Fittingly, the rods best suited for walleye trolling are 6- to 10-foot light-action rods that help you to pick up delicate walleye takes. A spinning or baitcasting reel strung with 15- to 20-pound braided line tops off the setup.
What should I look for when walleye fishing?
Here’s what to look for:
- Inflowing tributaries create current in lakes.
- Rocky points and sand bars often hold fish.
- Humps are classic walleye structure.
- Islands and reefs appeal to walleye.
- Sand and mud flats hold yellow perch and aquatic invertebrates, which are food for walleye.
What’s the best speed to troll for walleye?
Trolling speed, in the spring, is best at 1.3 – 1.5 mph. Summer trolling speeds increase 1.5- 2 mph as walleyes are more active in warmer water temperatures.
How much line do you let out when trolling for walleye?
Let out 50 feet of line and clip into the release. If that’s not enough distance to prevent your lake’s wary walleyes from seeing the ball…then let out 150 feet of line! Just remember, the flat-line diving depth of your crankbait still applies behind the ball!
What speed should you troll at?
So, what is the best trolling speed? The best trolling speed depends on several factors including the type of fish, water conditions and lure choice. In general, trolling speeds between 1.5 and 2.5 mph, as measured by GPS, are a good starting place for most species like walleye, trout and salmon.
What color lures do walleye like?
The most basic and most productive colors for targeting walleye are purple and green. These colors come in a variety of shades and can be used in a large range of depths. For sunny days, select bright or flashy purple or green, and for cloudy days try a solid, darker green or purple.
What depth do you look for walleye?
Walleye are generally caught between 10-40 Ft. A typical mid-sized lake in the Midwest would likely hold Walleye between the depths of 10-15 Ft. during the Spring, 15-25 Ft.
How fast do you troll crankbaits?
Changing speeds is key
Typical crankbait trolling speeds are 1.5 – 3 mph, and there are times when it makes a big difference. If you are marking bait and fish but not hooking up, don’t be afraid to speed up or slow down. Making “S” turns is also a good way to test several speeds at once.
Does trolling speed affect lure depth?
Speed (at normal trolling speeds) isn’t supposed to noticeably affect the depths of cranks when long lining and that’s why you see no depth compensation curves for different speeds.
How far behind the boat should I troll?
Every boat is different and you should make your boat your own study. Proper distance for most boats will be anywhere from 20 feet to 150 feet behind your boat. Whether you have inboard diesel or outboard gas engines, your power dictates the distance you troll your baits and lures.
How do you determine the depth of lure when trolling?
First, a disclaimer: As with everything in fishing this is not an exact science, but a rule of thumb you can used when setting your lines to help make a better judgment as to where those lures are running is the “Rule of Fives.” When trolling at five mph, with 50 pound test line and five ounces of weight, set to 50
Is mono or fluoro better for trolling?
For some trolling applications in clear water, using fluorocarbon as the main line makes a lot of sense. While fluorocarbon sinks it does so very slowly and doesn’t impact on the trolling depth of crankbaits and other gear.
Should you troll with or against the current?
When in an area with current, troll crosscurrent as opposed to with and/or against the current. Going crosscurrent, you don’t have to worry about how the current is affecting your lure’s or bait’s speed through the water. Plus, fish generally swim into the current.
How do you control crankbait depth?
Move your crankbait too slow or too fast and it’ll run too shallow. The bill has to bite into the water at the correct angle for the lure to run as deep as possible. The length of your cast is the next thing that affects running depth. A longer cast will let the bait get down deeper.
How much weight should I troll?
6 to 8 ounces is the maximum weight I recommend for most types of trolling. You can easily reach 20 or 30 feet of water with 4 to 6 ounces when trolling light tackle for trout or walleye.
How do you measure crankbait depth?
The first thing you will notice about crankbaits is the lip or bill on the front of each one designed to plane through the water and get the lure down in the water column. The diving depth of the lure can be roughly determined by the size of the bill; the bigger and longer, the deeper it will dive.
What time are walleye most active?
Big walleye especially, are usually most active from sunset to sunrise with the dawn and dusk hours being the hottest. At night, walleye move into shallower water where they are actively feeding on sheltering prey. During the way, walleye move much further offshore into deeper water.
Does lure size matter?
Decreasing lure size usually has a minor effect on catch rates. In contrast, even minor increases above the size optimum can yield major decreases in catch rates. If your catch rate falls off after upsizing, you are beyond the preferred size.
What color is most visible on a walleye fish?
Scientists tell us walleyes should see red, orange, and yellow the best, followed by green. Theory also suggests walleyes see blue and violet less well, and these colors may even appear black.
Do walleye stay deep or shallow?
Walleye depth movement over the course of each day
At noon on a bright sunlit winter day, walleye are usually always found in the deeper basins around 30-40 feet. But as the sun starts to set, they move into more shallow water to hunt their prey in waters that are 10-25 feet deep.
How deep is too deep walleye?
Many anglers agree that 25 to 45 feet is relatively deep for walleyes. Fish holding that deep would challenge some anglers. Tactics such as leadcore trolling and bottom bouncers are designed to do just that.
Contents