Trolling is a potent tactic when walleye are dispersed across wide areas of a lake or river. It’s a great way to sift large sections of water fast.

Here’s a few tips on how to do it:

Check bait shops, conservation biologists and guides to see what forage is available. If it’s perch, walleyes may hold near bottom. If shad or cisco, walleyes may suspend. Collect data on where and how locals are catching fish and use a lake map to scout other likely walleye haunts.

Don’t fish a spot merely because it looks “fishy.” Eliminate unproductive water by cruising and watching your sonar for schools of baitfish.

“Precision Trolling” is a tremendous tool to make sure crankbaits run at the same depth or slightly above the fish you see on electronics. Authors Dr. Steve Holt, Tom Irwin and Mark Romanack used scuba gear and underwater observation to determine dive curves for 120 popular crankbaits. A simple check with “Precision Trolling” tells exactly how much line to let out to reach the desired depth with each bait.

Run at least one crankbait shallow to check if walleyes are holding high in the water column. Bottomline’s sidefinding option will spot those high-riders. Choose a crankbait that imitates the natural forage in shape and color. Use line-counter reels or count the passes the line makes on the reel as you release crankbaits so you can return to the same depth time after time.

Attach crankbaits to line with snap swivels and make sure they run true to avoid twisting.

Neutral fish may be triggered by a combination of a crankbait/live bait presentation. Try impaling a nightcrawler on the front hook. Attach the baits to trolling boards to cover a wider area of water and to reach fish motor noise spooks to the sides of the boat.

Start at 1.5 to 2 mph. Slowly speed up to 3 mph and slow down again. Use gentle S-curves. If strikes come on outside boards during turns, it may signal walleye prefer a faster bait. If strikes come on inside boards, walleyes may prefer slower speeds. Use 7-foot medium-lights to 8- or 81/2 downrigger or steelhead drift rods. Lighter rod tips “give” with strikes like a shock absorber – walleyes essentially hook themselves. Keep hooks at their sharpest.

Once fish are on, no need to jerk – merely maintain steady pressure as you reel.