Tuning Crank-Baits

[eye-tracker]

With all the action on the Bay of Quinte it is a good time to offer a trolling tip. I have watched many anglers set-up beside me during a trolling run and not catch a single fish while my boat landed a few on every pass.

When trolling deep diving cranks with the wind in big waves, the in-line planer boards add a tantalizing racing away and pause action to crank-baits. This action can make walleye strike on days when nothing else will work. The problem is if your crank-baits are not tuned, they will kick-out or roll on the quick increase in speed. If the bait does not run straight you will not catch fish.

Tuning the crank-bait by bending eyelet left or right.


Tuning is very simple, at trolling speed use needle nose pliers to move the eyelet of the crank in the opposite direction in which it runs out of tune beside the boat. If the bait runs or rolls out to the left, bend the eyelet to the right and do the opposite if it runs to the right. Now the next step is give the rod a quick sweep forward with the bait running beside the boat to see how the bait is tuned for a faster running speed. The bait should track and dive straight while following the rod tip during the forward sweep.

Eyelet side view.


To increase your hook-up results and maximum diving depth, get into the habit of tuning your crank-baits at boat side.

Now go catch some fish with true running cranks.

-s

[Pickerel Paul]

Thanks for sharing an invaluable tip. This type of info can be instrumental in putting fish in the boat.

I can remember dragging a jig behind the boat around the Belleville bridge.

It was a windy day that increased the current flow. I was one of a few people that day that was consistently catching fish. Because of the current it I keyed in on the idea of tying two jigs in tandem on the line, in order to get the presentation close to bottom, and that made all the difference!

[jig head]

Thanks sheldon. I finally found a was to help my cranks from running sideways.

[Big Jim]

Buy a RAPALA...no tuning necessary..

Hey eye-tracker...awesome tip buddy..it is one of those things that can't be mentioned enough... right up there with sharpening hooks and re-tying your knots.
Spent a few days with David Fritz at Bass Pro Shops on promo's and he mentioned that to every angler he spoke to...and there were lots.

BIG JIM

[Badger Shark]

Thanks Sheldon, that is a very good tip. But I still want some personal lessons from the master. I need to catch a double didgit eye from Quinte and am willing to go back anytime just name it, I will give you my first born if you like.

[Tip-up]

Thanks for the tip Sheldon Just bookmarked it..

[taylor]

Thanks for the tip eye-tracker. It's great to have some knowledgable fisherman on the board helping others with information like this. Thank you.

You're having a great fall season at Quinte. Keep up the great fishing.

[Erie-Eyes]

An excellent tip E-T, and one I just learned from my new Precision Trolling book, and I can confirm it works. I had never done this before, but on my last trip to BOQ with my new book in hand, the first thing my partner and I tried was to test lures before letting them out and sure enough some were OK and others would wobble off to side. I have no doubt this tip resulted in an increase in our success on that trip and is one that I will now always practice.

[muskymike]

IM with buy a rapala but they do get screwed up when u catch something with them

[Bobber]

An excellent read Eye-Tracker. I did this very same thing last weekend and it worked great. Seems I may have had several of my baits not running properly.

Thanks.