Fishing Fanatics

TO HARVEST OR NOT TO HARVEST, THAT IS THE QUESTION !

I realize that the question of practising a strict "catch and release" policy or harvesting fish to the extent the law allows is fairly controversial and a lot has been written on the subject. I don't profess to have special insight on the subject but I do have an opinion and thought I might use this forum to share it with you.

 

As with most things you have to go beyond the letter of the written law and apply some common sense to arrive at an approach that is in the best interest of conserving our fisheries. If conservation isn't at the heart of what you do then none of what I'm writing will make much sense to you. You start off with the simple stuff like knowing what the limit is for the species you're fishing in the area you're fishing in. That becomes the worse case scenario in terms of what you will consider harvesting for the table or the trophy rack. That brings us to the next step in working through this issue logically and rationally. If you don't intend on eating it or mounting it as a trophy don't kill it ! If you intend on mounting it please take a picture and record the length and girth, then release it and take the data to your taxidermist and have a fiberglass mount done. It looks great and it will last much longer than a skin mount.

 

Now let's deal with the subject of conservation of our fisheries in it's broadest form. If you don't believe that our fish populations have suffered through a decline in the last several years and that a significant contributor is overharvesting you're probably not going to care enough to limit your catch. I know if I took a survey amongst our customers that the overwhelming majority would tell you that the fishing is getting tougher and tougher. This is true no matter what the species or location. The next question that normally comes up is who is at fault. I get tremendous feedback on this subject that ranges from the government, commercial fishing, certain ethnic groups etc. etc. I think it's important to stay active within groups like OFAH to ensure that your voice is being heard but as it pertains to your personal fishing choices my answer to who's at fault is WHO CARES !!!!   Just arrive at a personal choice that reflects your concern for the fishery and strictly practice it.

 

My own approach is that I will keep my limit of walleye a couple of times per year for a fish fry. I never keep more than I will eat at one sitting of a family dinner because I think eating freshly harvested fish is the deal ! Filling the freezer with fillets is not on. I also will have a couple of feeds of species that are more bountiful like perch, crappies and bluegills but again no freezer cache. If I go Great Lakes Trolling I might keep one small salmon for the barbeque but beyond that everything is handled with care and released.

 

I know I hear the argument that some people need to keep all they legally can to keep their grocery bill down but my own personal experience is that of those that fall into the "meat hunter" category a very small percentage harvest to the limit for financial reasons.

 

The anglers I would appeal to are the ones who keep their limit in most cases simply because they can. They often rationalize that by limiting their catch they would make very little impact on the overall fishery but of course we all know how to "eat an elephant".....one bite at a time.

Fishing Lake Falcon in Texas was a challenge

I've been back from my fishing trip to Lake Falcon for a few weeks now but I've been procrastinating on writing my blog. My eldest daughter who is my blog conscience and got me into doing this blog in the first place just sent me a stern reminder so I guess it's time.

 

As I explained to my daughter the primary reason for my delaying things is that I'm still pouting about not getting my double digit bucketmouth.

 

The primary reason we went at the beginning of March is that the water temperature has warmed to the requisite 62 to 65 degrees and the big girls are moving in shallow to spawn. You can drastically cut down the area you need to fish to target big fish and catching them in 2 to 5 feet of water is a blast !

 

Unfortunately when we arrived the water temperature was 57 degrees and the fish were scattered. To add to our woes the wind was consistently at 20 to 35 mph. We used a guide for the first 2 days and he constantly reminded us that they were usually fishing in shorts and T-shirts at this time of year instead of the hoodies, jackets and jeans that we donned, not to mention the gloves the guide wore. The midday sun warmed the air temp up to the low 70's but the water did not get over 58 degrees all week.

 

Now that I have layed on the required excuses let's get on to the fishing we did do. The only structure that was consistently holding fish were the trees that bracketed the creek channels that existed before the reservoir was there. Remember, Lake Falcon is a man made reservoir resulting from the damming of the Rio Grande River. On one side is Mexico and on the other the U.S. The tops of the trees were anywhere from a few inches to several feet above water.

 

The method of fishing was to throw large, soft plastic baits (6" to 7" Senkos, Lizards and Brush Hogs) texas rigged on 5/0 and 6/0 hooks and 3/8 oz to 1/2 oz tungsten weights. A heavy action flippin rod and either 25 lb flourocarbon or 65 lb braid was a must to get the fish quickly out of the trees. You tighten the drag on your baitcaster all the way down and you set hard and reel fast when a fish hits. If you can't  tell the difference between a fish and a limb you will be setting in tree limbs all day long and making the local tackle store owners very happy. I was frequenting them regularly. You did not move your offering. The cold water made the fish very lethargic so they would not chase.

 

Most days we struggled to get 10 fish each, including the guide and while we did score a couple of 7 pounders our average for the trip was probably closer to 5 lbs. As you might expect my big fish story is about the one I lost. I set on him hard and got him up through most of the tree limbs but the biggest limb was just under the surface and I ripped the hook out of him as he hit it. Thinking he was still hooked he jumped a few feet from the boat and I could have sworn I saw a small middle finger get extended. Who knew fish had them ! He might not have been my 10 pounder but it was close.

 

Unfortunately my buddy got a bug that kept him close to the plumbing for the last 2 days so combined with the howling wind we figured we would cut things a day and a half short. 

 

You might find it interesting to know that our guide told us he spends 5 to 6 days per week fishing, year round on Lake Falcon and last year, which he considered a good one he caught a total of 10, double digit fish, the biggest being 12.4 lbs. Not as easy as you might think, huh ?

 

WOULD I GO BACK ?

 

Lake Falcon is a fishing factory. It is surrounded by flat, brown grass, pastures. No picturesque Northern Ontatio landscapes here. Our motel had a least 35 Bass Boats in the parking lot as did every other Motel in Zapata. In fact, the parking lots in every service station, restaurant and convenience store in town were all full of Bass Boats. I certainly don't have a problem fishing hard and intense but there is something about being the only boat in sight on a beautiful, Ontario lake that appeals to me beyond all else. Maybe it's my advancing age but if I'm going to spend a week fishing I want the entire outdoor experience. I still love a day or two of tournament fishing but once a year I want to get next to nature in her full glory.

OFF TO TEXAS FOR SOME HOGS

Every year, a good friend living in Atlanta and I go for a week of fishing. One year in the States and the next in Canada. Last year we went to a fly-in Bass Lake near Blind River, so this year we were looking for a location where we had a chance at one of our life long ambitions...a double digit largemouth.

 

We considered Mexico but a four day trip looked like a $3000 plus proposition...ouch !  Some more online research led us to Lake Falcon in Texas which lies on the Texas-Mexico border. In fact we had to get both a Texas and Mexican fishing license, both online of course. Our plan is for me to fly to Atlanta where my buddy would pick me up with his boat in tow and make the two day drive to Zapata, Texas and Lake Falcon.

 

The next order of business was to get back online and search for a guide. Falcon is a big lake and we need a day or two of coaching before setting out on our own. I emailed several guides before selecting one. My criteria was simple, "while we would like to catch lots of Bass our number one priority was BIG Bass". We selected a guide and he suggested we come down the first week of March for spawn or just into post spawn.

 

We asked him for suggestions for accomodation and he hooked us up with a motel right on the water for $65 per night.

 

Next I found a website for a tackle store in Zapata (subsequently I found a second one)  that had an excellent fishing report and started to monitor it daily to find out where they were getting them, shallow, deep etc and what they were using. This helped me stock my tackle bag. I also asked our guide for suggestions. It got me very excited when he told me to leave my spinning gear at home and don't spool up with anything less than 25 lb fourocarbon or 65 lb braid. The excitement built as I looked at the pictures of the HOGS on the fishing report.

 

I decided to take 6 rod/reel outfits individually selected for the type of fishing we were going to do. I mostly fish smallmouth so I'm glad I did some foreplanning to get the big baits that would be needed down there, I suppose I could have waited and bought them down there but I don't like leaving things to chance. In fact there were some baits that I couldn't find up here but my buddy in Atlanta had no problem at all.

 

I checked Air Canada's baggage regulations to see if I would have to pay a premium for my 7.5 foot rod case and thankfully found that there is a waiver for some types of sporting equipment and fishing rod cases was one of them. They do suggest that you call and register it with them a few days before your flight. 

 

Since I'm using aeroplan miles for my flight to Atlanta the total cost of this trip should be less than $1000 so I'm pretty happy about that.

 

I'll be writing another Blog when I return on March 7 to let you know how we did. Hopefully I'll be doing some bragging.

 

 

It's all good

After a 33 year career with a large, multinational company it was time to retire my roller luggage and blackberry to pursue a long time ambition of opening a small fishing tackle shop.

 

Family and career had caused the occasional hiatus from fishing but my love of the sport always brought me back, especially when my son became a fishing fanatic in his own right.

 

There were several reasons why opening my own shop made some sense.

 

My wifes' not so subtle declaration. "I hope you're not planning to hang around the house all day bugging me".

 

My love of fishing. There's nothing quite like setting the hook on a big fish that almost rips the reel from your hand.

 

The realization that I enjoy all of the peripheral activity associated with fishing almost as much as the fishing itself. Scouring the magazines, internet and web forums for the latest technology, tactics and hot spots builds tremendous anticipation and confidence for your next time on the water.

 

Maybe the least obvious but most compelling reason is that I thoroughly enjoy interacting with other anglers. They come in all shapes and sizes but all share that fishing "buzz".

 

I believe I have a reasonable and diverse knowledge of angling but I can honestly say that hardly a day goes by that I don't learn something new from my customers. That ongoing learning process is a good place to be when you're retired. It helps to keep the mind sharp.

 

As it turns out there is a substantial entertainment factor that is inherent to tending to a fishing tackle store. In all of my business career I can honestly say that I haven't met the casr of "characters" that I've enjoyed since I've opened the shop.

 

Of course the stories are tremendous and I'm sure most of them are true but even if they aren't all serious anglers know that exaggeration and fabrication in the context of a fishing story is all good. It's an anglers inalienable right !

 

Allow me to pass on one of my favorites and the undisputed winner of the "hardest to keep a straight face award".

 

I greeted one of my regulars with my customary invitation to share any recent fishing experiences. "Tim, I got into a Bass on the weekend that I fought for 20 minutes. It had to weigh 9 lbs (at least it wasn't 10 lbs). I was throwing a rubber frog into pads and he hit like a freight train ! I couldn't believe how smart this fish was. After 10 minutes I thought I had him tired out but just then he wrapped himself around a pad and jumped up on the pad to rest, (now my face is spasming from trying not to laugh). He comes off the pad with more strength than before but I hang with him for another 10 minutes before he finally breaks me off (thankfully he didn't go for another rest on a pad or I would have exploded).

 

You can keep your Harry Potter and Dancing With The Stars, for entertainment value this stuff is priceless!

 

Have a great holiday and please be safe.

I just put the boat away and I'm depressed . . . .

  

It was a great, warm weather, fishing season and the excellent November weather let us fish right up until the end of Bass season so all is good except I just put the boat away and I'm depressed.

 

Sure I'll probably get out for a little hard water action but it just isn't the same as chasing down smallies in my beloved Triton.

 

Time to put a checklist together of the off season chores that need to get done before it's time to get out on the water again.

 

• Take an inventory of  tackle and make a note of items that need replacing. A good thing to do prior to the spring tackle SALES, not to mention adding them to your Christmas wish list.

 

• Clean out your tackle boxes and throw out the stuff you know you're never going to use, including that ugly crankbait you got for Christmas 2 years ago and the mega-sized red and white spoon that you could substitute for a frying pan in a pinch. 

 

• Back off the drag on you reels and take them off the rods. Go on the internet for instructions on how to lubricate and don't over lubricate. Don't put new line on until you're ready to use them in the spring.

 

• Take a Q-tip and run it around the ceramic on your rod guides. If a chip or crack pulls off some cotton get it repaired now.

 

• Store your rods in a rod rack. They are relatively inexpensive and well worth the investment.

 

• Sharpen hooks and replace them as necessary.

 

Just a few random comments about the past season from my personal experience as well as the comments and opinions I hear from my customers.

• The Lake Huron trollers are still disenchanted with numbers and size but most did agree that it was marginallty better than 2008.

 

• The Lake Ontario trollers felt that the Salmon numbers and size were down but the Rainbow fishing was excellent.

 

• The Lake Erie trollers thought the walleye were late in arriving at their usual spots and when they did arrive they were generally found suspended in deep water. The perch and Rainbow fishing was awesome.

 

• The Bass anglers were relatively happy. Tournament weights were holding strong and the magical 30 lb bag (5 fish) was attained on the tournament trail.

• The Steelheaders felt this year is
  definetly better than 08.

 

THE VERY BEST OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON TO YOU ALL AND PLEASE MAKE IT A SAFE ONE !

WHAT EXACTLY ARE THOSE "LITTLE THINGS"

 

We've all heard the old adage "pay attention to the little things" in conjunction with fishing as well as most of the other important pursuits in life.

What exactly are those "little things". You know, those things that can make the difference between an average angler a good angler. Through experience and listening to some of those great anglers I've picked up a few that really do make a difference when it comes to putting fish in the boat.

Take the time to check your gear the day before you fish. A day before is important because if you need to do some adjustments you still have time.

•  have you got a sufficient selection of the terminal tackle and lures you expect to use ?
•  lots of line on your reels, hooks sharp?
•  check the last ten feet of line on your reels for frays or nicks
•  throw a selection of the soft plastics you intend to use in a Ziplock bag with a little of your favorite scent
• tie your rods together with velcro straps and don't untie them until you're ready to fish. It saves dealing with a big tangle and lost fishing time
•  Once you start to fish keep in mind a comment I recently read by a notable pro angler and guide of 40 years. "The most common mistake I see my clients make is working their presentations too fast".

• When using an electric motor especially in shallow water avoid speed bursts and running it on a high speed. It definitely spooks fish.  Also, don't forget what your Dad told you, "be quiet". Heavy feet and dropping articles in the bottom of the boat is a definite no no.

• I fished in the Canadian Open last year as an amateur. My professional on day two was one of the best smallmouth bass anglers in the country. I learned a lot but the two things that stuck with me were the emphasis he put on having a line in the water at all times and how he studied other anglers in the area that were on fish to ascertain exactly what they were doing. There is absolutely nothing unethical about going "to school" on other anglers. It's just makes good sense.

• Have a plan of attack before you hit the water and then tweak it as the conditions and bite dictate.

Example for a bass fishing outing.  It's fall and the water temperature is dropping. There should be some good fish in shallow (less than 10 feet).

We'll start on large weed flats with spinnerbaits and lipless crankbaits to cover water for active fish. If we find a concentration of fish (because bass do tend to bunch up in the fall) we'll pick it apart with tubes, senkos and shakey worms.

These are just a few and I'm sure there are hundreds more that have helped you over the years. Send them to me and I'll post them in my next blog.
 
Fall is absolutely my favorite time to fish and it's when you can score some really big bruisers so get out on the water and get after them !
 

Fishing Local Waters

Where can I go locally to catch fish ? Is there anyplace within walking/biking distance I can go to catch fish ? Is there anyplace I can go locally to catch BIG fish ?

We hear it all the time. In fact it might be the most frequently asked question we hear from our customers. 

You have to consider many factors when answering this question. We obviously only know a fraction of the local hotspots so if we send all of our enquiring customers to these spots they will quickly get extremely pressured and deteriorate. We certainly don't want to reveal our customers "honey holes" and betray a confidence. There are a few community holes that are well known that we can suggest but they are very well utilized and can resultantly be unproductive for weeks at a time.

I believe that a much better approach is to do some homework and exploring to find your very own "honey holes" and I can suggest a few ways you might go about doing that.

• The Grand River Conservation Authority has a very good website. It covers the Grand and it's adjoining waters. You can find access points, regulations, what fish are prevalent in certain areas etc. 

• Get yourself a copy of Backroads Mapbook for Southwest Ontario. It's a very comprehensive book and gives you a great perspective of the waters you can fish locally.

 

• Walk the river !  It's a great thing to do even if you're not fishing. If you're adventurous don your shorts and an old pair of sneakers and wade out a little if the shoreline is prohibitive. Just be very careful in areas you can't see bottom and don't trespass on private property. Take a wading stick and always check depth in front of you.

 

• When walking the river if you have a handheld GPS mark waypoints where you find noteworthy areas you want to come back and fish. If no GPS just make yourself a map. Here are some things you want to key on.

           - deep pools adjacent to shallow water
           - incoming creeks
           - riffle at the end of a fast water run
           - anything that serves as a current break i.e. rocks, logs etc.
           - overhanging trees (willows are awesome)
           - undercut banks
           - places you see other anglers
           - bridge pilons
           - below dams

• We also get asked what bait/lures to use in the River(s). Here are some suggestions.

              - live bait is always an option. Worms, minnows, crayfish
              - Soft plastics such as Tubes, Senkos, Grubs.
              - Small jerkbaits such as the Rapala X-RAP.
              - Small crankbaits such as a Big-0 or a ShadRap
              - Spinners such as a Mepps, Blue Fox etc
              -  Topwater lures such as a POP-R

Come on into the store if you want to discuss this further we'll do whatever we can to help out.

Just starting out? Not sure what gear you need? Read my post on Getting started

CHOOSING THE RIGHT LINE IS KEY !

For the occasional angler with 1 or 2 spinning outfits that cover whatever species is available a good monofilament like Berkley Trilene in 8 pound test is the ticket. The more species or structure specific an angler becomes requires that his/her choice of line become more specialized.

Let's review a few types of line and hone in on what type of fishing they are well suited to. As with all things fishing some of this boils down to personal preference so don't hesitate to share your preferences.

MONOFILAMENT is a good all around line that sells for 3 to 4 cents per yard in bulk in most weights. It is very stretchy and it is buoyant. The higher pound test the more water resistance and therefore slower sink. This makes mono a good choice for topwater fishing. I also like mono for fishing shallow crankbaits (less than 8 feet) because treble hooks tend to pull out of the fish easily and the stretch in mono provides some forgiveness. On the down side the stretchy aspect detracts from the sensitivity of the line so if you're looking to detect those subtle bites another line choice would be in order. Also, it is critical to swap out mono every year at a minimum.
 
SUPER LINES such as Power Pro, Fireline etc often referred to generically as "braids". There are two basic types, one is dyneema ex. Fireline and the other is spectra ex. Power Pro.  Fireline sells for approx 17 to 19 cents per yard and Power Pro for 13 to 15 cents per yard. You can easily get 3 years of usage from these lines under normal conditions. The biggest attribute of braids is that they are virtually no stretch and therefore are ultra sensitive to pick up the "light bite". They are also very thin. For example 20 pound test braid is the equivalent thickness of 6 pound test mono.  Braids float but they aren't my personal preference for topwater fishing because again I like the forgiveness of mono so I don't pull the hooks out of the fish. I do however use 50 to 60 pound Fireline for fishing largemouth in heavy cover because it is tremendous at cutting through the weeds. In clear water it is essential that you fish braids with a 4 to 6 foot fluorocarbon leader for two reasons. One is that braid is highly visible and fluorocarbon is virtually invisible under water. Secondly fluorocarbon is extremely abrasion resistant and braid is not. A big factor when dragging your lure over rocks and/or zebra mussels. You can use ordinary fluorocarbon line for your leaders or buy fluorocarbon leader material which is even more abrasion resisitant. Attach your leader to the braid with a small barrel swivel or a line to line knot such as a double uni.  The barrel swivel will help you keep twist out of your line but the downside is that you could be dragging it through the guides on your expensive rod if you don't stop reeling soon enough. In most applications 8 to 14 pound test fluorocarbon leaders do the trick. Another attribute of braid is that it has no memory which avoids the coils of line spooling off your reel as with mono at times. Ever since braid came on the scene I've heard stories about it wearing out rod guides. I've been using it for several years and have seen no evidence of it. Maybe the quality of guides has been improving as the use of braid increases.
 
FLUOROCARBON line is a compromise between braid and monofilament in many respects. The price in bulk is 7 to 9 cents per yard. It normally lasts longer than mono but not as long as braid so two seasons of usage would be reasonable. It stretches less than mono but more than braid. fluorocarbon line sinks so it is not a good choice for topwater fishing. I do like it for running deep water crankbaits. It is also my favorite for drop shotting or any application where you are fishing close to the boat and need a stealthy approach. Remember, fluorocarbon is virtually invisible under water.

 

GENERAL

 

Just a few points that come to mind based on oft asked customers questions about line.

•  It's generally not a good idea to run less than 10 pound test line, mono thickness on a baitcaster. They aren't really designed to run light line.

 

•  It's a lot of fun catching big fish on light line but if you are practicing catch and release remember that an elongated fight can fatigue a big fish to the point where it severely      threatens its chance of survival.

 

•  The biggest enemy of any line especially mono is sunlight. Keep your reels out of the sun when not in use as much as possible.

 

•  If you're not sure whether you should swap out your line and it's mono or fluorocarbon simply tie an overhand knot in it and give it a good tug. If it breaks, replace it. The first sign of aging on braid is extensive fraying.

 

•  The best knor for tying lures to braid in my opinion is the Palomar knot. In fact I use the palomar on any type of line when the eye of the lure is big enough to handle a double thickness of line.

 
 

As always, if you have questions don't hesitate to come into the store and ask. We really enjoy helping our Customers catch more and bigger fish.

Just starting out? Not sure what gear you need? Read my post on Getting started

Fly-in fishing

We are asked frequently about the merits of fly-in fishing.

I have fished at a fly-in location several times and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who has never tried it.  Let's look at a few of the criteria that you should consider before committing to a trip.

Species
My experience is with the Northern Ontario walleye/pike lakes. You can also do an Ontario fly- in for most species of Trout or Bass. Once outside of Ontario you can do fly-in's for virtually any species of fish available in Canada. For purposes of this blog we're going to stick to the Northern Ontario fly-in if only for the fact that the prices for, say, a Western Canada fly-in tend to be 4 or 5 times more expensive.

Rates
You first want to decide whether you want to stay in a housekeeping cottage where you bring in your food and do your own cooking or take advantage of the American Plan where the lodge does the cooking. Usually the American plan has a few other perks like a fish cleaning service and a shore lunch or maybe even an upgraded boat.

For a one week stay in a housekeeping cottage a representative, average rate would be in the area of  $1200 per week, per person. Add $600-$700 to that for the American Plan.  Alcoholic Beverages aren't normally included in the rate. When considering the American plan keep in mind that the meals are served within certain time windows. For instance breakfast will be served between 7AM and 9AM and dinner between 6PM and 7PM. Truly a consideration if you want totally flexible fishing time.

You can find fly-in's for as low as $800 per person, usually in a remote housekeeping cabin but there's definitely an element of risk relative to the quality level and service with this kind of arrangement. I once did one of these with my son and father and the outfitter didn't bring enough gas for our boat for the week on the original flight in. He promised faithfully he'd bring more gas mid week. We never saw him for the rest of the week and we were paddling by Thursday. 

Remote/Wilderness Cabins

These can be absolutely beautiful and a great experience and are indeed offered by most outfitters but you have to remember that you and your party are alone with no contact with the outside world for a week. Not something I would recommend for someone with a health issue or the elderley. If no showers and a rustic cabin aren't your thing I would pass it up. If you do decide to do it consider renting a satellite phone for the week.

 

Length of Stay
If I had to do it over again for the first time knowing what I know now I would probably opt for the 3 or 4 night stay rather than the full week especially at a walleye/pike lake. Unless you're there early or late in the season the fishing for big pike can be very tough (once the water temperature rises the "big guys" head for deep water) so you usually concentrate on walleye. The host will give you a map marked with a few shoals that you will drift over using a jig and minnow. You will probably catch lots of 1.5 to 3 pound walleyes with the occasional 4 or 5 pounder mixed in. After 3 days of this style of fishing I've had enough. My 58 year old spine also starts to howl after more than 3 days in an aluminum boat with bench seats.

Also, this is usually my longest trip of the year and the thought of my nice comfortable boat sitting at home in the driveway makes me crazy !!!!!!

Conclusion
Again, if you've never been on a fly-in definitely try it. The scenery is beautiful, the fishing for numbers is almost always good and the shore lunches are awesome. There are several good outfitters out there so check around and find one that meets your criteria. Check things like the weight restriction you're allowed on the plane, the catch and release policy and the availability and cost of a guide. Carefully read their checklist of what you need to pack and what tackle is recommended.

HAVE A GREAT TIME !!!!

Just starting out? Not sure what gear you need? Read my post on Getting started

OK... IT'S TIME TO GET SERIOUS !

Now that we've established a few basic lures for our tackle box we need to diversify and expand to include some of the real "go to" lures/rigs especially when fishing walleye, bass and pike.

Walleye

•  A selection of bottom bouncers (different weights from 1/2 oz to 2 oz) is a must. Another great option is a Lindy no snagg sinker. When fishing these rigs it's critically important to NOT let out too much line. You basically want your line to be at a 45 degree angle from your rod tip to the bottom bouncer. If you let out too much line the rig will fall over and be completely ineffective. It's also very important to troll slowly, usually between 1.0 and 1.5 mph is optimal.

 

•  A good selection of worm harnesses and live bait rigs is essential. You can use them in conjunction with your bottom bouncers or line weighted for suspending fish. Make sure your selection includes some floating harnesses for those times you want to get your presentation up over weed etc.  You can also run crankbaits on a bottom bouncer set up. A Rapala shallow running, original minnow is a good choice. Run it on at least eighteen inches of flourocarbon line behind the bouncer.

 

• The newest rage in walleye trolling is running a Mustad "slow death hook" baited with a worm off of a bottom bouncer. These funny looking hooks do a slow, mesmorizing rotation that is a walleye magnet.

 

Bass

• Certainly not new and probably the most consistently used bass "go to" is a tube jig. A selection of colors (dark greens are a killer) in a 3" tube with different weight tube jigheads from 1/8 oz up to 3/8 oz will cover most situations. Fish them different ways to provoke a strike. Sometimes simply dragging along bottom is the most effective method but also try hopping them and even swimming them slowly, close to bottom can work. Tube jigs can also be rigged weedless to get at those heavy cover fish.

 

•  Senko fishing is an absolute must in your Bass arsenal. Fished unweighted and texas rigged with a 2/0 or 3/0 wide gap hook is probably the most popular presentation. Also effective is using a belly weighted hook to cover water a little quicker. Wacky rigging is becoming increasingly popular. You simply hook the Senko in the middle or near middle (the hooks made for wacky rigging are very effective but you've probably got some in your box that will work) and cast out keeping the slack out while the worm drifts down through the water column. Once on bottom give it a few tugs letting it sit for several seconds after each one. If you find the fish are picking it up when it's inactive, dead stick for even longer periods between tugs. A 5" Senko is probably the most popular but I consistently use 4" for smallmouths.

 

•  Drop Shotting is a relatively new presentation but very widely utilized.  It's a finesse presentation that involves using a relatively small hook rigged with a palomar knot to stand out horizontally from your line. The tag end of the knot is then left intact to hang at the desired length below the hook. A weight is then fixed to the end of the line. Special drop shot weights are most effective but almost any weight can work. The baits vary but usually don't exceed 4". My favorites are 3" Gulp Leeches and Gulp Minnows and 4" drop shot worms. Flourocarbon line is definitely the recommended way to go.

 

• Shakey Wormin' is another finesse presentation. Finesse presentations are becoming increasingly popular because a subtle approach is most effective on pressured fish or during sub-optimal conditions when the bite is "off". Shakey wormin' simply involves using a stand up jighead (there are several good ones available) rigged with a 4" or 5" worm. As the name suggests, once on bottom you impart several subtle, jerks of the rod tip to make the worm shake while the jighead stays in place. Reel in several feet and do it again.

 
 

Pike

• While a lot of Bass anglers have great luck with a Spinnerbait, I'm not one of them but fish them for pike and they are awesome ! A simple cast and retrieve with an occasional pause will get the job done.

 

• Spoons are consistently effective for pike, Red Devils, Five of Diamonds and Johnson Minnows with a curly tail trailer are all good but my absolute favorite for pike is a Mepps Syclops.

 

•  Big in-line spinners are also very good and can be fished at various depths to give you some versatility.

 

• Big crankbaits with lots of  action can be the best choice in your box at certain times.

 

I'm sure I've left off some of your favorites so don't hesitate to send me an email with suggestions and I'll publish them in an upcoming blog.

Come on into the store and we'll be happy to answer any of your questions and show you first hand how these rigs work.

IS SETTING THE HOOK ON A BIG FISH ONE OF THE TOP THREE SENSATIONS YOU"LL EVER EXPERIENCE...I THINK SO !!!!!!!

Just starting out? Not sure what gear you need? Read my post on Getting started