Fishing Forum - Crank-Crawler rigs on Willard 6-11-24 (With Video)

LINK TO VIDEO

During my competitive fishing years…a long time ago in a galaxy far far away…I found that the best way to test and learn a new lure or technique was to use it exclusively for at least a full day. So I took only a few new models of crawler crank hybrid rigs…in some new sizes, shapes and colors…and hit the Willard S. Marina. Would have rather waited a day or two more after the front passed through on Monday, but family commitments dictated Tuesday or no fishing this week. No contest.

Got launched by 7 am to fairly calm conditions. Air temp 64…warming to 84 by noon departure. Water temps 68…warming to just over 70 by noon. Bet it gets better before the end of the week.

Started out in deeper water. Nothing on TV from 20 – 24 feet.

Didn’t waste as much time out there as I did on the last trip. Moved quickly into 18 FOW and promptly hooked my first cat of the day…on the chartreuse with 3 red spots crawler crank hybrid. Kept that lure in play on one rod but kept changing around on my second rod. Ultimately I got fish on the tried and true fire tiger model…and even caught a couple of wipers on my new “purple tiger” model. Shows promise for the future.

Kept moving in and out…from 15’ out to 23 feet. Saw fish (very few) both on bottom and suspended…and presented my goodies from the bottom up to about mid-depth. Fished from 30’ to about 75’ feet behind my tube…and at speeds from .75 to 1.6 mph. Can’t run at over 2 mph all day like some guys in boats. Got the most attention just above the bottom at a little over 1 mph.

Ended up catching 5 wipers from 8” to 18”. Most were at the low end but I did get one foot-long and an 18” on the aforementioned purple tiger pattern.

Not as many boats out Tuesday as I expected. That’s okay by me. Only downer was some doofus that roared by between me and the dike at mach 3. Big waves had me rockin’ and rollin’. And I’m too old for that stuff. At my age and in my physical condition a rocking chair is almost too much.

(06-12-2024, 07:45 PM)TubeDude Wrote: [ -> ]LINK TO VIDEO

During my competitive fishing years…a long time ago in a galaxy far far away…I found that the best way to test and learn a new lure or technique was to use it exclusively for at least a full day. So I took only a few new models of crawler crank hybrid rigs…in some new sizes, shapes and colors…and hit the Willard S. Marina. Would have rather waited a day or two more after the front passed through on Monday, but family commitments dictated Tuesday or no fishing this week. No contest.

Got launched by 7 am to fairly calm conditions. Air temp 64…warming to 84 by noon departure. Water temps 68…warming to just over 70 by noon. Bet it gets better before the end of the week.

Started out in deeper water. Nothing on TV from 20 – 24 feet.

Didn’t waste as much time out there as I did on the last trip. Moved quickly into 18 FOW and promptly hooked my first cat of the day…on the chartreuse with 3 red spots crawler crank hybrid. Kept that lure in play on one rod but kept changing around on my second rod. Ultimately I got fish on the tried and true fire tiger model…and even caught a couple of wipers on my new “purple tiger” model. Shows promise for the future.

Kept moving in and out…from 15’ out to 23 feet. Saw fish (very few) both on bottom and suspended…and presented my goodies from the bottom up to about mid-depth.   Fished from 30’ to about 75’ feet behind my tube…and at speeds from .75 to 1.6 mph. Can’t run at over 2 mph all day like some guys in boats. Got the most attention just above the bottom at a little over 1 mph.

Ended up catching 5 wipers from 8” to 18”. Most were at the low end but I did get one foot-long and an 18” on the aforementioned purple tiger pattern.


Not as many boats out Tuesday as I expected. That’s okay by me. Only downer was some doofus that roared by between me and the dike at mach 3. Big waves had me rockin’ and rollin’. And I’m too old for that stuff. At my age and in my physical condition a rocking chair is almost too much.

Pat,
Nice video and good to see you get some fish action. The last outing I had on Willard was horrible. That new pontoon got me into trouble. I got out and it was nice and calm, until a storm rolled up. I threw in the anchor only for it to come undone at the connection on the D ring on the pontoon. Wind was gusting and getting back to the anchor was near impossible as I was being pushed out a ways from my original launch. So I had to row almost constantly just to stay in place. Somehow, I managed to get back to my anchor and I proceeded to attach it to the pontoon with an overhand knot. It is only a 5 pound mushroom anchor, but it did help me fight the wind a bit better. I literally had to row for 3 plus hours to make it back to shore. I only saw two boats pass me. I yelled for assistance with no luck from the two boats nearby. Im guessing they couldn't hear me or chose to ignore me. Boy my arms were on fire for a few days, so were my legs and thighs. I had no trouble on Deer creek outing this past Saturday. Much more pleasant experience with my oldest.
Gabe

(06-12-2024, 08:28 PM)Freakyfisherman Wrote: [ -> ]Pat,
Nice video and good to see you get some fish action. The last outing I had on Willard was horrible. That new pontoon got me into trouble. I got out and it was nice and calm, until a storm rolled up. I threw in the anchor only for it to come undone at the connection on the D ring on the pontoon. Wind was gusting and getting back to the anchor was near impossible as I was being pushed out a ways from my original launch. So I had to row almost constantly just to stay in place. Somehow, I managed to get back to my anchor and I proceeded to attach it to the pontoon with an overhand knot. It is only a 5 pound mushroom anchor, but it did help me fight the wind a bit better. I literally had to row for 3 plus hours to make it back to shore. I only saw two boats pass me. I yelled for assistance with no luck from the two boats nearby. Im guessing they couldn't hear me or chose to ignore me. Boy my arms were on fire for a few days, so were my legs and thighs. I had no trouble on Deer creek outing this past Saturday. Much more pleasant experience with my oldest.
Gabe

Thanks, Gabe. Glad to hear you got some tugs at Deer Creek.

I have had a couple of pontoons and vowed never again. Just having to constantly mess with the oars...instead of hands-free fishing...was enough to put me off toons. My current ride...the Escape...comes with oars. But I ditched them and installed my electric motor. It is small enough that fin power alone will help me maintain position for casting...or slow bottom bouncing. But if I wanna boogie back through a zephyr...or do some light trolling...the motor keeps my old body in better shape.

One of the big problems with pontoons is that they usually have a high profile and really catch any wind that comes up. I had a Fish Cat Cougar for a while...with twin low profile pontoons on each side. It was not as bad but still not a "hands free" fishing platform.

Feels like a lot of wipers being caught or maybe just more reported than last year. If I ever sit still this summer I need to run over and pick up some stuff we talked about but I am sure having fun wandering a bit more than the last couple years. Are you planning a Utah Lake run soon?

(06-12-2024, 07:45 PM)TubeDude Wrote: [ -> ]LINK TO VIDEO

During my competitive fishing years…a long time ago in a galaxy far far away…I found that the best way to test and learn a new lure or technique was to use it exclusively for at least a full day. So I took only a few new models of crawler crank hybrid rigs…in some new sizes, shapes and colors…and hit the Willard S. Marina. Would have rather waited a day or two more after the front passed through on Monday, but family commitments dictated Tuesday or no fishing this week. No contest.

Got launched by 7 am to fairly calm conditions. Air temp 64…warming to 84 by noon departure. Water temps 68…warming to just over 70 by noon. Bet it gets better before the end of the week.

Started out in deeper water. Nothing on TV from 20 – 24 feet.

Didn’t waste as much time out there as I did on the last trip. Moved quickly into 18 FOW and promptly hooked my first cat of the day…on the chartreuse with 3 red spots crawler crank hybrid. Kept that lure in play on one rod but kept changing around on my second rod. Ultimately I got fish on the tried and true fire tiger model…and even caught a couple of wipers on my new “purple tiger” model. Shows promise for the future.

Kept moving in and out…from 15’ out to 23 feet. Saw fish (very few) both on bottom and suspended…and presented my goodies from the bottom up to about mid-depth.   Fished from 30’ to about 75’ feet behind my tube…and at speeds from .75 to 1.6 mph. Can’t run at over 2 mph all day like some guys in boats. Got the most attention just above the bottom at a little over 1 mph.

Ended up catching 5 wipers from 8” to 18”. Most were at the low end but I did get one foot-long and an 18” on the aforementioned purple tiger pattern.


Not as many boats out Tuesday as I expected. That’s okay by me. Only downer was some doofus that roared by between me and the dike at mach 3. Big waves had me rockin’ and rollin’. And I’m too old for that stuff. At my age and in my physical condition a rocking chair is almost too much.

What size are those crankbait that you use to make them hybrids with?

(06-13-2024, 02:16 AM)Cowboypirate Wrote: [ -> ]Feels like a lot of wipers being caught or maybe just more reported than last year. If I ever sit still this summer I need to run over and pick up some stuff we talked about but I am sure having fun wandering a bit more than the last couple years. Are you planning a Utah Lake run soon?

Probably not in the foreseeable future. Got a wife home recovering from surgery and I gotta go back in for a followup session on my left eye next week. But you would be welcome to visit anytime. Be sure to give me some advance notice so I can put together a bunch of "downloads" stuff for your fishing club too.

And yes, there are a lot more wipers showing up than in recent years. DWR did some heavier planting and the newbies are showing up. Pesky when small but wunnerful when they grow a couple of years.

(06-13-2024, 02:48 AM)oldguy Wrote: [ -> ]What size are those crankbait that you use to make them hybrids with?

Most of them are 2.5" - 3". I had boxes of different sizes, shapes and colors of small crankbaits I used in the past but not now...or that I bought on fisherman's whim and speculation and they never produced. So I "repurposed" them and repainted them in my fave Willard colors.

Because I have had such good success by adding crawler rigs to my ever-expanding line of fligs I figured why not try them on some small cranks. Almost any crankbait will wiggle more if you remove the tail hook...kinda like flatfish. Some anglers in the Midwest have been adding crawler rigs to Flatfish for years. And adding the crawler rig to the middle/bottom hook does not bother the action at all. Lots more wiggle.

I always run my new creations beside my tube or close behind before I fish them. I change up the speeds to see where they run best...with a wider swing or a tighter wiggle. Then I fish them according to how deep and how fast I want to go...and keep changing up the drop back and speeds to give them every opportunity to get bit. It's been fun experimenting.

Here are some pics of the first models. Have added some new shapes and colors since. And I will be trying some single hook models on short wire leaders...with minnows...on my next venture.

(06-13-2024, 12:19 PM)TubeDude Wrote: [ -> ]
(06-13-2024, 02:16 AM)Cowboypirate Wrote: [ -> ]Feels like a lot of wipers being caught or maybe just more reported than last year. If I ever sit still this summer I need to run over and pick up some stuff we talked about but I am sure having fun wandering a bit more than the last couple years. Are you planning a Utah Lake run soon?

Probably not in the foreseeable future. Got a wife home recovering from surgery and I gotta go back in for a followup session on my left eye next week. But you would be welcome to visit anytime. Be sure to give me some advance notice so I can put together a bunch of "downloads" stuff for your fishing club too.

And yes, there are a lot more wipers showing up than in recent years. DWR did some heavier planting and the newbies are showing up. Pesky when small but wunnerful when they grow a couple of years.

(06-13-2024, 02:48 AM)oldguy Wrote: [ -> ]What size are those crankbait that you use to make them hybrids with?

Most of them are 2.5" - 3". I had boxes of different sizes, shapes and colors of small crankbaits I used in the past but not now...or that I bought on fisherman's whim and speculation and they never produced. So I "repurposed" them and repainted them in my fave Willard colors.

Because I have had such good success by adding crawler rigs to my ever-expanding line of fligs I figured why not try them on some small cranks. Almost any crankbait will wiggle more if you remove the tail hook...kinda like flatfish. Some anglers in the Midwest have been adding crawler rigs to Flatfish for years. And adding the crawler rig to the middle/bottom hook does not bother the action at all. Lots more wiggle.

I always run my new creations beside my tube or close behind before I fish them. I change up the speeds to see where they run best...with a wider swing or a tighter wiggle. Then I fish them according to how deep and how fast I want to go...and keep changing up the drop back and speeds to give them every opportunity to get bit. It's been fun experimenting.

Here are some pics of the first models. Have added some new shapes and colors since. And I will be trying some single hook models on short wire leaders...with minnows...on my next venture.

Thanks pat I have tons of them that are not being used I guess
I will try yto make some and try them next week.

(06-13-2024, 03:34 PM)oldguy Wrote: [ -> ][quote pid="1155208" dateline="1718281194"]
Thanks pat I have tons of them that are not being used I guess
I will try to make some and try them next week.

[/quote]
Hope you have a good pair of small split ring pliers. Helps a lot when removing the hooks.

A lot of the original finishes will probably work fine...without repainting. But I have a whole lotta paints and I have my own fave colors so I repaint most of mine. Don't know how you are set up but if you need to you would be welcome to bring a few of your "rebuilds" and I will help you paint them...or at least show you the process. Lemme know and I will get my address and directions to you. I live in Taylorsville...the west valley area of Salt Lake.

(06-13-2024, 12:19 PM)TubeDude Wrote: [ -> ]
(06-13-2024, 02:16 AM)Cowboypirate Wrote: [ -> ]Feels like a lot of wipers being caught or maybe just more reported than last year. If I ever sit still this summer I need to run over and pick up some stuff we talked about but I am sure having fun wandering a bit more than the last couple years. Are you planning a Utah Lake run soon?

Probably not in the foreseeable future. Got a wife home recovering from surgery and I gotta go back in for a followup session on my left eye next week. But you would be welcome to visit anytime. Be sure to give me some advance notice so I can put together a bunch of "downloads" stuff for your fishing club too.

And yes, there are a lot more wipers showing up than in recent years. DWR did some heavier planting and the newbies are showing up. Pesky when small but wunnerful when they grow a couple of years.

(06-13-2024, 02:48 AM)oldguy Wrote: [ -> ]What size are those crankbait that you use to make them hybrids with?

Most of them are 2.5" - 3". I had boxes of different sizes, shapes and colors of small crankbaits I used in the past but not now...or that I bought on fisherman's whim and speculation and they never produced. So I "repurposed" them and repainted them in my fave Willard colors.

Because I have had such good success by adding crawler rigs to my ever-expanding line of fligs I figured why not try them on some small cranks. Almost any crankbait will wiggle more if you remove the tail hook...kinda like flatfish. Some anglers in the Midwest have been adding crawler rigs to Flatfish for years. And adding the crawler rig to the middle/bottom hook does not bother the action at all. Lots more wiggle.

I always run my new creations beside my tube or close behind before I fish them. I change up the speeds to see where they run best...with a wider swing or a tighter wiggle. Then I fish them according to how deep and how fast I want to go...and keep changing up the drop back and speeds to give them every opportunity to get bit. It's been fun experimenting.

Here are some pics of the first models. Have added some new shapes and colors since. And I will be trying some single hook models on short wire leaders...with minnows...on my next venture.

I may have to give the worm harness high bred a go, they remind me of a similar set set up we would back troll with live sand shrimp for steelhead in hells canyon.

(06-13-2024, 04:39 PM)obifishkenobi Wrote: [ -> ] I may have to give the worm harness high bred a go, they remind me of a similar set set up we would back troll with live sand shrimp for steelhead in hells canyon.

I have experimented with various ways of presenting baits behind lures over the years. And I have read articles or watched YouTube segments of other anglers rigging up crawler harnesses on assorted lures...from spoons to spinners to Flatfish to cranks. The principle is the same. Use a wiggling, flashing, vibrating lure...with or without rattles...to draw fish in from further away...and then seal the deal with a properly rigged and presented bait.

Originally, the floating jigs (fligs) were developed by walleye guys to simply present a worm, minnow or leech above the bottom for walleyes. Using the right color seemed to help too. That's how I started with my stuff...but have since added all kinds of different blades and other attractions. And I have been encouraged by the initial results of rigging bait behind the small cranks. I am putting together some new models with single bait hooks for minnows or strip bait...on a short wire drop back leader. Caught some fish on early models last year and plan to give them more of a workout this year.

If you fished Steelhead back trolling you may have also used some of those "Hot Shot" plugs. Those were the hot thing on northern California's Smith and Klamath Rivers back in the 70's. I sold off most of my stash before moving to Utah but kept a few. And they were the first ones I modified for worm harnesses...and the worked.

(06-13-2024, 04:51 PM)TubeDude Wrote: [ -> ]
(06-13-2024, 04:39 PM)obifishkenobi Wrote: [ -> ] I may have to give the worm harness high bred a go, they remind me of a similar set set up we would back troll with live sand shrimp for steelhead in hells canyon.
I have experimented with various ways of presenting baits behind lures over the years. And I have read articles or watched YouTube segments of other anglers rigging up crawler harnesses on assorted lures...from spoons to spinners to Flatfish to cranks. The principle is the same. Use a wiggling, flashing, vibrating lure...with or without rattles...to draw fish in from further away...and then seal the deal with a properly rigged and presented bait.

Originally, the floating jigs (fligs) were developed by walleye guys to simply present a worm, minnow or leech above the bottom for walleyes. Using the right color seemed to help too. That's how I started with my stuff...but have since added all kinds of different blades and other attractions. And I have been encouraged by the initial results of rigging bait behind the small cranks. I am putting together some new models with single bait hooks for minnows or strip bait...on a short wire drop back leader. Caught some fish on early models last year and plan to give them more of a workout this year.

If you fished Steelhead back trolling you may have also used some of those "Hot Shot" plugs. Those were the hot thing on northern California's Smith and Klamath Rivers back in the 70's. I sold off most of my stash before moving to Utah but kept a few. And they were the first ones I modified for worm harnesses...and the worked.

My preference are Brads Wigglers, that are essentially a Wiggle Wart, in fact they are made from Wiggle Wart molds. I have several boxes I haven't used in years, Ill have to pull them out and give them a go.

Thanks for taking me along for the video ride... about the only fishing I'm getting this summer, so I appreciate it... Did you try any flatfish yet with your retrofit worm harness, or did you just try the ones you mentioned and showed in the pictures? I used to love pulling a flatfish, so I may have to try and rework some of the funky colors that never caught any fish.. Great idea, thanks Pat... Later J

(06-13-2024, 05:56 PM)SkunkedAgain Wrote: [ -> ]Thanks for taking me along for the video ride... about the only fishing I'm getting this summer, so I appreciate it... Did you try any flatfish yet with your retrofit worm harness, or did you just try the ones you mentioned and showed in the pictures? I used to love pulling a flatfish, so I may have to try and rework some of the funky colors that never caught any fish.. Great idea, thanks Pat... Later J

Not yet on the Flatfish. I used to have a good collection but "downloaded" them to a guy with a couple of sons that liked trolling them for trout. I hadn't used them in years.

Howsomever, I recently bought some clear plastic unpainted Flatfish bodies online and I am in the process of painting and rigging them for my next venture. I have heard of guys using them both for trout and for walleyes by taking off the hooks and rigging crawler harnesses. They already have a great side to side wiggle so they should work great for my contraptions.

(06-12-2024, 07:45 PM)TubeDude Wrote: [ -> ]LINK TO VIDEO

During my competitive fishing years…a long time ago in a galaxy far far away…I found that the best way to test and learn a new lure or technique was to use it exclusively for at least a full day. So I took only a few new models of crawler crank hybrid rigs…in some new sizes, shapes and colors…and hit the Willard S. Marina. Would have rather waited a day or two more after the front passed through on Monday, but family commitments dictated Tuesday or no fishing this week. No contest.

Got launched by 7 am to fairly calm conditions. Air temp 64…warming to 84 by noon departure. Water temps 68…warming to just over 70 by noon. Bet it gets better before the end of the week.

Started out in deeper water. Nothing on TV from 20 – 24 feet.

Didn’t waste as much time out there as I did on the last trip. Moved quickly into 18 FOW and promptly hooked my first cat of the day…on the chartreuse with 3 red spots crawler crank hybrid. Kept that lure in play on one rod but kept changing around on my second rod. Ultimately I got fish on the tried and true fire tiger model…and even caught a couple of wipers on my new “purple tiger” model. Shows promise for the future.

Kept moving in and out…from 15’ out to 23 feet. Saw fish (very few) both on bottom and suspended…and presented my goodies from the bottom up to about mid-depth.   Fished from 30’ to about 75’ feet behind my tube…and at speeds from .75 to 1.6 mph. Can’t run at over 2 mph all day like some guys in boats. Got the most attention just above the bottom at a little over 1 mph.

Ended up catching 5 wipers from 8” to 18”. Most were at the low end but I did get one foot-long and an 18” on the aforementioned purple tiger pattern.


Not as many boats out Tuesday as I expected. That’s okay by me. Only downer was some doofus that roared by between me and the dike at mach 3. Big waves had me rockin’ and rollin’. And I’m too old for that stuff. At my age and in my physical condition a rocking chair is almost too much.

Great Video once again. Love your commentary. You're awesome!

(06-13-2024, 06:45 PM)fishinfool Wrote: [ -> ]Great Video once again. Love your commentary. You're awesome!

Thanks fer the kindly comments. I enjoy being able to share my half-vast adventures.