With hunting seasons opening, fishing may be not be on your mind, however it’s a great time to catch some real trophies. Cooler daytime temps in the forecast with much cooler nights will cause some of the lakes and reservoirs to turnover, making fishing tough for a while. But when the water clears some fabulous fishing awaits the dedicated angler.

Pulling Crankbaits for Walleye

I wanted to talk some about crankbait trolling…specifically different lines for various techniques. I use leadcore a lot, four linecounter reel and rod combos reside in my boat’s rod locker. I use 18 lb. test on all my reels with 12 or 15 lb. test leaders. I figure each color of leadcore will add 5 foot of depth to whatever the manufacturer says its’ lure will run, (a #5 Shad Rap will run 5-7 ft. so 1 color of leadcore (10 yards of line) should place the lure at about 10 feet down.) It works great in open water, places with few snags. The downside is if you’re running close to the bottom, sudden depth changes or a drop in boat speed means trouble. It is difficult to crank in the lines quick enough to avoid getting hung up.

In water with hazards, (trees, brush, tall weeds, etc.) synthetic or mono lines may be a better choice. Synthetics are much thinner than comparable test monos and cut through the water very well allowing your lure to reach its’ maximum depth. Floating lures will also slow the sinking of the line on speed changes. One important detail I know you are all aware of is the lack of stretch in these lines; make sure your reel’s drag is loose! Mono lines being thicker cause the line and lure to run higher but provide the stretch for hard fighting eyes.

There are applications for each, and it’s best to be prepared with different equipment and be able to make adjustments for each situation and body of water you fish.

Til next time….Be Smart and Be Safe!

Pat Slater

Pro Staff: Mack’s Lure & Ranger Boats