Andrew Martinsen's Walleye Fishing Update Contour Trolling for Walleyes Why Trolling at a Consistent Depth Can Bring You Consistent Results Contour trolling for walleye is a relatively new sensation that is getting a lot of results. This is especially so in the warmer summer months when these fish are presented with a number of feeding opportunities. The tactic is also recommended for cold day fishing, as well. There are some tricks that can help make contour trolling go more smoothly though. This is not a skill that is mastered in a day. Contour trolling involves presenting your bait to the walleyes at a consistent depth in the area where they are suspended. The goal is to keep your bait at the precise location, or contour, underwater where the fish are present. For contour trolling to work well, three key ingredients need to come into play. These are location, electronics and bait. When they mesh, the outcome of contour trolling is generally rather impressive. Some of the best tips to make contour trolling for walleye pay off include: Speed. The idea behind this specialty trolling method is to present the spinner or crankbaits as naturally as possible to the fish. When these flit by at fast, but steady speeds, walleye might take an interest. If they skitter along at the speed of a reel, the fish might not be so tempted. The notion is to make the lure really look like a fleeing feeding fish. This can help it stand out from the crowd and garner the desired attention. Many fans of contour trolling recommend speeds of about three miles an hour. Finding the fish. Contour trolling involves finding walleye where they are and fishing the level with a crankbait or spinner. The key is staying with the fish and having the lure fall in just above them or at their level. It is vital to remember that walleyes have eyes that point toward the top of their head, so ideally bait should go right above them or directly in front of their noses. The best places to find fish in the summer months are in mid- to deeper waters. Look for areas like deep weed lines, humps and sunken islands. Follow the path and make sure to speed the lure along. Electronics can come in handy for finding schools of fish to drop a line in at and to read their level in the water. On cooler days, many find the shallows pay off quite well, especially in early spring. Bait. This is essential for catching walleye when contour trolling. It's important to have the right bait on hand. Leaches, night crawlers and minnows can work very well in the summer. Many anglers who like crankbaiting swear by minnow lures that resemble the feeder fish in the body of water they are fishing in. Having a supply of different lures on hand to see what works the best is not a bad idea. Fishing is a fickle, trial and error pursuit. For spring fishing, minnows are often suggested. Contour fishing goes against the grain of walleye lore, but it is producing results. Many anglers are finding that using boards and crankbaiting while trolling can really help them land prize walleye when all else fails. While conventional wisdom calls for slow-moving reels, high-tech anglers are finding speed is the key to bagging the big ones.