Big Water Cranking

[IceAge@work]

Looking for a little insight on how some of the LOTW veterans gameplan to pull cranks in the basin areas. A few questions if I can.

How do you choose a particular area?

Do you stay away from the boat packs?

Cruise around until you find the right combination of bait and larger fish showing on the electronics?

Or go to a proven area and start a trolling pattern like a grid and see where the activity starts?

We did very well last year pulling Taildancers & Reef Runners off the edges of the reefs. Several good size wallys including a 29" and some nice Northerns too. However had to pretty much switch to bait up on the reef structure to get eating size fish.

Also tried trolling in the basin areas north of Archies but with poor results. No luck at all out prospecting on our own and minmal luck fishing in a couple of boat packs that were roaming the area.

Thanks for any feedback.

Ice

[cdemeyes]

Ice Age,

Really it all starts before you get on the water. Just like your doin, you find reports on hot bites and make a few calls to resorts such as arnsens and look back at your success and now you have a strating point . From there I usually go out to the area I have chosen to fish and start to look, if I like what I see (bait,walleyes) I make my first trollin pass from there I will just grid the area until I make contact with the right fish. I dont know if you have been up to LOTW this year, but it has been absolutly fantastic. Dont stay on the same pass if your not connecting with fish give yourself a certain time limit and then start the grid process until you hit em. Best of luck out there I'm headin up for fri,sat & sun of this week I'll be on 79 on the marine band if your up. Best of luck and God bless.

cdemeyes

[icemiester71]

Ice,

Not exactly a LOTW vet here, but If youd like a tip from a LOTW apprentice, I would say try a #5 shadrap gold, my secret weapon. I was just out today and did pretty good near 16 mile reef, about 32 fow. No slot-monsters, but some very nice eaters. Tried 5 mile drifting with bait and around 12 mile pluggin with no luck, just kept going farther out trying different spots untill i hooked up.

There were like 10 boats right on 16 mile in the morning, however they must not have been fairing too well being they all dissapated. If u go on the reefs, i would say get there very early like 5 or 6 am otherwise go deep. I didnt mark hardly any fish on the reefs late this mornin. Buncha fish kinda west off 5 mile but the reef itself was like deserted. Never know though, tomarrow is a different day.

Dont forget your bugspray either and get the good stuff. Gnats, little ankle biting black flies, and miniature mayfly things that will drive a guy crazy.

Goodluck, Ice

[IceAge@work]

Icemeister,

Were you downrigging? I don't use shallower running baits like the shad rap because I'm usally flatlining or using smaller snap weights. I do like baits with gold backgrounds though. Always good at LOTW.

Also as far as 16 mile goes were you trolling in close proximity to the reef or working the basin areas to the north? Thanks for your feedback.

cdemeyes,

I'll be up there Thursday through Saturday fishing out of Arnesens. I do have a marine band so will check in with you and see how its going.

How far apart do you set up your grids when in search mode? Also have you spent any time this year in the basin/mud areas south of Garden Island? Thinking hard about heading up that way if the wind situation is favorable. Thank you for the response too.

IceAge

[Guest]

Iceage

I'll be at Arensons Wed-Sat. V177 Warrior w/75 Mariner tiller. We've be going to Arensons at the same time for the last 20 years or so started trolling leadcore & deep divers 3 or 4 years ago. Sure works good. Nice to get a break from getting stuck in the rocks. If you see me introduce yourself maybe we can share some info.

[cdemeyes]

Iceage,

Yeah Thats where the majority of my fishing has been this year (south of garden)It started by archies reef in june and the last two trips were out by Garden. I usually jump in half mile jumps, I slow down, look around a little and if I like it i'll fish it, if not I will repeat the process.I'll be on the water friday around noon and fishin till sunday afternoon around 3! Talk to ya soon.

cdemeyes

[icemiester71]

Ice,

Yes i was downrigging and was in the basin about 2 miles east of 16m. As far as a pattern i just made sort of a NNE pass for a while then crisscrossed it eastward, intercepting the best area i hooked up at during the previous pass. The fishing seemed slower to the north and better toward the east. Also tried a pass hugging close to the reef in 31 or so fow with no luck.

Lotsa luck, and let us know how u made out.

[fiskyknut]

Iceage, you've gotten some good responses so far. Troll bite has been way good here and there across the pond. From what I've seen the past couple 3 weeks iffin you're launching out of Rocky I don't think you are gonna want to travel more than a few miles to start your trolling pass.

fiskyknut

[Kaz]

Just returned home from three days of pulling cranks. We did very well in Zipple Bay, 30/31 feet. Best color was anything Lite Green. Best Green was, Green top and white bottom.. Ice, if you have a Marine Radio, listen to Channel 82, the Guides chat back and forth with the Info that will help you determine what's working and the best depth. Fisky, thanks for the helpful info before we left... It was hot, both the weather and the fishing.... Kaz

[IceAge@work]

Nice - Thanks gentlemen for all the feedback. Very helpful. On the water tomorrow back Sunday. Will definately post the results.

IceAge