proper lindy rig useage

[avidfisher]

I hear alot about using lindy's and have used them for sometime now.

when fishing for walleye how slow do you need to go. I usually go with the current which is between 0 and .75 is this to slow or fast. also i hold reel in hand with line on finger when i feel a hit should i set right away. I have noticed if i do i usually miss it if i let go and wait a few and then set it ends up being a sunny and it gave him time to swallow the hook. Is there a better method or some way to keep the sunnies off. just looking for some ideas or methods that work for guys that heave been there done that. OR would it be better to troll.

[Get_the_gaff]

Lindy rigs are usually used if the walleyes are bighting light. When you feel them tap you immediately let go and give them line. How long you wait to set the hook varies and if you miss the first fish, give the next one more time. I start at about 10 seconds and go from there. If you set the hook right away you would be better off using a jig.

[avidfisher]

Thanks for the reply. I do catch alot of other fish that way. Walleye's i try and try and try i usually don't catch many. But trial and error i will get the hang of it. I wish they had a how to fishing for dummies book or video. I guess like a lot of other people you have to do a lot of hands on to get the hang of it. In the end i am still out fishing relaxing and haveing fun, which is what it is all about ( at least for me) if anybody is ever willing to give me some pointers i am an eager learner. I would be willing to provide the ride,boat and bait in exchange for demonstration

[Central Bassman]

I just got back from Canada and all we did was Lindy rigged. To answer your question about setting the hook with one it depends on the bait you are using. If you are using Leeches you don’t have to get them much time before setting the hook. Just let you finger off the line and give them a few second and set the hook.

If you are using Worm then you have to give them more time before setting the hook. You need to give them more time so they can Roll the worm in there mouth and you can catch them. Minnows are similar to leeches.

Some times you need to see what the fish want for speed. I like going slow, drifting or back trolling into the wind or current and slow as possible. A drift sock is a good investment and depending on how big of boat your have two drift socks isn’t a bad ideal. You need to always have contact of the bottom. You will have to see how wind it is or how much current there is before selecting what size weight to use. There are the ones we use in the rocks in Canada and Minnesota. I have used a lot of bell sinkers in the weeds and sand.

We use these snaps also… It makes it easy to switch weights when the conditions change.

Hope this helps... Good Luck

[vister]

Better snag-free results are from fishing as vertical as you can. anything over 1.25 MPH may be too fast, unless you have got a heavy weight down there. Yes, it does matter how long you give em line. But, as much as the color to use varies, so does this. Just give out 5-10 ft of line, slowly pull the line tight. If it is firm, set the hook, if still tapping like the original bite, give more line. Should help.

[n8ivefl]

If I can add one other observation... one thing that I learned was that often, the weight is too light. Remember, the whole concept of a Lindy Rig is that once the fish picks up the bait, he can run with it without feeling a weight. Using a quick-change clevis with a no-snag type weight seems to be an excellent option. Don't be afraid to go with more weight as the heavier weight will fall nicely to the bottom and the clevis will allow the line to run freely.

I agree with previous posters about the plastic quick-change clevis with one caveat: stay away from the Northwoods ones and go with ones like Quick Change. They're a little more spendy, but well worth it.

As noted, once you feel the bite, let out some line to about a 10-count and then set the hook. Adjust from there.

Good luck & tight lines!