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Message Subject: Depth issues

Phishy

Posted 5/31/2012 6:20 PM (#104498)
Subject: Depth issues

Member

Posts: 32

Location: Green Bay

I haven't been on here in a very long time....last spring I lost my boat to a car accident and finally am up and running again, and I am ready to walleye fish again (in the interim I fished salmon with a bunch of good friends)

So I go walleye fishing last weekend on the Bay and discover I am doing something fundamentally wrong, I do not believe it is a speed issue,(1.1 – 1.5 sog) but rather a depth issue. I kept hitting bottom and dragging muscles around, I was vigilant with checking my baits and did get a couple, but I should have had a limit, other people were catching fish around me while I struggled with dragging bottom.

As a general rule of thumb what size weight do you use with crawler harnesses on 10-12lb mono in shallow water, say 8-10 fow and how far back do you clip the board?? What is the ratio of line out to depth with the weight you are using?

Second again as a general rule of thumb running plugs, flicker shads or walleye diver (dive curve is about the same) how far back and more importantly speed. Again ratio line out to depth.

I ran all over the place and started second guessing myself and got frustrated, first started with plugs, then switched up to harnesses, even though I caught a couple fish but couldn’t figure out why I got the fish since I was all over the place.

And yes I have the “book”, but it is based on 2mph on 10lb test…my head was spinning trying to do the conversions.

Thanx

Phishy

tyee

Posted 5/31/2012 6:42 PM (#104499 - in reply to #104498)
Subject: Re: Depth issues

Member

Posts: 1406

I was up on the bay also last weekend. I had a dozen crawlers and they were gone in 1 pass, with both walleyes and goats. I prefer no weights at all and go with 40-50 back in the depths you metioned. I find its best to keep the baits above the fish this time of year. However I switched to Cranks after 20 minutes and wound up with 4 very large fish and a few dozen smallers ones. Maybe you were just in the wrong place? Time of day and location are key too? Also I was is stelth mode, I know that helps a lot for me too.
Good Luck
Tyee

Phishy

Posted 6/1/2012 6:25 AM (#104507 - in reply to #104499)
Subject: Re: Depth issues

Member

Posts: 32

Location: Green Bay

thanx! I was watching other people around me catch fish while i sat there scratching my head...I hate being that guy and failure is not an option

Shep

Posted 6/1/2012 8:51 AM (#104510 - in reply to #104507)
Subject: Re: Depth issues

Member

Posts: 3899

Spinner rigs.

In that shallow of water, I'll run just a #2 split shot above the snap swivel, and vary my length from 15 to about 40 behind the board, with the shorter lengths on the outside boards. Do not allow the boards to stall completely when you are truning, or the rigs will sink to the bottom, and you'll get snails.

Also, letting the boards out, there are two methods that work.

First, use the drag to let the board slowly take out line. You need to make sure it's slow enough to keep the lure from hitting bottom. If it does, you'll get snails.

Second. Send the board out for a ways, then just let the line free spool, so the lure rests on the bottom, and when you have the desired amount of line out, point the rod tip at the board, set the bail, and give a pull to get the lure up and moving off the bottom. Sweep the rod, like when setting on a slip bobber fish.

I've used the second method very successfully on GB around the reefs, and in U Bay.

Another tactic I have used in the dirty waters of U Bay is stalling. I know, I said earlier not to let the boards stall. But that is on turns. If you have been going straight for a while. just take the kicker out of gear, and let all your baits settle. Give a few counts and then put the kicker in gear to get them all going again. Many times, the fish will hit on the fall, and you'll have boards going back on the start up.

Big plump crawlers too. keep them cold. They don't need to be a foot long either. I'll pinch them down to 4" or so behind the last hook. Front hook through the snout and then out, and then the second hook goes in behind the collar. You want to keep the crawler from kinking up between the hooks, or it will spin, and that will cost you bites.

Keep a close eye on the boards and tattle flags if you have them, for any slight indication of a bite. Lots of boards get reeled in with the crawler gone due to a missed bite. .9 to 1.4 is good speed, so you are right in there.

Have fun, and catch some GB pigs!

Edited by Shep 6/1/2012 8:53 AM

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