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Location: Bay City, MI | Hey fellas...newbie question here. What pound test have you found best for ice fishing walleyes? I started with 10lb. (which I guessed at), then a guy at work told me it was too light. Says he uses 15-20 lb test exclusively. Is he full of crap? I followed his advice and ended up with 17lb Spiderwire on my reels, but it seems awful heavy and I'm thinking about switching back to the 10 lb. Anybody have some input? |
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Location: Gladstone, Michigan 49837 | well when we are jigging for walleye on most of the jig rods using 8 pound XL and also using Fire Line 10 pound with line diameter of 4 pounds and then using a swivel with a short 18 inch mono leader of 8 pound sometimes. Lot of the time using just straight Fire Line.
On tip-ups while rigging for walleye I've been using on the heavy side 17 pound XL and lightening up to 10 pound. I've found that the heavier really has made a big difference in catching most fish and helps when larger fish are brought up through the ice hole.
There always are variables but this can be a start for you, Capt. Marty
http://www.littlebaydenoc.com |
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Location: Rhinelander | I use 10 pound Fireline or 6 pound mono, both seem to work really well. I'm sure that 14# wouldn't necessarily stop the 'eye from hitting a jigging lure, but that does seem pretty heavy. |
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Location: Fergus Falls, MN | I don't think I fish anything over 10 for Walleye. I might depending on the reel I grab but most of my Crappie and Walleye reels have 4 to 10 pound line on them. |
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| Frozenbeer, I don't know if I can say I ever used anything over 10# and that is only when trolling at speeds up to 3.5 mph. There are two distinct things you left out of your post, where you fish and the level of enjoyment, A recreational fisherman that is serious enough to compete on local waters should be able to get away with nothing over 6# test, with a 1000 series reel. I recomend Trilene XL for jigging and a mid range Shimano reel for waters to 15' deep. Fireline with a 24" mono leader for waters deeper. The location is also important, If your in areas more apt to catch 10-13# fish or fish heavily in tournaments I would go a bit heavier. When "playing" a fish you can really enjoy it more with lighter line. Good Luck and show your buddy the pictures of all the fish you caught using lighter line!
Tyee |
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Location: Essexville, MI./Saginaw Bay. | Originally written by frozenbeer on 2004-02-13 5:04 PM
Hey fellas...newbie question here. What pound test have you found best for ice fishing walleyes? I started with 10lb. (which I guessed at), then a guy at work told me it was too light. Says he uses 15-20 lb test exclusively. Is he full of crap? I followed his advice and ended up with 17lb Spiderwire on my reels, but it seems awful heavy and I'm thinking about switching back to the 10 lb. Anybody have some input?
Beer.
This question will get as many answers to it as "What size Steel shot is best for ducks and Geese". Most answers will be from preference and a few from the fishing logic book.
I mainly fish Saginaw Bay. And the deepest waters I'll fish are about 23' deep. And mostly 13' to 18' feet deep. Sometimes even shallower. Like in trolling or any long-line techniques, the longer the lead the less the feel and read your going to have with your offerings. Same can be said about heavier mono line weights. Mono still being my favorite line choice for trolling and ice fishing.
But, lot's of things can and do happen to your lines when ice fishing. Your line on the average will take a bigger beating from the elements, pertinent equipment, routines and the hazzards fishing through and on ice will bring. With this said, I'd like to use 8#, but spool 10# Berkly Big Game Supreme on all my ice rods.
Edited by walleye express 2/15/2004 12:42 PM
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Location: Bay City, MI | Thanks everybody for your input, I've found it very helpful. And Cap'n Dan, you're probably right, it's a definate preference question. The reason for my post was I took the advice of an experience walleye fisherman, but then had some doubts about that advice. I haven't heard anybody yet say they fished with over 10 lb test and it kinda backs up my initial doubts. There's probably nothing wrong with the heavier line, but all the same I think I'm gonna re-spool with something a little lighter. |
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Location: Bay City, MI | Hey Cap'n Dan, a slight tangent here. I was standing in line last night (Saturday) at Gander Mtn. in Saginaw behind a fella that was buying himself a pretty expensive new reel (his wife didn't look to happy). One thing led to another, the salesman, the customer and a few other guys starting shooting the breeze about fishing on the Bay and River. When the salesman starting talking about how tough the bite was on the Bay this year and he should head out from Wicks park, the guy said something like "man I don't want to hear that, I have a charter with Cap'n Dan tommorrow". His trip would've been Sunday the 15th. Did you change his mind about the bay? I think it might've been the first time he fished it. |
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Location: Essexville, MI./Saginaw Bay. | Frozenbeer.
I've canceled every charter I had booked this winter, including the one I had scheduled for the 15th. The only guys I've taken out have had their own snowmobile or 4 wheeler and have volunteered to let me off the hook with my (I supply everything) statement on my ice fishing web site.
I still supply everything, except the trip out this winter. Hard enough alone to pull my own butt and geer out, and virtualy impossible towing my dog sled with two passengers. Don't even want to talk about how many trips I both canceled and turned down this winter. Almost makes me want to price one of those Bombadier trail groomers for next year.  |
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