Walleye cranks....

[riverrat56]

No, not the ones that catch them, the ones that look like them.

I don't know why, but they have sure been putting fish in the boat for me latley, not always walleyes, but lots of perch and pike. I've been using #7 SR and SSR. I just thought it was such an odd color choice but it has been working...Anyone else using an odd color this year with success?

Now for that crappie colored #5 Hornet...

[PerchJerker]

I like the walleye pattern raps because of the white belly.

I got a tip on the bluegill pattern raps a few years ago and couldn't believe it, but for a two week period the walleyes were tearing them up. Haven't done that well on them since, but for two trips they were the bomb and then some.

My favorite right now is a Bandit, it's a fat crankbait that I cast for bass and pike. The color pattern is called 'mistake', it's green and black on one side and red and black on the other side. With the wide wobble it has you get flashes of both colors and it really looks great in the water.

[Borch]

I've been doing very well on the new shap color yellow perch. Much lighter than the original perch and the walleyes really seem to like them.

Bluegill has also been a hot color for me by a couple of different crank manufacturers.

As always rainbow has been a good choice especially with some moon at night.

[Team Otter]

They're cannibals!

[Ed Carlson]

If the forage is low, walleye will eat anybody and anything. Most anytime they are putting on the feedbag they are open to eat whatever turns them on. They are eating machines really.

I tend to agree that it is not that the pattern closely resembles a walleye that is turning them on, it is because it is a good color/pattern combo for the water clarity and light conditions.

We have all seen walleye go on the bite for some Whacko color combo that represents nothing remotely found in nature, such as the patern Wonderbread...or MonkeyPuke...or Grannys Pantys...not too many critters that look like that swimming around in walleye country, yet they do go hot for them at times.

I strongly believe it has more to do with the action of the bait, the contrast of the pattern in the light conditions present, speed presented, and the vibration emitted by the lure.

[riverrat56]

I tend to agree with your theorys Ed, I do not think that this walleye pattern would be out performing another crank with brown/ gold sides and a white bottom, it just happens to be the one that I have...

On the cannible note, when we were on Leech lake, the perch loved this pattern, maybe getting a little revenge before the eye's get big and munch on them?

[fishermatt]

As full darkness approaches a color change is necessary many times. Last night I had caught 4 nice eyes on a bright color pattern, but as it got darker I wasn't getting bit. Switched to a darker color and Bam, Bam, I was filled out in 10 minutes.