Drifting for Walleye

TMAN

TMAN

Well-Known Member
Been doing good like everyone this year trolling for walleye, limits each outing. However my 9 and 7 year old boys really want to use their own poles to catch fish and even though the action is non stop they want to catch them on their own. So... I'm going to give drifting a try and see how that works. Anybody have any pointers? I inherited a number of erie dearies, going to give them a try and maybe some spinners both tipped with minnow or worm. But I would appreciate some pointers if someone has any. I will have my gear on board to troll just in case or I may just troll for a bit to at least get 1 limit then try drifting just in case.... .lol Honestly kids would be happy catching anything so if there is a trick to catching silver bass that would be appreciated too.
 
Thirty years ago when I was a young man-used to go out in a 14ft aluminum till the flasher said we hit 50ft and cast a erie dearie over the side tipped with a dew worm and a big split shot about one foot up. After the cast we would leave our bail open to the count of five and close it, then work the bait slowly up and down. we did very well- no lead core or dipsy divers back then, and we did very well. If you hit a school enter it into your graph and try a drift. Like I said it worked thirty years ago -and this year the walleye are in thick as thieves. On a seven foot rod with eight lb test- lots of fun for the boys. Good Luck and great idea
 
These guys drift for walleye in the west end. Recent article in the August Ontario Out of Doors.

https://chantecharters.com/

I'm sure it would work, especially with the stirred up murky water and fish in shallow like they were this past weekend. Just a matter of finding a school and enough wind to move you along. I'd think a worm harness with enough weight to get it down would also work. Erie Dearies are the classic though!
 
Try using a bottom bouncer just heavy enough to feel bottom with a floating worm harness. A stinger hook will definitely increase hook ups on fish and braided line also helps. Using smaller blades on your harness will give you more spin on calmer days but if it’s a good chop use the big blades #5-#6. The floats will keep the harness from snagging and keep the hooks free of algae. Be prepared for snags with the young ones til they get the feel for it especially with a rock bottom. Good luck ?
 
Drifting years ago was a blast. Now you have to watch out for the zebra mussels. Cut your line like butter if you get down too far
 
I would use bottom bouncer with worm harness if marking fish on bottom

Or use a 3 way swivel with 1/2 -3/4 oz weight.....premeasure 50 & 75 'of line on rod prior and attach an a plastic band or mark line another way ......im guessing drifting with 1/2 weight and 50 line u should be n zone we have been catching eyes in....plus might get perch.....use worm or minnows
 
Great subject? Long time Pt Bruce percher, but starving for perch and temped by the walleye attack?
Fish with a 17.5 tinner, and to cheap to buy more hp. so pick my days?
I do not have the deeper water equipment, so have been experimenting with some of the never used stuff in the bottom of box and spinning eq.
First few trips out past 38 ft, used heavy bottom bouncer's with worm harness, trolled but with my hp, would be close to drifting. 3 wally's per trip, this yrs average size, but also the biggest one I ever saw, lost at the boat, I'm still pouting.
Gave it a go past Sunday, switched it up, replaced bottom bouncer with a large inline sinker, still worm harness with perch colourd flasher's, brought 5 nice fish home in a few hours.
Problem's,
can't be sure of depth, or speed, just went with what was working
so much line out hits are fine, and hook set not enough?
Line twist, 2 seperate swivell points and still a mess,
Not a problem, wally,s give a ton of meat, white, flakey and mild, but their not Perch
 
used to love tossing Erie Deries back in the 80's when I was a kid! Like mentioned above the only issue may be muscles on the bottom but if wanting to run a worm harness I would rig a 3 way swivel with a 3.5' drop with 2oz's of bell sinkers and then a 5' lead to the harness...could also use a floating harness if you are getting caught up. Kinda makes me want to do it again now with my little ones!

Ryan
 
I'd think some lures would be easier for the kids without having to worry about worms or minnows. I think something like Rapala countdown cranks would be great for them while making it easy to fish because you could mark fish and tell the kids to count to whatever number to get the lure to the right depth. Let them dead stick or do whatever and I am sure they'll hook a few.

Actually, I never really thought about this until now and I don't see any reason why it wouldn't work while being much more fun than trolling. Time to go shopping....
 
Just talked to my dad about what all we use to do back in the day! He said he also caught quite a few chucking the Cotton Cordell Ratlin Spots. Casted out as far as he could throw...let them sink then jig/twitch while retreaving. Said he had a lot of fun doing that!
 
Finally figured out how to reply, don't use ipad use pc. How about finding large pods of bait and jig a vibrato or other ice fishing jigs. Lipless cranks maybe
 
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Hey folks, sorry for the late report... We didn't have the success that wetfootwilly had..lol I tried erie dearies with worms and drifting but no hits, then used elecric motor to troll real slow and nothing. then Used inline spinner with worm on downrigger to get to a somewhat known depth and still nothing... So as we trolled slow I put my leadcore in and within minutes...... fish on.. lol. We must have been doing something wrong. anyway boys were looking bored so I had to do something. As long as they could use their rods I was able to troll with lead core and one downrigger, other 2 lines were theirs... lol barely enough line on the reels after letting lures out. I used bottom bouncers and one had a silver and black redfin ( because that was on leadcore and it was going off continously) other had a shad rap perch colour.. his choice but he seems to know what lures to use. He landed 3 with that and the other caught 2.. One double header when lead core and rigger were silent. Must have been the right depth at the time. Anyway after 3 hours we managed 16 altogether, put a few back. They enjoyed catching 3 at 8lbs each and 1 at 5lbs. They were caught on my gear luckily or they would have spooled them little reels..lol.. all and all we had another great time out, boys are learning to net fish and land them pretty good for 9 and 7. I am sure we will try again so if it seemed like I did something wrong let me know.... or wetwilly can share some of his secrets..... worms cost me 12$ for 3 dozen! was not a cheap alternative..lol Anyway take a kid fishing, it's crazy, it's busy, it gets stressful, but it's awesome! so worth it!!
 
TMAN said:
Hey folks, sorry for the late report... We didn't have the success that wetfootwilly had..lol I tried erie dearies with worms and drifting but no hits, then used elecric motor to troll real slow and nothing. then Used inline spinner with worm on downrigger to get to a somewhat known depth and still nothing... So as we trolled slow I put my leadcore in and within minutes...... fish on.. lol. We must have been doing something wrong. anyway boys were looking bored so I had to do something. As long as they could use their rods I was able to troll with lead core and one downrigger, other 2 lines were theirs... lol barely enough line on the reels after letting lures out. I used bottom bouncers and one had a silver and black redfin ( because that was on leadcore and it was going off continously) other had a shad rap perch colour.. his choice but he seems to know what lures to use. He landed 3 with that and the other caught 2.. One double header when lead core and rigger were silent. Must have been the right depth at the time. Anyway after 3 hours we managed 16 altogether, put a few back. They enjoyed catching 3 at 8lbs each and 1 at 5lbs. They were caught on my gear luckily or they would have spooled them little reels..lol.. all and all we had another great time out, boys are learning to net fish and land them pretty good for 9 and 7. I am sure we will try again so if it seemed like I did something wrong let me know.... or wetwilly can share some of his secrets..... worms cost me 12$ for 3 dozen! was not a cheap alternative..lol Anyway take a kid fishing, it's crazy, it's busy, it gets stressful, but it's awesome! so worth it!!
Click to expand...
with the erie dearies you have to count down to get your depth..every second is about a foot.cast out bail open count say 20 seconds close bail and slow retrieve back to boat 20 seconds should be est 20 ft down and so on
 
Not drifting, but I did try a keel weight inline sinker in front of a worm harness at 0.9mph yesterday and had a great time fighting a three pounder. Nothing after that though, until I switched over to the leadcore.
 
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