Walleye, Plastics, & a lite bite

17 walleye is not very successful? *sheese*… kicked our rumps….
with pure plastics it dont pay to wait before hook set… most of the light taps are small fish… they are short hitting it… I suppose some larger fish might do that as well when they are negative like today….. some people use trailer hooks to pick off these bites… thats usually just helps me nail some short fish…..
glad you found fish away from the dam.. with what I saw up there, there are a few places that should be worth trying and be no worse!

Go with a lighter jighead… a heavy weight will keep the walleye from being able to inhale your offering. The fish inhales… and that 1/2 ounce jighead goes nowhere. All you feel is a “tick” and a missed fish.

Second, never, ever wait! Not even a second. If you even think to yourself “hey, I had a hit, set the hook” it’s already too late! Your hook set should become an instinctive thing where you set with the rod before you even realize what’s happening… a bit like if I throw a ball at you unannounced… you don’t think, “hey, here comes a ball, I better put up my hand to catch it.” You just react. Fast. If you did have to think about that ball coming towards you, chances are it would bounce off your nose before you could talk yourself into doing much of anything. And I’d feel bad.

Same thing when fishing plastics. TapHookset. No pause.

Hope this helps some. Any other questions, just holler back.

Thanks James & Rivereyes,
I will use this next time. Faster sets, more like what I am use to doing during the summer months on inland lakes,
when the fish are more agressive.

And to Rivereyes…. I wasn’t complaining, it was a GREAT day to be out, tons of eagles, some mallards, some geese, and a pile of Merganzers. I love watching them.
And heh – I could have been working!!!

Best of luck to both of you – and if you are fishing tomorrow in the ole chilly backside turny, hope you latch onto some good ones.

Inge

hey Inge, what line are you using, try using 4 or 6 pound fireline, no stretch, low diameter, less resistance, quicker hooksets, give it a try, works for me

Thanks Big Walleye!
Today I was using 8lb Berkley XL. I also have PowerPro in 10 & 20lbs, but usually don’t use it until I start bass fishing in the summer months(ie: its a good slop & lilly pad line). I was throwing 1/4 once slider hooks with 5 inch Kalin grubs, and also tried some 4″ barlows ring worms,
and a few hand poured 4″ shad bodies.
I need some new line anyway!
Inge