Good info 2thepointsetters, i usually troll em in 6 to 8 feet of water during the summer maybe i will try that out sometime sounds like a good strategy.

2thepoint can you email me? The address is on my website Thanks

Too many people overlook trolling raps in any lake for walleyes... Night time for one thing is an awesome time people don't usually think of. The best method for lake X that I live on when i am home is nighttime trolling the shallows, never even found one method close to being as succesful. And also as 2thepoint was mentioning, using boards and stuff like that is also overlooked especially on a lake like vermillion I have never seen it done, maybe I have never paid attention but. You can buy a little book for your boat's glove box with virtually every crankbait around, all diff brands and sizes, with charts that name the amount of line to allow for a certain depth, giving you different options depending on the type of line you are using. It's a really great way to trigger strikes and find eyes even on the slowest days.

I would assume the book you are referring to is "Precision Trolling". It's a guide to getting lures into the strike zone by using some means of line counter depending upon the "exact" lure being used. My copy of the book gives graph data on line weights but everything is for "mono" line. I am wondering if there is a "newer" copy that gives data for lines like Fireline. I am sure that the data is not interchangeable.
I have found that early season crankbait trolling is very effective along most any shoreline in depths from 5-10ft. The most productive lure that I have used is a 7 floating Rapala in either silver or gold. For whatever reason, a 7 has outfished all larger floaters. The color depends on cloud cover. I have tied a snap directly to my Fireline and let out 30-40' of line. I have absolutely no idea at what depth the lure is running but it works. My problems have been "bite offs" when getting close to weeds. Northerns, obviously. The second problem has been catching walleyes "below" the slot. This simple approach has produced many walleyes over 20". I would advise checking a shoreline for depth prior to striking a course. There are lots of rocks out there that don't have buoys on them.

That is the book that he is refering to I do believe. The newer model has curves for both fireline (10lb Diameter) and Mono (10lb Diameter). The Fireline does run a bit deeper since the diameter of the line is smaller. This is a great guide to get an idea of how deep the lure is running. Pair this with a linecounter reel and it is a DEADLY combination. Thanks for the tips on the rapalas to use and the depths to try. I look forward to puting these to work next week when I am there.

Ya there is the newer book with both... I dont even own the book my buddy does but its key. So are the linecounter reels, fireline is also very nice.. It can get messy if the fish are snappin because there is alot to do especially if you are running boards you can be trying to set one up while another one is getting a fish... It can get pretty advanced. I personally just like trollin shallows with a simple rig and certain colored stick type jigs. They say they are for 3-6 feet or whatever i dont remember exactly but the more line let out the deeper in most cases, if you are movin 3 miles per hour, the fish are having to react quite quickly so they are usually all ready to make the move anyways even if its a few feet away. imo anyways

email sent

Hey guys, great discussion on raps. I too starting using more raps in the last couple of years and have been impressed. I will say I have a ways to go in learning exactly how to use them. I started after reading an article in the Trib about a guy who night fishes Sag with raps and claims to often limit out and catch huge eyes between the hours of 10-2am. I bought a book like you are describing and a line counter, but one thing that irkls me is Rapala seems to have quit putting info on the tongues of the raps. Anybody else see this happen? If so, any ideas for keeping the little buggers marked sitting in the box? Also, I have been told to tie the line directly to the raps for best action, but has anyone tried the micro leaders that are out? I have a couple and the raps seem to work good with them. I am going to Trout tomorrow and I intend to learn the lake trolling raps. If I am brave I might even find a good night run and run it during the day on the GPS and then try it under dark.

Barney,
When trolling the shallower water what was your general speed?

Thanks,
Backwoods

I usually "start" at around 2mph. I never maintain a speed unless I have found that a definite speed seems to be working. I like to vary down to 1.5mph up 2mph. I have found that by periodically sweeping the rod towards yourself fast enough to feel the lure wiggle will trigger strikes. There have been days when that simple back and forth motion with the pole did the pole did the trick. Good luck.

i use #1 duo lock snaps on all my cranks.. no split rings they run nice easy to change. Ask Steve at Fuel and Food he'll set you up!

A little night trolling in the pic there by the way

I use snaps for all my cranks, too, after removing the split rings on those that come with them.

Trolling cranks for 'eyes is a great tactic from spring through summer and into fall, and night trolling is something I've done a lot of.

Jointed raps run very shallow, and run longlined with superbraid lines over shallow flats at night they are deadly. I only do it on lakes I know intimately, though, since night trolling can be a touchy deal. The wobble of the Rap is easily transmitted through the superbraid and it's simple to tell when you've picked up a weed. With no-stretch, setting the hook is easy even with a lot of line out, and a quick sharp snap of the rod generally tweaks off any weeds picked up.

cliff wanted to give you the opening week report our website will have a resort fishing report weekly the 1st week was weird on our end 25 fish 5# to 9# were caught tons from 3# to 5# were caught the keepers 14 to 17 inch only around 50 were caught because of the late ice out i had some cancell and i moved some people to different weeks so i only had 3 cabins in and they caught all these big fish i have lived here my whole life and never seen anything like it the crappies which when ice goes off usually jump in your boat so i took them out crappie fishing expecting to kill em and we got one that never happened to me neither maybe you have some insight that this dumb finlander cant figure out spring bay resort