spinner rig HELP!!

[mrpike1973]

hi all i have desperately trying to use spinner rigs they look like a lindy rig but have a blade in the front. i have been using my trolling motor slow but i can never feel bottom. i dont think it ever gets to the bottom i even had 1 ounce on in 15 feet of water. if i go any slower my boat turns in to a bath tub toy. i see others slow trolling i'm assuming they are doing the same. what am i doing wrong. also i'm doing this as a search technique for when cranks etc. dont work i'm trying for pike, bass, and eyes when i see fish on the bottom thanks for any help

[M1dwestF1sh]

How fast are you going? I like about 1 1/2 when spinning. Also depending what you're going for you don't need to feel bottom. For bass and pike I look for about 6-8ft of water and put a quarter ounce weight and every once I'm awhile itll hit a weed and that's what I like. For walleye I have it right on the bottom.

[tacklejunkie]

hi all i have desperately trying to use spinner rigs they look like a lindy rig but have a blade in the front. i have been using my trolling motor slow but i can never feel bottom. i dont think it ever gets to the bottom i even had 1 ounce on in 15 feet of water. if i go any slower my boat turns in to a bath tub toy. i see others slow trolling i'm assuming they are doing the same. what am i doing wrong. also i'm doing this as a search technique for when cranks etc. dont work i'm trying for pike, bass, and eyes when i see fish on the bottom thanks for any help

When I troll spinners, I let out line till I hit bottom and then stop. I troll spinners anywhere from 1.2 to 1.8 GPS speed. Have you tried bottom bouncers?

You dont want to drag them on the bottom but have them near the bottom. The Colorado blades will rise and fall the most, I believe, depending on speed

Spinners, esp crawler harnesses, are, IMO, the best walleye lure. I've used them spring, summer, and fall and find I use crankbaits less and less

[JohnMickish]

The questions for you. What rod are you using and what line are you using and what type of weght are you using. Also, what is your GPS speed?

Pulling spinners and bottom bouncing is my preferred go to summer setup and I've got thousands of hours invested in it.

[mrpike1973]

i'm using a 6.6 foot med rod #8 trilene xl line 1/2 ounce weight. i have no gps or speed readout. i do know before i cast out i make sure the blade is just turning. i back troll mostly i have a 14' boat with a 46# thrust trolling motor i usually have it on speed 1. thanks for the help guys. also i use a walking sinker or a lindy no snag 1/2 ounce weight.

[Tom Sawyer]

i do know before i cast out i make sure the blade is just turning.

Don't cast it out. Just drop the spinner down next to the boat, hit bottom and begin your speed. If you loose contact of bottom and line is beyond 45 degree angle from rod tip to water, either decrease speed, or add weight.

Deeper water and faster speeds will require greater weight to maintain bottom contact. As stated earlier, bottom contact may not be critical. When fish are suspended or if your pulling over the tops of weeds. Being able to drop back down to see where your at in relationship to the bottom over deeper water is paramount though. I try not to drag over bottom, even over hard bottoms; never over soft, just within inches or feet.

If you want to become a good blade puller, get a baitcaster reel with a flippin' switch and some bottom bouncers. Flippin' switch allows you to drop deeper with the push of your thumb and have the reel engaged without needing to crank the handle. Bouncers tied to superlines telegraph bottom content easily through the wire, along with the tick, tick, of the bite. By far, one of the best ways to cover water when fish are scattered out and on the chew. Also when buying, or tying your own spinner rigs look to quick change clevis' so you can experiment with blade types, sizes, and colors easily as you pull along breaks. Subtle and drastic changes, can pay huge dividends if the bite is tough.

[tacklejunkie]

i'm using a 6.6 foot med rod #8 trilene xl line 1/2 ounce weight. i have no gps or speed readout. i do know before i cast out i make sure the blade is just turning. i back troll mostly i have a 14' boat with a 46# thrust trolling motor i usually have it on speed 1. thanks for the help guys. also i use a walking sinker or a lindy no snag 1/2 ounce weight.

Buy a GPS. Doesn't have to be an expensive one. It'll help really guage your speed

[delcecchi]

Many folks already have a gps in their phone. All you need is some sort of app to read your speed.

[JohnMickish]

A GPS isn't the most critical tool in the boat, but I'd say it ranks no lower than #2. The reason I say that is I can't tell the difference between .8 and .9MPH, but sometimes the fish can.

Now here is how I would fish that same situation. Speed in the .8-1.4MPH range. The rod I use is a 7', medium power moderate action baitcasting rod specifically designed for bottom bouncing, the reel has a flippin switch spooled with 20 pound (8lb dia) fireline. The sinker I would use would be either a normal "L" shaped bottom bouncer or one of the new Dead On Fiahing Dead Stick bottom bouncers, both in a 1oz. I use the braid for feel and I don't loose my weights, and the moderate action rod so when I do get hit the fish dosen't feel the rod load up until it's to late.

I'm not going to say that you are doing anything wrong, but if I where to change anything maybe try finding some sort of GPS just so I know what is going on, and changing to a "L" shaped weight. This will give you much better feel than the walking sinker you are using.

If your fishing over mud, that is tough to learn the feel. Spend a little time on some gravel or hard bottom so you know what to feel for. Keep in mind that a bottom bouncer is more of a bottom checker. Keep dropping the rod down to feel the bottom, don't drag the weight. I am constantly dropping mine back, maybe as much as twenty time a minute.

Feel free to ask any more questions. Spinners are a great way to catch fish in the summer.

[B-man715]

Go heavier. The rule of thumb is 1oz per 10' of water, but I often fish heavier than that. If I am targeting fish in 10-20 I like a 2oz depending on speed. 20-30' I fish with a 3oz.

When I first started bouncing out on Oahe nearly 20 years ago it was with the "L" style. Since then my preference has changed strictly to pencil bouncers. They snag up far less and you are able to swap weights in literally 4 seconds.

Hope this helps

[ClownColor]

Holy moly...I've been way under weight. I'm at 1/4 sometimes 1/8 oz. In 18 fow.

[JohnMickish]

Wow. 1/8 oz in 18 foot deep with a spinner blade at 1MPH I don't think you could even GET to the bottom.

[Tom Sawyer]

Wow. 1/8 oz in 18 foot deep with a spinner blade at 1MPH I don't think you could even GET to the bottom.

That would probably work well for high riding fish in basin areas, or tickling the tops of weeds or timber; behind a board off to the side of the boat.

"Bottom Checker" that's pretty much it John.

[mrg]

i've been using 1/8 to 1/4 ounce weights but thats trolling over the weeds in 12 to 16 fow and doing really good on walleyes this time of year. as the water warms they will move deeper. then you need to be on the bottom.

[JohnMickish]

When I fish Green Bay I fish suspended fish. Anything from split shots to two once inline weights., but we are talking about making bottom contact here.

[ClownColor]

Wow. 1/8 oz in 18 foot deep with a spinner blade at 1MPH I don't think you could even GET to the bottom.

It'll make contact no problem. 18' my deep side but works. 1/4 oz definetly will work. How fast you guys moving? I guess it boils down to that more than anything.

[JohnMickish]

I typically move .8 to 1.4 MPH when I'm pulling blades and meat. I try to not have more than a 45° angle in my line when running bouncers. Suspended fish is another thing all together.

[Agronomist_at_IA]

Suprised nobody is talking about the wing it weights with the quick change tube. Only weights i ever use.

[Borch]

I typically move .8 to 1.4 MPH when I'm pulling blades and meat. I try to not have more than a 45° angle in my line when running bouncers. Suspended fish is another thing all together.

Same here with smaller colodaro spinner blades. Bigger blades add more rise and indiana blades a little more speed on the low end.

[ClownColor]

good info. I guess it just seemed extremely high at one ounce per 10 fow. I always go as light as a can starting at 1/8. Typically for spinners and lindy rigg'in I'm never over 1/4 oz...keeping it just off the bottom but my speeds are general slower. For aggressive fish with higher speeds you can get off the bottom more, imo. When bottom bouncing the deep flats on mille lacs, I've jumped up to 1.5 oz in 33 fow.

The only time i use quick snap weights is bottom bouncing. they do work great but I won't use them in less then 20 fow.

[kfk]

An ounce for every ten feet is a pretty standard rule of thumb.

[FshBloodRiverMud]

I use anything from 1/4 oz to 8 oz and even downrigger balls.

Knowing where your weight and lure are in relationship to the bottom is the important part. The rest are just details of how you got there.

[B-man715]

I use anything from 1/4 oz to 8 oz and even downrigger balls.

Knowing where your weight and lure are in relationship to the bottom is the important part. The rest are just details of how you got there.

Great point. Before I started pulling leadcore I would use custom made 6oz bottom bouncers to get crankbaits on the bottom. It worked and caught plenty of fish Still do it once in a while on lakes with drastically varying depths.

[Naturboy]

I always have at least a 1 oz walker on when looking deeper than 15'. Early in the year when tring the top of submerged weeds I like putting a 3/16 oz pointed worm sinker in front of the rig to make it a lot more weedless. Then I just let it out 30 to 40 feet.