Best rod for pulling spinners...

[fishinfey8]

When using bottom bouncers you don't want to drag the bottom, but you want to be close enough so that when you give any slack you will make contact with the bottom. I often check to see if i'm on the bottom then reel up a time or two and adjust according to the depth changes.

Does anyone ever combine spinners and leadcore?

[gregg52]

if you are on sand or rocks it's

not as big a deal

if you tick the bottom once in awhile

you just dont want to be stirring up that mud and putting you bait in cloud

[JohnMickish]

I'll quote walleye pro Mark Martin on this, "A bottom bouncer isn't a bottom bouncer, it's a bottom checker". After you drop it down and you hit bottom, raise the tip a couple of inches and keep dropping it down to make sure you are on the bottom, but don't drag it, especially in the mud!

[PerchJerker]

I'll quote walleye pro Mark Martin on this, "A bottom bouncer isn't a bottom bouncer, it's a bottom checker". After you drop it down and you hit bottom, raise the tip a couple of inches and keep dropping it down to make sure you are on the bottom, but don't drag it, especially in the mud!

This is good advice and is true for ANY type of weight you use for walleye fishing. It doesn't matter whether you're using a walking or bullet slip sinker, a no-snagg sinker, a bottom bouncer, a 3-way rig, a split shot rig, etc. etc. etc. ---- do not drag the weight across the bottom. Drop your rod tip back or let out some line to make contact with the bottom and make sure you're close ---- but don't drag the weight across the bottom.

[fishwater]

I use the moderate walleye tournament casting rods at times, but my favorite spinner/bouncing rods are the shimano compre trolling rods. They handle a wide range of weights with good action and load up very well. The rubberized handles are very durable too, a couple of my st. croix tournaments have lost a lot of cork.

[fishwater]

--- do not drag the weight across the bottom. Drop your rod tip back or let out some line to make contact with the bottom and make sure you're close ---- but don't drag the weight across the bottom.

Great advice to follow except when your budding fervently dragging next to you is kicking up all the fish on his side..

[Borch]

I also never use the word always when fishing. I've watched guys dragging sinker through the mud on Mille Lacs school be with my weight 6-12 inches off the bottom.

I'm more likely to drag a bouncer in sand, gravel or small rock, (baseball size or smaller). This often results in a caming action that results in the spinner jerking, pausing, raising and falling resulting in multiple triggers.

I do it both ways depending on the walleyes.

[tacklejunkie]

I see some of you guys talk about going higher than two ounce for BB.

Do you lose some sensitivity on the rod end if a small fish bites? I've never gone over 2 ozs.

[JohnMickish]

I do not feel that with my equipment I lose any sensitivity with heavier weights. It dosen't matter if the rod is being held or in the rold holder, I always watch the tip/line. Now if you are way overweighted for the rod you will lose the sensitivity because you will be in the backbone and not the tip. Heck, even when using a 6 or 8oz snap weigh you can see little fish on the tip.

[Stick in Mud]

On the launch I work, we always drag our sinkers through the mud when fishing Lindy rigs....and we catch lots and lots of fish. We do not drag the weights from bottom bouncers, however, so go figure. And I've read Joe Fellegy say that he drags his sinkers when fishing the sand. And I've also seen the guys/gals dragging their sinkers on the bottom NOT catch any fish when those not dragging do catch fish. Guess it all depends, like most things....

[Gary_l]

Also don't be afraid to use a 8 to 8 1/2 ft medium action/power for trolling spinner through the weeds (w/ no weight) about 80' back, the rig drops about 4' and the blade deflects the weeds..... if you want to learn how shoot me an e-mail around the middle of june and I'll show you how on mille lacs. But not all walleye fishing needs to be done slow with live bait. Always think outside the box.....you maybe surprised!!!!!!!

[gregg52]

the difference in draging a rig in the mud is a couple things

i still dont do it though is speed rigging you are usally going much slower and running 6-12ft snells which should rise above the cloud

i still dont suggest it if your catching fish doing it you might catch more not doing it

as to what fellegy said bout the sand i think theres something to

that on mille lacs and winnie

i've heard it represents perch ruttin around in the sand and draws walleyes to them

[Stick in Mud]

Thank you for the offer, Gary. I just might take you up on it.

[tacklejunkie]

One method I have tried is to take 4 of my 8.6 L Superior trolling rod. have two trolled with a small dipsey and spinner( or those Big Jon diving disks) and have the other two near the back of my boat trolling a bouncer or a heavy snap weight.

[tacklejunkie]

On the topic of spinners, what do you guys do if your fishing crawler harnesses and are getting bit by perch? I've tried speeding up a little but how fast would I need to go to avoid perch but still catch walleyes.

Would I need to go to an Indiana or even a Willowleaf blade for faster speeds to avoid perch??

[Stick in Mud]

I've thought about going to long rods like that, tacklejunkie....but I'd prefer to buy a rod that I could use for something else I do, i.e. throwing crankbaits, jig fishing for bass, etc. And I don't know what to do with the perch....Sometimes I'll switch one rod to an artificial crawler or leech, but otherwise I just deal with it. Obviously not an expert, though, so maybe there's a trick I don't know about.

[tacklejunkie]

Oh...you can't have just one rod. A man must have many rods like a woman must have many shoes.

[gregg52]

On the topic of spinners, what do you guys do if your fishing crawler harnesses and are getting bit by perch? I've tried speeding up a little but how fast would I need to go to avoid perch but still catch walleyes.

Would I need to go to an Indiana or even a Willowleaf blade for faster speeds to avoid perch??

personally i dont think theres alot you can do

i give the rod a quick snap

you can usally tell if you have the rod in your hand

and after a couple bites i check the crawler to be sure its not gone

some times a move alittle deeper or shallow might help

but i dont change speed much specially if i'm catching walleyes

just live with...part of the game..and it kinda of good thing cuz if theres perch there they should walleyes close

[tacklejunkie]

Yeah, I've tried the GULP crawlers and they keep the perch from pulling them off but they aren't as effective for walleyes as real crawlers IMHO

[Stick in Mud]

Yes, tacklejunkie, a man must have more than one rod...but I swear she keeps track and buys five pairs of shoes for each rod I buy. Therefore, each rod costs many, many hundreds of dollars. A man in my circumstances must therefore be selective.

[gregg52]

thats funny carmake

maybe not to you.....lol

you need to find a gal like I have she owns one of everything at cabela's

including some eye less rods about 8 ft long and a reel on them you could go whale fishing with.....lol

but gotta love her!!!!

not to mention 3 big tackle boxes with whale cranks included...lol

thank god the yar craft has ample storage

actually would be kinda funny commercial

[Get'n Jiggy]

On the launch I work, we always drag our sinkers through the mud when fishing Lindy rigs....and we catch lots and lots of fish. We do not drag the weights from bottom bouncers, however, so go figure. And I've read Joe Fellegy say that he drags his sinkers when fishing the sand. And I've also seen the guys/gals dragging their sinkers on the bottom NOT catch any fish when those not dragging do catch fish. Guess it all depends, like most things....

About 35 years ago my dad and some friends were fishing with Joe Fellegy.

One of the guys had been tipping a few. He was sitting up front and kept

dragging his 2oz. bell sinker in the mud (it was late summer on the flats)

after repeatedly telling him to keep his rig up Joe finally ripped the rod

from his hands and wacked him accross the back a couple of times. The

incident became known as "The Caning" its in his book. The story has been

good for a few laughs over the years.

[Stick in Mud]

We have the same problem....which is why we very rarely pull spinners even if they could be very productive. I guess lots of folks go out on launches because they aren't experienced, and it also seems that lots of folks just go out to relax, have a few, and maybe, just maybe, catch a fish or two. These are the folks who seem to forget to pay attention and start dragging sinkers.

But if we do have a good group, man, bombing the flats can be absolutely dynamite, if a bit hectic when we pass over some active fish.

[Get'n Jiggy]

I have to correct my statement, after talking to Joe there was a lot more

involved than just dragging bottom, evidently in the retelling of the

story they left out the part where the "CANEE" threatened to shove the rod

he was using up Joes posterior. Sorry Joe, I stand corected.

This thread being about rods I like a 6-7' med action with a moderate tip.