Trolling Crankbaits For Lake Erie Walleyes – Part III
By Chuck Bailey
Favorite Crankbaits
Every charter captain has their confidence baits, and Captain Ken Nulph is no different. “When we are springtime walleye fishing, an angler wants Bagley Bang-O’s in size 4’s, Bagley Killer B2’s, and Reef Runner 800’s. Those are my favorite three.”
What crankbait preferences change as the fish move deeper during the summer? “We will run Reef Runner 800’s, Bomber 25A’s, and Storm Deep Thunder Sticks.”
Crankbait Profiles
Bass fisherman often wonder why fishing catalogs reveal some major differences in crankbait profiles between the “bass” pages, and the “walleye” pages. Most noticeable is the walleye preference for long banana-shaped crankbaits. Why does that unique shape appeal to walleye?
“In my opinion,” says Captain Ken, “it is based upon the phrase ‘match the hatch’. The baits that the majority of walleye feed upon (the smelt, alewives, the perch found in the Great Lakes), all have a longer profile. They are not short and stubby like a goby or a shad. What we are simply doing in matching the hatch.”
The Importance of Silhouette
“To me,” explains Ken, “a bait’s profile or silhouette is a lot more important than its action or its color. Remember, I’m trying to keep those lures a little bit above the fish because they are generally looking ahead or up at the sky. The first thing they is a baitfish silhouette – making a bait’s profile far more important than its action or its color.”
Why? “Because of what the walleye are feeding on. And remember, these baits are moving anywhere from 2 to 3 miles per hour, so the walleye have a very short time period to make up their mind as to whether they are going to eat it or not. So if the crankbait’s profile looks closer to the forage that they are used to eating, they’ll grab it.”
Well Tuned
In other crankbait applications, anglers often fine tune their presentation by focusing on making bait changes based on a lure’s action. (For instance, an angler casting crankbaits may go from a wide wobbling bait to a tight wiggling bait). As a troller, is Ken ever concerned with changing the lure’s action?
Surprisingly, our guide says, “No I am not. What I am a stickler on when it comes to the action of the bait is making sure that bait is properly tuned. At those speeds they have to be. 1) Properly tuned baits increase your fish catching odds, and 2) improperly tuned crankbaits create giant messes. One improperly tuned crankbait that has four other lines close to it, means you’ve got a problem.”
Other Tuning Factors
“Most people know how to properly tune a crankbait – if the lure is running one way, bend the eye in the opposite direction. But there are other things you can do to a crankbait to increase your odds of it running truer. Take a look at its bill – a lot of the times a bill is made in two pieces glued together length wise. If you hold that bill up and you look at it closely – the two sides can be uneven. (This is often because the mold halves are misaligned at the parting line). You need to file that down or use a piece of sand paper to make the surface of the bill flat and smooth. This should help it run true.”
“If, however, the lure still isn’t running right, turn the lure over on its belly and look at the wire eyes that are mounted into the belly of the crankbait itself, make sure they are running inline with the center of the lure. Just eyeball it, and make sure they are bent fairly straight with the centerline of the lure.”
“Now if you look at the tail hook on some baits, some wire eyes run parallel to the center of the lure and others run perpendicular. It’s important to make sure the baits eyelets are mounted properly”.
Ken believes a belly eyelet even slightly off will make all the difference in how a crankbait will run. “We get baits out of the package all the time that no matter how much you bend that front or bill eyelet, it still won’t run a 100% true. So bill flatness, and belly and tail eyelets are the things you have to start looking at next.”
Fine Tuning All Day Long
“Our morning starts out by tuning lures at the dock by the boat – making sure they are all running properly. Then, once we get out on the lake, the baits are checked again before they are put out on the tow line. And later, after every fish, the crankbaits are checked at the side of the boat before they are put back out.”
An obvious advantage to well tuned crankbaits is avoiding tangling the other nearby lines, but “Not only that,” stresses Captain Ken, “our job is to put fish in the boat for our customers, and if that lure is off just a little bit, even though it may not be creating tangles, it’s not going to be catching fish compared to the other crankbaits out there. Why? Because it is off a little bit.”
“So by constantly fine tuning a crankbait you maximize its effectiveness. If you get a little shallow and you pound the bait on the bottom a little bit, that might also knock it out of tune. Or if the mate is bringing one in and it gets bumped against the side of the boat, or a customer drops it on the floor, it has got to be checked because of all those little things that can quickly knock it out of tune.”
Color Selection
Ken is well aware of the color selection controversy among anglers. One camp believes in simplifying their color choices to just four or five basics, while the other camp purchases countless variations believing that just a hair difference in color can make all the difference in triggering strikes.
And our captain admits openly that he is guilty of buying every color imaginable. “But,” he admits, “I end up finding myself using the same 10% of my lures every time. I firmly believe that there are two kinds of lures; there are lures that sell, and there are lures that catch fish. The lures that sell are desogned to catch me and you as buyers. The lures that catch fish are entirely different. Lure color can make a difference, but its one of the last things I look at.”
“My true and tried basic colors are black and chrome, black and gold, firetiger, anything chartreuse…all the standards. Walleyes also really like pink. So I’ll have a bait or two out there that will have more pink than the other ones. Black and purple is another popular color combination used.”
As to which lures are selected on a particular day? “I’m a dark day, dark lure person - bright day, bright lure person. And yet I know people who are the exact opposite.” Ken’s color comments seem to reinforce his belief that while color can make some difference, it is one of the lesser factors affecting fishing success.
The Key Is Confidence
The color or pattern painted on a bait is not nearly as important as the angler’s confidence in that bait. “Confidence out rules everything,” Ken insists. “But the hard part is developing confidence in a certain pattern or a certain color.”
Our captain enjoys experimenting with colors; especially finding success with a color or pattern outside the norm. But he admits to often being puzzled at the timing of some anglers to experiment. “Most people tend to try different things when fishing is slow. That is the worst time to try it if you ask me. Go with what you know when you are not catching fish.”
“When you are really doing well with your fishing, that’s the time to put out something different and see if they will eat it. That’s what will help build your confidence level up. More times than not, when fishing is slow and you put out something different, it generally doesn’t work either.”
Downsizing
Up until now, Captain Ken has not mentioned crankbait size. And even when he does, he doesn’t dwell there for long. “There are times when downsizing does help. Not only with baits, but with line. On days when the water is exceptionally clear, smaller baits on thinner line will put more fish in the boat. (This is especially true on those clear sunny days with no wind, verses when you have choppy days and the water is marked up a little bit).”
The Impact of Weather – Sunny Days
When nobody has seen a cloud in a week, and it’s an extremely sunny day, adjustments have to be made – but what kind? Captain Ken insists, “An angler is going to have to look for deeper fish, generally, like I said, the walleye’s eyes are so sensitive they are going to look for lower light levels in the water.”
Naturally, this means picking lures that dive deeper, or using techniques that take the crankbaits deeper. But it also impacts color selection. According to Ken, “On those clear days I am going to use more subtle colors, the black and silver, the black and gold, etc… I’m not going to use those bright color lures like firetiger, or the pinks, or the chartreuse's, because of the water clarity. (They can be over powering to the walleye). I’m going to select the more subdued or natural colors.”
Here Comes the Front
Most fishermen recognize that when a front is coming, bringing afternoon clouds, it will affect the fishing. And initially it will be a positive impact. “Generally they will put the ‘feed bag’ on right before a front comes in. It’s a good time to be on the water.”
“That’s also when I am putting on lures that scream and shout out ‘Hey, come bite me!’ Bright colors that get attention. I feel that when they are feeding aggressively they don’t care as much about color, and they will scramble longer distances to grab something bright. Before a front arrives, it is more important to be at the right depth and going the right speed than it is to have the right color on.”
Any other adjustments Ken makes before a front arrives are very subtle. “Generally I will slow down a little bit, just so the lure will be in the fish’s strike zone a little longer. But for the most part I don’t change my presentation too much. Maybe I will adjust the speed a little bit, but that’s all.”
When It Goes Sour
As a front approaches, the feeding activity increases. But there comes a time when the fish just suddenly turn off. When is that? “Usually when the wind is at its peak, the waves have picked up, and the waters have started to stir up. Then the fish have to stabilize a little bit before they will start eating again. The big change impacted them just like it did us. So they have to find some place where they are comfortable while the dramatic change in weather is going on. They then have to stabilize a while before they will eat again. Usually after a big blow on Lake Erie - the fishing is horrible.”
How long will the fish remain turned off? “That depends on the blow,” says Ken, “but generally a day after the blow. Two days after - you are ready to go. But the next day immediately following the front, the fishing can be a little slower. They need a chance to stabilize along with the weather. The longer the time period the walleye have to adjust to it, the better.”
The Moon and Lake Erie Walleye
“Now another factor that comes into play with the Lake Erie bite is the moon. If you have a clear night with a full moon, generally the walleye fishing the next day is not that good. (They have been feeding up all night long). Walleyes are nocturnal fish. They see best at night or in low level light conditions – that’s what their eyes are built for. So when the moon is out, they use the eyes at night to feed and they take their break during the day.”
Wind and Low Light
It may seem ironic, but there days when Ken’s clients are turning green in the bobbing waves but the fish are jumping in the boat. “That occurs because the waves add to the low light conditions the walleye prefer. When the surface is broken up, you can be out there in 6 foot waves and the fish are just chewing the transom off the back of the boat. Because the light intensity was lowered, the walleye became more active. Low light conditions are a major component in creating a walleye’s comfort zone.”
It is not uncommon for a customer to say to the charter crew “What great weather – I hear the sun is going to be out all day!” But in reality the fishing is probably going to be harder because of the bright conditions. There is a reason that seasoned walleye anglers hope for “a walleye chop” - it cuts down on the light.
“Generally the walleye fishing is better when you have a little wind and wave action on the water. Now there are exceptions to that rule, I went out recently on a sunny day and killed them when the lake looked like a mirror, (and I don’t have an explanation for that because it doesn’t happen all that often). But for the most part the fishing is a little better when you have a little chop on the water.”
Good Days and “Those Days”
Lake Erie is one on the best walleye fisheries in the country, so it should not be surprising that success visits Bucket Charters on a regular basis. But all the knowledge and experience that captains like Ken Nulph possess, doesn’t make them miracle workers.
“Unfortunately, there are no guarantees of full limits. I can’t control the weather. I do everything in my power to make the walleye bite, but if they don’t want to bite, there isn’t a darn thing I can do about it. I wish I could, and I bet every professional fisherman out in the world wishes they could control those factors but we just can’t.”
One thing’s for certain, while there are no guarantees - your chances of limiting out are far greater when you hire a guide who knows both the lake and fish like the back of his hand.
Using Your Own Boat
After absorbing the basic knowledge, techniques, seasonal patterns of a Lake Erie charter captain, the question that naturally surfaces is this; “Is there anything Captain Ken does in his big charter boat that won’t carry over to those anglers using a small boat?”
Captain Ken answers firmly, “None whatsoever! When we don’t have a charter, we always go out on our own in smaller boats. Lots of my friends have smaller boats, and naturally we can’t run the large number of rods because we don’t have a big enough vessel. But you can down size everything as far as the amount of equipment and still go out and catch just as many fish and utilize the same techniques and tackle. No, there is no limitations whatsoever to running a smaller boat.”
Advice to Visitors
If you plan a trip to Lake Erie to go walleye fishing, Captain Ken has a few final words and tips to pass on. “Number one – pay attention to the weather. It can turn into a life and death situation in a matter minutes because Lake Erie is so susceptible to winds.”
“Number two – don’t stray away from what you know. Stick to the ABC’s of walleye trolling.”
“Three – don’t leave fish to find fish. Change your tactics, change your direction of troll, change your speeds, change your depths, but don’t leave those fish once you get on them.
“Four - if you find one fish, there are more around. Stick to that area - beat the living heck out of that area, until you are confident that you are not going to get any more, and then venture outside of that.”
“And number five – have fun doing it. Don’t let it beat you up. It’s a trial and error process. And it’s like everything else in life; the more time you put on the water, the better you are going to get at it. Don’t give up. Whatever you do, don’t give up!”
Captain Ken is the first to recognize how our favorite fish can continue to humble us. “They always teach us how much we don’t know. The most predictable thing about walleye is they are unpredictable. So you have to prepare for the worse… but then keep trying. There is no better teacher than time on the water.”
Transferable Experience and Knowledge
Walleye anglers from other parts of the country will find that their local experience and knowledge is easily transferable to Lake Erie. Except for the amazing quantities and size of the walleye in this Great Lake, Captain Ken admits there is nothing special or unique about their behavior. “No. The difference is; they swim in such a big lake.”
“You look at Lake Erie on the map and it looks fairly small compared to the other Great Lakes, but in reality it is huge. It can be daunting at first, and even though the walleye population has been estimated in the tens of millions, they can be absorbed in a hurry on the lake.”
Where to Start
So what resources does Captain Ken suggest a visitor use to figure out what Lake Erie walleye are doing and where to find them? “Tackle stores are excellent resources of information. And now that we have the internet, there are numerous 'fishing report' sites out there. I suggest visitors go to charter sites and read their captain’s reports, because those are the guys that are out there everyday.”
“And if you are a little unsure, hire a Captain to show you the ropes. That’s what I did to get started. When I wanted to learn how to walleye fish, I went straight to the ‘horse’s head’ – I went on a captain’s boat and paid for the day and learned a wealth of information just by being there. That hands-on experience is priceless.”
If you missed Part I - Click Here.
If you missed Part II - Click Here.
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Captain Ken Nulph fishes professionally on the PA waters of Lake Erie. He operates a charter boat for Buckets Charters out of Presque Isle Bay, Erie, PA for walleye, steelhead, smallmouth and perch. His career has also taken him to the salmon and trout-rich state of Alaska where he guided for the Alagnak Lodge. He is also a representative for Renosky Lures.
Feel free to contact him at: captken_renosky@verizon.net
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