Article by: Chris Huskilson
One of the greatest age-old techniques going that not only catches a lot of fish but oftentimes the biggest fish in the system, is fishing a crankbait.
In my opinion, a crankbait can entice two types of bites. Regular feeding, and a reaction strike. Improving your odds for success exponentially.
Shopping for crankbaits can be overwhelming. There are a plethora of options on the market today. Keep it simple!
Crank Baits and Walleye really do go hand in hand. When I am targeting Walleye I prefer two body types. Elongated minnow style baits, and Shad style baits. I typically lean more so towards the longer thinner style. And in particular the Berkley Flicker Minnow. A perfect “real minnow” representation.
I like this bait for a number of reasons. It has a very tight and subtle action. Believe it or not, less can be more when it comes to triggering strikes! The Flicker Minnow is almost what I would consider finesse-like in the crankbait world of actions. It has a very tight wobble. Not wide and erratic like a lot of others out there. It can be fished at a multitude of speeds and depths and refuses to roll over or blow out. It also has a very unique high pitched rattle system which I believe is a critical attribute in generating bites. And the price point is very attractive! You don’t have to break the bank to catch more fish.
The Flicker Minnow comes in a multitude of sizes and colours so not to worry, they have you covered.
They really seem to shine in tough conditions like a cold front or high pressure. This is where that subtle action is key. Not to mention they run anywhere from 14-30 feet deep based on line weight and how far back you want to run them.
When choosing a colour I will typically do one of two things. I will either “match the hatch” and run a colour that mimics the forage I believe they are feeding on, or I go the complete opposite and run the wildest brightest colours you can think of. Ultimately the fish will dictate their preference. Try running one of each and let that first bite be the judge.