ok guys want some idea’s, i pull leadcore alot on lotw and have great luck pulling jointed flicker shads around 2.3-2.6 mph,but here guys saying pull something bigger and even faster. so what lures work for you guys and what size and speed is ur favorite or go to crank? mostly out in mud in 30-34 ft. looking at trying something new next year. Thanks in advance.
I’ve had great luck pulling big deep billed husky jerks. 5 colors of suffix lead core get them down to 30-32 feet. Blue, chartreuse, or purple. Lots of big fish. Usually get enuf eaters but its more of a big fish setup. 2-2.5 mph. Pay attention to wind,…sometimes there is a clear distinction between up and down wind even though speed on the surface is held the same. Tip action is good so you know right away if hitting bottom or if a little is on. a big northen will bite you off once in a while but not usually. Didn’t get to go last summer due too the virus. Hopefully next summer. Good luck.
I fish LOTW frequently and I’ve done great trolling cranks at 2.0 to 2.5 mph with leadcore using a wide variety of cranks that can vary from day to day or year to year for a long time now. I’ve had hot bites with Shad Raps, Jointed Shad Raps, Glass Shad Raps, Rattling Shad Raps, Tail Dancers, Storm Smash Shads and Hot’N Tots, Salmo Hornets and Bullheads, Bandits, Bombers and Wally Divers, Flicker Shads, Flicker Minnows, Jointed Flicker Shads, Bagley cranks, Cabela’s cranks, Scheels cranks, Reef Runner Deep Little Rippers and Rip Shads and others that I’m forgetting. I constantly change cranks and sizes to see what they prefer at any given time but as a rule of thumb I start with smaller cranks such as 5’s in the spring and upsize throughout the year. There are few hard and fast rules.
I troll with the wind if possible and rarely troll against the wind if I can help it. I constantly zig-zag and change speeds to trigger strikes.
The only hard and fast rule with trolling on LOTW for me is that sunny is better than cloudy and to use bright colors on bright days and dark more natural colors on cloudy days. Gold on a bright day is hard to beat most of the time.
There is no one crank that is the best to use in all conditions.
I love pulling cranks fast mid-late summer but it just isn’t feasible when fishing the basin bite on lotw. Its just too deep. I usually max out at 2.5mph, anything faster and you just need so much lead out. I fish strictly flicker shads and flicker minnows. If after strictly big fish the flicker minnow wins. If going after numbers, it’s tough to beat a #5 flicker shad
In August I have had great luck pulling #11 deep diving tail dancers in the basin in 30-32ft. I don’t use lead but pull them at 3-3.2 160-170 ft behind the boat. They pull hard and dive to about 28-30ft and wow just about break the rod when they hook up! You have to have your drag set right because its a violent hit. And at almost 200 ft. behind the boat when you start fighting them you get to enjoy a long battle. 2 years ago just south of 3 sisters we caught many 26-28″ in 1 afternoon. I recommend trying this technique if you haven’t.
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