Feeding Them Line

[anchor man]

Do you guys typically feed line to the fish when you get bit on a lindy or spinner rig? I've done both depending on the situation, but it seems more often than not the fish hits and it's on when using a leech. How about rigging with medium sized shiners? I've often wondered about this when rigging a few feet off the bottom..if I feed line the weight will sink to the bottom and maybe cause the fish to feel the weight and let go. Just curious what others' methods are.

Thanks

[KyleM.]

if using one hook depending on how active the fish are I will feed line (sometimes quite a bit) for crawlers and shiners and most leeches lately w/ an east wind and dropping barometer I let one play with it for about 30 seconds and still only hooked the 20 incher in the tip of the nose.

If using a second hook on the crawler I let out a little less line but still give some.

A good rule of thumb I found is to watch the line if the fish starts to take off after I fed the line, reel up and get em.

just my .02

[jnorm1984]

I usually always feed em line if riggin and moving slowly, regardless of what kind of meat (or plastic) you got on the end. But typically dont feed em any when using a jig.

[james_walleye]

I usually let line out for a few seconds when lindy rigging. Longer if im using big redtails or something. When using a 2 hook crawler harness you can give them the rod tip and set it.

[Borch]

On a spinner rig I usually just drop a little rod tip and set. Live bait rigging I usually feed a little line depending on how agressive the fish are and the size of the bait.

[bigbucks]

I would agree, depends on the size of the bait & the agressiveness of the hit. Almost always feed a shiner or a crawler any where from a few feet to maybe even a minute. Fatheads or leeches or anything on a jig, maybe the rod tip or a little pause to make sure they pull on it a little.

I've certainly hung on to a questionable bite, either very light or unsure if it was a weed, with those bigger baits & then realized it was a fish that had it & just hammered them, but that's the exception & more of an experience, feel type of thing.

[JohnMickish]

Don't feel line on a spinner rig, you are seriously setting yourself up for a gut hooked fish. On a spinner I give them a rod length and that's all. For lindys, it depends on depth, bait and attitude.

[KyleM.]

Don't feel line on a spinner rig, you are seriously setting yourself up for a gut hooked fish. On a spinner I give them a rod length and that's all. For lindys, it depends on depth, bait and attitude.

I give the rod tip for spinners for the same reason I should have clarified that.

[PerchJerker]

On a spinner rig I usually just drop a little rod tip and set. Live bait rigging I usually feed a little line depending on how agressive the fish are and the size of the bait.

Yep

[tencountff]

Unless they smash it, give em the tencount.

[rattleL]

the thing is on a spinner unless you are using the sliding sinkers the standardized bottom bouncer will just lay on teh bottom when you drop the tip and feed line that is why i usually like others have said give the tip and then give em the business i know guys that use three hook harnesses that just give a hook set right away i like the two hook harnesses because it seems to give the bait a more natural presentation.