Bottom bouncing cranks for 'eyes??

[clarki]

Hi everyone,

This open water season I plan on doing some trolling for walleyes. I always use jigs while anchored over drop-offs etc but I need to diversify as an angler, so this season I am determined to bottom bounce crankbaits in hopes of getting bigger 'eyes than i do using jig and minnow/crawler etc. I usually fish Ridge Reservoir, Travers, Jensen's. Looking for any and all hot tips!
Thanks,

M

[nicemustang]

I use a 3-way swivel system. Use a braid to a 3 way. Then a 2 foot or so line to a banana weight sized 1 oz per 10 feet of water. Then a 3-4' of leader to your crank bait. I like to use floating minnow style or flicker shad style.

[ArtVandelay]

How much line behind the boat? The standard 100ft?

Originally Posted by nicemustang

I use a 3-way swivel system. Use a braid to a 3 way. Then a 2 foot or so line to a banana weight sized 1 oz per 10 feet of water. Then a 3-4' of leader to your crank bait. I like to use floating minnow style or flicker shad style.

[hwilhelm]

Also try using spinners with bottom bouncers. You can buy them pre made but I make my own. Lots of different colored blades, beads, etc out there. Ie: Fishin Hole. I use varying weights of bouncers, try to keep my line down at about 45 degees. Then snap on a hand tied spinner rig. I like to have at least 2 red beads and use red hooks. Looks like blood? You should see your rod tip bouncing so you know you are on the bottom.
I use mostly fat night crawlers but have had good luck with minnows and leaches as well.
Change your trolling speed up now and again, trigger a strike.
These rigs have also worked for some monster pike.
Have a good selection of colors and change up if one is not working
When you get some action turn around and go back thru the same spot.

[Daceminnow]

Originally Posted by hwilhelm

Also try using spinners with bottom bouncers. You can buy them pre made but I make my own. Lots of different colored blades, beads, etc out there. Ie: Fishin Hole. I use varying weights of bouncers, try to keep my line down at about 45 degees. Then snap on a hand tied spinner rig. I like to have at least 2 red beads and use red hooks. Looks like blood? You should see your rod tip bouncing so you know you are on the bottom.
I use mostly fat night crawlers but have had good luck with minnows and leaches as well.
Change your trolling speed up now and again, trigger a strike.
These rigs have also worked for some monster pike.
Have a good selection of colors and change up if one is not working
When you get some action turn around and go back thru the same spot.

this is good info. lots of guys will attest pulling big blades with dewwys will catch good fish. try big colorado and hatchet ones. the 45 degree angle when bouncing is critical. don't let out 100' of line. the in-fisherman books and website holds a ton of good info. check it out.

[nicemustang]

Originally Posted by ArtVandelay

How much line behind the boat? The standard 100ft?

Have to keep a 45 degree angle. You need to be bouncing the weight, not draging it all the time.

[nicemustang]

Agree with above spinner post as well. Can try gulp alive worms or leeches, seems to produce just as well if not better (no end pickers) . I like to use 2 beads as well but orange or chartruese with a small red float in between, but then again it depends was we're up to. I prefer small colorado blades, then indiana, then willow leaf. Also, really like the spin n glo's.

[clarki]

Thanks for the replies guys. Any more info on Crankbaits would be great.

Thanks,

M

[chubbdarter]

Originally Posted by clarki

Hi everyone,

This open water season I plan on doing some trolling for walleyes. I always use jigs while anchored over drop-offs etc but I need to diversify as an angler, so this season I am determined to bottom bounce crankbaits in hopes of getting bigger 'eyes than i do using jig and minnow/crawler etc. I usually fish Ridge Reservoir, Travers, Jensen's. Looking for any and all hot tips!
Thanks,

M

your better off to follow your gps on mapped routes on Travers and Jensen pulling inline churches or birds with snap wieghts......trolling over the breaklines just runs fish off in 14-16 fow especially in Travers. BB the 30 foot flats can be productive but ive never caught a big eye in Travers or Jensen without at least a 12 foot tag off my weight.

i prefer to run snap weights as i can run long leads. Then run hot n tots, billies or water dogs....typical lures that get down 10-12 feet on their own.
the diving lips on these lures is the forgiving factor in tapping the rock piles
if im going deeper i like non deep diver stick baits and rely on wieght and speed to stay in bottom contact.

later in the summer and early fall the eyes in travers will be under those rising schools of whitefish.....trolling isnt my first option but again if you want to troll...snap wgts. and birds

good luck

[chubbdarter]

Originally Posted by clarki

Thanks for the replies guys. Any more info on Crankbaits would be great.

Thanks,

M

hot n tots
wiggle warts
reef runners
bomber water dogs
billie normans
tail dancers
rippling red fins
etc etc etc

[clarki]

Great info! Thanks

I am assuming that using cranks will get me into larger 'eyes. Anyone agree or disagree with this?? I ask because last year I jigged up hundreds of walleyes between myself and whoever was in the boat with me and only managed 1 'eye over 55cm. I fished almost exclusively at Ridge Res. any thoughts??

Thanks again

M

[nicemustang]

Maybe...finesse riggin would be my choice instead though.

[chubbdarter]

Originally Posted by clarki

Great info! Thanks

I am assuming that using cranks will get me into larger 'eyes. Anyone agree or disagree with this?? I ask because last year I jigged up hundreds of walleyes between myself and whoever was in the boat with me and only managed 1 'eye over 55cm. I fished almost exclusively at Ridge Res. any thoughts??

Thanks again

M

covering more water ups your chances of contacting bigger fish.....hit the waypoint...throw a marker. Work that area and fish that area....bigger fish in those res. generally group up

travers and ridge are big waters..well to us albertans....cover water as fast as possible and cranks do it best

[Daceminnow]

Originally Posted by clarki

Great info! Thanks

I am assuming that using cranks will get me into larger 'eyes. Anyone agree or disagree with this?? I ask because last year I jigged up hundreds of walleyes between myself and whoever was in the boat with me and only managed 1 'eye over 55cm. I fished almost exclusively at Ridge Res. any thoughts??

Thanks again

M

clarki,
check back a little later when FH7 gets out of school. you can be certain he'll have some invaluable crank info to share.

[ArtVandelay]

Thanks to the OP and all the responders. A good question and lots of great info here. Still so much to learn

[chubbdarter]

this is where Fireline really shines....its a fusion and very slick...most braids are algae magnets

[Dust1n]

Originally Posted by Daceminnow

clarki,
check back a little later when FH7 gets out of school. you can be certain he'll have some invaluable crank info to share.

crank baits....i like the color gold and chaturse for them. and my presentation is always slow and steady. the tail dancer ischartuse without the red beak is great. i always use rattle baits when ever you can. in early morning you wanna be shallow and where the wind was pushing as this brings the bait fish in and walleye and pike the apex preditors. afetr that they like 10-5FOW range with 14-18FOW being prime IMO. the company that makes rattle snakes are beast for making these crank baits small fat rattlin ones. that dive deep.

[chubbdarter]

Originally Posted by Fish Hunter7

crank baits....i like the color gold and chaturse for them. and my presentation is always slow and steady. the tail dancer ischartuse without the red beak is great. i always use rattle baits when ever you can. in early morning you wanna be shallow and where the wind was pushing as this brings the bait fish in and walleye and pike the apex preditors. afetr that they like 10-5FOW range with 14-18FOW being prime IMO. the company that makes rattle snakes are beast for making these crank baits small fat rattlin ones. that dive deep.

Dace is stuffing his face with pre game wings.....but wants you to know he is very proud of you......his exact words were..." thats my Boy"

[npauls]

FH7 you should get together with someone who has a boat and come steal all the winnings from under the noses of all the walleye guys on the SAWT walleye trail. You seem to know a **** ton about fishing and could rake in the prize money.

[Dust1n]

the only boat iv fished off of is my friends occasionaly with there dad guiding (not a good idea) since he fished the lake once lol. and then theres my fish hunter rubber dingy, we slayed walleye on sylvan on a rubber dingy. the people on theer tracking boat and there trolling rods all geared up for walleye only caught one. we caught about 20 some that day. just buy letting the waves slowly dift out lures. even F&W came and saw how we were doing. 2 guys on a rubber dingy in 20-30 FOW with lots of fish hooks isnt such a good idea.

[Dust1n]

Originally Posted by npauls

FH7 you should get together with someone who has a boat and come steal all the winnings from under the noses of all the walleye guys on the SAWT walleye trail. You seem to know a **** ton about fishing and could rake in the prize money.

i dont think i could qualify for it being im only 16. and the people on that lakes been fishing it for years and know probibly everything to it. but when me and my buddy from cold lake were are gonna enter NAWT and hopefully slay them because i have no tournament experance for proffesionaly.
i have shown alot of people up though down south and wayy up north i think for me its begginers fish luck.

[npauls]

As long as your partner is over 18 you can enter the tourneys on the SAWT. There is a few guys that have their teenage sons on the boat fishing the tourneys on our trail. They seem to do pretty good most tourneys.

[chubbdarter]

Dace is looking for a partner

[Dust1n]

hmm well i dont got a boat nor do i know what lake it is on.

[Daceminnow]

Originally Posted by chubbdarter

Dace is looking for a partner

no. been there, done that. it's mr.mustang thats looking for a competitive partner. i'm a relaxed fisherman again.

[Dust1n]

i only fish competivly if someone around me is going to beat me at it lol. but yeah most of the time im not competeive. especialy fi its for my main targets.
Pike,walleye,whitefish and brown trout

[Braun]

Fish hunter, you are more than welcome to meet up with me on my boat this summer. too bad we fish different waters, but im sure we can work something out. My boat is no beauty but shes going to have a livewell, casting deck, and lots of fishable space. It needs a paint job desperately. Maybe next winter instead of ice fishing.......

[nicemustang]

No thx. I need an experienced partner in SK.