View Full Version : Crank It When it's COLD???
This year, being an exceptionally cold spring, in Northern Ontario, the walleyes that we normally catch have not responded to the typical spinner blades, spin-n-glos type rigs in the shallow weedy 5-6 foot bays. I know the fish are there because I've seen the pike fisherman who are pulling cranks are picking up walleyes. What cranks to use?
try shadraps and floating rapalas going slow!
Agree with the shadrap type bait and SLOW ! My group ( 9 guys ) just got back from southern Ontario for the opener, worst year we ever had due to the weather. We all used shadraps, Wally Divers, or Tail Dancers. I had the best luck with the Tail Dancer, cranking just enough to make it wobble. Used #5 or #7 depending on the depth of the top of the cabbage weeds. Tried the jointed shadrap each day, no takers.
Terry/JNR
05-20-2002, 05:35 AM
Bomber Long As are my favorite shallow water crank bait with Rebel floating jointed 2nd.
Anyone have any reble floating jointed baits they don't use? They're really hard to find. I don't like the Fast Tracs. Jointed Bomber long As, too.
jigsnrigs@hotmail.com
Backwater Eddy
05-20-2002, 07:27 AM
Bomber “Long A’s”, Smithwick “Suspending Roughs”, and Rebels work great in cold water situations. Another great lure for the 4-7' range is the Cotton Cordell “Rippli'n RedFin”. They have a big wide wobble with a subtle rattle added that will draw fish up for a look, a very good lure off board too.
Often a rattling Shad style lure like a Millennium "Look Alike" or "Illusion" series of rattling shads will pull walleye up from the weeds to strike.
Don't let the cold water fool you. You may need to go ultra slow and long line a suspending crank if the water is gin clear and the walleye are spooky. But very often fast and noisy will do better near heavy cover, especially in cold water. You force them to hit it or not. This allows them less time to think about it and blow off the lure if they are neutral to negative in mood.
I often do my best on walleye in the cold water period of the spawn and just coming out of the spawn by using noisy cranks to draw or force a strike.
Hope this is of help to you.
Backwater Eddy.....><sUMo>
Wally divers are also a good slow cranking cold water plug. Particularly the smallest size.
Eyez
Walleye Express
05-20-2002, 02:45 PM
Eyez.
Ditto number 5 Walleye Divers/natural perch/black gold back color. Slow trolled/cast in cold candian type lake waters.
Backwater Eddy....I've never thrown those cranks, but for those who need need to know, your second paragraph was on the mark and you need to pull those fish up from those weeds.
My best fish last week came from 6' of water and hit the crank 15 feet from the boat. Made my trip.
Backwater is right, cold water, sometimes anything goes. Wish I was still up there too !