See a lot of info on the topic here but want to refresh the issue. What crank baits, sizes, and colors work best on the Mississippi. Trolling and casting. Never fished them before. All I’ve done is cast jigs with paddle tails or vertical jigged. What works best with what methods? Pool 10 and lower Wisconsin River.
Gizzard shad, shiners, baby perch, and baby hills are primary forage.
Shad body, sticks, and lipless all have their place
I prefer clam beds and closing dams
Whites, fire tiger, purples, and natural colors all have their place
Few I like:
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This is what I have found on pool 3 (some on p4 and p2 as well).
Trolling cranks is arguably the most efficient way to catch walleyes on the river, specifically May-October. 2.7mph is my lucky number in terms of speed. Do NOT be afraid to go FAST though; I have caught dozens trolling downstream at over 5mph (high water, post-spawn, hungry fish). It is hard for walleye guys to believe it until they see it.
A number 7 Rapala shad rap is tough to beat – the original plain balsa ones. Jointed and glass shad raps work as well, but I always find myself resorting back to the old standby. You really do not need to get technical. Every walleye I have caught (on cranks) over 25″ on the river has come on a crayfish pattern #7. Yellows, pinks, blues and purples are next in line.
I also really like Berkley flicker shads – size 7s as well. They are cheaper which is super nice on the river, but often times the rattles are not the answer. Chartreuse pearl is my favorite; I seem to catch most of my eater fish on this bait. Firetiger and pink lemonade are close behind.
I don’t know why these two have been so good to me, but after countless hours trolling, I consistently end up with these two baits out.
Anything that is jointed and purple and banging off a wing dam.
There are a hundred presentations that work. Size and profile of bait depends on time of year, forage, water temp, depth, etc.
Keep it simple to start…find some trolling runs, get a crank that makes consistent bottom contact and start there. Handful of size 5,6,7 shad style baits will get you started.
I paint almost all my cranks anymore. But you’ll get the idea
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This is what I have found on pool 3 (some on p4 and p2 as well).
Trolling cranks is arguably the most efficient way to catch walleyes on the river, specifically May-October. 2.7mph is my lucky number in terms of speed. Do NOT be afraid to go FAST though; I have caught dozens trolling downstream at over 5mph (high water, post-spawn, hungry fish). It is hard for walleye guys to believe it until they see it.
A number 7 Rapala shad rap is tough to beat – the original plain balsa ones. Jointed and glass shad raps work as well, but I always find myself resorting back to the old standby. You really do not need to get technical. Every <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>walleye I have caught (on cranks) over 25″ on the river has come on a crayfish pattern #7. Yellows, pinks, blues and purples are next in line.
I also really like Berkley flicker shads – size 7s as well. They are cheaper which is super nice on the river, but often times the rattles are not the answer. Chartreuse pearl is my favorite; I seem to catch most of my eater fish on this bait. Firetiger and pink lemonade are close behind.
I don’t know why these two have been so good to me, but after countless hours trolling, I consistently end up with these two baits out.
Fast and downstream is my favorite late spring through summer tactic. Catching big walleyes that way is fun…only second to snagging on the bottom and trying to get turned around cuz the braid won’t break!
It is so fun. That time of year you almost can’t not catch them some days. It’s bizarre.
Soooooo ready for spring.
A pretty good list, but I don’t think I saw firetiger. #5 jointed specifically.
Put together some crank combos in my online shopping cart at scheels last night and this morning half my cart was out of stock, guess I’m not the only one thinking about warmer temps.
Put together some crank combos in my online shopping cart at scheels last night and this morning half my cart was out of stock, guess I’m not the only one thinking about warmer temps.
Lord knows with all the back orders and every other pandemic related delay in the world. Historically, spring goods generally hits the stores the last week of February and 1st week of March. Sadly, when Bass Pro and Cabela’s was independent of each other, they started their spring sales before product arrived 
Red fire craw jointed shad wraps are consistently the best for me on the river. Firetiger and a purple variant would be a close 2nd and 3rd. Thankfully I stopped at a fleet farm a couple weeks ago right when they were putting out their big spring order so I could stock up. I wasn’t the only guy there grabbing them off the hook as fast as they could hang them up that morning.
The original Berkley Flicker Shad Clown was a hot ticket on the river why they canceled that color and then changed them is beyond me.
The original Berkley Flicker Shad Clown was a hot ticket on the river why they canceled that color and then changed them is beyond me.
Be sure to thank the purchase agent/buyers at your retail outlets. Specifically the stores that didn’t stock or reorder. Since your retailers didn’t buy enough to stock, manufacturers discontinued because it didn’t sell
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