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Member
Posts: 118
Location: OSHKOSH, WI | Ok gentlemen so I have a few questions and a few problems. First off I decided that I should get my equipment for trolling bago instead of just jigging it all the time. I went to the cabellas tournament and the one the week before and wrote down all the cranks, divers, etc that were working. I went to Fleet/Farm in Oshkosh to stock up on trolling poles, baitcasters, about 40 cranks, and boards. For some reason, they only had left boards in all models and no right ones. I wanted to get KaBoom lures but the fishing employee there had no clue what I was talking about. I use my front trolling motor to troll b/c I have no kicker yet and the 135 is too fast. I have been using the two boards on the left with about 50 feet of line going from board to lure. I then put out another rod on the left not on a board since I use my front troller noise is not an issue. I put a rod in the middle of the boat and 1 out on the right for a total of five lines. I usually let out close to 100 feet of line as a general rule. I have went out now 3 times and never landed more than 3 walleyes in the mud. I use all different colors from blue/chrome to perch to flourescents with no consistent luck. I know this is a long story, but I wanted everyone to know my setup to see if there are any flaws. If you have any suggestions please reply since using my front motor is already a pain. Thanks FLY |
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| The whole process will work better once you have the right equipment, 3 left side and 3 right side boards, a kicker motor and line counter reels. It is quite an investment, but if you want to play the game you need the toys. I would recomend getting the good quality equipment right away, like Off Shore boards with the flag kits and Diawa Sealine reels. If Fleet doesn't have what you need place a Cabela's order. Also, don't get hung up on one particular crank bait, Shad Raps and Wally Divers put fish in the boat too. Try nightcrawler harnesses too. If you must use your bow mount to troll, make short trolling passes near structure. This may alow more fishing time before the batteries go dead. Good Luck |
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Member
Posts: 118
Location: OSHKOSH, WI | Thanks for the help guest, I wish I could buy a kicker, 6 quality reels/line conters, 6 boards, and a bunch of cranks. But until I find an extra $1,000 laying around I need to slowly build my arsenal. I like to take my friends out on the boat and they are definitely not pros either. They think I am the pro and I am sorry that I can't boat more fish. Some drinks keep them preoccupied though. The woman is visiting on Wednesday and I wanted her to have some walleye action more than anything else. Thanks for the messages I have recieved so far. Bob |
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Posts: 2300
Location: Berlin | Bob, there is a ton of fish along the west shore in 9-12 ft right now. Nobody is saying it right now but Ripshads are the ticket right now. Orange Glow 20-40 ft back. Stay away from Oshkosh as the boats will spook the fish with this clearer water. Garlic has a ton of fish around it and the north and south ends are producing as well. 1.5-1.7 is the magic speed. IF you don't catch at least 20 eyes a night with that pattern, you had a real bad night! |
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Posts: 269
| I to bought a little at a time and now have all the stuff i need. but u will always be buying more and more it never ends.but thats the fun of it.if you are in need of a new tackle box, the ones that have the trayes in them work good 4 me. as i put shallow cranks in one or 2 then the deeper cranks in another.also i put a piece of velcrow on each bottom corner and the top of the box so i can get at them quicker.also using slip bobbers can get alot of fish.  |
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Member
Posts: 91
Location: West Bend, WI | If you can't afford linecounters, see if you can find some of that line that has increments marked on it. Not sure if it is still available, but I am sure someone here knows. Also, look around, I am sure somewhere has off-shores, Walmart or another fleet farm. I heard Rip shads are working. If you have a trolling bible and marked line, using your locator, you should be able to get started.
Good luck
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Member
Posts: 701
Location: upper michigan | You can also buy line counters that clamp on your rod for about 10 bucks a piece. Before i finally broke down and bought my line counters that is what i ran. |
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Member
Posts: 265
Location: Combined Locks, WI | Flyman, Fleet Farm does not carry the Dave's Ka-Boom line. We are going to try and change that. Gander Mountain and Scheels has them. Also Tews Two in Oshkosh has one of the best selections of them along with The Sportsman in Appleton.
There is nothing wrong with trolling with your bow mount. As long as your batteries don't die. A 12volt system probably won't last long, but if you have a 24 or 36 volt system you should be able to get some trolling time in. If your pulling cranks I wouldn't run slower than 1.7mph. I would be closer to 2 mph or 2.2mph.
You really should invest in two right side boards. Then you can run two boards per side and flat line two lines per side. |
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Member
Posts: 118
Location: OSHKOSH, WI | I have tried to get back to all of you to thank you for the information. Planer board trolling has been around for a while, but is new to me. Once again thanks for all your help and private messages. Say hello if you see an 18ft fiberglass sylvan green/white with a 135 mariner on the back out of Oshkosh. Good luck on the water |
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Posts: 885
| Flyman,
Your best bet is to long line the reefs like the previous response... This time of year I have always found many fish to be caught in 10-10 1/2 feet of water linning the reefs on the west shore... without boards. Long linning enables you to control your trolling direction and speed and stay in the area the fish are.... Get a happy troller for your 135.... My brother has trolled with a 135 for the last 10 years and has caught more walleys than most guys I know.... The happy troller is a plate that flips down to reduce your speed while you are trolling and it flips out of the way when you are at speed....
My best bait for long linning the last 5 years has always been # 7 shad raps in 10 1/2 feet of water in either perch or silver and black... 2.0 - 2.1 mph on the gps.... If you don't have a GPS, just watch your bait in the water to make sure it has good action. Many of us started out using a basic flasher unit and looking at the shore to line up objects to know where we were at...
Garlic, Stevens, Mansers, and just about any reef will hold fish this time of year... and I have been catching nice fish every trip out...
If you see me on the water... stop by and say hi....!!
Purple Skeeter |
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Member
Posts: 118
Location: OSHKOSH, WI | Purple Skeeter, that has probably been the most important response I have gotten. I think I know what a happy troller is. What do they run do you know$ ? If I could get away from using that front trolling motor I would be a happy man. That thing has a mind of its own sometimes. I almost always have to my foot on the pedal or it dips forward or backward having me do circles. Top that off with trying to pinch on a board or give a hand to a friend makes for a couple not so choice words flying. Thanks again |
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Member
Posts: 118
Location: OSHKOSH, WI | Oh and another thing that has been not helping the cause has been my gps unit. It reads in knots and not mph. I can not figure out how to convert it on the screen. I could care less about knots. If anyone knows how to convert this it would be appreciated. It is a garmin fish sounder 180 or 188 can't remember last digit. Thanks THE FLY |
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Member
Posts: 874
Location: Neenah, WI | Go to your main menu and find something that will say "change units of measure" or something like that. You should be able to change to MPH.
Cabelas sells trolling plates. I think a Happy Troller is about 100 bucks.
If you're trolling reefs and rock piles it's a good idea to check your line frequently. The Zebra Mussels will fray it pretty fast.
If you use level winds without a line counter, you can count the passes of the pawl to determine how much line you have out. The pawl is the doo dad that keeps the line winding level onto the reel. Start out with it on the left or right and measure how much line comes off with a complete pass across the reel. After that you just have to do the math.
Keep asking questions. We're here to help. Good Luck. |
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