Willowleaf or Indiana style blades for crawler harnesses

[Northlander]

As an extension to the post re: good rod for spinners, I'm curious if anyone has used crawler harnesses with the above mentioned blade styles.

It seems what you find in stores is the Colorado style. I'm thinking the Indiana or Willowleaf might be better for either trolling the open waters of LOTW or the Great Lakes for walleyes.

For those that have used them, how effective are they compared to the Colorados and any tips on trolling them or rigging them and how would they work for lake trout on L. Superior?

If Im not running Colorado's its Indianas around my area. Choppers/hatchets can also be very good at times. For the lakers I use a BIG spin n glow.

[tacklejunkie]

How fast do you troll that spin and glow for lakers? I have a few but never used them for lake trout on L.Superior. I got a few on a leader with a squid and have thought of towing those behind a dipsey

[Northlander]

If Im going only for lakers its slow, like 2mph or less. If Im trying to get a few salmon in the mix its faster and up to 3mph. I tend to vary speeds and do a lot of turning in and out. I love them big spin n glows behind a hammered silver 000 dodger (8") that Russ at Marine General has. Its been deadly for me over the years with smelt or gulp smelt on the spin n glow wich I tie up with 2 trebles on it. Down by the bottom slow.

[tacklejunkie]

Do you have to troll them behind a dodger and do you have to troll them on the bottom? The ones I have do not have treble hooks so maybe a replacement is in order.

How does that GULP smelt work for you? I tried the GULP crawlers on harnesses and no more.

[Northlander]

You can troll spin n glows anyplace in the wayer column and no it doesnt have to be on a dodge. You could pull them on a dypsie and even with a inline weight or something and tow behind a board.

As far as the gulp smelt it has been good, not as good as real smelt but I still catch fish on them. The Gulp Crawlers are always in my boat for using on spinners. Especially in weeds or when pesky perch are around. Im not putsin around when pulling spinners. Im going 1.2 mph and up. They cant tel if that crawler is real or not at them speeds. If Im worried about scent I just dip them again or spray with the Gulp Spray. I rarely have to though.

[tacklejunkie]

Looks like my spin n glos are going to get a test run on Superior this summer.

I must be doing something wrong as I will be fishing with someone trolling a real crawler and I would troll a Gulp crawler and they would outfish me by quite a bit

[Northlander]

Try trolling a bit faster. When Im in a tourney/contest I almost always run the real deal. Watch the Gulp at the side of the boat and make sure its trailing straight on the hooks behind the spinner. 1 other thing I recomend especially on the St. Louis and Big Lake is go big or go home with them blades.

[tacklejunkie]

I hear you on the big blades on the River. It does make a difference