What is “handlining”?

I noticed in the reports EC was mentioning a technique he called “handlining”. What is “handlining”? Back east, we used to bottom fish with line spun on a woooden spindle off of piers or boats for fish in the bays and ocean. If we got one, we kinda just yanked them in, hand over hand. When I hear “handlining” that’s what comes to my mind.

I suspect what you fellas are calling handlining is something a bit different. I know a written description on a computer screen will not do justice to seeing it done on the water, however, I’d appreciate some sort of simple description on how you do it and what rigs are used.

Many thanks, oh great keepers of walleye-wisdom!

Joe Jiacinto

Handlining is like a river version of downrigging. It’s a trolling method where you have an autowinding reel that picks up the line; you hold it in your hand so that you can rapidly control depth. It’s a useable river method as opposed to downriggers which stay at a constant depth and would be constantly bumping bottom or running too shallow in the rapidly changing river depths.

IIRC, Dave wrote an article on it. You could look in the articles forum for it, he’s much better at explaining these things than I, and pictures are worth 1000 words.

I’ll see what I can dig up but I’m pretty sure that is long gone with the old site…

That would be great ecnook. I was going to ask the same question after reading your post about you and your wife handling. Always looking to learn new ways to catch fish.

EC,
Where are you able to puchase handling equipment (reels, line and weights)?
Thanks,
spkwms

Korn,
This isn’t the post that EC submitted but it may give you an idea of what handlining is about.
spkwms

http://www.dwfonline.com/Handlining%20(Part%20II).htm
Korn,
Sorry got the horse ahead of the cart.
spkwms

Anyone who wants some info on how to get set up and find out where to order the handlines shanks weights and everything else send me a pm and I will give you some details

Handlining is a very interesting technique. It is very similar to the feel you get when constantly dropping your rod tip back while pulling three-way cranks, with the addition of automatic spring loaded reel that gives you and takes up line as you adjust your depth.
The advantage is you can track left and right from one depth to the next without constantly cranking your reel and then free spooling back. you just give the line to the auto reel and take it as you need to to stay on or very near the bottom in the strike zone. I usually just fish three-way cranks at a constant depth.

The negative is having to fight the fish in by hand, rather than the rod and reel doing the fighting.