So, I’m planning on trying something new next year and I was wondering if anyone out there has tried this before. I usually like to fish for walleye with worm harnesses and bottom bouncers. They seem to work great. But when I go to a friend’s cottage up north, the lake is shallow and the best walleye spots are quite weedy. My pals like to troll Rapalas over the weed flats, which usually means that bottom bouncers are out. Usually there is about 4-6’ of clear water above the weed tops and going any deeper would mean constant snagging. I was thinking of pulling worm harnesses with no bottom bouncer but maybe just a split shot or two about 18-30†forward of the spinner. Any advice/experiences with this set-up?
Thanks,
Billy
Set-up question
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Chevy Champagne
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Wallyboss
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I use these, they are perfect for what you want to do. and also stops line twists. They are called keel sinkers.
I use Gulp nightcrawlers for this setup and I bury the hook points. the sinker will usually pickup all the weeds. Also I find it best if you use crawler harnesses with floats. so the harness is a bit higher than the sinker. watch out when you come to small openings in the weeds. that's where the eyes will be ambushing there next meals.
I use Gulp nightcrawlers for this setup and I bury the hook points. the sinker will usually pickup all the weeds. Also I find it best if you use crawler harnesses with floats. so the harness is a bit higher than the sinker. watch out when you come to small openings in the weeds. that's where the eyes will be ambushing there next meals.
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Please feel free to stand in front of them!!!
Experience is that marvellous thing that enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again
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eye-tracker
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Hello,
As slop mentioned plunking jigs in the pockets of weeds is a great technique as many of the walleye will be sitting right at the base of the weeds near bottom as they wait to ambush some bait fish. Some times they will not come out of the weeds to chase down bait, so you have to go in after them. Excellent jigs for that type of weed-less pitching and rip jigging are the Nuckle Ball and Title Shot shorty jigs made by Fin-Tech.
Another option is modifying inline spinners to go weed-less so you can cast and slow roll them over the tops of weed growth. Forget trying to cast worm harnesses as you will spend most of your time trying to untangle them. Here is a little article I did on Inline spinners.
Both of the above casting techniques will prevent down time with cranks stuck in the weeds and will keep a bait in front of hungry fish. For added scent you can add a chunk of night crawler to the hook before rigging weed-less or use Berkley Gulp Alive.
Last technique to try if you like trolling is use an inline planer board with a tattle flag and a small snap weight 10 to 20 feet ahead of the spinner. The weeds will catch on the snap weight and not interfere with the spinner and crawler allowing you time to catch the walleye before the harness hangs up in the weeds. The tattle flag will tell you when you are pulling weeds. This is often used in walleye tourneys and I spent three days in a PWT tourney in Sault Ste. Marie trolling weeds with this setup.
Have fun fishing in the weeds...
-sheldon
As slop mentioned plunking jigs in the pockets of weeds is a great technique as many of the walleye will be sitting right at the base of the weeds near bottom as they wait to ambush some bait fish. Some times they will not come out of the weeds to chase down bait, so you have to go in after them. Excellent jigs for that type of weed-less pitching and rip jigging are the Nuckle Ball and Title Shot shorty jigs made by Fin-Tech.
Another option is modifying inline spinners to go weed-less so you can cast and slow roll them over the tops of weed growth. Forget trying to cast worm harnesses as you will spend most of your time trying to untangle them. Here is a little article I did on Inline spinners.
Both of the above casting techniques will prevent down time with cranks stuck in the weeds and will keep a bait in front of hungry fish. For added scent you can add a chunk of night crawler to the hook before rigging weed-less or use Berkley Gulp Alive.
Last technique to try if you like trolling is use an inline planer board with a tattle flag and a small snap weight 10 to 20 feet ahead of the spinner. The weeds will catch on the snap weight and not interfere with the spinner and crawler allowing you time to catch the walleye before the harness hangs up in the weeds. The tattle flag will tell you when you are pulling weeds. This is often used in walleye tourneys and I spent three days in a PWT tourney in Sault Ste. Marie trolling weeds with this setup.
Have fun fishing in the weeds...
-sheldon
Last edited by eye-tracker on Sat Dec 13, 2008 8:49 am, edited 2 times in total.
Get yourself some 1/8, 3/16 & 1/4 oz egg sinkers or worm weights.
Thread the sinker on the line and tie in a ball bearing swivel to attach the harness.
Use a harness length of 30+ inches - my preference is a single #4 hook tipped with a Berkley Alive 5" leech.
Watch your line out to just tick the weed tops. If your partner is trolling cranks boat speed will suit a #5 blade - I prefer nickle in this situation, preferably holographic in a shiner pattern - lots of flash and it won't take long before your partner will be looking into your box for the same rigging.
Don't be afraid to fish right in the prop wash - the walleye will rise to the occasion.
Check out the new Title Shot Shorty jigs in walleye colors - rigged weedless with a 6"powerworm (pumpkin or watermelon) or 4" Fin S shad body ( black/gold) they are deadly for ripping weeds.
Thread the sinker on the line and tie in a ball bearing swivel to attach the harness.
Use a harness length of 30+ inches - my preference is a single #4 hook tipped with a Berkley Alive 5" leech.
Watch your line out to just tick the weed tops. If your partner is trolling cranks boat speed will suit a #5 blade - I prefer nickle in this situation, preferably holographic in a shiner pattern - lots of flash and it won't take long before your partner will be looking into your box for the same rigging.
Don't be afraid to fish right in the prop wash - the walleye will rise to the occasion.
Check out the new Title Shot Shorty jigs in walleye colors - rigged weedless with a 6"powerworm (pumpkin or watermelon) or 4" Fin S shad body ( black/gold) they are deadly for ripping weeds.
Thanks for all the tips guys. I have a bunch of bullit weights so if the split shot don't work I'll try those.
I would love to try jigging in the weeds but my buddies are kind of stuck on the trolling thing and it's not easy to break them of this habit. I'll try it on my own some time while I'm up there and see how it works.
Thanks agian,
Billy.
I would love to try jigging in the weeds but my buddies are kind of stuck on the trolling thing and it's not easy to break them of this habit. I'll try it on my own some time while I'm up there and see how it works.
Thanks agian,
Billy.