[Neal/CO]

Not really the fishing is still good, just very different. I have been busy the last 30 days and have had a good summer for only my second season guiding but things are slowing down with kids going back to school and family vacations used up.

The bite is mostly a trolling bite right now out over the basins where a trillion shad have suspended from 10-25 deep. We are trolling fast 2.8 to 3.2 mph with five to six colors of lead and small cranks. Some good fish coming out also! We have caught quite few in the 18-21 inch range and there were two in the 8lb range caught this weekend. I lost the biggest daytime eye I have had on all year yesterday I have been catching some big crappie out there suspended with the walleye and lots of small wiper. I am going to transition some to my south Park permit because I have some customers who want to fish for Pike and trout and I need a change of pace. Also hunting season is just weeks away and I love the fall in the hills. We will hit PLO hard again in the fall for the slabbing bite! If you are good troller now is the time to pound some fish!!

 

[slayerfish]

If you are good troller now is the time to pound some fish!!

That leaves me out-

 

[_colorado]

The shad are definitely in full bloom. I wasn't out this week but hit it last week and the shad seemed to be running deeper, maybe 30-35 feet so I ran bigger cranks to get deeper. Moving up and using smaller cranks will match the hatch a bit better too.

I took some wallies on the leadcore but none on the downrigger (trolling cranks). Almost starting to believe the wallies don't like the hum of the downrigger cables. I bought some copper line on Amazon, spooled it up on my line counter trolling rod and need to give that a try. Copper is not easy stuff to work with - I can tell you that.

 

[Neal/CO]

The shad are definitely in full bloom. I wasn't out this week but hit it last week and the shad seemed to be running deeper, maybe 30-35 feet so I ran bigger cranks to get deeper. Moving up and using smaller cranks will match the hatch a bit better too.

I took some wallies on the leadcore but none on the downrigger (trolling cranks). Almost starting to believe the wallies don't like the hum of the downrigger cables. I bought some copper line on Amazon, spooled it up on my line counter trolling rod and need to give that a try. Copper is not easy stuff to work with - I can tell you that.

As the water cools in September the shad will come up shallower and the bigger eye's can be suspended as shallow as 5-10 feet. I will run four lines when this happens, two leadcore 3-4 colors down and two flat lines on planer boards to cover the shallow band. A lot of my best fish come on the planer boards with my cranks run just a few feet below the surface.

 

[hobiecat]

For those that don't run lead core give these lures a try. They'll run 18 to 20 feet trolling or casting and they work.

http://www.basspro.com/shop/en/bass...bait?hvarAID=shopping_googleproductextensions

http://www.basspro.com/shop/en/norm...dd22?hvarAID=shopping_googleproductextensions

 

[Neal/CO]

It is funny how they go from a tight action like a Flicker Shad to more intense thump of a Flicker minnow or A Tail Dancer. If you have a line counter you can get a #11 Flicker minnow or Deep Tail Dancer into the 20-24 foot range just flat line trolling. Right now Flicker Shads, Salmo Hornets and Shad Raps are the way to go, but those will not get deep enough without some help. A #7 Flicker Shad maxes out at 13-14 feet no matter how much line you put out.

 

[Palerider]

Or just get a limit of specks in about an hour. Those little boogers are hungry and plentiful this year.

 

[walleye seeker]

that's where snap weights shine

 

[Neal/CO]

that's where snap weights shine

They added the snap weight specs to the Precision Trolling Ap this year also. That is the best $100 I ever spent!

 

[_colorado]

I've messed around trolling with snap weights the last couple of times out. Kind of difficult to figure out the depth for sure.

What I've been doing is casting out the crank then adding the snap weight and watching the depth on my sonar while I'm stopped. Once I get the snap weight a bit below the depth I want to fish then I begin trolling. I figure I'm probably + or - five feet on my guess for depth, depending on speed and snap weight. I've played with 1.5 to 4 ounce weights.

I also tried snap weights with planer boards but did not like the way the board rode. 4 oz seemed to much but I wasn't sure of how it tracked when I went with lighter weights.

Oh well, something to continue to experiment with. I like the idea in principle.

 

[hobiecat]

Snap weight chart.

 

[Ninja]

Good stuff Hobie.

Saved for a later time in life when I can't work and have lots of spare time to fish and experiment with different trolling techniques. For now limited hours of fishing=use what has been working for me.

 

[_colorado]

Nice Hobie! Gotta print that out - thanks!

 

[Neal/CO]

That is a good chart!! Just remember if your crank is a diving bait with a bill you also have to take into account how deep they naturally run. I use my snap weights mostly when I am trolling shallow floating baits like Rapala's. Thin Fins, spoons etc. with planer boards.

 

[IFSHDOU2?]

That is a good chart!! Just remember if your crank is a diving bait with a bill you also have to take into account how deep they naturally run. I use my snap weights mostly when I am trolling shallow floating baits like Rapala's. Thin Fins, spoons etc. with planer boards.

I assume the "Verado" problem is resolved? :smile::smile:

 

[Neal/CO]

I assume the "Verado" problem is resolved? :smile::smile:

They can' find the problem? Will Dykstra has the same issue. In fact he broke down on Spinney the same day as I did. I fished PLO twice this week with no issues?

 

[hobiecat]

What's the problem with your outboard Neal?

 

[Neal/CO]

What's the problem with your outboard Neal?

We are beginning to think it is a flaw in Kill Switch assembly commen to Verados? I have now been contacted by five other people who are experiencing the same issue. It will just die when we hit a big wave or boat wake as we come on plane. I am going to take it out again tomorrow and see if it happens again. It didn't happen this week on my charters thankfully!

 

[walleye seeker]

there is one other item that makes trolling easy and that is a line counter reel, knowing exactly how much line you are letting out is a must for good results. another thing to think about is that suspended walleyes and many other fish feed up , not down. an .eye will come up 10 feet to get a lure if they are feeding, it is best to think 3 to 8 feet above the fish for best results. this was brought to my attention at a walleye tourney once, I was not doing well on the first day, only2 keepers. as I was talking to a good friend that night at dinner he asked what depth I was trolling as we were in sight of each other most of the day and we weren't catching near as many fish as they were. I told him I was running at the depth I saw on my sonar and he said he was trolling 5 feet higher than what his sonar showed. the next day we were near each other again and we were catching about the same rate as they were, but as it turned out we only got 4 keepers where they finished in the money and due to our poor finish the first day we were in 12th place and just a bit short on big fish both days

 

[walleye seeker]

That leaves me out-

now we know what slayer weakness is. he dosn't know how to troll