bottom bouncers

[jcfishr]

Bouncers seem really productive for walleyes on a lake that I fish a lot. This is not my "confidence" presentation of choice. I would love to hear follow FM'ers comment on techniques for fishing with bottom bouncers especially turning bites into a successful hook sets. Thanks.

[snowfighter]

I use the ones that have a plastic slide on the line that the bouncer clips to so you can change weight sizes easy. Have used them for years. Leech/crawler or minnows with spinner rigs different lenght leaders depending on where the fish are located. Don't excided a 45% angle with your line so you may have to go with heaver weights when you go deeper, Iv'e used up to 3 ounce in 25 to 30 ft of water. All you want to do is let your rood tip back to the water and set hook 9 times out of 10 you will connect.

[Dusty]

I too have used bouncers for years and use the sliding type. I have found that 3/4 oz is about the right size for most of my fishing. I still get hang ups but rarely lose a sinker. Most of the hang ups are caused by the hook. If you use a small float or if using a crawler, inject a little air you will reduce the snags. On walleye I give a minimum of 10 seconds on a bite prior to setting the hook and often much more depending on how aggresive the fish are.

[jcfishr]

Thanks guys. I just need to fish this way more. I see you are both using slip sinkers vs. connecting the wire triangle at a fixed point. Have you tried those new Foam Walker sinkers yet? They did not have them at Joe's. I may have to get some from the web.

Good fishin'

John

[Northlander]

I like the foam walkers when fishing slow with Lindy rigs or small spinners. If Im using bigger blades or deepr or faster I use a 3 oz. bottom bouncer. Most times at that speed and with that amount of weight the fish tend to hook themselves. I prefer the triangular bouncers with the twist on the top. The open topped ones tend to get the line or snap swivel slipping down them.

[LocalGuide]

If I am going to go a medium speed I would go with a foam walker. That way you can feed the finicky fish some line and don't have to worry about a wire bottom bouncer falling over on ya.

I use bottom bouncers a lot. Its a main search tool for me and once I find the fish I will go with a different presentation from there. I normally go 1oz in 5'-8' 1.5oz 9'-15' 2oz 16'-25' and a 3oz for deeper water. Sometime I use a 2oz in 30' of water but then I start to exceed the 45º angle but you can still find bottom and keep that bouncer from falling over and running on the bottom.

As for setting the hook. Keep your rod tip up! So when you do get a bite drop it back to them (feel them) and let them have it! With the slip bottom bouncer and the traditional kind don't give them a lot of time to feel you or your weight. If you are going to feed them line off your spool then use something else. I have lost way to many fish when my bouncer hits the bottom, it doesn't work that way.

I would recommend a foam walker or a Lindy rig if you want to feed them line.

My .02

[gunflint]

How are you guys tying on bottom bouncers? Direct to the line, or with a snap?

[Northlander]

I like a good snap swivel. That way I dont get as much line twist or tangles or bouncer flopping over onto line. Also I can change sizes much faster.

[oilguy]

90% of the time I dead-stick my bouncer rod in a pole holder. I think, with 2-3 oz lead and braid, it's easier to see the subtle bites than to feel them. I proove it to the people in the rear of the boat all the time.

[jcfishr]

OK. This has been a pretty good topic it seems. Here's another question: do people go by the rule of 1 oz. of weight per 10 feet of water? seems like you do what it takes to get that 45 degree angle. do people compensate with stiffer rods if they are using 2-3 oz. weights? I have never been real comfortable with that much weight. how about no-stretch line to telegraph the bite better?

thanks again

[musky hunter]

The weight depends on trolling speed and current. I use the lightest that will get down where I need it. As for setting the hook, I almost always run bottom bouncers on a dead stick. I set it in the rod holder and forget it until it either picks up a fish or a clump of weeds.

[Borch]

I generally use a medium action rod for bouncing. Most of my bottom bouncer is done in less than 30 feet of water. Usually 2 oz will do it for me using 20 lb superbraids unless I'm moving at a pretty fast clip. I like the superbraids as they add sensitivity and cut throuoght he water with less resistence than mono of the same test range.

Bottom bouncing is my favorite approach with kids and inexperienced fisherman. Usually they could just hang on until the fish hooks itself. Pretty much like the guy who uses the rod holder verses holding onto the rod himself.

[BBL Resident]

I use a the Bait Walkers and what I have found is that you want to basically fish it dead stick as mention earlier, but make sure you touch bottom frequently and then hold the bouncer off about 2 or 3 inches so you don't stir up the bottom. Weight will depend on depth, speed and top surface wave action (you will need to experiment). As it pertains to hook set, I have watched my Leech on a 5tf + Snell rig with my Aqua View and have watched numerous Walleyes approach the bait and inhale a large to jumbo leech in a blink of an eye. As stated in a an earlier post, there is no need to give any line simply move the rod tip toward the fish a couple of feet and set the hook. With Bait Walkers or bottom bouncers you basically are fishing straight down and with Fire Line or Spider Wire you will feel every little thing happening to you weight and bait. I do believe that a medium to heavy action rod is best for feel and a good hook set using any type of braded or mono line

I started using the bait walker on Mille Lacs and have used it on a lot of lakes since. I also agree that a snap/swivel is wise for keeping the line untangled and I usually pinch the "v" of the Bait Walker with a pliers so the swivel does not slide one way or the other.

Good luck fishing…….time well spent!

[Swimmer]

Oilguy: my first experience with bouncers was ~20 yrs. ago outside Sidney NE (Oliver Res.) with some Cabela's guys. I was wondering what the heck this guy was doing hooking up a 3-way swivel (what was that?). We had 5" chubs hooked tail first with a small treble and another small treble stinger. Rod holders and a drift sock in moderate March winds. I thought this guy (friend of a freind who worked for Cabelas) was nuts using all that hardware...would spook the fish for sure. We ended up with 5 Tiger Muskie and three Walleye over 9# in three hours. One Tiger and an 11# Walleye were put on display in the Cabela's aquarium.

Anyway, I guess my question is: considering you dead stick them and I assume they basically hook themselves, wouldn't it be better if small treble hooks were used similar to the Nebraska outing? In the back of my mind I'm thinking this might be illegal in MN.?

[Northlander]

I use mostly 2 and 3 oz. Bouncers because I pull Big Spinner Blades and troll against current a lot. I will troll them usually around 1.3mph or so, on the GPS ofcourse. Faster with current a little less against. I bounce in and out of channels a lot so at times Im straight up and down and at others I could be at a 35 degree angle.

My rods are 8.5' and limber tipped so the fish wont rip hooks out if they hit and run. THe rods are set in Rams all the time and fish usually set the hook themselves. When I grab the rod my 1st motion is up with the rod tip and that seals the deal. I have used 3 oz. bouncers in 3' of water and you would be surprised how many fish you catch right under the boat.

[jcfishr]

What are the pros and cons of a fixed bouncer vs. a slip sinker set-up? I would think the slip sinker would be more forgiving of bottom/depth changes.

[Borch]

Quote:

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Anyway, I guess my question is: considering you dead stick them and I assume they basically hook themselves, wouldn't it be better if small treble hooks were used similar to the Nebraska outing? In the back of my mind I'm thinking this might be illegal in MN.?

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They(trebble hooks) are legal rigs if fished as a spinner rig as they are then considered a lure. Without the spinner they are illegal when used with live bait.

[Swimmer]

Tanks Borch. So if I am using an artificial crawler w/out spinner, I can use small trebs.? Though typicaly I would use three-way just off bottom, spinner, powerbait crawler w/trebles.

[Mike Walerak]

I just got back from Lake Oahe where tha main bite was deadsticking crawlers on a single hook behind a bottom bouncer.

The main trick is when fishing multiple lines to fish heavier weights in the front and lighter bouncers out the back to keep from tangling on tight turns. Our setup consisted of 2 oz. bouncers in the front 1.5 oz. in the middle, and 1 oz. out the back. Combine this with ten foot rods in the front, six foot in the middle and our last two running straight out the back. This created a great spread and we were able to follow extremely tight contours in 18-35 feet of water.

It seemed the best way to hook the fish were to leave the rods in the holders and let them hook themselves. Slow action rods were needed to keep the fish from feeling the rod. If we were holding onto the rod we were more likely to pull the crawler away from the eyes missing fish .

We were generally using single hook setups with only a half of crawler. The addition of a rattle bead was the ticket as it boated the majority of the fish. We also ran some spinners with this setup and the combination of the two worked just fine at slow speeds.

There you go, I just spilled my guts on what worked for my boat over the weekend.

mw

[LocalGuide]

Swimmer, its easy...

If it has a blade on it, trebel hooks ARE allowed.

If it does NOT have a blade on it, then NO trebel hooks are allowed.

The blade it what makes spinner rigs considered a lure. To use trebel hooks it has to be considered a lure.

Its just like in the winter time when we use Quick Strike Rigs for pike. They must have a blade on them to use a trebel as a hook.

[Swimmer]

Sorry guys...don't mean to sound like the village (Contact US Regarding This Word). One more ?...what about a jig w/stinger hook?...no blade.

[huntingislife]

I'm curious about that one too.

[Muddog]

Ok. I would like to know if any one thinks there is an advantage in using mono with bottom bouncers.

Or, is no stretch a must?

[Borch]

Mono will work just fine. I like the braids because I can feel everything(spinner working, bait gone, small weed, etc.).

[LocalGuide]

Jigs are considered a lure. A stinger hook on them is just fine.