Trolling

[Lizard King]

GregL,

Do you tinker around even when catching fish?

For example:  Say with 60’ out I’m running a certain lure at 11.5’.
Catch a couple fish between 8:15-8:30 PM.
I want to get up to 6’ - 8.5’ till dark and know I can’t with this lure unless it’s right behind the boat.
So I’ll literally take the fish off, then the lure, and put a shallow stickbait or Shad Rap on to finish the night.

I don’t do this all the time and it hasn’t always benefitted me.  But at times, yes, I plow right thru a school up higher and have a blast till dark.
Just wondered if anyone else tried this or maybe the opposite in the AM and go deeper even while catching at a shallow level.

[GregL]

I will change things up when the bite slows.

I want to troll shallow like you mentioned in a big wind or in the evening on Kipawa but I'm always worried, these shores are hazardous HAHA!

I've already busted my TM once trolling with the wind between 2 islands. We were in 20' then 1' before I knew it and snapped my ulterra's shaft OY!

[fishtildark]

We like spending some time morning and early evening trolling fairly shallow.. 6-10 feet or so with rapalas or shad raps. That is in early June and have not tried much in September, thinking much deeper . Are you saying they are going shallow based on conditions like a big chop or extra dark day?
Vast majority of our September fish have been 18 to 22 feet. Would love to be able to use spring tactics. Otherwise, we are using bottom bouncer with crawler or deep divers. Thanks.

[Lizard King]

Yes, trolling shoreline in big winds can be dicey.

Almost soiled myself only once.  Boat was just past a point, lure still on other side….and I plunged lure straight into Mother Earth.  I put in reverse to circle out around to other side of lure and went from 20’ to 5’ within moments.

Not my best moment.  Luckily only lost the lure.

[GregL]

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=fizzing+a+walleye&&view=detail&mid=FC9D3B253EA3458CD288FC9D3B253EA3458CD288&&FORM=VRDGAR&ru=%2Fvideos%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dfizzing%2Ba%2Bwalleye%26FORM%3DHDRSC3

This is a terrible suggestion in my opinion and a pro should know better than suggesting the average person do this!  I guess if you legally cannot keep the fish then this option will *maybe* prevent a fish from dying but I highly doubt it. I suspect most will just keep a needle in the boat, not sterilize it before using inviting a high possibility of infection at the minimum.

Most people don't even handle fish properly they want to release anyways. Hanging a big fish from the gill plate or bottom lip for that hero shot, keeping them in the livewell to show them to others before letting them go etc. Can you imagine them trying to properly insert a needle OY!