I’ve been told when long lining with a Rap (on the river), the bill should be just digging into the bottom.
Is this just to insure I’m in the strike zone?
I know Steve Fellegy in his ’80’s instructional video on how to fish Mille Lacs said not to stir up the mud on the flats because that would turn off the eye’s and tick off all the anglers around me.
Obviously the river would tend to move any disturbed sediment down stream, but wouldn’t it bother the fish as much as on Mille Lacs?
IMHO. Bang the bottom!!!
Tick bottom, then bring it up a bit. I’ve caught way more fish 1-3′ off the bottom than I ever have when banging the bottom. Fish can only see up. Not every Walleye is sitting tight to the bottom, and not all baitfish are sitting tight to the bottom.
The lower the water level, the greater chance that the fish will be off the bottom a foot or two.
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I know Steve Fellegy in his ’80’s instructional video on how to fish Mille Lacs said not to stir up the mud on the flats because that would turn off the eye’s and tick off all the anglers around me.
Pretty sure Fellegy was referring to bragging bell sinkers through the mud. There are differing opinions on the topic for sure!
-J.
On the river I like them ticking bottom. H aving them dig into the bottom and you are just looking for snags.
Pretty rare to have one to three feet of visibility on the Ole’ Miss. Also, any time you through a crank on the river there is a good chance you will get hung up tickin or banging.
My answer? I have never been to a walleye fishery where a bottom dragger, no matter if it is a bell sinker, bottom bouncer( dumbest name for a tackle component I have ever seen) or crank bait, could out fish a rig NOT dragging or pounding or ticking the bottom. Could it be possible that dragging the bottom will produce more fish? Maybe….but I will gladly fish against anyone who is dragging the bottom on whatever type it is, with whatever rig is being used, in any lake or river. I have fished/caught walleyes in 41 states and several provinces and got “lucky” more than once–OFF THE BOTTOM! LOL
Fishing rip rap, I want that crank pounding against the bottom. It creates erratic action that the fish love. Lots of snags, but that is what super lines and floating lures are for.
The dirtier the water, the closer to the bottom I fish. When we have little to no flow like right now, when you’re fishing 10-12′ of water there is easily 3′ of visibility for those fish. Also, cranks aren’t 100% sight based.
The whole concept of a crankbait is to put of the vibration that mimics a baitfish be it wounded or not. I’ve caught Walleyes on pool 7 5′ down over 13′ of water. That’s not the norm, but it does happen. Those scenarios are lower flow, and cleaner water, which is what we have right now.
I have seen many times where a lure ticking the bottom here and there will far out produce one that is up off the bottom and I have many experiences where a lure 1-2′ off the bottom caught more fish.
And, I have had many experiences where trolling 5′ down over 10, 15 or even 20′ of water caught plenty of fish.
I don’t think there is any one answer for this question. The best thing you can do is let the fish tell you what they want.
One thing I know for sure is that if you’ve never fished a shad rap banging off the bottom, then you’ve missed out on a bunch of good fish as this technique has put countless big walleyes in my boat over the years.
Are you getting your questions answered Brian? 
Follow up questions to this could be to rod holder or not, and up river or down. 
I prefer to bang the botton when trolling on the river. On Pepin, I try to keep the raps1-3′ off bottom.
Holy Pajeeebas!
I figured I would be luck to get a couple answers!
I like the whole concept of letting the fish tell me what they want, but time is limited for pleasure (or displeasure) fishing.
Rod Holders? I would much rather hold the rod and feel the strike over watching the rod bend over to the back of the boat. The FW feels the same way. She seldom uses a holder.
It is fun feeling the fish smack the crank. rod holders do catch fish also. Either way has its benefits. I like to hold the rod when fishing rocks and raise or lower the rod tip when passing humps or points and use the rod holder during long passes.
BK. I sure have caught some huge cats trolling cranks in rocks during the summer and fall. They can inhale those things.
Check out some of your past video’s to see where they’re at. 
Be a touch above.
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Thats where I catch the most catfish banging the bait on the bottom
If I would have named the post “Catfish Long Line Rap Question”, do you think I would’ve had this many responses?
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Check out some of your past video’s to see where they’re at.
Knowing were to go isn’t the problem. The FW tells me each night. 
I’m not talking about them videos’.
Oh… 
In the river expecially in shallow water BANG that BOTTOM, in the lake i set my raps from a few inches of bottom to 10+ ft of bottom and i donot usually let them bang unless i am shallow then i let em bang.
Drew, why do you do that?
I know, because it works. Any other reason or explanation?
Banging that bottom on the river can definitely shine on days when people are getting 0- eight inches away from bouncing. Reaction strike, they can feel it before it gets to them. They get a chance to prepare to feed.
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Drew, why do you do that?
I know, because it works. Any other reason or explanation?
Trial and error i guess, i assume it may get their attention a little better. may look like a cray fish scooting along or even a bait fish tight to the bottom kicking up a dirt trail. i dont know for sure why they like it but i have found many of times that its what they want. you may donate a few raps to the mighty river in your attempt to present this presentation though.
Dragging the bottom gives those lures some very erratic action. They get hung up for a split second and then spring forward. Never running the same speed or action for very long. This is what I think triggers the fish to bite.
This is the same reason to troll with the rod in your hand. I keep dropping the rod tips back and surging them forward. Cant count the number to times a fish smacks the lure the second the rod tip is dropped back to slow the lure. Have not seen to many days when a rod sitting in a holder or someone just holding a rod still out fishes one that moving.
That’s why you run more than one rod. Pound one on the bottom, and one a foot or two off. Do yourself a favor and don’t just troll in a straight line. S turns are your friend, they’ll also help you determine which speed is producing. If the inside rod gets hit on turns, chances are they want it slower, if the outside rod keeps getting hit on turns, speed up.
You just never mind about trolling cranks and stick to catfishing
In all seriousness sometimes pounding the bottom is better sometimes it is not. Let the fish tell you how they want. Take the advice of the above post and sell me that trolling rod and go buy 2 new trolling rods, bang one on the bottom and keep one up off the bottom. Just a piece of advice for you also, it’s best to bang bottom in non snaggy or rocky areas
Thanks for all the info guys.
I have two Raps I picked up from Everts. If I lose those, I’m hanging it up until Jesse takes me out and I can lose his gear.
Hopefully I’ll be able to get out sometime before Monday.
But those snaggy and rocky area can hold some very nice fish. Better advice might be to not get to attached to those crank baits and buy in bulk when they are on sale. Two main reasons I troll flicker shad a lot are they catch fish and they are cheap compared to many other crank baits.
Help with trolling sticky and rocky areas are to not let out to much line. Get those lures to just tick what ever is down there. To much line out and you are searching for snags.
If you do get hung up drop that rod tip back right away and give the line some slack. Many times this will allow the lure to float up out of the snag. Try this a couple of times. If this does not work get the boat back behind the snagged lure and pull the opposite direction the lure was travelling. I usually give the lure a few good snaps with the rod and line trying to jolt it out of what ever it is hung up on. If that doesnt work its go time. Point the rod tip at the lure, hold onto the spool and slowly pull. If its going to come it will. If not it wasn’t meant to be. Get over it. tie a new one on and get back to fishing.
I’ll second the flicker shads. They’ve become my go to bait over the last 3-4 years and I was a die hard shad rap and Wally diver guy before. Most days I catch as many fish or more on flickers as I do raps. There are days where only the raps will work, but they’re few and far between.
Now, if they just had jointed flicker shads we’d be in business. PS, if you watch the adds, you can get 3 packs of the flicker shads at Fleet Farm for $8-$9 on occaison.
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