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When In Doubt
By Rick Olson

When it doubt, troll a crankbait With so many different presentations at a walleye anglers disposal, it’s difficult to know just what to start with, especially if your investigating a new lake for the first time. Or maybe you haven’t been on your own lake for a while, and have lost touch with what’s going on. In either case, there’s one tried and true method that more good anglers reach for than any other, especially when in doubt, and that’s a crankbait. 
 

The most difficult aspect of using cranbaits is confidence, or lack there of. The fact is, crankbaits really do catch walleyes, and lots of them. Not only do cranks produce, but they often get the attention of the largest of the species in a given system. What it all means is that if you really want to catch more fish, with a shot at a real hawg, you better get crankin’.

Rapala Shad Rap Rapala Tail Dancer

Specifically, the better running baits have a balsa wood body, like the Rapala Shad Rap. The Shad Rap is hands down, the all time winner for trolling shallow to mid depth structure. A newer entry to the ranks is the Rapala Tail Dancer, which has the balsa body, but has the added attraction of rattles. Rattles attract walleyes, for whatever reason, and can be extremely effective in darker water.

Good trolling equipment includes longer bait casting rods in the seven to nine foot range, with softer actions and lighter tips. A light tip will give you the ability read just how your bait is running. By watching the tip, you can see if it’s running clean, is banging into the bottom, or has become fowled with weeds or 
debris. A light action tip will vibrate noticeably when a crank is running true. No vibration means your bait is fowled, and a bait that vibrates and pulls back occasionally is dragging the bottom. Pulling a fowled bait will get you absolutely nowhere, and is something you better stay on top of. Good trolling lines include monofilament, braided, and fluorocarbon, and all have their place. Monofilament is still preferred, simply because it’s so easy to use. The drawback is the extra line stretch it possesses, which can limit how deep your bait will run. If you need some extra running depth, try one of the new fluorocarbon lines. Fluorocarbon has little stretch, and sinks (unlike monofilament ), which can buy quite a bit of extra running depth. The fact that it has little stretch really shows up in the rod tip, as the vibrations of a clean running bait are greatly accentuated. The braided lines have virtually no stretch, and will allow your bait to achieve maximum diving depth. The drawback is the fact that they are a little more difficult to work with, and leave no room for error. For example, a backlash ( and everybody gets them), can render a reel unusable, and the whole mess may have to be cut out with a sharp knife. However, if you really need the extra depth it can get you, the drawbacks maybe worth the trouble. Another method for getting a bait to run deeper, is to simply add an inline weight, eight to ten feet in front of the lure. It may seem a little crude, but it doesn’t seem to bother the fish. An inline weight can get a 
shallow running bait to run at just about any depth you care to reach. 
Although we’ve spent a good deal of time talking about working close to structure, don’t be afraid to run a bait way up and off the bottom. Walleyes aren’t always glued to the bottom, and many times can be found suspended, chasing high riding schools of baitfish. The pattern is one to look for, especially when you’re working deeper structure. Flat dead calm days are one of the keys, and can make for some incredible fishing. Flat dead calm isn’t normally associated with good walleye fishing, but don’t let that stop you from checking it out and getting in on the action. 

Rick Olson