Bass Proshop walley shopping spree

[lwarden]

I was very fortunate to be gifted a very nice Bass Proshop gift card for my b-day from my wife and kids, so now I have some cash ($200) to spend on walleye tackle. Although Im not a beginner fisherman Id like some advice on how to spend the money and what types of tackle I should get... Im not talking snaps and swivles but other things such as lures,crawler harnesses, rattle traps and dippsy divers or????? Just dont want to throw this money out the window.. I just recently bought a boat rigged for walley and salmon, but hope to do more walleye fishing than anything.. The boat came with rods,planner boards and down riggers.... Can anyone give me a list of the most popular lures etc.......I might even throw another $100 in with the card just to get me started in the right direction

[The Doob]

Wow, that is pretty open ended but here goes, at least how I do it on the east side of the Bay.

First, stop and pick up some offshore angler cross line swivels - they're a modified version of a three way swivel.

Second, pick up some small spoons: Stinger Scorpions, Jr. Streaks, et al. Pinks and purples have been the best colors for me, i.e. purple tux, purple demon, frankenberry, pink panties, pink lemonade, blu razberry as well as clown, rosemary's baby and try to get them with with the copper back. Attach one of these to the middle ring of the cross line swivel on a 6' leader of flurocarbon

Third, on the bottom ring of the swivel, with a 2' flurocarbon leader, you will attach a crankbait. I use either a HotnTot or a Deep Junior Thunderstick depending on the depth I want the whole thing to run and what time of year (Thundersticks early in the year and when I want the rig to run deeper). Again the best colors have been the pinks and purples:
purple prism, hot pink, clown, solid purple plus the chrome ladder backs in (each)red, green and blue.

I'm sure you can kill $200 bucks on that. Now take the extra $100 and drive up to Frank's in Linwood. Start off and get a couple of custom color bombers in pewter pearl and watermelon pearl. Bombers are good for early in the year or when you are fishing shallow - just ask Walleyeguy. If you have any money left over, just ask one of the staff and they will direct you to what is working, especially on the west side of the bay.

Please note several caveats to this:
This is what I do
I do not run crawlers (other than the odd Gulp crawler on a spoon harness). You can spend a ton on harness, blades, bottom bouncers, in lines et al on this style as well. For some guys, this is the only way that they will fish
The colors noted above can and do change from year to year. A couple of years ago a stinger in Charlie Brown caught most of my fish and now he languishes in the spoon box seeing the light of day only occasionally.
If you are going to fish walleyes, ask your family/friends to get you a gift certificate to Franks. Nothing against Bass Pro, I shop there sometimes too, (and it is closer to you as well) but they won't know jack about the walleye fishing on the Bay. The guys at Franks do, they fish it as well.
Another source would be to stop in and see Lance Valentines store, 1086 North Irish Road Unit #5 Davison, MI 48423 . It is a lot closer to you and he knows what's up.

Good luck

[lwarden]

Wow! thanks Doob, exactly what I was looking for, Im going to print this off and head to BPS this afternoon seeing as though its raining down here.. I've heard nothing but great things about Franks and I'm sure Ill be stopping in there in the near future...and thanks again! I love this forum...Lee

[lwarden]

Anyone with any other ideas or things I can get please feel free to chime in!

[capt.dan]

[lwarden]

Thanks Capt. lol! no freindly advice?

[capt.dan]

[lwarden]

Good to know! Thanks!