM]

That is great advice Jim but I find that I have this overwhelming need to buy say 5-6 of each color, model ect. I guess I have the disease bad when it comes to cranks

Tunrevir~

you know you have it bad when you think "Man i have to go to Canada so I can lose some of these old cranks to rocks and northerns, so I can justify going to buy more new ones"

[My_Key]

I've had my best luck with the Shadlings. The perch and shiner colors being my favorite. The bluegill pattern looks pretty in the box and on the end of the line, but it seems to produce more pike than walleye.

[popriveter]

I catch most of my walleyes on the mississippi with Storm Thundercranks and Berkeley Flick'r Shads. This year, the red crayfish pattern Flick'r Shad was best. Last year, a white Thundercrank was best. I'd go with Shad Raps too, but in the river, the lost bait costs add up quick, and the $3.50 I pay for a Storm or Berkeley crank is easier to swallow than the $6.00 I pay for a Shad Rap or a Taildancer.

[Far-I]

Thanks for all the responses in a not too lively open water forum! As excited as I am for the ice now, i'm wishing i hadn't winterized and stored this boat so soon! oh well, I have a nice running list going and plan on stocking up on some cranks here shortly.

The way you guys talk about cranks is making me wonder whether or not live bait would just be cheaper Anyways, i like the advice about getting a couple of each option and finding what i'm confident with.

learning to tune and run the cranks may be a bit challenging, but awful satisying when u start matching the lures to your sonar and pulling in fish i'd imagine.

[Far-I]

Just ordered some holiday gifts for my son, and pretty much a good starting arsenal of most of the cranks mentioned here for my own "present" what am i getting myself into, haha. Always been a bottom-bouncer lindy-rig kinda guy (when i'm not jiggin vertical), but am looking forward to the challenge/fun of learning to run cranks appropraitly.

How do you know if your crank is running true? Just run it behind the boat and watch its action? Then to fine tune it you use a pliers on the ring? Guess i'll google it sometime this winter....got lots of ice to play with first

[Northlander]

Dont forget 600 reefrunners. To see if your running true bump up the speed to about 2.5 and set along side the boat and see if its true behind the rod tip or not. If its off at all fix it because once you get 100' of line out it gets really nasty.

I use a needle nose or one of the Reefrunner tuning tools.

[Chode2235]

Don't forget the rapala minnow raps. I have great luck on those and they are my go to bait. They have a great wobble and enough a profile that the fish just love them.

As you can see, you can get a lot of baits very quickly.

I think the suggestion for getting a few of each style, and a few staple colors such as perch, gold, silver, firetiger will get you going. Then it is filling in the gaps with more sizes and colors.

[foulpole18]

Hi I'm Brian and I have a crankbait problem. It started with a few here and there. Then it became a bunch here and there. Now my garage is full of boxes of crankbaits. It's become so bad I now buy the bargain bin ones on sale in the none-selling colors and take them and give them new colors and finishes. This is a serious addiction not to be taken lightly.

[hanson]

Hi I'm Brian and I have a crankbait problem.

Hi I'm Hanson and I have to thank Jeff Borchardt (Borch) for my crankbait problem.

I'm now developing a custom painted spinner blade & bead problem as well.

[goose89]

For anyone developing a bead problem, I'd advice staying out of Michael's (craft store) when tagging along / shopping with you're wife / SO. My wife doesn't let me go with her anymore. She still doesn't know I go there by myself.

[Northlander]

Goose Im glad Im not the only guy on here buying beeds at Michaels.

[foulpole18]

Goose Im glad Im not the only guy on here buying beeds at Michaels.

guilty