The Killer Bs: Live Bait and Boat Control
by Mark Martin
No matter where or when you¹re fishing, the going can get tough
with big
winds and waves, everyone¹s least favorite conditions for chasing
walleyes.
But if you¹re on vacation, out for a tournament or way into angling,
your
time is too precious spend ashore unless the water¹s downright
dangerous.
But if it¹s still doable, it¹s time to get tough when the
going gets rough.
Under such circumstances, the twin pillars of my attack are live bait
and
boat control. I choose bait for the ability to present it with heavier
weight and to keep bottom contact when casting jigs or trolling would
be
futile. Boat control, meanwhile, is a plain and simple necessity. When
the
wind and waves rock, keeping your craft in place to the best of your
ability
will translate into more walleyes. Seldom is it easy, but it can be
accomplished with the right gear and approach under adverse conditions.
Bait Control
Whether the weather¹s nasty or nice, you¹re going to want
to put everything possible in your favor
Click on image for more information |
I start with high-quality bait. It¹s hard to beatlively, crazy
leeches, and the best way to keep them‹or turn them that way is with
a Beckman Saddle Bag Container . Put your leeches in the tough mesh bag,
sealable with Velcro, and put them in your livewell. It¹s better thanin
a foam cup, where the leeches crud and waste eventually kills them. The
bag also lets the leeches acclimate to the water temperature so they don¹t
ball up when you put one on a hook and drop it in the drink. |
Bait Control
Whether the weather¹s nasty or nice, you¹re going to want
to put everything
possible in your favor. I start with high-quality bait. It¹s hard
to beat
lively, crazy leeches, and the best way to keep them‹or turn them‹that
way
is with a Leech Tamer from JNB Originals. Put your leeches in the tough
mesh
bag, sealable with Velcro, and put them in your livewell. It¹s
better than
in a foam cup, where the leeches crud and waste eventually kills them.
The
bag also lets the leeches acclimate to the water temperature so they
don¹t
ball up when you put one on a hook and drop it in the drink.
Storage is also important to keep my tackle from going into orbit. For
rigs
and jigs and whatnot, I take one of Plano¹s waterproof storage
boxes and put
my terminal tackle in there to keep it from rusting. Plano¹s Cinch
Bags,
which contain four tray-style boxes, are great for segregating jig
weights
and hook styles in a neat, tidy soft-sided container that¹s about
the size
of a briefcase. I also stock a tray with an assortment of goodies for
bait
fishing‹beads, including Northland¹s rattle beads; Gum-Drop Floats
for
suspending a bait; colored hooks; and swivels.
Click on image for more information |
To store my bottom bouncers,I use a Bouncer Bag, also from Beckman
Fishing, to organize my bouncers by weight and keep them from tangling
and rusting on the boat¹s carpet. |
With everything squared away, I start looking for prime walleye spots and
plumbing them with a bottom bouncer with bait or a slip-sinker rig.
From
spring into early summer, I turn to points, With a line in the water,
it¹s
hard to beat a Northland Rock-Runner bottom bouncer or slide bouncer
with a
three-foot leader ahead of livebait. A slip-sinker rig will work, too,
if
you boost up the size of the weight to combat the wind.
After all, you¹re going to need to find bottom and stay there.
Depending on
the depth and wind velocity, you might need a bouncer of one, two or
three
ounces. Where it¹s possible to run more than one rod, I like to
hold one and
put another in a rod holder. Pick a rod with a supple tip that lets
a
walleye bend the rod over without feeling anything. You just pick it
up and
set the hook.
It¹s a bit of a trick, though, to know when to set. With a V-armed
Rock-Runner bouncer, you¹re unable to feed line to a biting fish.
Instead,
with the extra weight your bait will be nearly vertical below the boat,
and
when you get a bite, you pull the fish along for a few seconds before
setting the hook. If you keep missing, switch to a sliding bouncer
or a
slip-sinker rig that allows you to feed line.
Boat Control
Now¹s the time to keep your boat under control. While no small
task in the
rough stuff, it¹s again possible with the proper equipment. On
my Lund 2025,
a wide-beamed boat with high sides to deflect waves, I have a
107-pound-thrust transom mount and a 107-pound-thrust bowmount. Although
the
bowmount electric holds me in almost all conditions, if things get
incredibly nasty, I¹ll opt for the 225-horsepower Mercury main
engine to
keep me in place or slow my drift. I just kick it in and out of gear.
Most of the time, I stay on the bowmount. Up there, I¹m sure to
fill the
front livewell for extra weight, even putting tackle on the front deck
or a
big buddy. This will help keep your trolling motor propeller in the
water.
Also when operating from the bow,
Click on image for
more information |
I¹ll put out a drift sock from Drift Control Their socks
are nice because they pop open right away without
even monkeying with them‹a great safety feature when the boat is pitching
and yawing. I also keep the drift sock on a short leash a short rope, that
is to help keep the propeller in the water.
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With everything in order, the hatches battened down and motors ready to
rev,
it¹s time to square off with the conditions. By fishing bait below
the boat
and slowing your craft as much as possible without flying, you¹ll
stay in
the fish zone longer. Of course that¹s easy on a nice day. Not
so on a nasty
one. Nevertheless, now¹s the time to do what it takes to keep
you fishing
despite the weather.
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