Need some schooling on walleye rigs

[sandman]

Who can help us put together a kit to fish for the 'eyes at Powell?

Jazz and Daisy like to troll.

Thanks!

[OneBlade]

There's a good thread that Larry started not last year but the year before. I'll take a look for it tomorrow, I'm on my smart phone right now. But it has links to three or four places and various techniques i.e. jigs, Lindy rigs, etc.

[FishMan]

I kept it very simple last year and way out performed the previous year of purchased rigs, blades, spinners. Two basic rigs, "naked worm" and a jig.  #2 true turn hook, 3feet of 12# fluorocarbon, 2oz drail weight. for the jig, 1/2 oz, 4/0 bulk lead jig head, with a 5inch Yamamoto grub. Sounds crazy, and took me a while to be a believer, but you need to tip the jig with about 1/8th of a piece of night crawler. Made a huge difference. Now, having said this, I'm sure I'll still buy $200 worth of "must haves". For the small mouth, nothing beats a 5 in Yamasenko of a 4/0 EWG worm hook.

[sparkchaser]

There are many variations to this rig, but keep it simple, as it is deadly for trolling.

http://www.ebait.com/baitrigs/product/SS-120.html

You can find all of the components in town and tie your own. The link was just and idea of how simple it can be. Some people also add a spinner on top of the bead for flash. I use a 2 oz bottom bouncer. The rig I tie starts with a swivel, about 24" leader of 10 lb floro, spinner, bead, then the slow death hook in red. Key is the right amount of worm and speed.  Here's a video on it.

Also tie some of these

I have ordered from these sites as well

http://www.mackslure.com/item.php?p_ref=173

http://www.northlandtackle.com/Category/main.taf?cat=493

[cousinlll]

I'm glad you guys are joining us this year!  It's going to be a great trip, as usual, and looks like we'll once again have a great crew.  The best part is we all share information about our days catch during our evening meals.  We want everybody to go home with fish in the freezer!

I think this is the post that Matt mentioned:  http://forum.azcrappie.com/index.php/topic,1579.0.html

Like other have said, keep it simple and find what works for you.  Take everybody ideas/suggestions and come up with your own game plan.  I'll add my two cents here:

I like to rig one bait casting rig up with 50 lbs Power Pro braid to either a 1.5 to 2.5 oz bottom bouncer depending on wind conditions & depth.  Behind your BB, either a Fluorocarbon or Mono 10 lbs test short leader to a worm rig of some sort.  It can as be as simple as a bead w/ red hook of your choice or an elaborate single hook worm rig with a #4, #6 or so colorado blade.

The reason why I like the 50 lbs Power Pro braid main line is to get your BB back when you get it hung up - and you will get it hung up!  It works for me as I'll maybe loose 2 or so the whole trip, if that.  The key to bottom bouncing is watching your graph for depth & depth changes, keeping slight contact with the bottom by moving your rod tip forward & aft at times to tick the bottom and thumb your bait caster spool for quick adjustments in depth.  You don't want to just cast & forget with this technique and forget about fishing with two poles.  Don't just drag the BB as it's almost a for sure hang up & lost BB.

And it's a whole lot of fun when you find that spot of schooling eyes while jig fishing!  My setup - spinning rod with 10 lbs fluorocarbon to a swivel (for line twist) then same line to your jig of choice.  Like Tommy mentioned, could be as simple as just a jig & crawler or jig & a gulp alive minnow.  Some times they like the jig dragged on the bottom other times you'll need to hop it back to the boat.  I like a little heavier jig due to the depth your fishing & wind conditions for that slow drag back to the boat.

Thing to remember about a walleye bite - at times you'll know for sure you have a fish but the majority of the time it'll seem like slight pressure on your rod tip or you've hooked a wet dish towel.  Set the hook!!  Look for shorelines with rock falls and a shelf that falls off into really deep water.

[sandman]

Thanks everybody. My previous walleye fishing in canada was throwing spinnerbaits and crankbaits.

[OneBlade]

On the rocks requested what I use:

40-50lb braid main line (allows you to break off snags and you save your main line and bottom bouncer)
Open face reel (seems to work better with that braid)
1 1/2oz to 2oz bottom bouncer (not sure what i used - buy them on ebay, heavier allows you to troll faster)
Swivel (so your lindy rig or crawler harness doesn't spin your line)
Lindy rig or crawler harness whatever you call them maybe 3-4 feet long
-- with 12lb-15lb test (sharp rocks will cut your line if too small pound test)
-- ends with a colored spinner and 5-7 beads (silver, copper, gold, purple, who knows)
-- snell hook with stinger/trailer hook (some argue stinger/trailer hook not needed - I use one)
  -- full nightcrawler baited to look long as possible

Don't know size of snelled hook or size of spinner but probably best to get several sizes and colors.  My main hook is one size larger than my trailer hook.

Instead of the walleye harness, you could use a slow death hook rig or jig setup or who knows what.  If fishing for walleye you want to be very near the bottom.

[sandman]

Thanks Matt. Big help.

[sandman]

Think that I'm pretty well set up for walleye once the brown truck arrives with the Cabelas shipment.

[on the rocks]

If any of you guys would happen to remember it would be great if you could throw in a walleye rig for crappie fest that we could look at. Thank you!