Walleye Trolling Cranks

[Perchy]

Great thread! All of the mentioned cranks are staples in my box, along with a large selection of Taildancers, mostly #7's & #9's. Blue is a classic color for any Rapala. When you morph into a full-blown case of crankitis, there will be a need for line-counter rod & reel combos, planer boards, kicker motor, trolling book, lead core,etc.:)I know someone who is afflicted with this disease, God bless his soul!

[moreyes]

The new Lindy Shadling is an awsome bait, they have some sweet color patterns for match the hatch and another go to is the Berkley Flicker Shad

[Borch]

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.

What you talking about?! Lots of crankbaits....no problem.

That is unless your buddy has a hot bait that you don't have. That's a problem.

[Northlander]

Thats when I find all there is in the area and buy them all up!

[harvey lee]

I really like the Smithwick Rattlin Rouge's for Rainy lake and the Thundersticks.

Like Northlander, I have approx 300 plus cranks.

I always think I have enough and thenm when I go fishing with Borch, he has one I do not that is hot so, the crank box continues to grow.

Around home on the shallower lakes, then I really like the shallow shad raps. One can keep them above the weeds alot and not so muck for lure fouling in the weeds.

If you can swing the extra, check out the Special Mate crank boxes as they are about the best out there.

I have Borch & Northlander to thank for that added cost but they are sweeeeet.

[Jim Almquist]

Once you start using the SpecialMates, you will always use them. Great way to see all of your lures and they are never tangled up.

[goose89]

Once you start using the SpecialMates, you will always use them. Great way to see all of your lures and they are never tangled up.

Agreed. I bring 2 large and 2 short Special Mates with me, if I'm "crankin." I'll usually pick a dozen or so confidence baits, along with a few experimentals for the particular water I'm on, and put them in a couple of flat Plano boxes for easy changing. Just put em back in the SM's when trip is over. SM's are always available if they want something other than I thought they would (often the case).

I'm afraid to count total cranks, but I've got 2 large and 2 short Special Mates stuffed with my main cranks, several flat Plano's with miscellaneous cranks, and "too many to think about" extras, unopened in the basement. I have a very strong fear of running out of a few particular disco'd and difficult to find patterns / baits. I

[Borch]

I stock up on the discontinued favorites. Otherwise you're afraid to use them for fear of losing your last one.

I bet I've sold 20 of the Special Mates after folks have seen them in my boat. They are the cat's meow for guys who love cranks.

[Far-I]

What am i getting myself into, haha! Listening to your guys' obsession/passion is entertaining. the special mates boxes look pretty nice, a bit spendy, but nice. Don't know if i need one quite yet (i only have 3 dozen cranks or so) but i hate getting them tangled when i store two or more in the same compartment.

[harvey lee]

Trouble is if you but one, then you will be buying more cranks to fill it.

[Northlander]

Far-1 you need 1. Once you get "Crankin" you will have it filed in no time. I have 4 filled and many many planos filled. I like Borch and Harvey Lee buy lures in "Bulk" when I find one thats working good.

Almost everyone I know that likes crankin that has seen my Special mates now has at least 1. Best price I found was from Jackson Lures. Marine General also can ship them to ya quickly.

[GrizzlyAdams]

I have to agree with the special mate boxes. After fishing with harveylee and seeing how easy it is to see every crank and be able to grab the right one with out untangling a mess i had to come home and order one first thing. I now have 2 and have them filled as this crank buying thing is a huge addiction and i love it. I have a lot of cranks now and am only still learning how to use them. I have only just started and i can see already that i will need to purchase one or 2 more SM boxes. Very durable and keeps the cranks dry even in the rain. No more rusted hooks from sitting in a plano box. They are worth every penny especially considering how much you spend on 1 crank. Pretty cheap insurance for me to know they are not getting beat up or damaged in a plano box.

[Northlander]

Another tip. Take pictures of all your cranks in your special mates and save them on discs and give 1 to your insurance agent and 1 in a safe deposit box. I have a added insurance on all my fishing gear.

[harvey lee]

Yes, that also includes all my other gear, electronics and rods.

[Far-I]

I should insure my fishing stuff. At least my motors and electonics. I can't let my wife know what its worth though

[harvey lee]

About the same as some new furniture and 30 pairs of shoes. Then add in all the jewelry.

[Far-I]

Right! Actually she has flown to Arizona twice on vacation to see a friend after a couple of my bigger purchases, so it kind of has evened out already. I just don't want her knowing she could have flown to Australia

[harvey lee]

If one can purchase another Special mate box of crank's, give her the trip.

Another few things you may want in the future would be a trolling rod with a line counter and maybe the Precision trolling book. Both would be helpful in trolling cranks.

I know, it can get spendy real fast but one can acquire these items over a few years. I have been acquiring them for 35 years. I think I will still be getting more until the day I fish no more. DEATH I will bet will be the end.

My wife see's all the rods on the garage wall and asks if I really need them all. I start to explain what each one is for and she says thats ok and that's the end of that.

She knows from the first day I met her that I love or live to hunt and fish.

[tgruenke]

My dad and i jsut started trolling. We have had good success on The perch shadling. It is addicting. We don't have any fancy set ups but we do ok. The trickiest thing is figuring out running depths and trying to relicate it over and over.

[Borch]

A bobber stop on the line at 75 or 100 ft as a reference point works pretty darn good. Help to be more consistent with your set up when not using a line counter.

[PerchJerker]

A bobber stop on the line at 75 or 100 ft as a reference point works pretty darn good. Help to be more consistent with your set up when not using a line counter.

Suffix has a metered braid fishing line that works great for trolling - it's a non-stretch superline and the color changes every 10 yards or so, just like leadcore. I haven't used it myself but I know Mark Stanley uses it and loves the stuff.

[Northlander]

Do yourself a favor right off the bat and dont waste your time with bobber stops and colored lines! Get a line counter reel. The Diawa Acudepth will get the job done at about $50. Bobber stops move and colored lines are hard to keep track of when your letting out 160' of line.

[Far-I]

I have a line-counter combo i bought a couple of years ago and honestly, have never used. I am looking forward to breaking it in though, and adding to it. I have a planer board, and use it on occasion for a couple of different reasons, but haven't had a full spread going at once multiple lines. I also just scored the precision trolling 8th edition at a garage sale for $1. thats kind of what started me thinking......

I have a question for all you crank-heads: think you've saved money from not buying buckets upon buckets of minnow and riggin'?

Knowing most of you from the posts i would say, no, your addiction to cranks has cost you much more than minnows and most of you probably buy all of the minnows too anyways, haha.

[harvey lee]

I guess one does save some when cranking as every time you go, not always do you purchase any minnows. Sometimes I do have both in the boat along with otherbaits.

[JohnMickish]

If you guys think a crankbait fetish is expensive, wait till you couple it with a linecounter/trolling rod fetish as well. Lets see, 4 for leadcore, 4 for mono, a couple for fireline.....