Very interesting show this week. There is no question that In Depth is the best fishing show on TV! Todays show displays fishing versatility with great how too discussion for other fisher persons to explore. I also have noticed the guys are wearing life jackets this season, great example for all of us to follow. Just wish this was a 52 week show so I could get a fishing fix every week of the year.
Great job James!
Very interesting show this week. There is no question that In Depth is the best fishing show on TV! Todays show displays fishing versatility with great how too discussion for other fisher persons to explore. I also have noticed the guys are wearing life jackets this season, great example for all of us to follow. Just wish this was a 52 week show so I could get a fishing fix every week of the year.
Great job James!
Thanks Wayne – I’m glad you liked today’s episode. I hadn’t fished that particular technique in over a decade so I owe Dave Koonce a big “thank you” for helping me to knock the rust off!
As far as the life jackets are concerned, I’ve got a 2 year old at home now that will be making her first trips out in the boat as soon as the weather warms back up. I will of course have her in a life jacket at all times and I figure I best be leading by example. So from here on out I’ll be rocking the inflatable vest!
For those that missed it on FSN this AM, here’s the video.
Loved this episode. Crazy stuff. What lb line is the main line for that? Did you guys end up catching a lot of other species as well? And how do mn regs work with something like that. I’m assuming because you were on boarder water you can have the 2 lures but if it were open season on an inland river you could only have one? Just curious, very interesting stuff!!
That was cool and it’s got me scratching my head wondering if hand lining will work on this stretch of the Mighty Mo. So from that reel what type of line? A super braid holding the huge sinker? Be cool to see a photo step by step on the set up. Are you letting the sinker bounce or trying to keep it slightly off the bottom like a Lindy rig?
hey guys,
I sure am glad you guys liked the show it is a lot of fun to hand line. The main cable coming to the weight is 90 pound braided Aviation cable with a plastic coating on it. it comes from the manufacturer with that on it.
my wife and I are out pulling wire again today. It is very beautiful out and when I get back in I will check back to help answer any more questions.
Did you guys end up catching a lot of other species as well?
Just walleye and sauger.
And how do mn regs work with something like that. I’m assuming because you were on boarder water you can have the 2 lures but if it were open season on an inland river you could only have one?
That’s correct, on MN inland waters you’d be limited to the one lure.
Are you letting the sinker bounce or trying to keep it slightly off the bottom like a Lindy rig?
I found holding the bait above bottom worked best. I’d check for bottom then lift and hold it 6″ to 2′ above bottom. When I let the weight drag I rarely caught fish.
Koonce says he stop in later tonight and provide more info. He’s currently occupied – AKA “fishing with the wife!” Apparently the hand lining bite is still going strong. 
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15 more today !!
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What A great day out there today !!
As far as other species. . I did have a flat head come to the boat this spring..and then there is the mooneye. . Late in the spring run these lil devils will move in and they too are males~a~milting ..
I think there still could be a good week maybe two left to this bite..
Debbie and I put 15 eye’s in the boat today and they were all bruisers. . 19″ was the smallest and ALL were returned to the river !! As you can see in this shot they were very excited to get back home !!
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I see Deans orange ribbon from MTT last weekend is still on the boat:)
I see Deans orange ribbon from MTT last weekend is still on the boat:)
Yup, Anytime Dean needs a go-fast boat for a tournament he borrows my MX2025.
This time around Dean left a ribbon and a new XI5 Motorguide trolling motor on the boat when he was done using it. I find the trolling motor much more useful than the ribbon.
Curious…
Why would using a heavier bottom bouncer type set up not be as effective? Too strong of a current that your going against which drags the bottom bouncer way back and doesn’t keep the presentation as vertical as you want?
What resort did you guys launch out of want to try this soon.I don’t have hand lines yet but want to try the spot
Curious…
Why would using a heavier bottom bouncer type set up not be as effective? Too strong of a current that your going against which drags the bottom bouncer way back and doesn’t keep the presentation as vertical as you want?
If you could find 1 to 2 lb bottom bouncers or bell sinkers, you could make it work. Your typical 2 or 3 ounce bottom bouncer would never hold the bottom in this type of current. We found the 1.25 lb weights to barely be enough to fish effectively. After a couple hours of fishing with the 1.25 lb weight I switched to a 2 lb weight because I felt like I was constantly struggling to maintain bottom contact without letting out a bunch of extra line. As soon as I made that switch I started to really put fish in the boat.
What resort did you guys launch out of want to try this soon.I don’t have hand lines yet but want to try the spot
We didn’t go out of a resort. It was a public launch on pool 9.
If your looking for pool 9 landings you do have several choices..
Genoa Dam landing right below the power plant
Blackhawk Park..
Desoto Landing…
Lansing Bridge landings…
Oh and the Sand Landing at Victory..
That looked like a lot of fun. I’ve only done hand-lining once and that was with a friend here on headwaters of Lake Wisconsin. Landed the largest sauger I’ve ever caught even to this day.
Nice show guys!
That looked like a lot of fun. I’ve only done hand-lining once and that was with a friend here on headwaters of Lake Wisconsin. Landed the largest sauger I’ve ever caught even to this day.
Nice show guys!
Can’t wait to get you and Shultzy in the boat next year !!
James,
Can you give us some reasons why you went with the Xi5 over the Terrova this year? Am curious to hear some of your reasons as you have been rocking a Terrova for awhile now. Thanks
James,
Can you give us some reasons why you went with the Xi5 over the Terrova this year? Am curious to hear some of your reasons as you have been rocking a Terrova for awhile now. Thanks
It really wasn’t my choice. When Dean used my boat for the MTT tournament he replaced my terrova with the Xi5. Dean feels the spot lock on the Xi5 is superior to the Minnkota. When I picked my boat back up Dean hadn’t found time to put the Terrova back. He asked me if I would be OK using the Xi5 until he had a chance to get the Terrova a swapped back in. I agreed.
Although we did use the Xi5 to steer my MX 2025 when trolling we didn’t use any of the other advanced functions so I can’t offer a worthwhile comparison.
As far as the life jackets are concerned, I’ve got a 2 year old at home now that will be making her first trips out in the boat as soon as the weather warms back up. I will of course have her in a life jacket at all times and I figure I best be leading by example. So from here on out I’ll be rocking the inflatable vest!
Funny, it was at this same moment when I started wearing a PFD 99.95 percent of the time.
The xi5 spotlock is as advertised. I fished that stretch on pool 9 yesterday, and certainly didn’t have enough weight. 1/2 lb sinkers wouldn’t even keep you close to the bottom. I caught a few decent legals running 3 ways, then went and fished plastics and caught a few more legals.
That kind of flow and speed is where handlining shines.
It was a great tutorial — I’ve understood it conceptually but always had practical questions. This could be deadly on the Wolf when the trolling rules change in WI.
I’m surprised those fish stay out in that much current. If that was Pool 4, wouldn’t that much current typically push them shallower and more towards shore?
I’m surprised those fish stay out in that much current. If that was Pool 4, wouldn’t that much current typically push them shallower and more towards shore?
You’d be very surprised how much current walleyes & sauger will stay in. We’ve caught a lot of nice fish this time of year at Red Wing above & below the “High Bridge” doing this same thing. You would think no way those fish are in the middle of the channel with that current but there they are.
hey guys,
I sure am glad you guys liked the show it is a lot of fun to hand line. The main cable coming to the weight is 90 pound braided Aviation cable with a plastic coating on it. it comes from the manufacturer with that on it.
my wife and I are out pulling wire again today. It is very beautiful out and when I get back in I will check back to help answer any more questions.
Dave & James what pound test are your leaders ? I run 20# Suffix but was thinking of going a little heavier just for the ease of controlling it when it’s on the floor of the boat.
Glenn-d
I run 20# test as well… rarely do I ever loose cranks due to mono issues.. I keep a close eye on my mono for imperfections and change them out the minute anything shows up..
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