Need trolling advice

[rpaulson7]

I'm looking for a way to troll for walleyes in a specific situation.

I want to fish about 5-6 feet of water with weeds coming up about three feet. How can I troll live bait only 1-2 feet under the surface, without using a bottom bouncer? Anything you've used to keep a minnow just under the surface?

Thanks for the advice!

[Rippinlip]

Weightless lindy rig with spinner, the bigger the blade the more lift you will get, I have used this rig several times myself.

[PerchJerker]

You should post this question in the walleye forum.

What you describe doesn't sound like an ideal trolling location to me. I troll crankbaits over the tops or weeds or through scattered weeds, but deeper than 1-2 feet below the surface. Stick baits and planer boards are your best bet for trolling baits that high, although planer boards and weeds are not a good combination.

If you're going slow and picking your way through the weeds you could use a jig and plastic. Let it fall in the holes, let it rest on top of the weeds, snap it off any snags to trigger fish. It works. A power crawler on a crawler harness is another good option here, and as rippinlip stated a spinner blade will give you some lift.

If you're set on using minnows I'd suggest working the inside or outside weedlines, or slip bobbering in the holes and cuts. If you set on moving around you could try a minnow on a split shot rig over the tops of the weeds but you'd have to go slow.

Good luck.

[davesfriend]

I don't think you will be able to get anything eat-able to strike like you described. I have never gotten a top water walleye, mostly just bass or the occasional pike.

[hhguide]

I use a 1/16 or 1/32 ounce bullet weight when I fish that shallow just enough to fish it with alittle wind. then if you come across some sand or rocks just drop it down in the hole and hte fish will be there keep at it their there! almost used it with a small snell 2 or 3 feet fish it more like a jig that anything!

[croixflats]

I know this may sound low tech or out dated. But a simple harness with a spinner, like a little joe,and split shots sinkers. you can adjust your depth with the amount of line you let out.Its an old tried and true method that works. I use it on the shallow lakes in the arrowhead on the boarder ''fowl lake''with verry good succes.

[Surface Tension]

You can troll a spinner all day 2' under the surface. Weight and combination line out determines depth. What you'll want to do though is drop tip when in pockets and bring the tip forward when coming out of the pockets and back on top the weeds. I'd keep the weight within 16" of the spinner, use more weight then you think was necessary. That'll keep your line out short so you'll be able to finesse your spinner down and over weeds. Or use a jig or lindy rig on a short snell and do exactly the same as above.

Either way I'd have a rod with a jig in the boat and stop to hit the bigger pockets.

You'll find on the calm days the eyes will be tight in the weeds. Add wind and they'll be more to apt hang on top or at least more likely to come out of hiding and take that presentation above the weeds.