What deadstick set-up do you use for walleye?

[walleyejigman]

I am planning on getting a setup for deadsticking but I am not sure what to get so I would like to know what you guys use and why. What length, power, action of rod? What kind of hooks? Do you keep the bail closed or leave it open so the walleye can run with the bait?
Thanks in advance for any replies!

[REW]

In general an 8,9, or 10 foot rod in a light or medium light action.
For example a 5-8 weight fly rod blank generally works quite well as well.

You want a rod with a moderate or soft action. You want the entire rod to bend as it loads up. You don't want a fast or extra fast tip -as you would have with a jigging rod.

This rod can be a bait caster or a spinning rod. It can even be a fly rod, with a spinning reel on it for convenience.

Since you typically don't cast with it - the eyes are of secondary consideration.

Depending on the waters, and type of bottom, you can run from 4-10 lb line on this rod. If you have a clean sandy bottom, 4 lb line will work fin. If, you have intermittent or heavy snags, you want to go with stronger line, to keep from getting broken off all the time.

Generally, fish with the bail closed or the flipping swith off - in the case of a bait caster.

With the long length, with the slow or moderate action, you will have a very visual and dramatic indication of a bite. i.e. the rod will be able to bend a very long ways, before there is much pressure on the fish.

This will allow you time to remove the rod from the rod holder, open the bail if you feel it necessary and set the hook.
Most folks simply let the rod bend back a good bit and set the hook. With the soft tip, this normally gives the fish about a 5 foot take, before feeling any pressure. Normally plenty of time to get a good hookup when you set it.

If you have a rocky bottom or very snaggy, a pencil sinker on a drop line is a very good option. The pencil sinker tends to snag less, and if it does snag, only the sinker breaks off, and not the main line. Use a bit lighter line on the drop line to the sinker, so it breaks before the main line - if you get a snag.

Another thing that some folks do is to use 10-15 lb main line. Then they will use 6 or 8 lb line on a snell to a hook. Then use a dropper line that is 2 lbs lighter than the snell. That way, you will virtually never break your main line. You might snag a hook and break it off, or you might snag a sinker and break it off. Easy and quick. The three lines (main, snell, and dropper) can be each tied to one of the loops on a three way swivel, or lots of folks simply take the three lines and tie a double overhand knot to hook them together. That way there is no hardware to worry about.

Take care
REW

[IFISH4I]

I like the same setup as suggested by REW, but I like to use a circle hook on my dead stick. I fish with my other pole, and with a circle hook, the dead stick only needs a glance once in a while.

[Icefishingmaniac]

Try using slip bobbers with a number 10 or 12 treble hook. My dad and I have used two slip bobbers and a jig pole for years (in WI you can have 3 lines). In the past the jigging produced more fish. Now we don't jig much because we are catching so many fish on the slip bobbers. Plus if you are taking younger kids it is a great way for them to learn to fish. This is how I learned and how I would teach any one else. We use 6 or 6.5 foot rods in the medium light or light action. Berkley lighting rods work great for this. Use 8# mono of your preference for line.

Icefishingmaniac

[walleyejigman]

REW, Thanks for the reply. I had a couple of other questions for you. Do you use a swiveling rod holder or fixed - would one style be better than the other for deadsticking? Is there an optimum angle to hold the rod at? What type of hooks do you use? Thanks.