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Location: Manitowoc, WI | A group of us at an SWC meeting had a discussion not long ago about what innovation in walleye fishing moved fishing forward the most. Items that were considered included inline planer boards, GPS mapping, improved sonar, bigger boats and motors, linecounter reels, dive curves, superlines, and mapping cards for GPS units. What single innovation do you think was most important in moving modern day walleye fishing forward? I am asking this to help my son with a high school paper he is writing.
I chose the inline planer board as the item I would never leave shore without, as it is indispensible in Great Lakes trolling. I tend to fish Green Bay the most and can identify most of my places using landmarks, so I rated the inline board ahead of GPS mapping. |
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Location: Berlin | No question, it is the Drop-n-Stay 
Seriously, I would say the GPS/Mapping. I would not be able to fish the way I do without it. |
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Location: Menasha, WI | GPS
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| definatly the beer cooler built into the ranger boats, seriously it would have to be gps mapping |
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| I would go with GPS/Mapping and add in sonar also, since we did troll without inline boards and also with mast and ski planer boards. But GPS brought you back to the exact same spot, weather it be jigging or trolling. GPS also gave you accurate speed. Sonar has improved so much over the last 10-15 years vs the old flashers and even the primitive grey scale units.
Electronics, 2nd most important piece of equipiment after the boat. IMO. |
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Location: Fremont, Wisconsin | Walleye insider magazine coupled with the walleye annual. With out this mag, we would never have spread the word about all the wonderful inventions. The how to's of open water trolling, the wille's line of products, and it all goes Hand in hand with the Lindners love of teaching people to fish.
Edited by stacker 4/14/2009 3:27 PM
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Location: Neenah, WI | While I like the beer cooler nomination, I'd also have to agree GPS/mapping is #1, with planer boards #2. GPS/mapping can help with all types of walleye presentations - trolling, jigging, rigging, slip bobbering, etc. - to get you to and keep you on the spot on the spot. |
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Location: Chicago IL. | I will also have to go with GPS mapping/speed. But the cooler is a CLOSE 2nd!!!!! |
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Location: Lincolnshire, IL | GPS/Mapping for me...no doubt about it! The days of lining up the pine trees and the cabin with the red roof off that rock in order to find the crib are a thing of the past.... |
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Location: LaCrosse, WI | I don't drink much, so I'll have to go with the GPS, (especially for big water fishing).
Here's one that nobody has said yet, but has definately played a big part in many peoples Walleye fishing. The Credit Card!!! |
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| "Modern day walleye fishing" How about the internet and websites like this, and others, that allow us to share techniques and practices, make equipment recommendations, solve problems, help prevent one another from making the same mistakes, and even provide exact locations. These forums also provide us with a place to vent, a place to come when cabin fever and the long winters get us down. Heck, they have probably indirectly saved a few marriages along the way. These all have an affect on, and impact my walleye fishing. |
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Location: DeForest, WI | I too nominate the avenue of sharing of INFO-
The Internet- The PWT/FLW Tournament Coverage on TV... Magazines-
I appreciate the insightful marketing the Pros bring to this sport.
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| Interesting thread Jerry. I for one would like to read the paper when he has it complete. Or, if he dares, have him post a draft and let the 'experts' appraise and/or critique it. |
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| "What innovation moved walleye fishing forward the most"
Without a doubt it has to be the LEAD HEAD JIG. A shad shaped Crank has to be a close second. There are tons of people that fish without electronics and have for years. They deffinately moved a lot of people into better successes but from an innovation standpoint it has to be tackle.
Who was the first pro to say a jig put him there?
Good Luck
Tyee
Edited by tyee 4/14/2009 5:27 PM
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Location: Oshkosh, Wisconsin | GPS hands down IMHO. I grew up fishing the Wisconsin River and other smaller bodies of water. The only way to learn these waters was to spend tons of time on them. Today, you can buy a map, call a local bait shop, show up to a place you have never been before, and start catching fish.
Can you imagine trying to fish Lake Sharpe without a GPS? Or how long it would take to find the off shore rock humps on Winnebago?
The jig is hardly new to fishing and as far as I'm concerned, many internet sites have done more to damage fishing than improve it. The in-lines are great tools for trollers, but nothing has improved my ability to catch fish like GPS. |
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Location: LaCrosse, WI | One more thing about the GPS, it can save lives. When we were at a championship on Erie in 05, some guys had a boat sink 17 miles off shore. They were able to radio the Canadian Coast Guard and give them coordinates, and get rescued. That's more important to me than how many fish I catc. |
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| GPS in my opinion |
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Location: Manitowoc, WI | Okay....the consensus is the GPS. Now, if we can, please rank them in importance from 1-5.
I'll start:
1. GPS mapping
2. Inline planer boards
3. Linecounter reels
4. Dive charts for cranks, dipseys, and snap weights
5. Improved sonar |
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| The order of this list would be dependant on the fisherperson's level of expertise. Maybe we should include how we would rank ourselves on a scale of 1 - 5, (1 being a rookie and 5 being a expert) What an 'expert' sees as important might not be the same as what a newbie to the sport look at. I would consider myself a '3' 1) GPS/mapping 2) Internet, Magazine, Information Sharing 3) Planer Boards 4) Sonar advancments ('Digital' might move this up the list) 5) Line improvements, (Braids, Flourocarbons) |
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| GPS? Really? the most innovative product in "walleye fishing"? Maybe to fishing in general, or better...maybe tournament walleye fishing...I'd venture to say that 75% if not more of walleye anglers don't use a GPS or at least not on a daily basis.... The most concentration of walleye anglers are river fishermen next time your on the river count the rigs with a GPS not many 14'ers with one. Maybe a GPS helps you find your way but in my mind it isn't the innovation that grew "walleye fishing" to what it is today. It's only been around for a short time, and there isn't a huge influx of people buying them specifically because it helps them fish for "walleyes". EVERY walleye angler has a lead head jig. The majority of lake fishermen head to the crowds. The internet is one heck of an innovation but as Brad says is that a good one or a bad one? Planner boards greatly improved the amount of lake fishermen as well but I'd be hard pressed to say that every walleye angler uses them.
Good Luck
Tyee
Edited by tyee 4/15/2009 9:29 AM
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| Lead head Jig? Heck, if were stepping that far back I change my mind. I think the spear is more innovative!
Grew the sport Vs "what innovation in walleye fishing moved fishing forward the most."
"Moved forward" can be debated within itself. More people? more success? changed the scale of difficulty?
Edited by Jayman 4/15/2009 10:07 AM
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Location: LaCrosse, WI | One of the things that "Grew" Walleye fishing was big water tournaments that helped bring attention to Walleye fishing. The folks who fished those events used GPS as soon as it came out to find their way back to fish over several days, which increased the bag size and increased the buzz around Walleye Fishing. Not all big bags have been attributed to GPS, but it has certainly helped, especially in big water events.
I still think the TV shows, internet, and tournament results have helped this past time grow. If that's not the case, then explain to me why Green Bay has seen the increase in fisherment that it's experienced in the last 10 years. I'm not one of the people located right in the Fox Valley, so catching monster Walleyes on Green Bay and seemingly unlimitted amounts of eaters on Winnebago was something I'd never heard of until reading tourney results and seeing tv shows. |
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| tyee - 4/15/2009 9:23 AM GPS? Really? the most innovative product in "walleye fishing"? Maybe to fishing in general, or better...maybe tournament walleye fishing...I'd venture to say that 75% if not more of walleye anglers don't use a GPS or at least not on a daily basis.... The most concentration of walleye anglers are river fishermen next time your on the river count the rigs with a GPS not many 14'ers with one. Maybe a GPS helps you find your way but in my mind it isn't the innovation that grew "walleye fishing" to what it is today. It's only been around for a short time, and there isn't a huge influx of people buying them specifically because it helps them fish for "walleyes". EVERY walleye angler has a lead head jig. The majority of lake fishermen head to the crowds. The internet is one heck of an innovation but as Brad says is that a good one or a bad one? Planner boards greatly improved the amount of lake fishermen as well but I'd be hard pressed to say that every walleye angler uses them. Good Luck Tyee Jerry's original question was "What single innovation do you think was the most important in moving modern day walleye fishing forward?" The lead head jig was long before what I consider "modern day". |
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Location: Manitowoc, WI | I agree with Anonymous. Jigging was around when I started fishing in the 60's
My question deals with the progression from around the early 80's till now. We started with Loran C, then GPS without mapping software, we moved to mapping and now we're in the era of 3D mapping and side scanning sonar.
My earliest memory of where this information was passed would be from In-Fisherman and the Walleye Insider. I recall reading how Gary Parsons and Keith Kavajecz used GPS to mark schools of fish out over the mud on Lake Erie after the spawn.
Edited by jerry 4/15/2009 12:33 PM
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Location: Rhinelander | Electronics that daisy chain together, IMO. GPS modules that network with multiple sonars and computer interfaces...what's next? The GPS as a stand alone was pretty cool, but what's out there now in a single unit that can network with others is literally amazing. |
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| Jerry, that is exactly what I s[peak of. All the guys that have entered the open water regatta since the mid 90's never knew how the open water bite was found or why it had to be shared. I will go into a short description.
In the early days of the PWT they did not get enough amatures at 500 smackers to join. So the pro's would draw with each other and they would have a 1/2 day each in the drivers seat to do what they wanted. Roach drew parsons. Parsons entered the boat with level winds and wiille's crankin bait line. I think that was 1992. could be wrong. Roach went and jigged the reefs like every single other boat. when it was parsons turn, they went trolling. Maybe gary will jump in and clear up details, but they both clobbered them the 2nd day. The wind blew up and roach went back to the fish and dragged bottom bouncers and beat Gary.
That is why the walleye insider is the number 1 invention. They told everyone. |
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| Don't get me wrong, GPS is really nice and I'd hate to be without it, but I'm surprised it's the concensus pick so far. It doesn't help to know where you are on the lake if you don't know what's beneath you.
I'd ask two simple questions -
1. If you had to choose, would you choose to fish with a handheld GPS unit alone or a sonar only unit alone?
2. Would you choose to use the sonar you had in 1985 or 1995 if it had GPS, or would you choose to use the new state of the art sonar units without GPS?
I know for me, the answers would be simple, I'll take the sonar in 1 and the new sonar units in 2.
The advancments in sonar technology are IMHO the single biggest factor in improving walleye fishing. The new units with their fine detail and large color screens give anglers a view of the fish's world and the fish themselves that was nearly unimaginable even 15 years ago. On top of that, with the increased technology, the availability of sonar units has gone way up, and their price has gone way down, which means there's a lot more people that are now using sonar to help them fish, and as a result, they catch a lot more fish.
Waxy |
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Location: Berlin | I will take the GPS and a flasher all day long over the nice sonar. Flashers have been around a while and some still use them on the open water. |
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Location: Waukesha Wisconsin | Had a flasher ( green box) in the 70's. If I read Jerry's thread correctly, he wants 80's and beyond (otherwise I'd pick a fish locator) . I'll go along with the gps units. Rich finds 'em and then sends me the coordinates. What could be ant easier than that? |
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Location: Manitowoc, WI | ".....Rich finds 'em and then sends me the coordinates. What could be ant easier than that?....."
Somewhere in this equation Rich has left me out in the cold. I'm still waiting for those coordinates....:) |
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| These answers are BS. You all can't deny the obvious forever.
Sincerely.
The Pocket Fisherman and the Banjo Minnow |
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| Action, Profile, Color, then everything else. |
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Location: Fremont, Wisconsin | My druthers, I would take my handheld with a chip and string with a weight so I can check depth. Sonar is great, but the chip is MANDATORY!!! |
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Location: Berlin | jerry - 4/15/2009 5:37 PM
".....Rich finds 'em and then sends me the coordinates. What could be ant easier than that?....."
Somewhere in this equation Rich has left me out in the cold. I'm still waiting for those coordinates....:)
Rich is having a bad spring and the only place I know to get fish is the supermarket  Been having fun on the bike though
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| Organizations like the PWT, walleye media (WF, WC etc.) that brought walleye fishing into the spotlight and bridged the walleye regions. Plus it was specific to walleye.
New gadgets and technology come and go. I have deceased relatives that would of said the june-bug spinner was the be all and end all of walleye fishing. There is a very good chance a new better and more logical planer board will also be available soon. Making the current over priced models obsolete. It is in fact possible to build a better mouse-trap. GPS well that is highly useful but the category it serves is much broader. |
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| The GPS, is hands down the most innovative. |
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| Organizations like the PWT, walleye media (WF, WC etc.) are not innovations. Giving them the main credit in walleye fishing is absurd. There are many people behind the scenes through-out the years that have helped the average fisherman catch more fish. The organizations mainly exploit and make money from what has been created before them. |
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Location: La Crescent, MN | Without a doubt it's the affordable, mapping gps unit. Allows anyone to access spots with precision that previously only those with extensive time on the water knew about or could find through alternative methods. Every mudflat on Mille Lacs and every shoal on upper green bay is now fishable by anybody, that wasn't the case 12 years ago. |
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| I agree with above post on GPS/mapping cards! It allows the most inexpereinced /experienced angler to find a spot with exceptional detail! |
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Location: Rhinelander | Guest,
I'd disagree that the media hasn't been innovative or had a huge impact. The PWT brought competitive angling in the walleye world to a new level, and made the information, innovations, new concepts, ideas and products public information. I'd also point out that the very foundation and intent of the top competitive angling circuits IS the media coverage, driven and paid for by the companies who have built new, innovative products. In Fisherman existed well before the PWT. Web based media couldn't have been, simply because it's too 'new', but certainly falls in the time frame of the original question. Since web media didn't even when the PWT was formed, I'd say it deserves at last 'honarable mention'. |
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| Depending on how far back you go, sonar would be #1 for me. Without it, offshore structure, edges, holes, and weed lines would be mysteries. Have to know the reef is there in order to line up with a pine tree, and the sonar is the first step in creating the map chips. That being said, I'd hate to lose any of my favorite gizmos. As far as Sunshine and coordinates, I have seen some on his units that look strangely familiar, eerie almost. |
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| Maybe it is the outboard motor? Before that we rowed, well not me of course.
It might be mono line? Before that it was all dacron.
Maybe it is graphite rods? Before that they were all fiberglass.
Maybe spinning reels? Before it was baitcasters.
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| Summer- GPS , Winter- Sonar/flasher. How many people ice fish without a flasher anymore???
And the Ranger 690 and Lund Pro-V tournament style boats in the early 90's.....
Edited by martyb 4/21/2010 11:27 PM
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Location: Forest Lake, MN | The green box.
WarrenMN |
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| The Bamboo Cane Pole and the hook, without it we'd still be spearing fish! |
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| This one's a no brainer.... The formation of the NCA. Without it, we would still be over harvesting our most precious fishing resource! For 2010, our lobbing efforts in Washington are focused on the elimination of all plastics in fishing lures, we have doubled our effort to eliminate baits like Twister Tails, Gulp and FAKE Crawlers as well as all plastics used in any type of crank baits., but your help is urgently needed! Please send your donations to our new headquarters in Oshkosh. Daily tours of the new facility are now available, parking is limited on land, so feel free to use the dock to stop in and say HI. We are hoping to raise enough money to complete the guest quarters above the garage. In addition, work is being done on the grounds to promote the proper management of the new batch of crawlers that have just been flown in from Canada. A large group of supported looked on as the first batch of crawlers were released. God's speed little fellows and stay off the pavement! Purple Skeeter
Edited by Purple Skeeter 4/22/2010 11:43 AM
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Location: Badgerland | GMW - 4/22/2010 12:54 PM
After all the self proclamation none of you consideried it to be Proeye?
and Bushnell, Simmons and Leupold.  |
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| Dynamite, KABOOM!!! |
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Location: Manitowoc WI | id like to add auto-pilot and reef runners to the list! |
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| it's is the gps!!! plus if you have to many beers it tells you are LOL ( remember never drink and drive boat or car)  FISH ON GOTTA GO |
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Location: Berlin | Now that I have another year's experience under my belt I will have to switch my vote to.....
You guessed it, a Sluggo. |
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| I'd be inclined to say that it's probably the development and promotion of a selective harvest ethic. It lets us all continue to do what we enjoy doing. Without sustainability, no technological invention will matter in the long-term.
If it has to be some sort of 'gadget', I'd have to lean to the sonar/GPS mapping units.
S. |
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Location: in the boat off the east shore somewhere | you can take away my
gps, my locator and throw me in a 10 ft row boat. take away everything made invented in the last 40 years.
Ill STILL CATCH THEM!
the one thing that influence me more than anything to chase these creatures is the old Zebco 404 dad stuck in my hand as a kid and my grandfather taking me fishing. the real flame to the fire was fueled by THE FISHING MEDIA! without magazines like fishing facts and field and stream, then infisherman and the walleye insider . Combined with the Sunday morning FISHING TV. to creat the desire i now have to fish. take all of the inventions out of the picture. what keeps you out there searching on a slow day is in your heart. created many years back.... Walleyes i would say Walleye insider changed my life. PWT tournament coverage created the sickness in me.
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Location: Rhinelander | I agree with Sorno. |
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| i'll say trolling motor & batterys for the area i'm in. The old ones back in the day would kill a battery in 3 hours and you didn't move anywhere because they where so small and powerless and now you can go for three days on a charge and move at 5 to 10 mph |
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Walleye fishing's most important innovation???