Trolling crankbaits is my favorite angling method, but there's a more important reason why I encourage other anglers to take up this productive angling technique. Trolling is one of the few walleye fishing presentations where everyone in the boat can share equally in the fish-catching fun regardless of their angling skill.

Anyone who has been around the dock for awhile can recall fishing trips where one angler on board caught all the fish. I've witnessed this dozens of times and have always felt that everyone including the lucky angler would have enjoyed the trip more had the fishing action been spread around a little more.

Trolling is the perfect fishing presentation for sharing the fun with others. An angler knowledgeable in the methods of trolling can easily share his boat, equipment and expertise. When fish are hooked, the fun of fighting them can be enjoyed by everyone.

Unlike jigging, casting and other popular walleye fishing techniques that require the angler to feel the fish bite, crankbait trolling is a game of sight. A hooked fish is noticed when a rod bucks from the weight of a fish. For new comers to the fishing game, seeing strikes is a lot easier than feeling them. Trolling is effective in the huge Great Lakes, impoundments and small lakes. Anywhere walleyes are found trolling and crankbaits will catch them.

Selecting Crankbaits

With so many models, sizes and colors of crankbaits to choose from, many newcomers to the trolling game have a difficult time selecting lures for walleye fishing. Contrary to the printing on lure packages, crankbaits are not species specific lures.

A crankbait that catches bass is likely to trip the trigger of walleyes, northern pike and other fish. Manufacturers often market certain lures for specific species of fish because the lure has a good track record with that species, not because the lure won't work on other game fish. The best crankbait trollers are always looking for new lures to try.

Three distinctive groups or classifications of crankbaits are required for walleye trolling. A selection of shallow, medium and deep diving lures are needed to effectively cover the common depths walleyes are most often found.

Shallow diving lures are those that dive less than 10-feet below the surface. Medium divers can be expected to run from 10 to 20-feet and deep diving crankbaits are those that dive 20-feet or deeper. Of these three categories, most crankbaits fall into the medium diver range. In recent years, the push has been toward developing deep diving crankbaits that will run 30, 35 and even 40-feet deep when trolled on long leads.

Lead length is just one factor that determines how deep a crankbait will dive. The more lead length that's used when trolling a crankbait, the deeper the bait will dive. This is constant with all categories of crankbaits.

Line diameter is another factor that effects crankbait diving depth. Thin diameter monofilament allows cranks to dive much deeper than heavier pound test lines. Water resistance on the line is greater when a crankbait is pulled with heavy monofilament vs lighter line. A lure trolled on 10 pound test will dive several feet deeper than the same bait on 17 pound test.

For most trolling applications, 10 pound test line is ideal. Strong enough to handle any walleye and thin enough to provide maximum diving depth and action, this line size is the most common among serious trollers.

A third factor also influences crankbait depth. How the lure is designed, lip size, body size, body shape and buoyancy are just a few of the subtle factors that influence how deep a crankbait will dive. Lures with small diving lips are normally shallow diving lures, while those baits with larger lips are usually deeper divers.

However, just because a lure has a large lip doesn't mean it will dive like a penguin. Baits that have large buoyant wood or hollow plastic bodies are often shallow or medium divers even though they feature an oversized diving lip.

The Rebel D30 Spoonbill is a classic example of this phenomenon. Although the lure features a large diving lip, a long and buoyant body prevents this bait from diving deeper than 18-feet. Unfortunately, there's no practical way of looking at a lure and determining how deep it will dive. Most lure manufacturers don't even publish the diving ranges of their baits, because they have no way of knowing which size line or how long a lead anglers are likely to use.

The best guide I've seen to crankbait diving depth is a booklet published by Sportsman's Corner Publishing, 2304 Olthoff Dr., Muskegon, MI 49444. Dubbed Crankbaits In-Depth, this handy reference shows the diving depth of 90 popular crankbaits in a chart called a dive curve. Each dive curve shows a life-size picture of the lure along with a plastic laminated chart that shows how deep the lure will dive when trolled with various lead lengths.

An invaluable aid to crankbait trolling, all the data contained within the pages of Crankbaits In-Depth was collected by a scuba diver who recorded the diving depths of lures as they were trolled by a measuring tape suspended in the water. Each lure and the respective lead lengths were accurately tested, retested and finally recorded into a dive curve chart that is easy to read and use.

Knowing the various diving depths of crankbaits enables a troller to accurately present lures to walleyes spotted on a sonar unit. For example, if the graph shows walleyes marking at 15-feet below the surface a Storm 1/2 ounce Hot 'N Tot with 75-feet of line out will position the lure at that depth. A Cotton Cordell Wally Diver CD6 will achieve the same depth range with 95-feet of line as will the Rapala No. 8 Shad Rap with 200-feet of lead.

These three examples are just a few of the lures that will reach the 15-foot depth range when trolled on 10 pound test line. Crankbait dive curves enable anglers to experiment with a wide variety of lures with the confidence that his trolling presentation is putting the baits right in the face of waiting walleyes.

Narrowing Down the Choices

Walleye trollers should have at their disposal a selection of shallow, medium and deep diving lures. It's not necessary to purchase large numbers of crankbaits when starting out. Although the serious crankbait troller inevitably ends up with tackle boxes full of lures, beginners should concern themselves primarily with collecting a small assortment of the most popular baits to begin with.

The most popular shallow diving walleye lures include the Rapala No. 11 Floating Minnow, Storm Jr. ThunderStick, Bomber Long A, Smithwick Rattlin' Rogue, Rebel Fastrac and Bagley Bang-O-Lure.

When choosing medium divers, the Storm 1/4 ounce Hot 'N Tot, 3/8 ounce Wiggle Wart, Cotton Cordell Wally Diver CD6, Rapala No. 7 & No. 8 Shad Rap, Rebel Fastrac Shad and Bomber Model 6A are excellent choices.

Productive deep divers include the Storm Deep ThunderStick, No. 4 Bagley Bang-O-Lure, Bomber 25A, Poe's RC3 and Luhr Jensen Powerdive Minnow.

These crankbaits represent only a small assortment of the productive lures available. Each of the baits listed above have proven themselves over time, but it's important to remember that many other baits are equally or more attractive to walleyes at times.

The Importance of Trolling Leads

The ability to reproduce effective lead lengths quickly and accurately is as important as having the right lure tied on. Anglers use a variety of methods to measure trolling leads, but the most convenient means is to purchase a fishing reel with an attached line counter device. The Daiwa 27LC and 47LC reels are ideal for trolling applications. A digital counter on the reel keeps track of lead length as the lure is let out and reeled in.

The counter on the reel is set by touching a button to zero out the dial before the lure is placed in the water. As the boat trolls forward and the lure is let out, the counter records the lead length.

Line counter reels are the easiest means of monitoring lead length, but they aren't the only way. Metered fishing line that's marked every 10-feet with a colored band is a handy and less expensive way to monitor trolling leads. Dupont Stren recently introduced Depth Finder metered fishing line for trollers.

Trolling Speed

Trolling speed is an often debated topic among walleye fishermen. Two distinctive schools of thought exist in the trolling scene. One school claims that slow trolling is best, while the other contends that speed trolling triggers more strikes.

In reality both methods work, but not usually on the same day. Determining the ideal trolling speed is a chore that must be addressed daily. In general, most trollers pull their crankbaits from one to three MPH. Although the span of a couple miles per hour doesn't seem like much, major changes in how lures are responded to by fish often occur at these speeds.

To further complicate matters, some baits produce best at slow speeds and others wobble and vibrate better when zoomed along at a brisk trolling clip. The best way to determine how a lure will react at various trolling speeds is to test the lure at boatside before fishing with it. Let out a few feet of line and drag the lure while speeding up and slowing down the boat. Watch the lure's action and try to determine what speed ranges best suit the lure.

Water temperature and the relative activity level of walleyes also has a lot to do with the most productive trolling speeds. In cool water or if fish seem reluctant to bite try trolling slowly. As the water temperatures warm, trolling speeds can usually be picked up a little with good results.

Active fish are likely to bite a slow or fast moving crankbait, but trolling faster will allow the angler to cover more water and contact more fish in the process.

Trolling cranks for walleyes is most commonly practiced during the warm summer months. Few anglers realize that these popular game fish can also be cranked up in the cooler seasons of spring and fall by slowing down the trolling speed and using subtle action lures.

The action a crankbait features is never more important than during the cold water period. Just the way crankbaits feature different depth ranges, they also feature varying degrees of action or movement in the water. In cool or cold water, lures that feature a subtle or subdued action are usually most effective. In comparison, warm water and aggressive high action crankbaits are a winning combination.

Matching up lure action to water temperatures is one of the finer points of crankbait trolling for walleyes. Subtle action lures are those that feature a delicate top-to-bottom roll when pulled through the water. The Rapala No. 13 Husky is an excellent example of a lure that features a subtle action.

More aggressive action baits like the Storm Rattle Tot feature a violent side-to-side movement that drives warm water walleyes crazy.

Unfortunately, most subtle action lures are also shallow divers. Since cool water walleyes are often found in 20 to 50-feet of water special measures must be undertaken to present shallow diving lures far below the surface.

Trolling with the help of downriggers and lead-core line are two of the most popular and productive methods of taking shallow diving baits deep for cool water walleyes.

Controlling the boat is another major issue among walleye fishermen. Boats used for walleye fishing vary from 12-foot car toppers to 35-footers. Small boats usually depend on an outboard motor for trolling chores, while larger boats often use I/O motors. The popular walleye boats on the market today usually combine a V6 outboard motor with a small kicker that's used strictly for trolling.

A kicker motor is one of the best ways to control any fishing boat. Adaptable to almost any boat, special trolling motor brackets are available that can be mounted on the back of large or small boats.

Those who prefer to troll using an I/O motor or large outboard can purchase various trolling plates designed to slow down the boat's forward speed. An electric trolling plate produced by Riviera Downriggers is the most practical trolling speed aid I've seen. Known as the Perfect Trolling Control, or PTC for short, the unit operates using a piston-driven electric motor.

Designed to lift or lower a cast iron plate over the prop at controlled intervals, a PTC provides the angler with speed control never before possible. Mounted on the cavitation plate, the plate itself is infinitely adjustable via a control switch that can be mounted anywhere in the boat.

The angler who uses this plate to adjust trolling speed without tampering with the motor throttle. Speeding up and slowing down to give lures an erratic action is a snap, and feathering the control to deliver just the perfect speed is very easy.

Planer Boards and Walleye Trolling

Several years ago I introduced Kenny Darwin to in-line trolling boards. He had never used these miniature trolling skis, and was more than a little skeptical.

I chose the open waters of Lake Erie as a proving grounds. The weather was hot, calm and humid, the type of day that you have to soak your T-shirt in the drink to keep from overheating.

We located a school of walleyes suspended near the surface and feeding actively. I quickly went to work setting 1/4 ounce Hot 'N Tots 50 to 70-feet behind our in-line boards.

We didn't have to wait long for action. Walleyes were hooked and landed approximately one every five minutes. We worked like lumber-jacks reeling in, netting and releasing fish. Sweat-soaked and exhausted, Kenny had to admit trolling crankbaits behind in-line boards was one of the most productive fishing techniques he had experienced.

Having the proper fishing equipment is a major part of trolling success. Planer boards in the hands of a skilled angler are a fish-harvesting system that must be seen first hand to fully appreciate their value.

Perhaps the most important accessory a walleye troller can own,

in-line planers have taken the walleye trolling scene by storm. These miniature skis are easy to fish with, versatile, effective and very affordable.

When fishing in-line skis the angler only needs to purchase the planer board. In-line skis range in price from $10 to $20 each. There are no additional accessories like planer masts, tether lines and extra releases to purchase. In-line boards are small, approximately four inches wide by 12 inches long, and are designed to attach directly to the fishing line. The angler only needs a rod, reel and lure to get started side-planing.

When using in-line boards, let out the desired trolling lead and attach the board directly to the line via a pad-style release system located at the front of the board. A snap swivel mounted near the back of the board also is clipped over the line to prevent losing the planer if the release accidentally pops free from the line.

After attaching the board to the line, place it in the water and release line from the reel. The boat's forward motion will cause the board to track to the side. When the board is the desired distance from the boat, the reel is engaged and the rod placed in a holder.

When fishing in-line boards, most anglers set two lines per side. Stacking three or more lines per side is possible, but it requires a skilled hand to keep all the lines from becoming tangled.

Depending on the brand, some in-line boards are reversible and others must be fished either on the port or starboard side of the boat. Of the half dozen or so in-line boards available, my favorite is the new Off Shore Side-Planer. The largest and easiest to use of all the boards I've tried, Off Shore Side-Planers perform better in rough water, when using deep diving crankbaits and with specialized trolling systems like segmented lead-core line and diving planers. For more information on Off Shore Tackle trolling products contact Bruce DeShano, 135 Madison, Port Austin, MI 48467 or call 517-738-5600.

Slightly larger than most in-line skis the Side-Planer also features a bright yellow color with a contrasting orange flag that's easy to spot on the water. In addition to walleye trolling, I've used these board to successfully catch northern pike, steelhead, brown trout, lake trout, king salmon, coho salmon and bass. Every year I discover new uses for the board, and more productive ways for them to catch fish.

The chief difference between in-line boards and the more common

catamaran-style skis systems, is the smaller boards must be reeled in and reset after catching each fish. Although the process sounds time consuming it really isn't.

When the boards are set and running, they track to the side of the boat like a squadron of fighter planes. When a walleye is hooked, the weight of the fish pulls that board backward behind the boat and out of formation.

Spotting the strike and a hooked fish is easy with a little experience. When a board pulls back, the fish is reeled in slowly board and all. As the board enters the boat, it is quickly removed and the angler continues to fight the fish. Once the fish is landed, the lure is reset, the board reattached and the whole set-up returned to its place in the squadron.

Not only is this system easy, it's an extremely effective way to troll for walleyes. Rarely are fish lost using this system because the angler knows the moment a fish is hooked. So long as the angler doesn't horse the fish or accidentally give it slack line, chances are it will come to net.

Trolling with in-line planer boards is usually practiced with crankbaits, but it is equally effective when pulling spoons, crawler harnesses or lead-core line systems.

Unlike larger catamaran style boards, in-line skis can be used effectively at any trolling speed. Catamaran boards must be pulled fairly fast to facilitate the tension needed to gain crisp line releases when a fish is hooked. In-line skis are invaluable for trolling slowly during the cold water periods when walleyes are reluctant to strike at fast moving lures.

The Importance of Electronics

Serious trollers need quality fishing electronics. No exceptions. The ability to locate fish with the help of sonar provides the angler with an important starting point. A place to begin the elimination of unproductive water and an opportunity to catch fish that mark at various depth ranges.

Don't even bother to set lines until the graph confirms the presence of fish. It stands to reason that you can't catch fish if there aren't any around, still most anglers spend their time trolling through empty water.

When hunting for walleyes, cruise around slowly while watching your sonar unit. To mark fish properly the boat must be moving slow. If large tracts of water must be searched, try a run-and-gun approach to locating fish. Run at high speed for a few minutes to cover water then slow down and cruise for several minutes. Repeat this process in a back and forth grid pattern until walleyes are located on the sonar unit.

Sometimes it takes more time to locate fish than it does to catch a limit after the search is over. Once walleyes are located, the most valuable aid a troller can have is a Loran-C or Global Positioning System (GPS) unit. Sophisticated navigational aids, when combined with a graphics plotter that show a one dimensional picture of the boat moving over water, these fishing aids can be used to direct the boat back over productive waters with pinpoint accuracy.

Both Loran-C and GPS function by triangulating signals generated from three or more distant points. Loran-C signals are land based and transmitted from towers, while GPS signals are transmitted from satellites orbiting the Earth.

Of the two systems, GPS is newer, more accurate, more dependable and of course more expensive. Still the investment in GPS is a good one, since most sonar manufacturers are already phasing out Loran-C systems from their product lines.

The best values in GPS are units that contain both a high quality sonar unit and GPS plotter in the same machine. A split screen feature on these units allows the anglers to use the sonar and graphics plotter at the same time, gaining both the benefit of being able to see fish on the graph while navigating the boat back to an area where fish were recently caught.

The ability to stay on an actively feeding school of walleyes is the key to trolling success. Once fish are located and lure and lead length they seem to like is determined, you are guaranteed more strikes if a GPS unit is available to help duplicate prior trolling runs.

Boat Control Tips

One final tip makes trolling for walleyes and other game fish a more productive and enjoyable way to fish. When possible troll with the wind. Anyone who has tried to troll into the wind knows that it is difficult to keep the boat moving on track and regulating boat speed becomes a nightmare. Suddenly the angler is fighting with his equipment instead of fishing.

Trolling down wind makes it's easier to fight hooked fish, trolling speeds remain constant, snags and tangles are less frequent when setting lines and the boat controls itself. Crankbaits also run better and dive deeper when pulled down wind. Waves pounding the fishing line and the boat bobbing up and down works to prevent crankbaits from reaching their normal diving depths.

There are so many good reasons for trolling with the wind, it's amazing how many anglers routinely fight the forces of nature. No one ever picked a fight with Mother Nature and won!

When the wind blows, pick up lines after passing through a school of fish and run back upwind to set up another pass. It's more productive to pull lines, run back up and reset than to turn the boat around and fight the elements.

Trolling crankbaits for walleyes is a skill that can be learned and mastered with a little practice. Few fishing presentations are as productive for hours spent on the water and none are as easy to share with friends and family. This year take your family and friends trolling for walleyes. You'll be glad you did.