Rico’s Roughnecks

This is a pretty old thread, but I’ve been thinking about this alot… -tiny inline spinner -tiny silver spoon -tiny translucent paddletail w/tiny jig head I’ve found I get more diversity in species and sizes using 1/16oz lures and 2” paddletails.

I’ve been fishing this lake (more a big, little pond) for a couple of months now. I’ve thrown everything at it. Texas rigs, crankbaits, spinnerbaits, swimjigs, etc. Not even a nibble, and it was pretty much turning me off of fishing until next spring. Last night, I followed half of your guidance. The rig was the half I didn’t fish the “guaranteed” method: ML-F, 4 lb mono, Size 2 or 3 EWG, 6th Sense Clout. The cadence and casting is what I did follow “to the T.” The result, 2 fish hooked, but one got off about 8 feet from the bank, and the other broke my line. 2-3 fish toyed with it but I had poor hook sets. Planning on another outing with 8 lb line on my MH-F spinning rod. I know, it’s not the guarantee, but I’ll fish what I have for now. Things I learned: 1. The tempo to fish baseline slow. 2. It’s easier to be patient when you know what you’re supposed to be doing.

Are you on a boat or on the shore? If you’re on a boat, have you tried bottom bouncers with a spinner rig and minnow/worm/leach? Or vertical jigging a spoon, jigging rap, or a ball head jig w/a curly tail grub? I found 1-2 feet off the bottom was pretty good for live bait presentations. My experience is mostly from my buddies’ boats, but these are what have always been recommended to me: If on the bank, walleye like eddies, seams, and rocks breaking the water flow. People tend to have luck with ball head jigs and curlytail grubs or paddletails, and spoons. I’ve been lucky with a smaller underspin swimjig. Regardless, cloudy days are best as walleye have sensitive eyes. They are also active in the morning and dusk. I prefer to troll a 1-2 oz bottom bouncer with a spinner rig and half or whole nightcrawler, but I’ve seen leaches and minnows work as well. My spinner colors are typically some bright highlighter color or some variation of fire tiger. I use a medium fast spinning rod 6’ to 7’. The last time I went out I was catching them on the bottom bouncer and my buddy with a jigging rap. Came back home with 5 keepers and some little guys we threw back.

RW, Thank you. —Rico

Sorry, that’s what I meant. I’ll be sitting there fishing the beat up city pond, with cut bait laying all over, diapers on park benches, and a grocery cart in the parking lot, thinking about those pretty manicured golf courses and their stocked bass. I did not know those were the reasons they’re stocked though. Pretty cool.

1. This is 100 % jealousy, haha! Boat anglers: even if I don’t see them, or I’m on a body of water that can’t support them, I know they’re out there. Probably catching more fish, too. 2. Thinking about golf course ponds while fishing the public park. Why the heck do you stock them if you don’t want people fishing them? You can take your 10+ pounders. I didn’t want them anyway! 3. Urban fishing spots: They’re littered, they smell bad, they’re overly fished, I’m afraid to touch the water because I don’t want to lose my hand/life. But, I go back because I caught that one bass 3 years ago, so I know they’re in there. 4. Beautiful, sunny, summer days. Why did I even bother fishing? It’s so nice out, but instead of enjoying it, it’s hot, I’m drenched, I’m low on drinking water, and not one of these fish want this dumb stick bait. Humor aside, not being at work is a win.

Are you replacing hooks because you are using a fast action instead of a moderate or slow action, resulting in a higher hook up ratio for you? I pretty much only use medium-fast spinning rods (because I just don’t know any better), but I’ve noticed, depending on the rod brand and loose standards, a fast action rod might pass as a slower-fast, a faster-moderate, or even just a moderate action. Can this be why some have experienced good inline treble hook fishing on medium-fast as opposed to medium-moderate or medium-slow? I know I’m thinking too hard about inline spinners when I should be trying to get 30 more minutes of sleep before the alarm click goes off.