When it comes to trolling crankbaits for walleye there’s a number of variables that go into a successful presentation – running depth, profile, action, size, color, and more all steal the show when it comes to putting together the presentation. While all of these factors are critical, anglers are often leaving bites on the water when triggering more fish is as simple as clicking a button!
Speed is a critical component when it comes to trolling, it impacts running depth and is important for generating bites as a whole. Successful anglers understand how their speed impacts their baits’ depths and set their speed based on fish mood.
Anglers who are aware of their speed will also mix in a number of turns throughout their presentation. This speeds the baits on one side of the boat up, and slows the baits on the other side down. This is a great way to trigger fish that may be following, and works great when fishing expansive flats or other open areas.
What about when the area being fished doesn’t allow for turns though? Strong winds, current, and boat traffic can all make incorporating turns more of a hazard than a help. Add in that some areas, such as a stump field on Lake Sharpe, don’t allow for this type of turning and it seems like this is a strategy that anglers aren’t able to incorporate into their presentation.
Fortunately, there’s an easy solution to this. Personally, I favor fishing with a 90 horse power Mercury four stroke tiller and this is for a number of reasons. It’s fuel efficient, quiet, and can fish well both back trolling and trolling crankbaits. One of the most overlooked elements is the rpm adjustor on the big tiller handle.
This button allows me to make pinpoint adjustments to my speed, which allows me to both dial in to my preferred speed range but also make changes quickly. Many times, a few clicks on either the accelerate or deaccelerate button can generate bites with no extra work needed. This simplicity means I can incorporate speed changes to my presentation regardless of where I’m fishing or the conditions I’m fishing in.
Anglers fishing with either a kicker motor or bowmount trolling motor can also use a similar approach. A quick pick up or decrease, whether using a remote or kicker motor throttle can allow them to trigger more bites regardless of where they are fishing.
Trolling crankbaits, when evaluated thoroughly, is a complex math equation based on a number of conditions. Anglers that can understand, and successfully incorporate, all of these factors are going to find success. Once they do, sometimes it’s the simplest on the water steps that can turn a good day into a great day!
