Crankbaits

[Zambookamike]

This question might be a little vague but here goes . Im looking to buy a few cranks to chase some eyes but I have no clue of which ones actually work. Any recomendations brand,size,colors.Im mostly looking to troll with them. Ive been experimenting with dipsys and want to try cranks.

Im making and order at cabelas next week and I want to order some
but Im a jig and rig type of guy and there is so many choices can somebody point me in the right direction

Thanks

[IntroC]

Rapalas and Reef Runners, baby!

[Muskygary]

Also husky jerks and shad rapsin shallow runners if your using bottom boncers.

[bob why]

Where do you fish? That can also make a difference. Great Lakes can be different than the inland lakes as to what produces. Search this site for crankbaits also. There have been a lot of cranks and colors discussed in this forum.

[Chad M]

#5 Salmo Hornets (floating)
These lures have a very good cadence and wobble that is just a little different than any other lure out there.

[Terroreyes]

#5-9 Shad Raps in all colors and styles, Bombers, #5-9 Shad Raps in all colors and styles, Little Rippers, #5-9 Shad Raps in all colors and styles, Rip Sticks, #5-9 Shad Raps in all colors and styles, Minnow Raps in all colors, #5-9 Shad Raps in all colors and styles, X-Rap Shads in all colors....


Oh yeah, did i mention........ #5-9 Shad Raps in all colors and styles :smokin:

Visit DOWNRIVER TACKLE in the Walleye Central Directory
http://www.walleyecentral.com/wcdirectory/fullpage.php?ckey=47

[Ryan Brummond]

Has anyone had any sucess with the Cabela's branded Cranks? I have some of there Reef Runner copies but haven't used them much. Some of the Real Image ones look like good baits also.

Thanks in advance

[rspahr]

Shad Raps in pearl.

[fishinator]

they work very well, and there cost is very acceptable.... fish

[SS2]

I'm with Bob Why. It can be very lake, season & depth specific. Same deal with colors.

If you want cranks to pull behind dipsies stick with stickbaits. Shallow divers like Husky Jerks (clown, blue/silver/orange belly, black/gold & tenn shad are good starting colors for HJ's). Rattling rouges, ripsticks, little rippers and maybe rapalas & bombers.

Divers - Reefrunners, deep little rippers & both sizes of ripshads deserve a look. Add deep HJ's & deep rouges for slow cold water stuff. Wally divers for shallow warm water work. Wiggle Warts and Hot&Tots have caught a lot of fish. I think I've heard Shad Raps catch a fish or two occasionally.

Get Precision Trolling if your flatline or planer board trolling. Check the tune of all baits.

Since you mentioned being a jig & rig guy I'd guess your not fishing the great lakes but if you happen to fish erie all you need is Reefrunners & ripsticks, maybe a handful of ripshads for variety. Cold water or nite fishing add HJ's, Rattling Rouges and maybe a few deep HJ's & Deep rattling Rouges...for starters.

Get Precision Trolling if your flatline or planer board trolling. Read all the front part. Check the tune of all baits.


Good Luck,
SS

[Steve Andrson...]

Ryan, I gave the Cabela's reefrunner copies a good look this year here on Greers Ferry,Bull Shoals in AR. I had one of my best years with the number and size of walleye cought on the Cabela reefrunner. There's a lot of standing timber in the lakes, so the price was right if I lost a few to the wood. I found also that they ran true right out of the box, but if they did get out of tune it was hard to make them run stright again.

[Zambookamike]

I live close to Sudbury I never fished Erie or other big lakes like that we mostly fish local rivers and reservoirs and Ive seen others fishing cranks and Im interested in trying a few.I have one in my tackle box I beleive its a glass rap or something like that . I pull that one out sometimes and all I catch Is Smallmouth bass. I guess Im not fishing it right. but with your help and with my new book precision trolling I should hook some walleyes.

Do you guys use a line counter reel or regular reels and go by trial an error.

[Ristorapper]

Linecounters are the absolute necessity for repeatability. However I think most of us have tried other methods before we ended up with linecounters.

Whether counting line passes, or rod sweeps or marking mono line with a magic marker or going by trial and error; it makes for some interesting fishing. Linecounters when set up correctly makes it so much easier and takes a lot of the guess work out of fishing with crankbaits.

[rspahr]

Yep! Linecounters and dive curves. It doesn't matter what lure you are running if it is not in the strike zone.

[karpbuster]

I have reef runners and rapalas up the wazooo. I also have bombers, hellbenders, frenzys.

Sizes depends on the bait fish you are replicating and fish you target (bigger lures catch bigger fish, but not always), color depends on stuff too. I am no Pro for sure. But generally I use bright colors in clear water and bright days, darker colors in stained water or grey days. I like bright red, blue, white, green for the clear and purple, black grey, yellow/purple for evening and stained/grey conditions.

The banana looking reef runners, rip shads and shad raps are what I use the most. The two best colors for me have been Red Oahe (orange crush), and Wild Thing. We have pretty clear water. Second, Shad colors or white, fire tiger, emerald and I really like cheap sunglasses.

karpbuster