spring spawn

[gregnwtf]

I'm sure the economy had a lot to due with those charters going out of business not the lack of walleyes in the lake. Most likely a lack of walleye in the box. I also believe some people are just too stubborn to give up on casting and start trolling. I finally gave in and bought the equipment. Although, I can't wait for the spring jig bite so I can knock the dust off the loomis rods and leave the trolling stuff in the shed. I would rather catch one walleye casting or jigging then 10 trolling, but you have to do what you have to do when the fish are all scattered after they spawn and leave the reefs.

I keep casting, work the deep ledges and the flats. Some days they are near the bottom and some days its a short count and medium reel speed. So many people dont realize their lures are under the walleye. Its hard to teach but once they figure it out, the smiles are on. Happy customers come back.

[wakina]

I keep casting, work the deep ledges and the flats. Some days they are near the bottom and some days its a short count and medium reel speed. So many people dont realize their lures are under the walleye. Its hard to teach but once they figure it out, the smiles are on. Happy customers come back.

I agree with you and also would add that to me the worst thing a person can do is throw a couple of bottom bouncers out and just wait for the fish to find your bait. Sure one bottom bouncer is OK but you have to remember that there is a whole column of water above those bottom bouncers that would not be targeted while dragging 2 bottom bouncers and not using the count down system with the other rod. Another important thing to remember is to fish the swing while casting weight forward spinners, there is something about the lure action that turns walleyes on while fishing the swing.

[gregnwtf]

I agree with you and also would add that to me the worst thing a person can do is throw a couple of bottom bouncers out and just wait for the fish to find your bait. Sure one bottom bouncer is OK but you have to remember that there is a whole column of water above those bottom bouncers that would not be targeted while dragging 2 bottom bouncers and not using the count down system with the other rod. Another important thing to remember is to fish the swing while casting weight forward spinners, there is something about the lure action that turns walleyes on while fishing the swing.

It all comes back to presentation. Bottom bouncers can be killer to use at the right time of year, good wind. May and June seem best for bouncers but I normally bring them up 1 to 3 cranks off the bottom to target the fish that are near bottom and looking up. There are many days when only a bouncer works. When casting the harness, the walleye hit the bait normally when it changes speed at the half way around point, and just after that. The trick is slow reeling " SLOW". You are not cranking a bass spinnerbait. I teach this every trip. Flat days in June I dont normally count longer than 8-10 sec. Get some on a 2 count "splash". Keep the boat noise down on flat days. I make a long return route when going back for another drift. Everyday is still alittle different in some way. More casts equal more fish.

[wakina]

It all comes back to presentation. Bottom bouncers can be killer to use at the right time of year, good wind. May and June seem best for bouncers but I normally bring them up 1 to 3 cranks off the bottom to target the fish that are near bottom and looking up. There are many days when only a bouncer works. When casting the harness, the walleye hit the bait normally when it changes speed at the half way around point, and just after that. The trick is slow reeling " SLOW". You are not cranking a bass spinnerbait. I teach this every trip. Flat days in June I dont normally count longer than 8-10 sec. Get some on a 2 count "splash". Keep the boat noise down on flat days. I make a long return route when going back for another drift. Everyday is still alittle different in some way. More casts equal more fish.

I agree and should have also said let the fish tell you what they want. I sure miss those drift and cast days, got my neck and shoulders busted up in a bad car wreck in 2004 and can't tolerate casting anymore, three or four casts and I am done for the day. One of my favorite tactics for Bottom bouncers was a three way setup with a 24 inch leader to the BB then a 36 to 48 inch leader from the other or horizontal side of the three way to a F-5 Wordens Flatfish orange with black dots or green with black dots, always got the ones with the gang hooks and put a half a nite crawler on each side, on calm days with just a slight drift those flatfish wiggle, weave, bob, shimmy, shake and dive in a eradic pattern they move and then stop and move again, they caught alot of walleyes for me. The hard part for me was as you said keeping the noise down in the boat as some people just can't grasp the fact that what they do noise wise topside is magnified into the water column through the boat.

[eyetrapper]

Great info on the cast and drift method guys, keep in coming! Thanks

Jim