Trying new things this open water season

tgruenke
IGH, MN/Holcombe, WI
Posts: 587

January 14, 2011 at 2:17 pm #1270304

I spend a lot of time on here and seeing everyone’s fishing success. This is a great place to get information. I don’t know if I’ll get out on the ice since my time seems to dissappear and with the first baby on the way free moments are spent painting or getting ready for that. I have turned my attention to open water season.

The lake I fish is a flowage. Most people are finding walleyes in the old channel. I started thinking about how I can better target these fish. This year I want to employ three way rigs with either spinners or floating raps to keep my baits where the fish are. Also utilize drifting with bait rigs.

What new toys or strategies will you employ this next season?

Brian Klawitter
Keymaster

Minnesota/Wisconsin Mississippi River
Posts: 59992

January 14, 2011 at 2:45 pm #926229

I’ve committed myself to trying at least one new kind of stink bait this year.

tom_gursky
Michigan's Upper Peninsula(Iron Mountain)
Posts: 4751

January 14, 2011 at 2:52 pm #926235

Quote:

I’ve committed myself to trying at least one new kind of stink bait this year.

I thought you were going to try blades instead of stink baits?

Brian Klawitter
Keymaster

Minnesota/Wisconsin Mississippi River
Posts: 59992

January 14, 2011 at 2:58 pm #926237

Quote:

Quote:

I’ve committed myself to trying at least one new kind of stink bait this year.

I thought you were going to try blades instead of stink baits?

That’s why I committed myself.

Come to my senses now.

(I know, I ruined another good thread.)

DaveB
Inver Grove Heights MN
Posts: 4469

January 14, 2011 at 3:02 pm #926244

Started fishing lead core at the end of the open water season. I plan to do much more this year.

DaveB
Inver Grove Heights MN
Posts: 4469

January 14, 2011 at 3:02 pm #926245

Started fishing lead core at the end of the open water season. I plan to do much more this year.

DaveB
Inver Grove Heights MN
Posts: 4469

January 14, 2011 at 3:02 pm #926246

Started fishing lead core at the end of the open water season. I plan to do much more this year.

Joel Ballweg
Sauk City, Wisconsin
Posts: 3295

January 14, 2011 at 3:19 pm #926260

Dave – It kind of looks like your going to give lead core a try this year.

mplspug
Palmetto, Florida
Posts: 25026

January 14, 2011 at 3:29 pm #926264

Try drop-shotting in earnest. Yes, I am that far behind.

jeff_jensen
cassville ,wis
Posts: 3053

January 14, 2011 at 3:30 pm #926266

Going to fish out of Everts more than once a year………that would be new

Mike W
MN/Anoka/Ham lake
Posts: 13294

January 14, 2011 at 3:30 pm #926267

Bigger baits for bigger walleyes. Have a stash of bigger plastics that have been sitting for a good number of years. Think they are getting back in the boat this year. Maybe even try some big minnows this year.

Also need to try more of those places that I have been driving by for years. Every time I make long runs on the river the thought of how many big walleyes Im driving by comes to mind.

May need to head up river and visit some old haunts that havent been fished for years to.

You know this coming year will come down to what every year does. To many places to fish. To many lures to fish and not enough time to fish them. Im sure looking forward to it.

Joel Ballweg
Sauk City, Wisconsin
Posts: 3295

January 14, 2011 at 3:38 pm #926274

One of the first new things I’ll be using more of this coming spring is the Authentix 4″ Moxi Ringle from B’Fish’N Tackle.
I only got a little use with this bait right at the end of the season last year. Some very promising results have me excited and looking forward to giving this sweet plastic more time in the water next year.

Mike W
MN/Anoka/Ham lake
Posts: 13294

January 14, 2011 at 3:42 pm #926275

Ill second that Joel. It didnt take much fishing with them before they earned a spot in my boat. White paddle tails where hot for us last spring and well into summer. It will be interesting to see what the white Moxie does. My prediction is they are going to connect with some huge walleyes.

garvi
LACROSSE WI
Posts: 1137

January 14, 2011 at 4:02 pm #926276

Quote:

One of the first new things I’ll be using more of this coming spring is the Authentix 4″ Moxi Ringle from B’Fish’N Tackle.
I only got a little use with this bait right at the end of the season last year. Some very promising results have me excited and looking forward to giving this sweet plastic more time in the water next year.

I third this reponse.

Also work harder to try dragging jigs, or in general try to figure out these summer walleyes here on pool 8. A lot of head scrathing the last couple of summers.

Brian Klawitter
Keymaster

Minnesota/Wisconsin Mississippi River
Posts: 59992

January 14, 2011 at 4:15 pm #926281

Quote:

Bigger baits for bigger walleyes.

That’s RIGHT! We can use bullheads up to 10″ this spring!!

Maybe this will keep those practice fish off the end of the line.

Mike W
MN/Anoka/Ham lake
Posts: 13294

January 14, 2011 at 4:39 pm #926298

Crank baits for cats Brian. Guess you would have to beef up the hooks on the crank baits pretty good.

rmartin
United States
Posts: 1434

January 14, 2011 at 5:56 pm #926328

Hey, I caught a 47+ lb flathead on a shadrap so it is not out of the question.

Dean Marshall
Chippewa Falls WI /Ramsey MN
Posts: 5854

January 14, 2011 at 7:33 pm #926371

Great post…I hope to re-visit some of my favorites that I haven’t done in awhile.

Overall, each year every technique attracts attention. Lead core was probably #1 the past couple of years of the folks I visited with. Hand lining and pitching are still very common of the list for new techniques to learn.There are even a handful that want to learn how to pitch blades.

wimwuen
LaCrosse, WI
Posts: 1960

January 14, 2011 at 7:49 pm #926380

I spend too much time fishing wing dams in the summer. I need to find a few better pool 7 & 8 trolling passes to break up the day.

tgruenke
IGH, MN/Holcombe, WI
Posts: 587

January 14, 2011 at 9:18 pm #926421

Given the situation would you rather fish moxies or gulp? I hear a lot of praise for these plastics.

Joel Ballweg
Sauk City, Wisconsin
Posts: 3295

January 14, 2011 at 9:39 pm #926425

Quote:

Given the situation would you rather fish moxies or gulp? I hear a lot of praise for these plastics.

Depends on where I’m at and what I’m fishing for.

Put me on a good walleye river like the Wisconsin or Mississippi and I’ll take plastics like ringworms, paddletails & moxi’s hands down over gulp. I would never hit the rivers without all three of these plastics.

If I’m fishing Lake Michigan though, just the opposite is probably true.
Right time, right place and right presentation. They both will work very, very well when used properly and in the right situation.

z-man
Dousman, WI
Posts: 1416

January 14, 2011 at 10:04 pm #926432

Trolling with boards has been my least favorite method, and usually a last resort, but became a believer up in Green Bay in August. Got the stuff, so gonna do it more.

skeeterchad
Eau Claire, WI
Posts: 38

January 15, 2011 at 1:34 am #926485

Now that we have Eric Rehberg on board, I might think about crossing over to the darkside, that is if he will take me!

Let me rephrase that, I might try the darkside, not cross over to it!

Brian Klawitter
Keymaster

Minnesota/Wisconsin Mississippi River
Posts: 59992

January 15, 2011 at 1:36 am #926486

Quote:

Now that we have Eric Rehberg on board, I might think about crossing over to the darkside, that is if he will take me!

DON’T GO TOWARDS THE WHITE!!

STEVES
New Richmond, Wi
Posts: 724

January 15, 2011 at 1:38 am #926487

Quote:

Started fishing lead core at the end of the open water season. I plan to do much more this year.

X2(or three depending how you look at it) I also would like to hone my lead core skills.

Eric Rehberg
Eau Claire, WI
Posts: 3071

January 15, 2011 at 1:49 am #926491

Well first we have to find a boat and a free day to get out on the water

I do have an idea of a place we could get a boat

This year, I hope to pitch more plastics and hair jigs, just to add a few more things to my arsenal!!!

skeeterchad
Eau Claire, WI
Posts: 38

January 15, 2011 at 1:52 am #926493

I’m telling you Eric, it has to be 1/2 oz football head jigs and BIG twin tail grubs!

Mike W
MN/Anoka/Ham lake
Posts: 13294

January 15, 2011 at 3:24 am #926511

Quote:

Well first we have to find a boat and a free day to get out on the water

I do have an idea of a place we could get a boat

This year, I hope to pitch more plastics and hair jigs, just to add a few more things to my arsenal!!!

Im guess that’s as apposed to pitching blades. Im just the opposite. Been slowly working the blades more and more into the routine the last few years. If you ever get up to the cities Eric give me a call and we’ll go pitching plastics and hair.

Dean Marshall
Chippewa Falls WI /Ramsey MN
Posts: 5854

January 15, 2011 at 1:17 pm #926546

Great idea Mike…but tween you n me….I give E a max of 10 casts before he is back to his standby….and for good reason I might add !

AllenW
Mpls, MN
Posts: 2895

January 15, 2011 at 2:01 pm #926550

Going to try and hit P4 more this year, learn to sloooow down with the blade baits and try not to sit on one spot to long.

Anybody intersted in hitting P4 this year and needs a partner with a boat, let me know.

Al

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