Fishing Tips From the Pros

Fishing Grapper Shads in Rivers

By STEVE DEZURIK

The new Grappler Shad (CD15) by Cotton Cordell is one of the most versatile lures to hit the market today. On the Mississippi River here in Minnesota I count on multiple techniques to catch walleyes for my clients and me on any given day.

In the late fall however, I rely on trolling deep rip-rap lined shorelines for taking above average walleyes. Keeping and maintaining bottom contact while you troll is a must for triggering and catching fish of all species in a river. At this time of year, speed can also play a key role in provoking fish to strike. The Grappler Shad is a lure that you can count on running true right out of the box regardless of your trolling speeds without any tuning necessary.

With this piece of mind, I have some of my best luck trolling at speeds close to 3 mph. At this pace, strikes are very explosive and exciting. Trolling at this pace on rocky terrain can definitely create havoc on your average crankbait. The Grappler Shad’s solid plastic molded body and bill results in miles and miles of worry free trolling. I have seen other lures simply fall apart in these harsh unforgiving conditions.

Steve Dezurik guides for walleyes and smallmouth bass in Minnesota. Steve also competes as a professional walleye angler in the PWT. For more information on Steve log onto www.stevedezurik.com.