Frequently Asked Questions
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Fishing - General Questions
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1. How will 20 lb. line affect a crankbaits action when trolled? Is this line to heavy?
Darin - Indiana
2. Is the Crippled Herring lure effective as a trolling lure, or is it for jigging when fishing for spring salmon?
3. In the spring we fish Thunder Bay near Alpena MI for Walleye. We usually long long body baits....I'd like to try the smaller sized Jet Divers with spoons....depths range from 6-15' Would this work on night feeding Walleye as troll from approx 8pm till 1am.
Barry - Michigan
4. What is available for measuring subsurface water temperature using a downrigger? Where can I get equipment and how much$$. What temperatures should you be looking for when fishing Chinook salmon? Does it differ from Spring to Fall?
Art - Ontario
5. What's good right now for fishing the saintclair river, for steelhead? What lures work best for use with Dipsy Divers... Spoons, Body baits or J-Plugs?
Jeff - Michigan
6. I want to your expert advice in telling me how effective is jigging atlantic salmon with a wet salmon fly? A freind of mine uses that method and tell me that salmon take the fly aggressevely.
p.s. What wet fly would work best?
Conrad - New Brunswick
7. What is the best method/technique/tackle(no bait allowed) for catching springers in the lower Deschutes river near the mouth?
Steve - Oregon
8. I read your tips on power trolling. I tried it last summer and it worked quite well. Expensive on lures mind you. I fish pickerel in a fairly big lake in northern Ontario with depths from 5 to 300 and some rocky shores. The water colour is of a stained brown. My question is, does the wind direction make a difference to which shore you should power troll ?
Sylvain - Ontario, Canada
9. "DOUBLE DEEP SIX"
I've heard about this new diver.
1.When will it be out?
2.how deep will it dive?
3.is it the same size as #2 model with just more added weight?
Tyler - Minnesota
10. When trolling on a new lake for the first time, can you use "pop" gear behind a Dipsy Diver? What lures (sizes and colors) would you recommend when pursuing lake trout, rainbow, and or cutthroat?
Darrin - Utah
11. How do you sew a minnow that is to be used behind a cowbell?
Don - Michigan
12. We're trolling from kayaks in 10 feet of water (shallow lake) and need something to keep the lures wide to each side.
Pete - Texas
13. Hi,
I was wondering if you could tell me what the length for each of the weight groups were. Do you think that this would be a good bait for the jack trevally since it pretty much resembles a bait fish? What would you suggest it for?
Micheal
14. I love using the crippled herring off of the surf for stripers and blue fish. I experience a great deal of twist in my line with this lure and I don't have this problem with other lures. I am tying the lure directly to my line with a cinch type of knot. Is there anything that I can do differently to avoid or minimize this problem?
15. What is the best time to catch lakers, and the best time of day.
Peter - New Mexico
16. What will work better for getting the large J-plug's and big spoons, down deeper. The deep six or the pink lady? I have no more room left for down riggers but want to get a few more lines down in the 30-60 foot range and as low as 90'.Deep six or pink lady. witch dives deeper-faster.IE if I let out two lines with the same plug same leader and a 100 feet on the line counters witch will be deeper? The deep six or the pink lady?
17. Please explain the effect of barometric pressure and how it affects fish?
Mike - Georgia
18. I fish alot for fluke and love the B2 squids but I was wandering what is the best way to fish them for fluke
Dan - Pennsylvania (March 28, 01)
19. I fish the St. Croix River in St. Croix Falls,Wisc. The fall fishing for smallmouth is outstanding (chartreuse with minnow). I've never fished it in the spring or summer for smallmouth. What lures would you recommend - many rocks and logs in river - colors, size, etc? I read in In-Fisherman where Westmoreland recommend a hot lips Luhr Jensen but did not spec a color...Appreciate your help.
Don - Minnesota
20. I'm doing my fishing in Colorado as of late, and will be concentrating on Macinaw and Kokanee this Spring. How do I determine the depth to which a Dipsy Diver will troll? Particularly when used with cowbells and a lure or sucker meat?
Tom - Colorado
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Answers
1. How will 20 lb. line affect a crankbaits action when trolled? Is this line to heavy?
Darin - Indiana
Heavy line will keep a deep diving lure from achieving it's maximum depth and will slow the action down slightly because of resistance against water flow. I personally don't feel 20 lb. test is so heavy that it will drastically affect most lures, certainly not Luhr Jensen lures such as the "Hot Lips Express" or "Deep Secret".
Rog
2. Is the Crippled Herring lure effective as a trolling lure, or is it for jigging when fishing for spring salmon?
Thank you for your inquiry.
I've had phenomenal success with the Crippled Herring as a casting and jigging lure but have done minimal trolling with it simply because I love working the rod especially with light tackle. However, it has been very successful, for springers, behind flashers and off downriggers. If the salmon are feeding near surface, flat-line trolling a "bare" Crippled Herring can be awesome especially when holding the rod with an intermittent pumping motion to effect the backward lure flutter.. I prefer the 1 1/2 oz Crippled Herring for all aspects of trolling....bright chrome on sunny days and green or chartreuse / pearl white combinations in deeper water or on cloudy days.
TIP: Adding a willow leaf spinner blade, to the Crippled Herring, will further-increase your strikes through extra flash, harmonics and vibration. Attach the blade to a wide bend snap (not snap swivel) on the narrower end and attach the other end of the snap to the split ring on the back side of the hook. Do not extend the end of the blade beyond the bend of the hook. I normally use a bright nickel blade in most situations.
Good fishing,
Pete
3. In the spring we fish Thunder Bay near Alpena MI for Walleye. We usually long long body baits....I'd like to try the smaller sized Jet Divers with spoons....depths range from 6-15' Would this work on night feeding Walleye as troll from approx 8pm till 1am.
Barry - Michigan
Jet Divers and Coyote Spoons are a hot commodity on the Great Lakes. Use size 020 Jet Divers with a size 030 Coyote Spoon in finishes 0217, Blueberry Muffin; 0142, Watermelon; 3132, Funky Chicken. Don't forget the Dipsy Divers in size 030 and 000 also. Run off to the sides of the boat, this allows a wider spread of lures and covers more water.
Rog
4. What is available for measuring subsurface water temperature using a downrigger? Where can I get equipment and how much$$. What temperatures should you be looking for when fishing Chinook salmon? Does it differ from Spring to Fall?
Art - Ontario
Hi Art:
Thank you for your inquiry. For the answers to your questions I contacted a good friend of mine, Jim McConville, who is a regional rep for Lowrance Electronics and an expert in the Lake Ontario salmon troll fishery. The following is his reply:
"#1.Subsurface water temperature using a downrigger? Take the mystery out of
trolling with downriggers. No longer is the speed and temperature @ the lure
a mystery but rather a science. The FISH HAWK Thermal Troll, the SUB TROLL
900 and BIG JON Thermal Troll are all good units for this and will run
around $600.00 approximately.
#2. Where can I get the equipment and how much $ ? Check with your local
tackle store first then look into mail order companies and or web-sites that
offer fishing tackle. The approximate price will be around $600.00
#3. What temperature should you be looking for when you are fishing Chinook
salmon? In the Great Lakes region during the spring I would look for the
warmest water I could find.During the dog days of summer I would be looking
for 52-55 degrees but remember that the bait fish are your most important
part to finding chinook salmon. In the fall I would be looking for river
water or moving water with a drop in temperature."
Good fishing,
Pete
5. What's good right now for fishing the saintclair river, for steelhead? What lures work best for use with Dipsy Divers... Spoons, Body baits or J-Plugs?
Jeff - Michigan
Hi Jeff:
Thank you for your steelhead / Dipsy Diver question.
Without question, my first choice would be a Diamond King spoon. I'm especially fond of the gold-plated finish for trout since it's so effective in a variety of water color and light conditions. Silver-plate & "hot" red-orange is a good combination in clear water. Two sizes are available, the smaller #4 and the larger #5...stock #5663.
Good fishing,
Pete
6. I want to your expert advice in telling me how effective is jigging atlantic salmon with a wet salmon fly? A freind of mine uses that method and tell me that salmon take the fly aggressevely.
p.s. What wet fly would work best?
Conrad - New Brunswick
Hi Conrad:
Thank you for your inquiry.
Although 90% of my fishing is vertical or horizontal jigging, I have no
experience with jigging Atlantic salmon with a wet fly. However, since the
downward flutter of a lure is the primary trigger for a strike, I would not
be surprised to see a fairly similar reaction to a falling fly.
The most important factor, in Atlantic salmon fishing, is presentation. In
order for the sunken fly to travel at the correct speed it should drift to
the fish sideways. Generally, the fly can be tied to look extremely fancy as
well as lifelike. Fish smaller wet flies in clearer, lower streams and
larger
(up to palm size) flies in discolored, flooded waters.
Hope these tips help,
Pete
7. What is the best method/technique/tackle(no bait allowed) for catching springers in the lower Deschutes river near the mouth?
Steve - Oregon
My first choice would be our new K-13 Kwikfish behind a Hot Shot Side Planer.
8. I read your tips on power trolling. I tried it last summer and it worked quite well. Expensive on lures mind you. I fish pickerel in a fairly big lake in northern Ontario with depths from 5 to 300 and some rocky shores. The water colour is of a stained brown. My question is, does the wind direction make a difference to which shore you should power troll ?
Sylvain - Ontario, Canada
Most fishing articles state that you should troll the shoreline which is buffeted by wind (the windward side). This means rougher water conditions, but normally water stirred up by wind waves has bait jarred loose from rocks and places they might be hanging on to. I have had great success fishing practically on the beach in stormy weather.
Thanks, Rog
9. "DOUBLE DEEP SIX"
I've heard about this new diver.
1.When will it be out?
2.how deep will it dive?
3.is it the same size as #2 model with just more added weight?
Tyler - Minnesota
It has twice the weights as the regular models. It comes with the same size bodies, size 0, size 1, size 2. I would have to believe it will dive at least half again as deep as the regular models and they should be out by June of this year.
Thanks, Rog
10. When trolling on a new lake for the first time, can you use "pop" gear behind a Dipsy Diver? What lures (sizes and colors) would you recommend when pursuing lake trout, rainbow, and or cutthroat?
Darrin - Utah
Absolutely! Pop Gear is a brand of lake trolls but it has the generic meaning of lake trolls in general much the same as some people call lake trolls Cowbells. Regardless, I would prefer to use Needlefish as my number one lure to put behind the lake troll. Vary the leader length depending on the water clarity (longer if clear water, shorter if dirty water) and weather conditions; windy and overcast weather means less light penetration in deep water. Super Dupers, Canadian Wonders also work well as spoons and don't forget size 070 and 060 Hot Shot Plugs or small Kwikfish. Thanks, Rog
11. How do you sew a minnow that is to be used behind a cowbell?
Don - Michigan
You need to use a harness rig similar to a "Jeweled Bead Walley Spinner" or maybe the "Eric's Prawn Rig" to "SEW" his bait. Some people use herring rigs and other harnesses to secure their bait on the line, and some tie their own rigs with one, two or three hooks, depending on the size of the bait.
Rog
12. We're trolling from kayaks in 10 feet of water (shallow lake) and need something to keep the lures wide to each side.
Pete - Texas
"Hot Shot Side Planer" - This will keep lures out and to the side. Check out our Side Planner tech report for more information.
Rog.
13. Hi,
I was wondering if you could tell me what the length for each of the weight groups were. Do you think that this would be a good bait for the jack trevally since it pretty much resembles a bait fish? What would you suggest it for?
Micheal
Hi Mike:
Thanks for your inquiry. These are the lengths for the 1/6-5 1/2 oz
sizes:
1/6 oz...1 3/8 inches
1/4 oz...1 1/2
1/3 & 1/2 oz...1 5/8
3/4 oz...2 1/8
1 & 1 1/2 oz...3
2 oz...3 1/2
3 oz...3 3/4
4 oz...4 3/8
5 & 5 1/2 oz...5 1/8
TIP: USE THE SMALLEST LURE TO EFFECTIVELY REACH YOUR TARGET!
Good fishing,
Pete
14. I love using the crippled herring off of the surf for stripers and blue fish. I experience a great deal of twist in my line with this lure and I don't have this problem with other lures. I am tying the lure directly to my line with a cinch type of knot. Is there anything that I can do differently to avoid or minimize this problem?
Hi Joe:
Thank you for your inquiry and for your loyalty to the Crippled Herring.
The Crippled Herring is an extremely active lure, even in calm water. But,
that is what makes it such an effective fish-catcher. However, with the
combination of current or rough surf, the Crippled Herring's erratic action
can cause line twist. A "release" needs to be placed between your lure and
your line. Remedies are as follows:
1) Do not tie directly to the lure. Use a loop knot instead. The other
option is a wide bend snap...not a snap swivel.
2) If line twist persists, place a swivel 1-2 feet from your lure.
I hope these tips take care of your twist problem. Please let me know how
you do.
Good fishing,
Pete
15. What is the best time to catch lakers, and the best time of day.
Peter - New Mexico
Early Spring time on the waters surface when the lake trout first begin to become active is very good. The weather is usually cool, windy and sometimes overcast, which makes for good shallow water trolling. As the water warms, move to deeper water areas, looking for underwater structure. Submerged
islands, underwater ridges and old creek beds and drop-offs are likely beginning points.
Lake trout will actively take lures trolled just under the waters surface when the water temperatures are cold (but warming) in springtime. I prefer slow trolled Kwikfish, J-Plugs, Javelins and Fingerling Hi-Catch in rainbow trout or kokanee patterns. (Kokanee are land-locked sockeye salmon often planted in western lakes and reservoirs.)
These same lures will also work in deeper water as the warming water drives the fish down later in the spring, but I also use chub, sucker and whitefish imitations as well.
Rog
16. What will work better for getting the large J-plug's and big spoons, down deeper. The deep six or the pink lady? I have no more room left for down riggers but want to get a few more lines down in the 30-60 foot range and as low as 90'.Deep six or pink lady. witch dives deeper-faster.IE if I let out two lines with the same plug same leader and a 100 feet on the line counters witch will be deeper? The deep six or the pink lady?
The no. 2 Deep-Six is our best and deepest diving diver. It will carry larger lures better than any thing else we have. You might suggest to this fellow our newest model, the "Double" Deep-Six, with extra weights affixed to the diver itself.
Rog
17. Please explain the effect of barometric pressure and how it affects fish?
Mike - Georgia
Hi Mike:
Thank you for your question regarding the effects of barometric pressure and
its effect on fish. Good question but open to opinion vs. hard fact, even
among marine biologists. One of the most controversial topics in sport
fishing is that of the mechanisn, and effect, of barometric pressure on
fish. The inner ear, and lateral line, are the primary anatomical sensory
devices in fish. But, how these affect the feeding patterns, in relation to
barometric changes, is still not completely understood.
From personal experiences, I have found that shallower waters are more
susceptible to barometric pressure changes than deeper waters. A rapidly
fluctuating barometer, whether falling or rising, results in extremely poor
fishing. Generally, the beginning of a falling barometer triggers fish to
feed. Warm fronts stimulate fish to feed but strong cold fronts (northwest
winds) send fish deep making them sluggish and poor feeders. In the Florida
Gulf, a quick wind change to out of the northwest will suddenly, and
completely, turn fish off.
Good fishing,
Pete
18. I fish alot for fluke and love the B2 squids but I was wandering what is the best way to fish them for fluke
Dan - Pennsylvania (March 28, 01)
Hi Dan:
Thank you for your inquiry regarding the use of B2 Squids for fluke. My
technique is fairly similar to fishing with other plastics (tubes & curly
tails) on leadhead jigs....short, slow lifts and drops. High jig lifts are
usually not necessary since fluke are bottom-positioned and ambush baits
close to bottom.
Another jig, you should strongly consider, is the Crippled Herring. It is
absolutely deadly on all flatfish from huge halibut to tiny sanddabs. The
Crippled Herring not only looks like a live baitfish but, because of its
versatility, can be used for any sportfish that eats baitfish. TIP...use the
smallest size to effectively reach your target. Here's a recent experience.
This past Monday, I fish 29 miles (63-78 ft deep) out of Fort Myers Beach,
Florida aboard the "Island Lady". (37) anglers were aboard, all fishing
with live pinfish, cutbait & squid. I was the only angler fishing with an
artificial lure...a bare 2oz gold Crippled Herring. At the end of the trip,
this single Crippled Herring caught more snapper & grouper than all of the
other (37) anglers combined! Be assured, this was an eye-opener for the
boat's captain.
Good fishing (jigging),
Pete
19. I fish the St. Croix River in St. Croix Falls,Wisc. The fall fishing for smallmouth is outstanding (chartreuse with minnow). I've never fished it in the spring or summer for smallmouth. What lures would you recommend - many rocks and logs in river - colors, size, etc? I read in In-Fisherman where Westmoreland recommend a hot lips Luhr Jensen but did not spec a color...Appreciate your help.
Don - Minnesota
As far as Hot Lips go, firetiger is pretty dependable. Dirty water in the early spring means bright lures...white, chartreuse and light colors work well. Remember smallmouth prefer crawfish, so crawfish patterns are basic finishes to keep around, but they will also chase or catch minnows, insects and other forage when it is plentiful. Any pattern which closely matches the natural feed is a good place to start your
lure selection.
Thanks, Rog
20. I'm doing my fishing in Colorado as of late, and will be concentrating on Macinaw and Kokanee this Spring. How do I determine the depth to which a Dipsy Diver will troll? Particularly when used with cowbells and a lure or sucker meat?
Tom - Colorado
Luhr Jensen has a depth chart he can use. Variables are line diameter
and what is being pulled behind the diver. The heavier the line and the
larger the item being pulled behind the diver, the less effective the diver
becomes. Normally, the diver will accomodate just about anything in lures
without much trouble; some extremely large flashers may affect the overall
depth reached by 10 to 15% less than listed on the chart.
Rog
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