Big water fishing vs smaller water fishing for walleyes

[Eye Captain]

I sometimes watch YouTube videos to see how others do things, maybe learn tips and improve my skills. In places like the great lakes you see a lot of elaborate rod holder systems but you never see anyone holding their rod. I have never fished water that big, MO river reservoirs being the biggest where we use rod holders but also hold them sometimes. Are all the rods on planer boards, is that why no one holds their rod? Thanks

[black white face]

that would surely be my guess

[WallyWarrior]

I troll small lakes a lot and use holders when doing so. I usually set up bottom bouncers the same way. May hold one and have the rest working in holders if I feel the want to.


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[U D]

When fishing the Great Lakes in Michigan you are allowed three rods per license. Rod holders are there for convenience. Hard to hold three rods, drive the boat, bait a line, net you buddy's fish, re-tie a rig, etc.... Just way more practical to let the rod holder to the work while trolling big water. Nothing more complicated than that.

[REW]

Eye,
I have seen a lot of rods broken, because they have been laid down to do something else, and then have had folks step on them, fall on them, or drop something on them.

I make a point to keep the rod holders mounted on the boat when folks are fishing.

As much as anything, I tell anyone in the boat that the rod needs to either be in your hand or in a rod holder. No where else.

So many rods have avoided damage from being in a rod holder - rather than laid somewhere in the boat doing something else.

Good luck

[WallyWorld11]

I personally always have a rod in hand. I will get my max rods out regardless and put as many as needed in rod holders. I just feel you can learn too much with that rod in hand. If fish are pecking at your bait, slamming it, maybe you're too deep and dragging bottom too much, even if you have a touch of weeds on it. To me the rod in hand is the most important rod. Now maybe if you are getting all of you're hits on the boards because they are further off the boat, but I would always start with one rod in hand.

[FishManDan]

What UD said except Ido this even on small bodies of water.

[Bobby Winds]

I fish Lake Erie's eastern basin near Buffalo, NY a LOT and I hold my rod more then 50% of the time.......but I'm dragging worm harnesses on the bottom by drifting or SLOW trolling with my iPilot TM.

Now if I do run my riggers, planer boards or Dipsy Divers then the rod goes directly into a rod holder.

However, I rather hold my rod while pulling around worm harnesses on the bottom because it's a much more enjoyable way to fish walleyes. I get to use light rods and line, I get to set the hook and I feel like I'm fishing rather then just reeling in weight on the end of a much heavier rod/line.

Some of the younger guys out there don't even know how to do that. All they know is use all the equipment and troll tons of stuff, then brag about the 8-10 lb fish THE BOAT CAUGHT.

[KPKyllo]

It depends on what kind of trolling I'm doing. If I'm trolling cranks with lead core or snap weights, I use nothing but rod holders. When trolling bottom bouncers, I generally hold one rod and use rod holders if legal to fish with multiple rods.