Hey there anglers! When people think about walleye fishing, trolling often comes to mind and rightfully so. Trolling is an extremely popular technique amongst walleye anglers for its ability to cover water and find active schools of fish. Trolling can be intimidating however. There are lots of small nuances and things to keep in mind that can make or break your time on the water. If you’re looking to head out and do some trolling for walleye, we’ve got you covered. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out, this guide provides everything you need to know about walleye trolling.
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Table of Contents:
Trolling Basics
First things first, it’s important to understand what trolling is and what it is trying to accomplish. Trolling is a technique that refers to using motor propulsion to pull your lure through the water. Set your lines back to achieve your desired depth, put your rods in a rod holder, and troll at a set speed. When you’re first getting started I recommend using an app like Precision Trolling, which allows you to plug in speed, depth, and lure to determine how much line you need to let out. Trolling allows you to continually have lines in the water and cover substantially more water compared to casting. Additionally, some states allow for each angler to have multiple lines which is another added benefit. Be sure to check your local regulations to see how many lines each angler can legally run in your area.
Essential Trolling Gear and Equipment
Trolling is one of those techniques that requires some specialized equipment. But don’t worry, here’s what you’ll need:
Walleye Trolling Rod
When choosing a trolling rod for walleye fishing the most important things to look at are length, power, and action.
For length, I recommend choosing a trolling rod between 7-8 ft. As you get more advanced, you may want to think about getting several lengths of rods and putting longer rods toward the boat bow and shorter rods toward the boat stern. This will help to disperse your lures properly and helps to prevent tangles between lines. For rod power, I recommend a medium power for walleye fishing. This power is very versatile and has the sensitivity to detect lighter weights yet won’t get overpowered if you plan on fishing with planar boards or crankbaits. Finally, you’ll want to look for a trolling rod that has a slow to moderate action. This simply means that the rod blanks loads deeper into the rod compared to a fast action. The slower action is important since it allows the rod to stay loaded at all times, preventing walleye from shaking the hooks.
Trolling Reel
Unlike most other walleye fishing applications, trolling is a technique where a baitcasting reel is preferred. Choose either a low-profile or round style baitcasting reel depending on your preferences. Some reels have a line counter included, which is a nice added bonus when trolling for walleyes. This allows you to precisely adjust the length of line that you let out and experiment with different depths to find what works on a given day.
Rod Holders
Unless you plan on hand trolling the entire time, you’ll need rod holders. Most rod holders will do the trick when it comes to walleye fishing, so no need to get anything special. If you plan on trolling planar boards, I recommend a slightly heavier duty rod holder. Planar boards create more drag in the water and put more tension on the rod holder.
Fishing Line
Fishing line can get complicated when it comes to trolling. For most walleye applications, I recommend using either fluorocarbon or monofilament. Fluorocarbon get fairly expensive to fully spool several trolling reels with, so feel free to use monofilament as a substitute. 10 lb to 15 lb test is a good starting point.
There are a few situations where lead core trolling line can comes into play for walleye fishing. Generally this is more of an advanced technique, but can be incredibly effective if used correctly. The advantage of lead core line is that it is weighted, allowing you to achieve greater depths with lures that would otherwise not dive as deep. For example, you may have a crankbait that can only dive 10 feet deep with traditional line, but you can easily reach 30 feet with lead core. I recommend using lead core in large bodies or water and expansive pieces of cover. Remember that this line sinks, so you cannot easily turn and maneuver your boat.
Various Walleye Trolling Techniques
Now that you know the basics, lets dive deeper into walleye trolling and the various techniques used
Hand Trolling
Hand trolling is what it sounds like. This technique refers to actively holding your rod while trolling along structure. Hand trolling really comes into play for walleye when you are fishing smaller pieces of structure with significant depth changes. You can quickly and easily reel up your line slightly if you enter shallower water or let out more line when you get deeper. Additionally, it’s much easier to reel in after a trolling pass and reset when you are hand trolling. This makes you much more maneuverable and mobile on the water.
Flat Line Trolling
Flat line trolling for walleye refers to trolling your lure directly behind the boat without any added weight. Generally, walleye anglers flat line troll with crankbaits or other lures that naturally dive on their own. One of the most overlooked benefit of flat line trolling is your ability to watch the rod tip. I like to flat line for weed walleyes over the tops of vegetation with crankbaits a lot during the summertime. I can see when the crankbait is running clean and when it is fouled with weeds based on the rod tip vibration. You would be unable to detect these subtle differences with a lot of the other trolling techniques out there.
Planer Boards
Planer boards are another trolling variation that is extremely popular among walleye anglers. Essentially, planer boards are an angled board with a flag that runs your line out sideways from your boat. This allows you to get more separation between your lures and cover more water. Planer boards excel when fishing expansive flats that have little depth change. You want to focus on large areas since turning with planer boards is challenging and requires a very wide turn. Little depth change is important since your lines will be spread out and you want them all running cleanly and in the strike range of a walleye.
Downriggers
The last trolling technique that we will talk about are downriggers. Generally speaking, downriggers are not nearly as popular for walleye as the previously mentioned techniques. With that being said, they definitely still have their time and place. Essentially, a downrigger is a trolling system with a heavy ball that attaches to you line. It drops the line nearly vertical to the desired depth. This is beneficial for your inside rods or rods closest to the stern since it prevents others lines from tangling when reeling in a fish or resetting baits. Downriggers excel when fishing deeper water where the fish are slightly more suspended. Keep in mind that you have a very heavy downrigger weight attached to your line, and the last thing you want to do is hit the bottom with it.
Best Walleye Trolling Lures
Now that you know the various walleye trolling techniques and when to use each one, let’s talk about what lure you should tie on
Spinner Rigs
If I had to guess, I’d say that spinner rigs are one of the most popular baits when it comes to walleye fishing. Spinner rigs are composed of a blade, beads, and hooks. The rig itself doesn’t sink, so you’ll need to add a weight several feet ahead of the spinner to achieve your desired depth. I recommend using either a bottom bouncer or bullet weight. Adjust your weight size until you get your rig down to the right depth with enough line out to prevent spooking fish. As far as rigging goes, simply rig your spinner with the walleye live bait of your choice and troll around 1 mph. If you plan on fishing with leeches or minnows, one hook should do the trick. For crawlers, you’ll want two to three hooks on your spinner rigs.
Crankbaits
Crankbaits are popular among almost every game fish species, and walleye are no different. Compared to other crankbaits however, walleye cranks tend to have more of a long and slender profile. There are lots of baits on the market that all work, but two of my go-to’s are the Berkley Flicker Shad and the Rapala Husky Jerk. Choose a crankbait depending on the depth you plan on fishing. Ideally, you want the crankbait to run within a few feet of the bottom. If you are fishing a weedy bottom, opt for a crankbait that runs a few feet above the tops of the weeds. For crankbaits, troll around 2 mph. Additionally, consider removing the front hook or using barbless hooks since crankbait treble hooks are much harder on fish.
Spoons
I know it’s old-school, but spoons still have a time and a place in the world of walleye fishing. The key to determining whether or not to troll with a spoon is to identify the main forage in your lake. Spoons work exceptionally well when walleye are feeding primarily on large schools of minnows or Cisco’s. Choose a spoon that has a lot of flash and mimics a wounded baitfish. You want your spoon to stand out from the rest of the school and draw a walleye’s attention.
Reading Your Electronics
If there is one thing that you take away from this article, it should be to pay attention to your electronics. This is critical to improve your success when trolling for walleye.
Depth
When you mark fish, pay attention to the depth that they are relating to. Furthermore, are they right on bottom or several feet up off bottom? Run the depth of your lures accordingly.
Water Temperature
Another thing to look out for is water temperature. When the water temperature is cooler (under 65 degrees), troll with more subtle lures and troll at slower speeds. Baitfish in cooler water don’t move as fast as they do when it warms up. When the water temperature is warm (over 65 degrees), transitioning to using more aggressive and fast moving presentations to trigger walleye into biting.
Bait
When most people are using their electronics to find walleye they simply drive around until they physically mark one. This works, but you can cut down your searching time by paying attention to the bait you mark as well. You’ll notice that certain areas on the body of water have significantly more bait than others. If there is bait, there will more than likely be walleye.
Walleye Trolling Location
Although each body of water is different, here are a few key locations to focus on when trolling for walleye
Flats
Flats are great places to troll for walleye due to their uniform depth. The key to finding flats that hold walleye is to find the depth that walleye are relating to which goes back to using your electronics effectively. If walleye are relating to 15 feet in the lake you are fishing, look for flats on that lake that are in a similar depth. Another thing to keep in mind is access to deep water. Most of the time flats towards the main lake and close to the basin will be more productive than other flats for walleye.
Steep Breaks
Most anglers know that walleye love to hang out around steep break lines. Walleye are attracted to hard bottom areas, and steep breaks tend to provide this. Look for drop offs that dump into the deepest part of the lake and focus on these. Steep breaks are much more challenging to troll however compared to flats. This is where I would recommend either flat lining or hand trolling so that you can easily adjust depth and see if your lures are running clean.
Points
Points are always a good starting point for walleye. When trolling, seek out the largest main-lake points and focus on them. Smaller points are much more difficult to troll and you’d probably just be better off casting. If a strong wind is blowing into the point, even better. A lot of the time bait gets pushed up into these windswept points and the walleye know this.
Conservation and Ethical Fishing Practices
As responsible anglers, it’s crucial to prioritize conservation and practice ethical fishing
Catch and Release
Adhere to catch-and-release guidelines whenever possible to preserve the walleye population for future generations. Handle fish with care, use barbless hooks to minimize injury, and return them to the water as quickly and gently as possible. If you plan on keeping a few fish for a meal, release the larger fish to let them spawn. When trolling, walleye may experience barotrauma as well. Avoid fishing in depths greater than 30 ft, and learn how to fizz walleye.
Regulations and Limits
Stay informed about local fishing regulations and adhere to size and bag limits. These limits are in place to ensure sustainable fish populations and healthy ecosystems. Ignorance is no excuse, so take the time to familiarize yourself with the specific regulations in the areas you fish.
Leave No Trace
Respect fish and wildlife habitats by minimizing your impact and leaving the environment as pristine as you found it. Dispose of any trash properly and consider participating in organized shoreline cleanups. Respecting nature and its resources is crucial for future generations of anglers to enjoy.
And there you have it – everything you need to know about trolling for walleye. Remember, whether you’re a newbie or a veteran angler, there’s always something new to learn and discover in the world of fishing. Trolling success is all about putting together a pattern that you can replicate. Continually experiment with various lures, depths, and trolling speeds until you find something that works. Tight lines!
More Walleye Articles:
- Ice Fishing For Walleye: Everything You Need To Know
- Midday Walleye: A Complete Breakdown Of Daytime Walleye Fishing
- Live Bait For Walleye: Everything You Need To Know
- Lure Talk: Full Guide On Fishing Crankbaits For Walleye
- Lure Talk: How To Fish Spinner Rigs For Walleye
- Trolling For Walleye: Everything You Need To Know
