TROLLING 3 WAYS QUESTIONS

I’M PRETTY NEW AT THIS TROLLING 3 WAY CONCEPT BUT HAVE INTREST IN IT.

MY QUESTIONS ARE
1) HOW LONG OF LINE SECTIONS DO YOU GUYS TIE OFF TO THE 3 WAYS.
HOW LONG TO THE SINKER AND HOW LONG TO THE BAIT.

2) WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE BAITS TO PULL (RIVER SITUATIONS)

THANKS IN ADVANCE

I usually run about an 8″-12″ drop to my sinker and about 3′ to my bait. I typically troll smaller Rapala’s jointed preferably

Check the fishing articles forum. Think there is some good stuff in there on pulling 3 ways.

I usually try to run a three way at a four to one ratio. For instance, If I were using a 12″ dropper, I would use a 4′ leader. Also as metioned before, stickbaits seem to work well with 3 ways. Hope this helps.

On the river I usaually run about a 12 inch dropper to my weight. I may lenghten that if I am fishing over rocks. I will run about a 5 foot leader to my bait.
I run stickbaits a lot (mostly small straight raps) but don’t forget about the old standby, either a plain number 2 hook or a phelps floater and a minnow. This will sometime pull fish when other techniques fail to work.

The main thing to remember is to use enough weight to keep in constant contact with bottom and keeping your line about 45 degrees. Lift the rod up and down occasionally to keep contact with bottom.
Lastly, if I am fishing live bait I like to hold my rods to get a good hookset on the fish and when I am fishing raps I just put the rods in ther rodholders. With artificial the fish almost always hooks itself.

Like everyone else said, I run floating plugs on three-ways with about ten inches of dropper, and three to four feet of line on the lure.

I keep plenty of Floating Rapalas and Storm Thundersticks on hand in chartreuse, firetiger, orange, silver, and blue, with some other makes and colors thrown in to be safe. Rapalas have a tight swimming action, and Thundersticks wobble a lot more, and sometimes the fish definitely prefer one action over the other, just as they usually prefer one color over another.

If you run live-bait rigs such as crawler harnesses that use spinner blades on three ways, you want to have less line connecting the bait to the swivel. I generally run about 18″ of line on my crawler harnesses, which I make myself. The reason for this is that the more line you have on your bait harness, the lower it runs. The spinner is there to attract fish, but it also lifts the bait off the bottom. If you try running three or four feet of line on a crawler harness, the action of the spinner will not lift it off the bottom, and your bait will drag in the mud, rock, or sand, and be far less effective.

Crawlers are a summer bait for walleye, and generally do not work when the water temps are below about sixty degrees. Leeches have their moments, but generally do not work as well for walleye on the Mississippi as crawlers do, in my experience.

THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR THE INFORMATION

THIS IS A GREAT WEBSITE WITH TONS OF INFO ON IT AND A GOOD GROUP OF PEOPLE.

NOW IF I CAN PUT SOME OF THESE IDEAS TO USE AND FIND SOME FISH.

THANKS AGAIN

Agree with Garvi. Great site. Have one more question. What do you use for the weight, and how heavey? I know the current changes so your weight has to change, but have a hard time finding 2 oz bell sinkers in my area since 3 ways aren’t used on local lakes.

depending on the current I like to use anywhere from 2 to 5 oz bell sinkers. You can usually find them at places that cater to great lake fishing or else river fishing. They can be tough to find in the chain stores. Where are you located?

Thanks Bongers, after I posted I saw a different thread that covered the topic. Thanks for the advice, sounds like I can get them at everts. From mankato and no-one in the area has much for weights.

Saugeye,
If your ever in the Rochester area I know Hooked On Fishing has some heavier weights.