If you were going to start trolling with cranks, what would you buy to get started (brands, depths, and colors)? I am just interested what everyone uses. I mainly use shad raps, jointed shad raps, and tail dancers. What else is out there that I should get? I would like to do more trolling and want to spend my money wisely.
I like the rapala products also. Shad raps are often my go to lures, but things change by season. The fall of the year(millacs especially) husky jerks are worth their weight in gold, standard floating raps can also be deadly, especially if you need to fish shallow and weeds are an issue(ride higher in water colum).
I’m not to sure on the new Minnow Rap.. I had them in hand before most stores got them in and I still havent had good success on them. They LOOK great in the water.. and could prove to be a top fall producer.. but I have yet to find a reason to get more than the few I have, my attitude will change one way or another during the fall millacs season.
I would have to agree with bill all the way even on colors,throw some hot n tots in there and your set. the plastic billed ones.
Bill has it pretty much covered. The only addition would be a blue jointed shad rap. That’s been the color for me this year.
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Shad Raps in #5 and #7 sizes in Fireiger, perch, and crawdad colors are very good. When using the jointed Rapalas add the Red Crawdad color. Walleye Divers are also good. Like David said in the fall time the Rapala Husky Jerks are great.
Thanks, Bill
What size husky jerks do you guys like to use (HJ or DHJ)? Would like to add some in our tackle supply 
I would say that the lures you mentioned are probaly what 70% of what most of us use on most bodys of water.I have a good selection of colors and sizes of those baits and a selection of stick baits both deep and shallow.Being a tourny angler I got a large selection of other cranks but 90% of the time they just go for a boat ride.If I cannot get them on a Rapala product then most likely I ran out of daylight 
Most often in the husky jerks I run the 3in shallow husky jerk and 4 in deep husky jerk.I might add Baldwin4 that the shallow Husky jerks have worked good at Clear lake Ia early in the year
Check out the video clips at the link below which is ”Night Fishing for Trophy Walleyes” which will show and tell about different colors of husky jerks.
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Bill has it pretty much covered. The only addition would be a blue jointed shad rap. That’s been the color for me this year.
Hey speed have you done good with those around here? Ihave been trying that color off and on all year without any luck. i know alot of guys do real good on them. Ive been having my best luck on the perch color and the chatruse crawdad..
Thanx for the info Joe & Bill 
I’ve also been having decent days with a variety of Cabela’s cranks as well. Been pulling their jointed shad-rap knockoffs, which they call the jointed rad shad. Also been using some of their walleye runners (Reef Runner knockoffs). Most all of them have tracked nicely, but I am having problems with the jointed walleye runners. I’d stay away from them. I also like the new Berkley Flicker Shads a lot too. Just caught some fish on them today. And like Bill said, you can never really go wrong with Shad Raps….they are the original and sometimes, best.
What number are the 3 inch husky jerks (HJ-?). How about the 4 inch?
Reef Runners !!! All sizes. from the 800 series reef runners to rip sticks to rip shads. Use em from the rainy river/lotw to the dakotas to mille lacs to the great lakes and they have always been the most consistant. lots of colors and sizes for any situation.
HJ8 is 3 1/8 in HJ 10 is 4 in in the shallow husky jerks
Just wanted to chime in – I tend to favor Rapalas over others, though I\\\\\\\’ve done well with Reef Runners. I\\\\\\\’ve had a great deal of success this year with Rapala\\\\\\\’s new Minnow Rap. It was my best producer opening weekend and has given me consistant action all summer. Best colors in it for me have been perch (the dark perch), gold and purple. Purple is becoming one of my favorite crank colors.
Gotta love the Husky Jerks, too. #12 in both blue/chrome and black/chrome.
Never Forget storm thundersticks! those have pulled in tons of fish for me on leadcore with a shallow runner and also the deep divers. And now with the new madflash series. mmmm the fish just say mmmmm
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If you were going to start trolling with cranks, what would you buy to get started (brands, depths, and colors)?
All the crankbaits listed above are excellent choices.
However, crankbait selection for me depends on the type of water I plan on fishing. Here are some questions you may want to consider:
What method are you going to use? Long lining? Casting? Planer boards? Leadcore? 3-way?
How deep will you want to run your crankbaits? Where in the strike zone do you want to be?
What is the forage base and what are you trying to mimic?
How fast are you going to troll? Some crankbaits are not made to speed troll and will eventually plane out.
I have a tendancy to categorize my crankbaits in regard to their depth curves and shapes. This helps me on the water and is a great visual for me to mix it up.
I can\\\’t add much but Smithwicks have been a good crank for me, as well as the others mentioned above. Another great surprise for me this year was the Matzuo Tournament Cranks. They\\\’re much like the Cotton Cordell Wally Divers but smaller/thinner. Pull true right out of the package, nice tight action, rattle nicely, and above all…… catch fish! When you find a good sale, they\\\’re typically $2.49 each but are sometimes available for $1.99.
Rapala, Reef Runner, gotta have \\\’em in multiple colors and both shallow and deep. But don\\\’t be afraid to experiment a little.
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