Trolling Crankbaits For Walleye in Lake Ontario
If you want to consistently catch big walleye on Lake Ontario, trolling crankbaits is one of the most reliable methods available. It’s a technique that works across seasons and conditions, and it continues to outperform many other approaches when it comes to both numbers and size.
In this article, you’ll learn why trolling hard baits remains a go-to tactic, how to adjust for changing factors like water temperature, clarity, and pressure, and what setups and patterns produce best in different times of year. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to refine your approach, this guide focuses on what works—and why.
Getting Consistent Results
Trolling crankbaits might seem simple at first, but catching fish consistently requires attention to detail. Small adjustments often make the biggest difference, and getting these elements right is what separates average days from productive ones.
Speed is one of the most important variables. Walleye are sensitive to changes in trolling pace, with most bites happening between 1.5 and 3.0 mph. Even slight adjustments—down to tenths of a mile per hour—can have an impact. A GPS or speed sensor is essential for maintaining accuracy and consistency.
Depth control is just as critical. If fish are suspended at 20 feet in 30 feet of water, your crankbait needs to be running directly through that zone. Dive charts, line counter reels, or depth-calculating apps can help ensure you’re putting your bait where it needs to be.
Water clarity also plays a role in how fish react. In clear water, walleye are more cautious, which means your presentation needs to be precise—natural colors and clean lure action tend to work best. In murkier water, they rely more on vibration and contrast, so using brighter or more aggressive colors can help draw strikes.
Finally, tuning your crankbaits matters. A properly tuned lure should track straight and produce a steady, consistent action. If it veers off to one side or swims erratically, a small adjustment to the eyelet with pliers can correct the path. Skipping this step can take a productive lure out of the game entirely.
Crankbait Color Selection
Trolling crankbaits works because it covers water quickly and mimics baitfish. Walleye respond to the rolling action of a crankbait, especially when it’s running at the right speed and depth.
Color plays a big role in how effective that presentation is. In clear water, natural patterns like black-silver, blue-silver, and green fluorescent match smelt and shiners and tend to produce better results.
In stained water, bright and high-contrast colors such as chartreuse, orange, and firetiger stand out more and help walleye locate the bait.
During low-light conditions—early morning, late evening, or overcast days—glow and UV finishes improve visibility and can lead to more strikes.
Before trolling, check that your crankbait tracks straight and rolls properly. That rolling motion is key to triggering strikes.
What Walleye Respond To
Every crankbait gives off a unique vibration and sound as it moves through the water. For walleye, these cues can matter more than shape or color. Different baits produce different actions, and finding the one that triggers bites is often the key to success.
If you’re not getting results, switch baits. Watch how each one moves in the water. Look for a strong, whipping tail action—this mimics the erratic motion of injured prey and often draws strikes when other actions don’t.
The right action can vary day to day, so don’t hesitate to rotate through options until you find what’s working.
Matching Crankbaits to Water Temperature
Water temperature plays a major role in crankbait selection. As conditions change, so does the behavior of both walleye and their prey. Matching your lure choice to the temperature helps you stay in tune with how fish are feeding.
When water temperatures are below 55°F, walleye tend to prefer a slower, more subtle presentation. Stickbaits with slimmer profiles and smaller diving bills work best. These mimic cold-water forage and have a more natural, less aggressive action. Reliable options in this range include Rapalas, Thundersticks, Bombers, Smithwicks, Husky Jerks, and Reef Runners.
Once water temperatures rise above 55°F, walleye typically move deeper and become more active. This is when crankbaits with larger diving bills and moderate to aggressive action shine. These baits produce more flash and vibration, which matches the behavior of warmer-water baitfish. Top performers include the Storm Deep Jr. Thunderstick, Deep Diving Little Ripper, Reef Runners, and Rapala Shad Raps.
Adjusting your crankbait selection based on temperature helps ensure you’re using the right tool for the conditions, increasing your chances of consistent success.
Why Realistic Crankbaits Work
Modern crankbaits are built to fool even cautious walleye. Most now include internal rattle systems that mimic the sounds of baitfish, helping trigger reaction strikes.
Visual realism has also improved. High-definition finishes, holographic patterns, lifelike scale textures, and 3D eyes make these lures look nearly identical to real prey.
Combined with the right action and depth control, these features make crankbaits highly effective at turning inactive or wary fish into active biters.
Trolling Speed
Speed is certainly as important as anything. Some days we have trolled 1.3 to 1.6 knots while other days 1.8 to 2.0 and yet some days at 2.0 to 2.4. Sometimes a giant oval pattern of steering instead of a straight line will give you two different speeds when you are trolling crankbaits for walleye. If the slow side gets hits, it will give you an idea of what your walleye crankbait trolling speed should be going in a straight line while trolling crankbaits. The same is true if the fast side produces hits.
Follow the Baitfish
When targeting walleye, one of the most effective strategies is to follow the baitfish. These fish are essential to the walleye diet, and both trophy walleye and brown trout rely on them heavily. While predators are drawn to structure for ambush points, baitfish seek out the same structure for safety, making it a prime area to find both.
Take Henderson Harbor, for example. This area is known for its diverse structure, including rocky points, drop-offs, and submerged vegetation, which creates an ideal habitat for baitfish. The surrounding structure not only holds bait but also attracts large walleye looking for an easy meal. The key to successful trolling in these areas is positioning your crankbait where the baitfish are, and this is where a sonar or fish finder becomes invaluable.
Instead of aimlessly trolling, focus on using your sonar to locate schools of baitfish. Baitfish often move in tighter groups near drop-offs or submerged ledges, so look for concentrations in those areas. Pay attention to any change in depth or structure—baitfish often gather near sudden drops or the edges of submerged vegetation where they have a chance to hide from predators.
Once you’ve identified where the baitfish are, adjust your trolling speed to match the natural movement of the school. Baitfish typically swim in a slower, more erratic pattern when being hunted, so slow down your trolling speed if necessary. Keep your crankbait in the strike zone by adjusting depth—this is especially important in areas with varying water depths like Henderson Harbor.
Another useful tip is to vary your crankbait action. A crankbait with a tighter wobble and less aggressive action may mimic injured or struggling baitfish, while a larger, more pronounced action could imitate healthy schools of baitfish darting around. By alternating between these types of actions, you can better match the behavior of the local baitfish, which increases your chances of triggering a strike from a walleye.
Other Effective Walleye Fishing Techniques
While trolling crankbaits is one of the most effective methods for landing trophy walleye, it’s not the only technique worth using. Other proven approaches include:
-
Jigging: Best for deeper waters or when fish are tight to structure. Vertical jigging with minnows or soft plastics can be highly productive.
-
Casting: Ideal for shallow areas or when walleye are actively feeding near the surface. Crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and soft plastics work well for a quiet, targeted approach.
-
Trolling with Worm Harnesses: Effective in warmer waters, especially when walleye are more responsive to live bait. A crawler harness paired with a bottom bouncer works well over rocky or sandy bottoms.
Though all these techniques are effective, when targeting the biggest fish, crankbaits are often the go-to choice. Their ability to produce noise, vibrations, and realistic movements makes them particularly enticing to trophy walleye.
Trolling for Other Species
One of the great advantages of stickbaits is their versatility. These lures, initially designed for walleye, are also highly effective for catching a range of other species, including brown trout, lake trout, northern pike, catfish, and bass. This multi-species functionality makes stickbaits a valuable addition to any angler’s tackle box, especially when fishing in diverse ecosystems like Lake Ontario.
Early in the brown trout season, stickbaits shine in shallow water conditions. Anglers often favor non-diving, smaller-profile stickbaits to target these “football browns.” The subtle action of these lures mimics smaller baitfish near the surface, enticing aggressive strikes from hungry trout.
Trolling Crankbaits and Stickbaits
While crankbaits are a top choice for trophy walleye, stickbaits have their time to shine, especially during spring fishing derbies. Many anglers have landed their biggest brown trout during these events using stickbaits, which offer the perfect combination of vibration, flash, and natural action. These lures can effectively cover a wide range of depths when paired with trolling rigs or lead-core setups, allowing you to adapt to various fishing conditions.
Adding Stinger spoons to your trolling spread alongside stickbaits can further increase your success. The spoons’ erratic wobble complements the steady action of stickbaits, creating a diverse presentation that can trigger strikes from a variety of fish species.
Original Article By Captain Bob Dick
About The Author
Captain Bob Dick owns and operates Moby Dick Charters out of Henderson Harbor on Lake Ontario. Captain Bob specializes in sport fishing for trophy walleye, browns, lake trout, king salmon, northern pike and smallmouth bass. He has lived and fished the eastern end of Lake Ontario and tributaries his entire life and is a member of the NYS Outdoor Writers’ Association.
