I'm looking for another option for trolling lakers and walleye. Been using 3-1/2" yellow twister tails, deep down jointed shad rap, green tubes w/ 3/4 oz jig.

Seems like just about everyone and their mother suggests the Deep Tail Dancer

Little cleo

Try a Purpledescent Tail Dancer. Purple is the last color to disappear in the color spectrum underwater. So if they can’t see it they won’t find it.

You could also try these. I have a couple of these Yellowbird Dr. Spoons in my gear when I go for lakers on deep water. They will get down deep and you could add a snap-on weights to keep them down.

double post

deep jointed husky jerk or not jointed.
#9 shad rap

Rapala minnow rap#11, tail dancer #9, berkly flicker shad

T

If I had only one deep diving crankbait to target big fish of all species (especially lake trout) it would be the Rapala 30' tail dancer. However, you don't need to over-complicate things or spend the $10-15 per lure of the tail dancer just to catch trout. Any large crankbait that dives 20-45' will suffice (depth depends on water temperature). Bonus points if it has a great wobble action like the Tail dancer and comes in blue chrome, white, UV, purple or any other color that resembles smelt or cisco (green, chartreuse, white, blue, purple, pearl, etc.).

I've had a bunch of luck on recent trips with larger walleye runners (reef runner, walley diver, etc.). I would bring 5-7 different shapes, colors, sizes, actions and switch out pretty regularly until you find an action or color that seems to be working better than others. Keep in mind that successful lake trout fishing often depends on location, so don't change your bait too often, it might take a while to find the spot where they are congregating.

bobbernumber3: " "

One of my fondest memories of LT fishing on Quetico Lake in a super hot July was a similar rig. Except I had a bottom bouncer rig with a Rattlin Rap attached directly to it - no leader! I caught two 5 pounders within about ten minutes.

I didn't have a leader ready and we were traveling with two other canoes. This was not supposed to be angling time but I couldn't resist. I just concocted this rig quickly on a whim because I didn't want to hold everyone up.

I don't like to troll deep-diving crankbaits behind a canoe because they put a lot of stress on the rod and line. I usually go with a medium action rod with 6 lb test. The rig I described above isn't exactly light either but it's much more hydrodynamic than trolling big-lipped cranckbaits.

Savage Voyageur: "Try a Purpledescent Tail Dancer. Purple is the last color to disappear in the color spectrum underwater. So if they can’t see it they won’t find it. "

+1. Never knew about the color spectrum, but I've caught more deep fish on this than everything else combined.

My go to trollong or drifting set up for anything below 20 ft . I run a #7 , #9, #13 original floating rapala or floating shad raps on a 3way rig with appropriate size sinker and a 6ft flouro leader . Works pretty good running across mud flats and around deep structure. If the wind is light ausing a slow drift I will switch from a hard bait to a lindy rig with crawler harness or leach .

On the big. deep Maine lakes, one of the favorite laker lures is the Mooselook Wobbler. There is a wide variety of sizes and colors. Also the DB Smelts, a similar type of spoon. These are productive when trolled deep. Bass Pro and LL Bean carry the Mooselooks, as do other outlets.

Savage Voyageur: "Try a Purpledescent Tail Dancer. Purple is the last color to disappear in the color spectrum underwater. So if they can’t see it they won’t find it. "

That is why I often use the tail dancers or other lures with UV colors. Those will be visible even after purple has become invisible due to lack of light penetration.

Look up Tadpole diving weights. For me they are the best. I have trolled 25 feet down for lakers with these. Look at the charts for depth and size.

BlackFly: "I'm looking for another option for trolling lakers and walleye. Been using 3-1/2" yellow twister tails, deep down jointed shad rap, green tubes w/ 3/4 oz jig."

Erie Dearie or Reef Runner cicada both are excellent for deep trolling Lakers.