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When your electronics are on the fritz, or all the walleyes in the lake are stacked up in shallow water, there's only two good ways to find and catch them. I like casting jigs on traditional fish-holding areas such as points, sand cuts, weed edges or sharp-breaking shorelines. But jigging can be time-consuming, especially if there are miles of rip-rapped shoreline, or you're fishing a big lake with hundreds of points.

When I'm faced with either situation, I'll often lay the jig aside and pick up my crankbait rod. Casting crankbaits into the shallows, across the rocks or over and along a weededge can really ring the dinner bell for hungry walleyes. It's fast fishing and can eliminate a lot of water in a relatively short time.

Just tossing any old crankbait won't do the trick, however. I like to use four different crankbaits, depending on what I'm trying to accomplish. When casting wind-blown rocks, especially in dirty water, I like Mann's Loudmouth III. This bait has loud rattles (important in dirty water) and dives to only about three feet. Crawfish and Alabama Shad are favorite colors.

If I'm casting into clean water or shallow weed edges, I'll switch to the Mann's Wally Trac in the Model 35 series. This bait runs five feet deep and is perfect walleye size. Yellow Perch, Fire Shad and Chrome/Blue are best colors. These baits also have a rattle, but quieter than the Loudmouth III.

When fishing deep breaks and deep weeds, my lure of choice is a lipless crankbait. I've been fishing these for years in bass tournaments and found them irresistible to walleyes. The best I've used is the Manniac in Chrome/Blue, Tennessee Shad and Fire Shad. With this crankbait, I can work any depth because it sinks. I can also rip it through weeds without getting hung up.

When walleyes are really shallow, either tight to the shoreline or spread out over shallow rocks and sandflats; or I need a crankbait that will run shallow over the tops of weeds and flooded brush, the Mann's Baby 1-Minus does it all. While a favorite of bass fishermen, this shallow running crankbait is hot for walleyes. Diving to only one foot, it is perfect for cranking over flooded grass, stumps and trees where walleyes often can be found during high water. Crawfish, Blue/chrome and Wild Shiner are best colors.

I rig all of my crankbaits with Mustad Triple Grip treble hooks. They are 30% stronger than standard hooks and are designed to hold fish longer. They also come in chrome or bronze and two sizes to fit any crankbait.

My favorite rod and reel is the Quantum Energy series. I use a six foot medium rod and baitcasting reel when fishing the Loudmouth III, Manniac and Wally Trac. I switch to a six foot medium Energy spinning rod and reel for the Baby 1-Minus. Both rigs are spooled with 10 pound test Stren Easy Cast. I like to use a straight snap on all my crankbaits. When I can't find 'em, I'm fishin' the Mann's way!