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| Just wondering who out there is trolling spinnerbaits? I have never done this and was wondering if anyone would be willing to give me some input? Are you still trolling spinnerbaits this time of year or is it generally not that effective later in the season? thanks
Kly |
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| Get yourself the summer issue of Pike and Muskie magazine and you will find a great article I wrote on spinnerbaits.
As of last weekend ( 55 degree water )I was still catching them trolling spinnerbaits and I remember a fat 47 incher caught in the propwash in late september.[:sun:] |
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| I recommend that article too. It's very good. I tried it for awhile today on the fox chain with no luck. I was trolling over weeds and that millfoil was not kind. That stuff will stick to anything, weedless or not.[:(] |
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| I'm still running them myself, and will continue to run them right up to the last day (along with other baits as conditions dictate). Last year, I took a fat 46 1/2 pig in the dying minutes before sunset on the closing day of the 2000 season on a big spinnerbait. Yesterday I took a solid 40 incher on a huge custom spinnerbait, and 2 weekends ago I scored a 45 1/2 and a pair of 42's on spinnerbaits. The 45 1/2 hit in the prop wash 12 feet behind a 150 hp Merc!
Rich may have some comments from his perspective, but I find the bigger and badder, the better at this time of year. I am now using a custom version of my own design that is about 5 ounces, uses #6 Colorado and #9 Indiana blades, and 9/0 single saltwater hooks that have massive full tails on them. These things have so much torque that they will snap 14 pound mono if you dare to run them at about 4.5 mph. I generally run them between 3.5 and 4.5 mph; however, if conditions warrant, I will crank the throttle up a notch or two and see what happens.
Without question, single hooks are better than trebles. You get better and fuller tails because they have a longer shaft. They're more weed resistant, and much more fish friendly. I find the points also bite much better. About 60% of the fish I boat on either my tails or George Taylor's slightly smaller bait take one of the big single hooks right through the roof of the mouth.
Hope this helps,
Steve Wickens |
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| hey Kly,I use bucktailspinnerbaits I make myself for trolling. Quite large ones too, some 8-9" long with a willow and a smaller colorado blade. Purple hair/chartreuse blades and black hair/gold blades is reasonably good for northern. I like the first color-setup. Mainly I use plugs for trolling but there is a lot of that kind of lure going through the water so pike are weary about them. That's due to the growing popularity of lurefishing. Then this bucktailspinnerbait is super! |
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| Just an update here, I was trolling one of my oversized ( 15 in ) spinnerbaits this afternoon no more then 10 ft behind the boat as I approched this wind blown point and I decide to go between the point and the walleye firsherman and got a hit form a 30 lb plus fish, I actualy had it on long enough to get the net from the front of the boat to the back but she got off before I seen her but I know from the headshakes and digging that this was a fifty plus fish just like the one I caught and landed but 4 hours before on a willey.[:sun:]
Water temps were 53 so still time to troll them spinnerbaits.[:sun:] |
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| Hey everyone thanks for the info. very helpful.[:bigsmile:]
Trophymuskie do you mostly troll spinnerbaits on short lines or do you ever let it out a ways? What depth are you usually running them at(under the surface, weighted or down rigger)? thanks again
kly
p.s. one last question do you find them to be more effective while trolling around baitfish or just good structural elements?
I am envious of the haus you caught.
[:p] |
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KLY I troll with as much as 100 ft of line to just a few feet behind the boat but the norm is some 30' for regular lines and 10' for the propwash bait. I like to keep my spinnerbaits just under the surface so I can fish them in thick weeds that also answers the other question I have caught fish in 30' of water with them but the norm in 10' or less unless the weedline is deeper. Spinnerbaits are my number one lure for fishing weeds casting or trolling and they do catch hogs.
[:sun:] |
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| FLASHBACK FRIDAY |
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