I recently started fishing more for walleye in the bay of Green Bay. Little Sturgeon area mostly but have in the past been down to Bay Shore park area. What is a good speed range for trolling crank baits like rapalas and Crawler Harness's,
Im sure it varies on the time of year, so any help is great.

I'm not a big walleye fisherman but I do on occasion fish for them. I use a worm harness and bottom bouncer, I troll just fast enough to make the blade spin and the seems to work well for me. I would say around 1 to 3 mph. Good luck.

Harry

Trophy Life Member USN Retired 1969-1989 NW Bass Pro Washington State

The best method is to let the fish tell you what they want. I don't run a kicker motor on my boat, only the 24V Minn-Kota, so battery life has an impact on my trolling. I start out trolling with the wind to conserve battery charge, and my speed is 1.2-1.8. If I'm pulling up goats, then I know the speed is too slow, and I speed up to 2.0-2.5. Generally you want to run a little slower with the harnesses than cranks. If you have a gps/mapping unit, find reefs and transitions and hit them hard from multiple angles. My first pass is usually on the downwind side, then directly over the top, then the upwind side. Once you figure out a pattern, use that to your advantage on other reefs. Bayshore was pretty good to me in June and early July, but it seems that the fish have moved out deeper as the water warmed. From what I hear, University Bay was good this spring until the weeds came in, so you may want to check that out later this fall. Just be careful around U-bay as the shoals come up very quick and you can get grounded in a matter of seconds. If you want more information, there's a really good website with current reports. www.lake-link.com. There are multiple links for Green Bay, Suamico, Sturgeon Bay, etc. Good luck!

Thanks for the tips Ill give it a try this coming weekend again

Dmaccoux,
Well this is a little late to post a response but here we go. Bay Shore park Green Bay Lake Michigan correct? If so I fish Lake Erie central basin out of Cleveland. I troll all the time and it doesn’t matter how big or small the boat is except water conditions. I troll cranks primarily in the spring and fall at sun down to sun rise. That’s not to say I don’t run them at other times. In the spring and fall I run inline boards and reef runners 10’ to 25’ back in the shallow 10’ to 30’ deep this should get the reef runner 3’ to 10’ deep. In the summer I might run a Rapala deep tail dancer with a 1 or 2 oz snap weight to get 40’ to 50’. I start at 1.4 to 1.8 MPH and as the temp goes up we speed up to 2.5 MPH. 07gmcowner has it right let the fish tell you. In the cold I run 1.4 to 1.8 MPH warmer 1.6 to 2.0 MPH summer 1.8 to 2.5 MPH that a good start. Try the Precision Trolling Book – Big Water 2nd Edition or Precision Trolling the troller’s bible pro edition. Both are good info with depth charts for diving devices and crank baits with different lines ( mono, braid, wire) and speeds. As far as harnesses under 2 MPH for colorados and over 1.8 MPH for willows. In my opinion cranks are more complicated but more productive. I run them all but love the reef runners they work the best in Lake Erie’s central basin. Sorry I can go on forever if you would like to talk PM me and we will hook up. Good luck this spring!
Tony

I got the Precision Trolling Pro Edition for Christmas, and it's got a lot of good information. Unless I'm looking in the wrong location, there is nothing in any of the data or dive curves specifying the speed that the crankbaits are tested at. Does anyone know where this may be located? Thanks.

07gmcowner,
After sitting in on many seminars it is my understanding that the speed of the crank baits is 2 MPH. In my opinion it is impossible to use The Trolling Bible or Big Water Edition 2 as a rock solid reference but a very good starting point. The water conditions, lower currents, line size, etc. affect consistent speed of the boat, lure, and planning device. What I like to do is start with the chart and adjust line length and or speed as I go. If I am marking but no hits drop one farther back and bring one up. If you are running multiple in line boards per side always keep the shallowest one out so if you need to bring it in you can cross over the deeper ones. I hope this is helpful to any who read it
Tony

Hey WalleyHunter I fish erie a lot out of the Huron/Vermillion/Lorain area we ought to hook up sometime. I have never made it down Cleveland way but should some day. In my opinion trolling for walleye and really any other species is mostly a matter of getting the bait in front of feeding fish.

The effect of subsurface currents is particularly noticable on Dipsy and Slide divers. I have been trolling Lk Mich. and had a following current that nearly matched boat speed! A Depth Troll or similar is really a good investment if youdo a lot of trolling. Tom

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For the most part I fish in Avon/Huron/Vermillion/Lorain.  I just dock in Cleveland because I live there.  But hooking up would be nice.  Yes I agree getting the bait in the strike zone is the trick with feeding fish.  With Walleye the strike zone is a few feet above the fish they for the most part the strike up at least that is what my experiences has shown me. 

Pegsguy,

That would cause the diver to run untrue what was the result.  I would think they would run deeper or strait down if the current is running in the same direction as the boat.  Is that the case?

Tom,

Don’t know which post is yours but I agree with Pegsguy a trolling seminar is a good way to get info. You can get more info in a few hours than you can get reading this post.  I go to a trolling seminar at least twice a year in the winter we have many at the Cleveland boat show and South Shore Marine in Huron has a great seminar for their customers ODNR biologist,  pro anglers, lunch and good people.    Look for something like that and take a friend, you will get a lot of info and make new friend

How about gear I like Great Lake’s specials 7’ one piece med heavy you can pull inline boards, Dipsy divers, and 50 jets without a problem.  My rods have Diawa AD 27LCW.  I believe all your rod and reels should match so you can read them.  For boards I like Church walleye board http://www.churchtackle.com/Product%20Pages/Planer_Boards/Walleye_Board.html and use the Lighted Flag Kit part # 60212 because I do night fish. http://www.churchtackle.com/Product%20Pages/Planer_Board_Accessories/Lighted_Flag_Kit.html I replace the line clip with the Offshore OR18 Planer Board Release. http://www.offshoretackle.com/OR18.html   you need to drill on hole in the bracket use both screws and file down the indexing pin.  It sounds like a lot but it takes two or three min.  I would like to try the new Church board TX-44 Special 14" x 4 1/2" x 7/8" http://www.churchtackle.com/Product%20Pages/Planer_Boards/TX-44_Super.html How cool is that pulling Dipsy off inline boards.  If anyone has tried them let me know.  I think I will start a new post on boards.  I realy like the Lite Bite slide diver better than the Dipsy they seem to work better fore me.

Tony

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Rseltz,

For the most part I fish in Avon/Huron/Vermillion/Lorain.  I just dock in Cleveland because I live there.  But hooking up would be nice.  Yes I agree getting the bait in the strike zone is the trick with feeding fish.  With Walleye the strike zone is a few feet above the fish they for the most part the strike up at least that is what my experiences has shown me. 

Pegsguy,

That would cause the diver to run untrue what was the result.  I would think they would run deeper or strait down if the current is running in the same direction as the boat.  Is that the case?

Tom,

Don’t know which post is yours but I agree with Pegsguy a trolling seminar is a good way to get info. You can get more info in a few hours than you can get reading this post.  I go to a trolling seminar at least twice a year in the winter we have many at the Cleveland boat show and South Shore Marine in Huron has a great seminar for their customers ODNR biologist,  pro anglers, lunch and good people.    Look for something like that and take a friend, you will get a lot of info and make new friend

How about gear I like Great Lake’s specials 7’ one piece med heavy you can pull inline boards, Dipsy divers, and 50 jets without a problem.  My rods have Diawa AD 27LCW.  I believe all your rod and reels should match so you can read them.  For boards I like Church walleye board http://www.churchtackle.com/Product%20Pages/Planer_Boards/Walleye_Board.html and use the Lighted Flag Kit part # 60211 because I do night fish. http://www.churchtackle.com/Product%20Pages/Planer_Board_Accessories/Lighted_Flag_Kit.html I replace the line clip with the Offshore OR18 Planer Board Release. http://www.offshoretackle.com/OR18.html   you need to drill on hole in the bracket use both screws and file down the indexing pin.  It sounds like a lot but it takes two or three min.  I would like to try the new Church board TX-44 Special 14" x 4 1/2" x 7/8" http://www.churchtackle.com/Product%20Pages/Planer_Boards/TX-44_Super.html How cool is that pulling Dipsy off inline boards.  If anyone has tried them let me know.  I think I will start a new post on boards.  I really like the Lite Bite slide diver better than the Dipsy they seem to work better fore me.

Tony

Walleye Hunter - thanks for the information. As for equipment; I'm using Cabela's 8' trolling series rods with Accudepth II linecounters, PowerPro 30#/8#dia superline with 10#P-Line Fluoro leader, Offshore planer boards with tattle kits that I made myself and saved about $20 a piece. Last year was my first year trolling and it's been a great, but extremely fun learning experience. Now if I could only convince the wife that I really need the kicker motor instead of relying on my electric trolling motor. Anyone got suggestions on how to accomplish that???

Getting a diver caught in a following current usually results in the diver stalling and in the case of a dipsy or slide diver it will sink and move into trail behind the boat. Tangle anyone? I've been in many tangle situations and my fishing partner usually comes unhinged. It's his boat so I just do what I can to head them off. A Sub-Troll or Depth Raider is a good investment. We always have ours deployed even when we are not fishing downriggers. BTW most of my trolling is for salmon/trout as according to Il. DNR Lk Mich cannot support walleye. They have yet to explain the almost 9# 'eye caught from shore off Chicago's lakefront 2 years ago. (there have been other catches since) Tom

A crawler harness with a bottom bouncer ahead of it has worked best for me.

Weight will get you down but it is not as efficient as a Dipsy diver or jet in the deep water unless you use some heavy weight or down rigger. At 1.5 to 2 MPH 3 oz at 100’ pack is only 40’ down and that’s with a keel weigh low drag. A bottom bouncer would need more line out. I like to use the bottom bouncer in cast and drift setup when the boards are not out for a second rod.

Tom the little bay de noch is a "hot spot" for walleye!

I mostly straight line troll and I run my lures 100' back most of the time. Running at that distance and at 1.9 mph will get your bait to the depth that is advertized for your particular bait (speaking of cranks here). If I want to go deeper I use a keel weight OR use a lure that is designed to run at that depth. I also like to use lake trolls but mostly for trout. I am currently experimenting with inline planer boards. When using spoons I use the lake trolls, which only get the spoon down to 8'. That is when I add the keel weights. I currently have no experience with bottom bouncers. A lot of good info here!

I use 8' Ugly Stick rods, 30# super braid, 10# or greater (depending on what I am trolling for) florocarbon leaders and Okuma baitcasters with line counters.  I hope this is a help!

The big thing about Dipseys is that in addition to diving they also add action to the bait and can move a bait out to the side of the boat. Subsurface currents can really raise Cain with any kind of diver though. A current as slow as 2/10 of a mph has a substantial effect on depth. All in all they are worth the trouble to learn. Tom