The Rapalas can actually be two baits in one, displaying their outstanding natural action right out of the box. With a bit of hookeye tinkering, they can also display a wider, more "injured" wobble. I'm no expert at pier action on the Great Lakes, but I think I'd catch on pretty fast, and it seems to me a nose-tinkered Long Cast Minnow should be a real killer on the piers after dark.

Beginning anglers are frequently obsessed with baits that are, in fact, too small. They also are in a constant tizzy about finding some secret herky-jerky way to work those baits. The old boys cast them out and reel them in -- slow and steady. No jerking. If you must use pauses in a retrieve, fine, but my reasonably-educated guess is that it will cost you fish over the course of decades.The percentage is with slow and steady. Walleyes feel it, see it, track it, eat it. There's more chance to feel and see a bigger bait at night. When they attack a bigger bait, there's more bait there for them to hit it -- less chance for error.

Thumper Plastics -- The other class of baits that shines for big fish is shad-bodied thumper baits fished on a leadhead jig. In the old days, the 4-inch Mister Twister Sassy Shad was the only thumper available, and it usually had to be fished on a wedgehead jig with a hook too short to match well with the 4-inch plastic.

If you're after bigger fish, don't be tempted to fish with three-inch plastics. Four inches is the minimum after dark. The best shad body I've used recently is Berkley's Inshore Power Swim Shad, which measures 5 inches. The 4-inch Berkley Inshore Power Pogy is another good option. Lots of companies make 4-inch shads. YUM offers the G-Shad, for example, which also is available in a 6-inch model. I haven't done enough fishing after dark with 6-inch baits to comment. My guess is that 6-inch baits are fine, but 7 inches is getting too large for most situations.

The best jigheads I've found for larger plastics are from Matzuo, either the Darter Jig or the Flat Jig -- especially the Flat Jig, which has a beautiful long "sickle" hook that's perfect for longer plastics. The most versatile size is 1/4 ounce, which has a 3/0 hook. The same size Darter Jig (1/4-ounce) works well, but by design tends to fish just a little deeper. I like the Darter Jig because it isn't painted. The natural color of lead has always been the best overall color, in my book. When I fish the Flat Jig after dark, I usually use a white head.