Crankbait Fishing Tips

The best crankbait in the world won't catch a fish if it's not running at the same depth as the fish. 

In systems where walleyes relate to the bottom, always select a bait that runs close to the bottom. (See the Shadling depth chart below.)

When fishing suspended fish, determine the proper depth through trial-and-error. Start with crankbaits that run to a variety of depths and see which range produces the most fish. Once that has been determined, switch all your lines over to baits that run to that depth.

To be effective, a crankbait must be running perfectly straight. To check a bait, cast and retrieve it as fast as you can. If it runs off to one side or the other, it will have to be tuned. If the bait comes in to the right of the rod tip, bend the eye very slightly in the opposite direction it runs high--in this case, to the left. Several adjustments may be necessary.

When the bait is perfectly tuned, it will come directly back to the rod tip. Lindy's Shadlings never need tuning. Each is guaranteed to run true, right out of the box.

Studies show that a walleye will often swim "up" to take a meal but rarely, if ever, goes down. A crankbait that swims a foot or two off the bottom has a good chance of triggering a strike. But a bait that is several feet below a school of suspended fish will go completely unnoticed.

Different colors of baits are more visible to fish under different light conditions. Color, more than naturalized finishes, seems to be most important to the fish. Water clarity and sunlight affect the way fish see color.

In clear water or bright days, for instance, the chrome colors seem to be most visible to fish. In very stained water or on overcast days, the bright reds, oranges, yellows and chartreuses seem to work best.

For walleyes, there's no reason to fish line heavier than 10-pound test. Light line allows your bait to run with its maximum intended action and to dive to its ultimate depth. Six and eight-pound line are excellent under most conditions with 10-pound the preferred line for fishing with planer boards.

Speed can be a critical consideration. Most Lake Erie charter captains install trolling speed indicators on their boats and carefully monitor their speed. They might start at less than 2 miles an hour, gradually increasing to as much as 3.5 mph or more until they find they "exact" speed that triggers the most strikes for that day.

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