Favorite Snell Set-up

[irishjigs]

Just a thought...

When drifting or backtrolling, what is the one kind of snell you will try first for the walleye? Mine for instance is usually about 6 feet long with one red bead and a red hook.

Just a question I thought I would throw out there hoping to get some different responses. Thanks!

[redhooks]

These days there are so many choices to choose from w/ colored hooks and beads that I mix it up alot. I like redhooks (hence the name)and glow beads. I also like the metallic blue or green gamakatsus w/ chartruse beads. Orange hooks w/ chart beads worked well last week w/ crawlers. For fishing around grand rapids area I've been using bullet sinkers but those no-snags are great for Boundary waters fishing where there are so many rocks that like to grab on to rigs. I usually use 3-8' leaders depending on location and bottom content. All this rig talk is getting me going so I plan on pulling some inflated crawlers around out on pokegema this afternoon! Good luck and tightlines!
redhooks

[LocalGuide]

If I am going to slow troll or drift I will use a bottom bouncer and about a 5' snell to start out with. The snell is made w/fireline and has a #4 chart hook with a soft glow bead over the knot. That would be my standard set-up. I also use lots of red hooks. Then I will mix and match and put different colored beads and floats on different hooks.

Now I like to use a bottom bouncer b/c it will keep the bait up off the bottom when your moving slower. It also will help prevent snags if you are fishing a rocky area. Another benefit of using a bottom bouncer is when fishing a weedy area, it will keep the bait out of the weeds and there is much less fouling.
And fireline is just what I like to use. Its a little more powerful than mono and can put up with more of a beating. But if I am fishing during the day in a clear lake I will use mono, just gives me more confidence.

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And keep those hooks sharp!

[MuleSkinner]

My favorite snell hookups are.....all in the bottom of the river, or in the gut of some Northern.

For some reason this year, I have been snagged alot in the river, and bitten off by many Northerns this year.

Does anyone have secrets to try and salvage beads and spinners on serious snags or Northerns? Was thinking about that tonite on the river, if it would help to tie a not in front of the hook, or something, cuz I lost another one to a bite off today. Fireline is on my reel, but I took advice from this site last year, and make snells with abrasion resistant mono. But seem to be losing more this year. Might have to switch back to some Fireline snells...

[Guest]

My choice depends a lot on what the structure is and the time of year. The plain lindy with one bead is certainly close to my first choice for most any structure.

Spinners (particularily hammered gold) are another favorite. I tend to prefer these in hard bottom more often.

Whatever the choice, I tend to start with the longer snells (8-12ft) and work my way shorter as necessary.

[Farley]

I definetly like the "no snag" sinkers, I borrowed one of these from a buddy on opener at Kabetogama, needless to say it's still in my tackle box. I'll go with a 5-6 foot snell with a float 6 inches from the green or red bead and red hook. If that doesnt work it means there are no fish in the lake

[Bruce Mosher]

My favorite rig and snell is to use the "Foam Walker" (standing slip sinker) a Bead, Snapswivel, 3'to 5' of Mono to a plain red hook with a piece (approx. 3/8" to 1/4") of my Ice Buster Bobber Foam attached directly to the shank of the Red Hook and a leech, minnow or crawler. I just made mt own floater hooks!
The Foam Walker never tips over (keeps my line off the bottom) - The piece of foam on my red hook keeps my bait in the strike zone and off the bottom. I've watched a leech fight against the foam and make a prize target for Walleyes! Bruce Mosher

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Bruce Mosher,www.icebusterbobbers.com

[LocalGuide]

Ya I forgot about the foam walkers I have in my box. I use them too every once in awhile. I like them, they never "tip over" like a bottom bouncer. So on a light bitting eye you can drop back and give them some time.
I don't use them that much at this time of the year. I normally pull them out in spring and fall times.

A foam walker would be my next alternative to a bottom bouncer.

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And keep those hooks sharp!

[HOGEYE]

Don't forget about the sliding/slip type bottom bouncers. This will also let you feed line to light biters like a foam walker. One advantage of the wire slip type bottom bouncers is that one can just buy the smaller one (although they are easily interchangable with the snap on design) and make them heavier by slipping on a bullet sinker and securing it with varying methods. I like to run these on a 3- 10' leader of mono with a red Gamakatzu hook and a single glow rattle bead (filled with rock salt I think). I actually have several "leaders" of different lengths, some with spinners, some just with diff color hooks or beads (some rattle, some w/o). Lots of diff possibilities...