bottom bouncing with harness

[walleye hound]

He guys, I'm having a terrible time getting fish with b/b & harness.

I set up the b/b with a 45 deg. angle off inlines. Using the rule of thumb of 1 oz. per ten feet. 1.5 - 2.2 mph. End result, nothing!!! I'm using the same colors as others on radio in same location. Am I rigged right? I fish Saginaw Bay most often. Don't drift with B/B because the fish in the Bay are more scattered. On lake Erie I just drift & have done well. WHAT AM I DOING WRONG??? Any pointers would be appreciated. I do ok trolling cranks, once I find the right pattern.

[skeeter]

How long do you make your harnesses? I use 4 or 5 footers and do well. Skeeter

I've spent most of my life fishing. The rest of it I wasted!
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[Walleyehound]

Hey Skeeter,

I usually use 36' to 48' leaders. Shorter when just drifting.

I have been talking to one of your bud's down here in Burton & he informed me that the bouncers usually work better in the deeper water. He also emphasised that the bouncer needs to be up in the water column 36' or more from the bottom.

P.S. thanks for the advice a couple of weeks back when I went out from Holyes. (assumption - that there is only one Skeeter monitoring this message board) Husky jerks worked great.

[Netminder]

WH, At different speeds you will have to change the weight or the amount of line you are letting out to stay on bottom. If you have line counter reels you will find with the correct weight that in general you will need to let out at least 2:1 line to depth. Example 25' of water roughly 50' of line will get you on bottom. I'll let out line until I feel bottom then add an extra 5-10' (for depth variation & surge). If your weight is close you will get approx. 45 deg. angle.

Netminder

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[Marble Eyes]

I have much better sucess running 1-1.4 mph trolling harnesses. Cold Front conditions I troll just fast enough to make the spinner work.

[perchjerker]

When you are running that fast, I would go heavier than your "rule of thumb".

I would put the rig down without the board, find what it takes to tick the bottom, then bring it back in and clip it to your board.

[fishnmagicin]

I often find it is better to go heavier than lighter. I always fish 2oz. min. and usually use 3 and 4 oz. I think that maybe you are going abit fast. Try slowing down so the blades just start spinning. Another trick I have found is using pencil or bell sinkers instead of bottom bouncers. Everything is closer to bottom and the walleyes when comming from behind think its a fish diggin in the sand and seem to be hit better. I fish in the St. Marys river all the time and it works up here.

[retire55]

Walleye hound:

I'd suggest that you are trolling too fast. But that's easy for you to establish - slow down and see what happens. Experimentation with different trolling speeds, colours, blade sizes, and/or snell lengths is necessary to find out what works day to day. Since you are having some success with cranks, you can probably eliminate odours as a cause.

You didn't specify the depths you have been fishing. If shallow depths, the walleye may just be spooked away from the boat and motor (boards would be an option).

Perhaps we can get some discussion going about what depth can be successfully fished with out resorting to boards to get baits away from the boat.

[walleye4]

I wouldn't say that you are trolling to fast. I have been catching them going anywhere from 2.2mph to 3mph. I been using 2-2 1/2oz bouncers but only fishing 4-10' of water. Walleye have been really aggressive lately.

We also been getting them on cranks trolling even faster(3.0-4.5mph).

Just try different tactics till you get bit and then stay with it.

Wallagator Chaser

[fishnmagicin]

Thats interesting. I have never caught walleyes trolling that fast. I have got them fishing for salmon going 2-2.5 mph but never more than 3 or 4. WOW

[Rob Stratton]

I haven't had much luck fishing the Bay with bouncers. I prefer in line weights, seems like the water is clear enough that you don't need to smack 'em in the face, they will come up a bit to hit your offering. I've been experimenting using segmented leadcore and crawler harnesses on relatively short leads 10' or so. I'm beggining to have some real success using two colors off in line boards 10 - 15 FOW and varying speeds to move the baits higher and lower in the column. Might give it a try.
Rob Stratton

[DHotRod]

Perchjerker is right I would add weight if I was running that fast!
I never B.B. over 1.2 M.P.H.