Favorite Crankbait

[mno]

Hey everyone I was just wondering I just baught percision trolling book not long ago to better myself while trolling. But I only use a few traditional baits mainly Rapalas I'm just wondering what other baits you guys like to use. Becuase it seems there are many baits that could potennly produce. I troll both deep and shallow if that helps

[skies_and_eyes]

Cotton Cordell has been good to me

[PerchJerker]

That's a tough question, it really depends on the time of year and the body of water. But ....... some of my favorites lately have been:

Glass Shad Rap

Salmo Hornet

Minnow Rap

Reef Runners

Down Deep Tail Dancers

[Bigeye30"]

Definately a tough question, if i'm deep then I shoot for a reef runner or deep tail dancer first, but if that's not working,I keep switching colors, shapes, sizes etc. Then when I find one that seems to produce better than others, well I guess that's my favorite until the next day or a couple hours later when everything changes, shallow running jointed shads work good for me on a slower troll in shallow water, then theres always the husky jurk. Crankbaits are like slot machines, you just never know which ones gonna hit.

[tunrevir]

Shallow water, I like floating raps, thunder sticks, husky [PoorWordUsage] and shallow shad raps, Mid range depths shad raps, tail dancers wally divers salmo hornets, deep thunderstick jrs, deep deep taildancers, large wally divers, deep thundersticks, and all of the others using snap weights, three ways, and leadcore. Fun stuff and many combinations to try out!

Tunrevir~

[mno]

ya I would really like to get into the whole snap wiehgt 50/50 fishing im just a little unfamilair with it just trying to read as much info as a can. Every show i watch on any big water trolling with these and spinner rigs seesms to be a deadly combo

[Team Otter]

Holy buckets Dave; that's what I was going to say.

Don't forget an X-rap or two...

[Write-Outdoor]

I think BigEye pegged it....you have to be versatile, willing to change, and there's just no knowing what's going to work for sure at a given time on a given lake.

I've had a ton of luck with Rapala but I fish a lot of them so who knows. I also like Grappler Shads from Cotton Cordell and Rogues...oh, and Bombers. Have a variety of colors and styles and don't be afraid to mix it up.

That said, the glass color lures from Rapala are something special! I'm really impressed with them!

[tunrevir]

The snap weights are really easy to run and work well but you'll want to have some longer straight trolling passes such as trolling out in a basin area or along a deep weedline, downside is that if you have alot of s-curves you'll foul alot because as the outside line speeds up the inside line will plummet, deep water when trolling for suspended fish this isn't a problem and can actually act as a trigger for the fish to bite. So many techniques so little time

Tunrevir~

[Ryan_V]

I'm still thinking about buckshot spoons!!! to early to think about cranks yet !!!!!!!! lots of ice time left!!

[mno]

But Ryan V border opeaner isless then 2 months away and im planning a trip to traverse but any ways ya thanks for all the input I'm looking into diff types of stick baits to substitute for the husky [jerk-bait]

Does any 1 use the snap weight system on the big pond becuase the only way i pull spinners is with a three way rig system id really like to experiment with this way to become more versitile

[hanson]

 Originally Posted By: mno

But Ryan V border opener is less then 2 months away and im planning a trip to traverse but any ways ya thanks for all the input I'm looking into diff types of stick baits to substitute for the husky [jerk-bait]

Smithwick Super Rogues & Pro Rogues

Storm Thundersticks

There's a couple shallower running sticks that you can easily swap. Diving depth varies just a tad but you'll be close.

[PerchJerker]

 Originally Posted By: mno

I'm looking into diff types of stick baits to substitute for the husky [jerk-bait]

Rogues have been a favorite of mine for several years.

 Originally Posted By: mno

Does any 1 use the snap weight system on the big pond

I used to run snap weights quite a bit but I almost never do anymore. I caught a lot of fish doing it, but I was never comfortable that my bait was running where I wanted it to. These days I mostly pull flatlines with superline and get my depth that way, or run leadcore which I feel is a lot more precise than snap weights. In theory snap weights should work as well as leadcore, I just am more comfortable with leadcore.

[youngie22]

big clown or clear white (tulibee) husky [jerk-bait]... one of those will be the next thing to hit the water on Mille lacs for me

[noworkletsfish]

#4 blue glass shad rap is my fav!! Murders the Walters!!

[tunrevir]

I have to agree with you PJ, the leadcore is alot more forgiving and tends to contour better then the snap weights. I and going to be trying some spinner rigs run off of lead core this year in open basin trolling. Nice stealth technique in calm,clear water don't ya know!

Tunrevir~

[PerchJerker]

 Originally Posted By: tunrevir

I and going to be trying some spinner rigs run off of lead core this year in open basin trolling

Spinner rigs in opener water is something that's always on my "to do" list, but I usually don't get around to it. I've only tried it a few times and never had much success doing it. I've never tried it with leadcore.

Try searching around the web to see if you can find something called a mayfly spinner rig or something like that, which they use on Lake Erie. I don't think it's a spinner rig that's for sale, it's just a home-made hand-tied rig that they have good success with. They use them to pull half crawlers through bug hatches in open water.

[HoleHopper]

I like the blue HJ,s under a moon.