Well we had another typical Memorial Day weekend in northern Wyoming and Montana…cold, rain, and snow in the high country.  It did however, allow me to get some much needed preparations completed for the start of the tournament season. 

Walleyes Unlimited of Montana tournament series begins this coming weekend near Havre with the Fresno Walleye Challenge. Like everyone entered, I can’t wait to get on the water!  I’m really looking forward to catching up with friends and filling the livewell!

The last couple weeks I spoke about some ways to make the most out of your time trolling crankbaits and some of those same techniques will work  using crawler harnesses.

When using harnesses, sometime called spinners or rigs; I start with different color combinations but the same kind of blades so boat speed isn’t an issue.  I’ve had such good luck with Mack’s Lure Smile Blades they’re all I use, but if you like metal blades, this information applies to them as well.  When you set your boat speed, drop the rigs into the water and make sure the blade is spinning and you’re moving fast enough so the rig won’t sink on turns.  Once my boat speed is established I want the line from the rod tip into the water to be at a 45 degree angle, if it flattens out, you will tend to get more snags.  I will also make moderate “S” turns to vary the speed of the rigs after I’ve run a straight course for a period of time.  This helps in fine tuning my presentation.  Remember, when making the turns, the slower the inside rig goes on a turn, the more likely it will sink and possibly snag up. Another technique I use to prevent front and back lines from tangling is to use heavier weights on the front rods which allows the back lines to trail behind just enough.  This is more critical when fishing in water deeper than the distance between front and back rods.

As spring turns to summer and the water warm, pulling spinners is a great way put quality fish in your boat!

Til next time….Be Smart and Be Safe!

Pat Slater
Pro Staff: Mack’s Lure & Ranger Boats
National Professional Angler Association #757