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Member
Posts: 2680
Location: Essexville, MI./Saginaw Bay. | This was a great topic, so I barrowed it and my answer to it from another board. Any other answers welcomed.
I always struggle with walleye success very early in the year. From ice out until the water temp gets to around the lower to mid 60s.
Can someone advise what typical timeline can be thought of when considering using minnows, then leaches, then crawler? Is upper 40's to lower 50's too early to consider leaches? What about crawlers?
I'd not like to pass up a bait choice as a possiblilty thinking it's too early to try that bait but also not want to waste fishing effort working a bait type that doesn't really stand a chance.
Perhaps it's a matter of any of them will work regardless of water temp?
Thanks,
Andy
Andy.
Your question is a good one, and one we all ask and think about often. It never hurts to try as many/varied techniques, live or artificial bait choices as you can if the bite is slow.
I've always been a student in the school of thought that the fish look for and key in on what's most abundant in any systems at any given time. So with that thinking I'd use (most often) what the weather and water conditions were serving up.
If to cold, very few if any worms or crawlers are out and about or being washed into the water systems from rains. And the leeches for the most part set out colder temps and times buried in the mud. So I was strictly a minnow man in any waters colder then 50 degrees. I still believe this to a degree, but have always tempered my thoughts about this subject with some rationality on the matter.
I've often spoken about and written that one has to be careful about analyzing what a fish will/should instinctively do while/when comparing it to any rational human conclusions or thinking.
Fish (in all cases) are instinctive and opportunistic. They don't have calendars, plan things ahead of times, and don't realize that worms, crawlers and leeches don't like cold weather.
But we as humans seem to give them personalities and rational thinking brains to often. We all do it at some point, it's simply human nature. But seldom if ever the nature of the fish.  Capt. Dan. | |
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Member
Posts: 794
Location: Elgin, Illinois | Dan,
You have broken my heart and really given me a "bad day".... Right up until a few moments ago when I read your (very well written and thought out repsonse) I had always believed the reason I wasn't doing well was that the fish were "outsmarting" me. Now, I find out that they are not plotting and scheming against me and I am just a poor fisherman. Thanks alot!!! | |
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Member
Posts: 2680
Location: Essexville, MI./Saginaw Bay. | Like Dad always told me in my younger years, after I was confronted with the facts versus my opinon, "The Truth Hurts don't it".
Edited by walleye express 4/6/2007 11:56 AM
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Member
Posts: 23
Location: Arlington, WI | This same question was asked at the Walleye Master's Institute in Chicago this year. Three speakers, Keenan, Takasaki, and Kemos, talked about when to use bait and what bait to use.
For Keenan and Takasaki it was in reference to trolling. The first indicator both looked at was water temps. If the water temp is below 50 degrees, troll cranks. If the water temp is above 50 degrees, troll crawler harnesses. Also, both stated that the never, and I don't think I am stressing never enough, troll crawler harnesses in river settings. Being a river rat, that is common sense to me but maybe not for you, so I thought I would share that.
Kemos talked about the usage of bait in reference to jigging and rigging. He said that he uses minnows in cold settings, air and water temp, and that he actually doesn't use a jig and minnow as much as you might think. He mentioned that he uses a jig and crawler more than a jig and minnow. He also mentioned that one good way to know when to make the switch to crawlers is to watch the weather. Once it rains and he sees a bunch of crawlers on the sidwalk or driveway, he switches over. Pretty simple.
With regard to leeches, you need to use them in warmer water because in cold water they will have an increased tendency to ball up and be less active. That is also why they tell you to keep you leeches on ice. Other than the issues with the leeches spawning, the abrupt transition from cold to warm/hot shocks the leech, causing it to move more.
This is what I follow.
Later,
Brian | |
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| never troll harnesses in rivers? That's funny. | |
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Member
Posts: 2680
Location: Essexville, MI./Saginaw Bay. | what do they know - 4/6/2007 5:34 PM
never troll harnesses in rivers? That's funny.
I to am a little confused by that statement. I have to admit that doing so with 3 hook harnesses in stump filled rivers invites more then your fair share of snags, but has in the past worked for me when drifting or trolling with 2 and even one hook harnesses. I even put some out on InLines boards one day while slow trolling upstream and had some good luck.
But one of my favorite spring time techniques is dragging one hook harnesses while drifting downstream with the current. I tie them with one zero size Indiana blade with a nightcrawler hooked in the nose with a #6 mustad baitholder. Usually one or two #7 splits up the line depending on the currents speed. With a rig that light, rod tip held high and fished at a 45 degree angle, it floats over most snags. | |
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Member
Posts: 23
Location: Arlington, WI | I am just telling you what they said. If you have a system that works for you, great.
Personally, I have caught many a fish on many a river systems, and never have I caught one on a spinner rig while trolling. Maybe its just me, and Tom Keenan, and Ted T., and Rick Nasack, who also was at WMI and gave a presentation on the Mississippi River and never once talked about using spinner rigs while trolling? I don't remember any big tournament on a true river stretch, not an area like Lake Pepin, ever being won with a spinner rig while trolling. Here again, some of you may have system that works for you. If you do, please share it just like Captn. Dan.
Have good one,
Brian | |
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Crawlers, Leeches or Minnnows?