The Best Crankbaits to Use For Walleye Fishing

Trolling crankbaits is an efficient method of targeting walleyes. You can quickly cover large expanses of water while easily reaching active fish.

Crankbaits can make or break your results when trolling open water walleye fishing, so having the appropriate ones in your tackle box is critical for optimal results. Knowing when and how much line to let out to reach specific depths can be challenging when trolling open waters walleye.

Natural baitfish patterns

Walleye are attracted to live baitfish, so crankbaits that mimic these creatures’ movement and appearance have great appeal among walleye. Trolling or casting, these lures make ideal partners when targeting walleye during spring through fall when these fish move into shallower water bodies. In particular, these lures make great partners for pre-spawn walleye heading upstream for breeding or post-spawn females who have become exhausted after going through the spawning process.

Crankbaits come in various body styles and shapes designed to resemble different forage species, so having multiple crankbaits in your tackle box is crucial in covering every condition that walleye may encounter throughout the year. From minnow-style stick baits to larger imitations of alewife, emerald shiners and gizzard shad, there’s sure to be at least one crankbait within reach that walleye won’t resist!

Some of the most effective crankbaits for walleye include Rapala’s Husky Jerk and Deep Husky Jerk series, Smithwick Perfect 10, Reef Runner 800/600 series, Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnow and Storm Deep Jr. ThunderStick lures. Each of these lures provides subtle action that closely replicates that of slowly swimming minnows; their top-to-bottom roll maximizes side flash to trigger walleye into striking.

Slower is usually better when targeting walleye. This is especially true during early summer when these fish are still recovering from the spawning process and have a high metabolism rate, meaning slower trolling speeds may result in more strikes as these walleye are actively looking for food sources to sustain their energy reserves.

Be sure to utilize a high-quality fluorocarbon leader when trolling crankbaits for walleye. A leader that’s at least 4 feet from swivel to hook will help reduce line twist, which is often present when trolling these lures in clear, dirty or stained water conditions. Furthermore, an effective leader should be strong enough to keep the lure away from bottom structures or other obstacles while remaining flexible enough for different trolling presentations.

Deep-diving capabilities

Walleye are known to inhabit deep water environments, making the best crankbaits critical in reaching these depths. This is particularly essential early in spring before their spawn when walleye stage in deeper waters near reefs before moving closer to thermoclines later in autumn for feeding purposes.

Many popular crankbaits feature an aggressive dive curve and can reach depths up to 30 feet without the use of lead core line, while many stickbaits require special trolling lines or weighting systems in order to reach these depths. Luckily, several trolling options exist which can assist anglers in fishing down their crankbaits to their desired depths.

Lead core line is the go-to choice when it comes to walleye fishing, often used with sinking lures like Smithwick Perfect 10, Rapala Husky Jerk 14 or Deep Husky Jerk 12. Precision Trolling Data apps offer invaluable guidance when it comes to choosing and using lead core line and crankbaits, including specific diving data for popular baits like Smithwick Perfect 10 Rapala Husky Jerk 14 and Rapala Deep Husky Jerk 12.

Use Berkley FireLine 10 pound test no-stretch line when trolling walleye as it allows your lures to reach deeper depths while offering more forgiving action and suitable performance at various trolling speeds, making it suitable for cold as well as warm water walleye situations.

One way to enhance the effectiveness of crankbaits at deeper depths is with the addition of a snap weight. This small metal weight attaches directly to your line behind your lure, helping it reach desired depths more quickly. A two ounce Snap Weight can bring down popular PBZ and PWC crankbaits down over 40 feet – perfect for targeting walleye in deep water environments. The Precision Trolling Data app contains a list of lures tested using this technique; additional baits are regularly being added each year.

Tight wobbling action

Crankbaits with tight wobbling action are key when targeting walleye. Crankbaits that exhibit tight wobbling action produce more vibration and rattle that attract walleye, and also cover more water each pass – something which helps trigger shy fish into biting more readily.

Wide wobbling action produces more of a rolling action that can overstimulate fish’s senses with too much information. Furthermore, such lures often spin uncontrollably due to wide wobbling action; walleye are likely turned off by this move!

Finding the optimal balance requires employing a medium-wide wobbling action which lies somewhere in the middle between extremes. This action works effectively across various trolling speeds, and creates more of an authentic looking and sounding presentation.

The Precise Walleye Crank is an example of a medium-wide wobbling crankbait which provides both cold water and warm water species alike with exceptional action at both slow and fast trolling speeds. Originally developed with cold water species in mind, the Precise Walleye Crank runs true out of its package while having great action whether trolling slowly or fastly.

Quality crankbaits must also reach primary walleye trolling depths of 15-25 feet deep for effective trolling of walleye fisheries, making these deep diving crankbaits such as the JS Bruiser or Rapala Husky Jerk excellent choices when targeting walleye at deeper waters. Both these baits can be rigged on various types of lead core lines such as Carolina or bottom bouncer rigs to effectively reach these critical depths.

Trolling with multiple baits on your trolling line is another effective method for targeting walleye, especially during summer when they become more active and aggressive. By rigging different crankbait sizes and colors onto one trolling line, you can cover more water quickly while increasing your odds of finding willing biters.

Apart from selecting the appropriate crankbaits, increasing trolling speed and adding scent can dramatically increase your odds of landing a walleye this season. With any luck, these tips and tricks will have you slinging crankbaits into the boat with abandon this year and filling your cooler full of eye-popping walleye!

Durability

The best crankbaits for walleye fishing feature high-grade finishes and hardware, designed to withstand frequent trolling in cold waters while still remaining durable enough for multiple fish to cling onto one lure. Furthermore, these baits boast premium wide bend treble hooks designed specifically to hook walleye fish effectively – something essential when trolling for walleye.

An ideal crankbait for walleye should resemble the shape and movement of forage being targeted by these fish, such as natural baitfish patterns with side-to-side wobble flash that triggers strikes from walleye. Furthermore, this lure should feature an efficient dive curve capable of reaching walleye depths between 15-25 feet deep – essential components in any walleye angler’s tackle box! These lures can also be cast or trolled easily for any number of scenarios.

A quality crankbait should also be versatile, meaning that it can be fished at various speeds and in various water conditions. In clear water, choose subtle colors that mimic local forage while for murky or stained water use a bold lure that draws the fish in closer.

Walleye move into deeper waters each fall to spawn and fatten for winter, making trolling deep diving crankbaits an effective method to target them. A variety of baitfish patterns can be imitated using this approach and selecting an appropriate size bait can be key; deep-diving crankbaits come in sizes that range from 2-6 inches.

Crankbaits designed specifically for walleye are those which can be easily retrieved at various trolling speeds – from slow to medium. Popular choices are 3- to 6-inch stick baits which mimic minnow bodies or baitfish with wider bodies such as shad or cisco, like those seen here.

Trolling three lines per boat is an effective way to cover large areas of lake and increase chances of walleye capture. Trolling lures should ideally be attached with fluorocarbon leader and monofilament backing. For even greater precision in trolling depths, lead core lines may also be employed – these devices usually consist of segments of lead core sandwiched between pieces of fluorocarbon leader and monofilament backing; several apps exist that offer dive data for specific lakes for this device, which can assist when selecting appropriate lures based on this data when choosing appropriate lures based on specific situations.