crawler harness..?

[minneman]

Hey all, just wondering what your thoughts were on these, if you were getting (short) hits with a single hook spinner/crawler combo, what would your choise be, use a harness? or shorten the worm presentation by 1/2 or hook in the middle? or go to a leach or minnow? when crawlers seem to be the best option for at least getting a hit?? thanks for your input!

[Guest]

One of the top money-winning pros on the walleye circuit never uses a full crawler. If he is fishing night crawlers, whether on jigs, rigs, spinners, he's using half a crawler.

He made a believer of me.

[Guest]

I would switch to a plain rig w/single hook. If they are not pounding the spinner rig which they aren't if they are short striking, slow down and get right on top of them with a slow moving presentation. You will also find out of quickly if your dealing with Perch or bonus large Bluegills.

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[Guest]

When you say a plain rig with a single hook,is that like a lindy rig or something different?

Thanks

[Guest]

Yes

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[Guest]

I like the three hook spinner rigs, you just drop your rod tip back and set the hook. 9 times out of ten you've got a fish on!!

[Guest]

The only time I ever use a crawler harness is in a tournaments when I am trolling spinners. Other then that, a small crawler or half a crawler on a spinner will work just as good.Scott Steil

[Guest]

Is that like that commercial, when I want to catch more fish I use Powerbait??

[Guest]

It's funny but there is some truth to that. When I'm fishing in the spring I will pick through my bait and save the biggest leeches and the fattest crawlers for the tournaments. When pre-fishing bass tournaments we will bend the hooks over to just feel the pick up and then shake em off.

[Kingfisher]

If a walleye bites the end of the crawler's tail off, it has been my experience without the flat tail for attraction it will cut my strikes down by at least half.

[Guest]

LOL, yes exactly....well kind of!

I should have clarified, trolling at higher speeds, with planer boards to be specific.

[This message has been edited by ScottS (edited 08-28-2002).]

[Fisher Dave]

I have caught more walleyes on a 1/8 oz jighead and half a nightcrawler than any other presentation put together.

I have had great success using a full nightcrawler on spinner-rigs with the 2 hook system behind bottom bouncers. I always run these rigs using a *pumping* motion and set the hook immediately on fish. The hookup ratio is very good and never seem to gut hook the fish.

Another presentation I have been meaning to try here (MN) is a tecnique I learned of fishing lake Erie the last few years. The most popular and effective method of fishing walleyes there is using Dipsy Divers with about a 6' leader to a unique type of spinner rig. The rig they use is about 10" long, consiting of two #3 indiana spinners with some beads for spacing, and two #1 hooks for hooking the crawler. This is not the most natural looking presentation ... but it made me a believer by the incredible success we had on it with walleyes and steelhead. The average walleye is 6-9lbs. Smaller fish have no problem latching onto these rigs either. I guess it makes sense ... plenty of action and vibration to draw attention, and a fat, juicy offering once you get their attention. Sometimes these fish aren't as smart as we like to think they are.