Stream walleyes drawn to lipless crankbaits
Traditionally thought of as a mainstream bass lure, in select situations the lipless crankbait is effective in triggering walleye strikes
As a family of lures, lipless crankbaits are compact, flat-sided, shad-shaped offerings. Most models sink, they cast like a bullet and they exhibit a tight wiggle on the retrieve.
Though there is an exception or two, the majority of lipless crankbaits contain a chamber that houses one or more beads, hence the moniker "rattlebait" that is commonly attached to the lure.
In the warm water of late spring and summer, lipless cranks closely mimic the profile and movement of baitfish walleyes prey on. And make no mistake: Walleyes are aggressive predators.
The notion of walleyes responding only to natural bait presented on fine bait rigs doesn't apply to active fish holding in shallow feeding lies. When walleyes are up and at 'em, a lipless crankbait can be the go-to lure. Models best suited for walleyes vary in weight from a quarter- to a half-ounce.
Certain well-defined conditions make lipless crankbaits a wise lure choice on rivers when the water is at least 60 degrees. Namely, the time is right when a river is off-color and flowing at a normal or slightly higher level.
Such circumstances allow walleyes to chase down baitfish without the benefit of getting too good of a look at a lure. The many calling cards of the lipless cranks — vibration, sound, flash — work in concert to grab a walleye's attention, often converting that interest into a solid strike.
When the water is cold, roughly from mid-November until late March, river walleyes gather in slackwater pools removed from the force of the river's main current. Fish are concentrated. That's why the action can be good at that time of year.
Conversely, following the spring spawning period river walleyes tend to scatter throughout a river, making them tougher to find.
At this time of year, feeding walleyes often will hold in the tailout sections of long pools, which is an area where things get shallow and the current picks up right before the river spills into a riffle area.
Walleyes holding in such areas, which tend to feature a mix of rocks and weeds, are there to eat. A fast-moving lipless crankbait is a fine choice for burning through such a spot, either while wading along the shallows or drifting in a boat.
Casts should be made across the current, aiming just slightly upriver, so the bait swings down with the current as it is retrieved. Keep the bait steadily moving at a pace that keeps it from snagging.
Don't worry about reeling too fast for the fish to catch it. If a walleye wants the lure, it'll catch it. Just keep it moving at an easy-to-track pace without any jerks or pauses. Walleyes often will follow for some distance, sometimes hitting right before you pick up the lure for the next cast.
River areas known as "runs" also will hold walleyes susceptible to a lipless crankbait. Runs are stretches with moderate current and depth. The best ones have an abundance of subsurface rocks and perhaps a tree embedded in the river bottom.
Most runs are found at the base of riffles in a transition area before the river slows and deepens into a pool. Depths in a run will vary from 4 to 8 feet (as opposed to 2 to 4 feet in a tailout).
Slow your retrieve a bit or try a heavier bait to allow the bait to run deeper. Again, use a quartering upriver cast to work a run, wading along the river bank, or fan-casting as the boat drifts along.
Jeff Knapp is an outdoors columnist for the Butler Eagle.
