How Deep is this bait running?

[scooty1]

1 to 1.2mph. 3 foot harness attached to 1 1/2 bottom bouncer.
15 back?
22 back?
28 back?

someone told me with a 1 1/2 it is 1/2 half the distance down. In other words the 15 back from the board to the bouncer would run 7.5 feet down, 22 back is at 11 feet down, and 28 back is at 14' down. Is this accurate?

Thanks.

[risor39]

All I can tell you is if the line is at a 45 degree angle those are correct.If the angle is increased than more line would need to be let out and vice versa.Hope this helps you out some.

[math wiz]

actually the cosine of 45 degrees is .707 times 15 feet equals about 10.5 feet. art.

[Rod Holder]

I'd like to add that if the line is going back from the rod at a 30 degree angle below true horizontal, then the 1/2 rule would apply. Sine of 30 deg is .5 At 1.2 mph, with a 1.5 ounce bottom bouncer, the 30 deg angle might very well hold true. That is why for depths of, say 25 feet, I use both three ounce and two ounce bouncers. With multiple lines out, put out a three and a two, then see which gets the bites. The two ounce will most likely ride just a little higher in the water and will be good for fish suspended above bottom. The three ounce bouncer will most likely be bouncing bottom at a 45 deg angle. I let out the line to the two ounce bouncer until it just hits the bottom for the first time, then set the brake on the spool and fully expect it to ride up in the water above bottom. I have tied some very short leads with surgeon's end loops onto my bouncers to use them with my trolling rods with counters. My lines have speedy clips on them so if I want to take the bouncers off and switch quickly to crankbaits, I can do this without having to cut and tie.

[SUPERTROLLER]

What is the diameter of the line you are running? This will add to the amount of lift at the bouncer. Can we assume that you are running over deep enough bottom that you are not actually able to reach the bottom in this area? At this speed, I think you're running at less than 45* angles. My feeling is that you would be a little deeper than half of your given length out,,,, UNLESS you are using fairly heavy line of say 10 or heavier.

[NavTech]

Actually the sine of 45 degrees is .707.

[Rob Stratton]

Now I ain't no rocket scientist, lets git that strate rite offn the bat.......but.......what'n Id do is go yer 1.2 MPH and drop the 1 1/2 oz bouncer and let her go til I feel da bottom of da lake......if I had to put out 30 ft to hit bottom in 15' of water I'd sorta use that as a guide. Then if'n I wated to run that bait at 7 1/2 ft I'd put out half the 30 ft......or 15..........or 20 feet back would put be 2/3 of the way to the bottom...10 feet!

Thing is ya have to account for current, the pull of the moon, sun splotches, and all dem uddeer things dat affect these things so much...dang I miss throwin a worm on a hook over the side of the boat, drinking a cold one and catching fish...lol

[SUPERTROLLER]

SO,,, are you saying we're makin this here Walleye fishin a little bit too complicated? lol. I'm with you. Drop the dang bouncer to the bottom and you know it's there. It might be 23 ft. of line out or it might be 37 ft. It doesn't matter. It's called a bottom bouncer for a reason. It's supposed to touch bottom now and then. (Draggin is snaggin)

[Rob Stratton]

Dat's wat Im sayin........
I know sometimes in the Bay for whatever reason you can drop a 3 oz bouncer on fireline in 30' of water doing 1.0-1.3 and have to let out 90' to hit bottom......ya just never know. gravitational pull?

[D.]

We catch tons of fish high in the water column with bouncers. Sometimes snap weights are not the way to go.

[perchjerker]

Thats why you need a full selection of bottom bouncers in different weights all the way up to the bigguns.

;)

[SUPERTROLLER]

If you're not "bouncing" the weight but are really just using it to target a certain depth, can you really call it a bottom bouncer? Isn't it really a snap weight or in-line weight like a keel sinker now? Why not just use one of these other devices if that is your intended use anyway? Maybe we need to read Rob's original post again. Maybe we could just put a couple of big split shot on the line and still catch fish. That might be easier.

Hey Rob,,, got an extra beer. It's starting to look pretty good to me right now. And those Saginaw Bay fish ought to start popping alittle better pretty soon too shouldn't they? We could just drift along and fill the livewell. Ahhhhhh, the good life!

[Rob Stratton]

Supertroller,
As a matter of fact I have a couple extra O"Douls...gave up the hard stuff....
Going out of Caseville Sunday to find a pack of tournament fish I can pick on next weekend....need to find em...got 4 tourneys there in the next 6 weeks. Momma says no checks no tourneys next year so the pressure's on!

[MSUICEMAN]

actually the sine and cosine of a 45 degree angle is the square root of 2 divided by 2, which roughly equals .707 so I guess you both are right.

steve