Berkley Flicker Shad crank baits really do drive walleyes into a frenzy! I know. I use them when trolling my home waters connected to the St. Mary’s River, Lake George, Raber Bay, Munuscong Bay and many other spots. This is in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula; the St. Mary’s carries all the water from Lake Superior to Lake Huron.

Total Solutions Technique

I troll Berkley Flicker Shad lures in spring, summer and fall, and in fact the same cranks used in Lake Winnebago in April and May work wonders the rest of the year in the UP. I prefer the blue/silver and lime-green/pearl lures best. They have a super tight wobble, and run in a “nose-down” attitude while the hooks tuck up and under the lure, which means they snag much less on the cabbage weeds than other lures I’ve tried.

I troll the Number 5cm Flicker Shad lures 17-feet behind the boards while speeding along at 1.9 mph. They run about six to seven feet down, and I like the 9-12 foot depths. I think they resemble the minnows and young-of-year perch in the weeds. They get walleyes to react. They are especially effective after boat traffic puts the fish down, and they’re not responding to customary spinner presentations.

Tricking them by running the bow mount (stealth mode) works great in the 9 to 12 foot depths in late-summer, all through the fall period, right up to ice-up. Yes, I could stop and cast, but this pattern allows me to spread boards and cover water. The closer to freeze-up, the bigger the fish become, with 5 to 8-pounders common.

Total Solutions Equipment

Berkley  Flicker Shad 5cm or 7cm crank baits, trolled on 10-pound Trilene XT, with typical, long trolling rods.  Big fish can be netted with the board attached if one angler moves to the bow of the boat.  When a walleye engulfs a Frenzy in October and November, the   board will be buried every time.

This tactic works especially well in the St. Mary’s River system and most Great Lakes connecting waters.  It’s also deadly on lakes that retain green weeds late into fall.  In spring and early summer, trolling Flicker Shad crank baits at the appropriate depths pays big dividends.  In fall, use Mike’s methods.  When in doubt, troll faster.

Berkley® Flicker Shad®

Berkley® Trilene XT®