Tin Walleye set ups

[medicineman]

Curious if anyone who is primarily a walleye angler wants to share their builds.

I will share pics of my 12' Alumacraft that I am modifying to be primarily a walleye trolling setup once done.

 

[LDUBS]

Following! I do a lot of trolling, just not for walleye.

 

[MrGiggles]

I don't really troll much at all anymore. This was the last setup I had for pulling cranks. The boat is just a Tracker Tournament V17, a deep-v hull with low gunnels like a bass boat.

Prior to this I just had those same rod holders screwed into the decks. Two in the back, straight back off the transom, and two on the front deck pointed straight out. I honestly think I preferred this over the T-bars, seemed like I had better line separation, the baits were closer to the boat, and I didn't really like sitting on the back deck.

These days I usually bottom bounce with a single pole or jig. Pulling cranks is fun, just have to deal with a lot of non-target fish, and the occasional tangled mess.

 

[FuzzyGrub]

When I fished more for walleye, it was mostly jigging. I've seen some of the trolling rigs set-up with side planners, etc, and they can get elaborite, and probably be a tight fit on a 12'er. I'm guesing you are looking more at a two rod crankbait trolling and maybe back-trolling worm/leach rigs?

 

[Stand Up]

The mighty Walleye. I park my boat about 20 to 30 feet from the reeds and cast to the edge of the reeds and then wind the lure back in. Works every time.
I have no special set up in the boat. Just a loose rod and a flashy spoon. Simple.

 

[Still Afloat]

I hope to start Walleye fishing on the Columbia very soon, just for a change of pace from the lake fishing. Like Fuzzygrub said, probably backtrolling and crankbait trolling. Maybe some jigging mixed in at the known hideouts. Might also longline a big fly for that lunker trout or northern.

The sideplane techniques sound interesting but, to complicated for me. Just more stuff to go wrong.

It’s a new to me boat so rigging is a blank slate. I’ve picked up a couple new Helix 9 and I’ll run split side imaging and 2D with two Y cables and three transducers. Debating if it’s worth to add Megalive now or wait for the technology to improve. Moving everything with a Minnkota Terrova 80 and a 9.9 gas kicker with a 115 to scoot from place to place.

 

[MrGiggles]

Backtrolling is a technique that seems to have been mostly made redundant by our electric motors and big batteries. Mine will run for days at 1-1.5 mph.

I can see the appeal of planer boards for picking up scattered fish on big flats. We don't really have much of that here, so I've never tried them. I also saw them as a big mess waiting to happen, especially if you're fishing solo.

From what I have heard recently, the latest live imaging is better, but not by much. You aren't missing out on much if you don't decide to wait. At some point you have to draw the line at just how much you want to spend to catch a fish, and if you're walleye fishing, you will find it's usefulness to be somewhat limited because of their habits (often right on the bottom where you can't see them.)

 

[Still Afloat]

Backtrolling is a technique that seems to have been mostly made redundant by our electric motors and big batteries. Mine will run for days at 1-1.5 mph.

I can see the appeal of planer boards for picking up scattered fish on big flats. We don't really have much of that here, so I've never tried them. I also saw them as a big mess waiting to happen, especially if you're fishing solo.

From what I have heard recently, the latest live imaging is better, but not by much. You aren't missing out on much if you don't decide to wait. At some point you have to draw the line at just how much you want to spend to catch a fish, and if you're walleye fishing, you will find it's usefulness to be somewhat limited because of their habits (often right on the bottom where you can't see them.)

The HB Live Imaging bare transducer is on sale for $1000, normally $1500. If it were $500 I’d probably give it a try. For a grand or more, no thanks.

 

[overboard]

I caught a lot of walleyes trolling shallow at night, my setup on a 14' Mirro craft was 1 rod in hand and 1 rod in a removable rod holder positioned in the middle of the bench seat, can't get much simpler than that!
You could go with 2 downriggers mounted forward on the gunwales, that way you would have 2 rod holders for shallow and deeper trolling plus the downriggers for even deeper controlled depth trolling.
I would think a planer mast is out of the question with a 12'boat, you can use small planers that attach to the line to get lures away from the boat.
IMO: On a 12' boat your best options are, backtrolling, casting, jigging, trolling shallow, and trolling deeper running lures, every one of these can be done with rod in hand, keep it simple!

 

[LDUBS]

Backtrolling is a technique that seems to have been mostly made redundant by our electric motors and big batteries. Mine will run for days at 1-1.5 mph.

I can see the appeal of planer boards for picking up scattered fish on big flats. We don't really have much of that here, so I've never tried them. I also saw them as a big mess waiting to happen, especially if you're fishing solo.

From what I have heard recently, the latest live imaging is better, but not by much. You aren't missing out on much if you don't decide to wait. At some point you have to draw the line at just how much you want to spend to catch a fish, and if you're walleye fishing, you will find it's usefulness to be somewhat limited because of their habits (often right on the bottom where you can't see them.)

Guys around here use those planer boards trolling grubs during the winter when water is cold and trout are shallow. Seems the basic reason is to get the bait out from behind the prop wash. I've not used them. Instead, I just use a longer set back. I'll still use the down riggers to get some spread with the release right at or within a foot of so of the surface.

 

[overboard]

Trout seem to be different than Walleyes, we troll in 5-7' and go right over them trolling behind the boat which apparently doesn't bother them that much. A buddy of mine went to Lake Ontario to fish for shallow browns, he couldn't get a fish trolling behind the boat, he was told he should use planer boards to get the lures off to the side and away from the boat, think he ended up with the small ones that attach to your fishing line because no one had any of the other planer boards in stock, once he switched he started catching fish, don't think that was just a coincidence!

 

[Still Afloat]

When trolling, I usually long line for trout. The fly is typically 100’ or more behind the boat. This time of year when the water is cold and the fish are actively feeding throughout the water column, the long line techniques aren’t necessary. In my experience it’s more of a depth thing than spooking the trout.

That may differ from location to location. Perhaps running a gas outboard kicker over an electric TM may come into play as well.

 

[Still Afloat]

I’m still debating getting downriggers for the NR Mariner. Know that I’ll need them if I ever want to fish the mouth of the Columbia for Salmon. When fishing the upper Columbia for Walleye it’s appears optional.

 

[ripdmup]

I’m still debating getting downriggers for the NR Mariner. Know that I’ll need them if I ever want to fish the mouth of the Columbia for Salmon. When fishing the upper Columbia for Walleye it’s appears optional.

Buoy 10 Salmon fishing a rigger is a must. Roosevelt reservoir would be a must as well. The upper mid sections of the Columbia? Not so much. Personally I would tell you to just pull the trigger, but I spend others money better than mine.

 

[ripdmup]

A buddy of mine went to Lake Ontario to fish for shallow browns, he couldn't get a fish trolling behind the boat, he was told he should use planer boards to get the lures off to the side and away from the boat, think he ended up with the small ones that attach to your fishing line because no one had any of the other planer boards in stock, once he switched he started catching fish, don't think that was just a coincidence!

Lake O Brownies close in on a board is the hot ticket.

 

[airshot]

Can't believe anyone would back troll with a 12' tinnie, yikes a short transom !! Never was a fan of back trolling anyway, but in a small tinnie....be sure you wear a life jacket !!