Schooled walleyes roaming open water, either suspending or lying over open basins, generally are the province of trolling with either planer boards or divers, snap weights, and crankbaits, spinners, or spoons. The idea is to set up a spread of lines and lures to effectively saturate and sift through the fish zone, checking various depths and experimenting with different baits and speeds to determine productive presentations. Select the proper system, according to the target depth range.
Walleyes within 25 feet of the surface typically can be reached with unweighted crankbaits or lightly weighted spinner-crawler harnesses. From 25 to about 40 feet, adding 1- to 3-ounce snap weights to the line 50 feet ahead of the lure takes baits down into the desired depth. Run the bait out 50 feet behind a slowly moving boat, pinch the weighted snap onto the line, let out sufficient line to reach the target trolling depth, add a side planer, let out enough additional line to take the line and board out to the side, then engage the reel and place the rod in a holder.
Repeat with additional lines and rods to set up a trolling spread. Troll downwind at 1 to 3 mph, using S-turns or alternate shifts in and out of gear to introduce speed changes, which flutters or raises lures or baits to trigger strikes. When you hook a walleye, reel in slowly, pinching and detaching the planer and weight before netting the fish off the transom.
This presentation is effective for eliminating unproductive water and zeroing in on walleyes, particularly at the 1 to 3 mph quick trolling range, which is productive in cool to cold water, and during summer as well. It’s simple in principle, complex in execution, in order to minimize tangles, maximize catches, and achieve desired results. But a properly run set of lines proceeds through open water like a shrimp trawler, showing lures to fish suspended at the target depth.
At depths beyond 40 feet, more weight often is necessary. Alternative systems—diving planers, downriggers, wire line—may be required to effectively work deep open water. Such systems seldom are necessary, however, except on the open basins of the Great Lakes, where huge schools of big walleyes prowl deep basins. Inland waters typically don’t require such excessive adaptations.
When walleyes lie tight to the bottom across middepth basins, say from 25 to 40 or 50 feet deep, cranks or spinners can be run just above their heads with carefully presented planer-board and snap-weight applications. But switching to heavy bottom bouncers, spinners, and crawlers to cruise baited harnesses just above bottom is easier. The wire leg of the bottom bouncer skips across bottom, over rocks or zebra-mussel-encrusted structures and presents a bait on target for bottom-hugging walleyes. When walleyes become a bit more active and begin suspending, switch to cranks or spinners with planers and snap weights for a more effective presentation.
Snap To It
How can you incorporate these fancy trolling tactics without dumping thousands of dollars into equipment and sinking your boat? One answer is with snap-on systems.
Snap-on weights, snap-on boards, and snap-on divers. Sounds like the ultimate concession to the modern fascination with quick and easy. Truth is, snap-on systems are revolutionary. Trolling aids snap on and off the line as needed. Boards, weights, and planer-divers go on and come off the line quickly. Lures can be placed farther from the rigging than with original designs.
Snap Weights
In the last decade, snap weights have become standard for open-water trollers. They pinch onto your line ahead of the lure and detach upon retrieval before netting a fish. Pinch pads don’t damage line, and they permit easy change of weight size for trolling at different depths. Popular models include:
OffShore Tackle OR-16 Snap Weight—The original plastic pinch clip with soft pads designed to grip line without damage. Adjustable spring tension. Squeeze clip, insert line, release. Stays put until removed during retrieval. Kit available with multiple clips and sinker sizes.
