Snap-Weight Strategies For Walleye
Weights are trolling sinkers with an emphasis on simple. No other trolling weights are as simple to use or as versatile for the open-water troller. Adding a little extra weight is the easiest way to achieve a pinch more depth.

The beauty of a snap weight is they can be used to fish a wealth of weight sizes, and the weight can be placed anywhere on the line the angler desires. Even better, the snap weight is easy to put on, and just as easy to take off the line when fighting fish. A small pin keeps the snap weight on the line until the angler removes it.

Snap-weight clips are designed for use with monofilament line. For super braids or fused lines, simply half-hitch a rubber band onto the line at the desired location and clip the snap weight onto the rubber band. The rubber band can be reeled right through the rod guides and onto the spool, making it easy to determine the lead length when it's time to reset that line.

Rigging a snap weight

1. Select the desired weight needed to get to the proper depth
2. Attach the weight to the slit ring
3. Safely secure the line within the clip weight slot, and securely snap down the clipontheline.

TIP
If fish are marking at a variety of depths, use different sized snap wieghts to stagger your lures in the water column. Stick with the standard 50/50 method and simply change weight sizes to target other depths. When you start catching fish on a perticular weight size, switch over your other lines to the more productive weight size and hold on.

Suspended Crawler Harnesses

It's a well-known fact that walleye commonly suspend in the water column to feed on shiners, shad and other free-ranging forage fish. Using the standard 50/50 method recommended by the manufacturer, snap weights can be easily used to target any depth a walleye is at. Simply let your favorite crawler harness out 50 ft. behind the boat, clip a snap weight onto the line and let out an additional 50 ft. of line. At this point, a snap weight can be fished as a flat line or with an in-line planer board. A good rule of thumb is to target the water 2 or 3 ft. above feeding walleye, as they feed upward in the water column.

Snap-Weighting Crankbaits
Crankbaits are amazing fish-catching machines, but these lures are limited by how deep they can dive. Adding a snap weight to any floating/diving-style crankbait can substantially increase its diving depth without changing the lure's action.

Placing just a 1-oz. snap weight 20 ft. in front of your favorite crankbait increases the diving depth of that lure about 30%. For a typical crankbait that dives 15 ft., 1-oz. of extra weight increases the diving depth to 20 ft. Using snap weights there, is no limit to how deep an angler can fish his favorite crankbaits.

Fishing snap weights couldn't be easier, and there is no limit to the ways snap weights can be used to troll for walleye. The only wrong way to fish a snap weight is to not take them fishing in the first place.