Walleye question from Denmark

[Valde]

Hi.

My name is Valdemar, I live in Denmark in Scandinavian.

I found your webside while I was trying to find information about Walleye fishing with downrigger.

The reason that I write to your guys, is that I am planning a trolling trip to Sweden. (neighbor country)

It is not the first time that I am going fishing in Sweden after Walleye, but there is very few people here in Scandinavian that use downriggers for Walleye or pikes.

That's why I started searching for information on the other side of the pond.

If you have some good tips for them I would be very thankful!

One of my main questions is that when I use downriggers I often see a little action on the rodtip but it ends up with no fish!

I guess the Walleye is following the bait and might taste a bit but do not strike it properly.

I have spend many years fishing sea trout from the shore, in a situation like that I would make a spinning stop. Nine out of ten times the fish will strike the lure in a very aggressive way.

If I was surface trolling I would make the lure do the funky chicken dance or make a spinning stop, but what opportunities is there when I fish with downriggers? Do you have any tips for that?

I have used the "one shot" spinning stop where I pull the line out of the releaser and lower the rod. This method is okay but is there any other methods to perform a spinning stop when I use downriggers?

I hope to hear from you!

Best regards!!

Valdemar

[Jim Almquist]

Valde.

It is great to hear from you. You might want to ask this question in the Minnesota/ Lake of the Woods forum. Up there they fish for walleyes with downriggers on a regular basis. The one trick that I have found when trolling for walleyes is to change speeds. If you are trolling along give a little speed up for about 10' to 15' or around 5 meters. You will get the ones that just follow to chase it and hit it so the bait dose not get away. Another way is to make S turns so one side of the boat speeds up and the other side slows down.

My question for you is the fish really Wallleyes or Zander? Only reason I ask I thought Walleyes were only in the US and Canada.

[Valde]

Hi Jim.

Thanks for your reply!

I can hear from other forum that people are unsure what a spin stop is.

Here i Denmark we call it a spin stop when the lure stops up for a second and drop or floats depending on the lure.

What is it called in USA? stop and go motion, ripping or jigging? that would be a help further on.

I guess it is a Zander then. I did not know there was a difference.

Have you any experience with the Chamberlain releaser?

I have never seen that one before.

You guys have so much weird gear!..But I guess it is really usefull.

Thanks again for your reply!

Regards

Valdemar.

[Igor Drackenwolf]

I'd never heard of a Zander before now. It is interesting where and how Mother Nature decides what to put where on this Earth, is it not?

Looks kind of like a cross between a Yellow Perch and a Sauger. Good to eat I suppose, huh?

[CaptainMusky]

Zander has actually been substituted for walleye in MANY restaurants.

Zander grow very large, larger than walleyes. Over 20# I have seen them.

Sorry, I am of no help with downriggers for walleyes.

Depending on the depth you are fishing and where the fish are you may consider a leadcore setup. This is used widely in the US for walleyes, salmon, etc. Typically walleyes are not overly deep so a downrigger isnt really necessary. If you have a good line counter reel load it up with some leadcore line and give it a shot. Around here guys prefer to use crankbaits like various rapala, smithwick, salmo etc

[jigginjim]

Many of the resorts on Lake of the Woods use down riggers for walleye fishing. It can be done with little line out, and works great in waters 20ft(5 meters) and deeper. Place lures out 15 to 25ft(4 to6 meters) behind cannonball, line in a release, set lighter than for salmon. Lower cannon ball, until lures troll approx. 30 to 70cm from bottom, you can troll at faster speeds 3to6 KM per hour. The speed will cause a reaction bait for the fish, releasing the lures, (sometimes you could have a shaker, a fish that is not large enough to release line off holder)Crank them in.

Hope this helps.

Jiggin Jim's fishing guide service.