BWCA Help with the TGO method.... Boundary Waters Fishing Forum
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SkiYee
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04/02/2018 10:07AM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
TGO method - seems simple enough. Here's how I understand it: tie a hook to the end of your line, about 24" above the hook pinch on a small split shot. Tip the hook with a leech, minnow or piece of nite crawler. Cast it out , let it sink and retrieve it slowly. I can see how this is effective drifting in a canoe. However, I tried this off a dock at my locale lake and because of the light weight, I couldn't cast it more than 10 feet (wind wasn't a factor). Is this about right? A short cast like that works from a canoe because you're on the lake.

Is a 10' cast about what I should expect? Is this NOT a method to use when shore fishing? Maybe this works 10' from shore in the BW? Should I only use this method from the canoe on the water? Did I do something wrong? Have I used my quota of questions??

Will be in the BW the first weekend in June and I'm hoping to catch a bunch of fish. Thanks for the input!
 
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QueticoMike
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04/02/2018 10:37AM  
Maybe use a longer rod with lighter line? You can add a slip float for added weight to the rig, you just need to determine the depth of the water you are fishing. It would be easier if you had a canoe or boat.
 
04/02/2018 10:46AM  
Sounds like you may have too heavy of a rated rig and/or using a BB size split shot. Increase the weight or get another fishing rig.
 
Savage Voyageur
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04/02/2018 11:10AM  
You are forgetting the most important part of this rig, the slip bobber. With that you can cast a long distance, I’m guessing 50 feet or more. Adjust the weight on the slip bobber until it stands up from the bottom, then move the bobber stop so it’s resting one foot off the bottom.

So the set up is as follows, leech, bare hook, 24” up from the hook put enough split shot, slip bobber, and a bobber stop.
 
04/02/2018 01:36PM  
Savage Voyageur: "You are forgetting the most important part of this rig, the slip bobber. With that you can cast a long distance, I’m guessing 50 feet or more. Adjust the weight on the slip bobber until it stands up from the bottom, then move the bobber stop so it’s resting one foot off the bottom.

So the set up is as follows, leech, bare hook, 24” up from the hook put enough split shot, slip bobber, and a bobber stop. "


Ok what am I missing about this? Your talking about a hook, weight, and a bobber? What makes this the TGO method? Isn't this just fishing with a slip bobber? Sounds about as old school and mainstream as I can imagine unless I'm missing something about how its fished differently.

 
04/02/2018 01:37PM  
I would suggest that you remember that the guy you are emulating doesn’t fish out of a canoe. He fishes on a lake he’s been on for years, if not decades, and he is in a boat with motors, anchors, GPS, etc. He can motor to his spot on a spot and drop the bait on a hook with a split shot right on the fishes head. He’s not on a dock or in a canoe battling wind and whatever else. First you have to find the fish. Then you can try that ‘method’ out. Good luck with that. Better off trolling spinner rigs with bait in a canoe. Just sayin.
 
missmolly
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04/02/2018 02:14PM  
I just dunk it over the side, wait a few minutes, and set the hook. I do fish with a Baitrunner with the drag disengaged after losing two outfits to fish that pulled them overboard. If you don't re-engage the drag before setting the hook, you'll un-spool a lot of line.
 
Mad_Angler
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04/02/2018 02:21PM  
Savage Voyageur: "You are forgetting the most important part of this rig, the slip bobber. With that you can cast a long distance, I’m guessing 50 feet or more. Adjust the weight on the slip bobber until it stands up from the bottom, then move the bobber stop so it’s resting one foot off the bottom.

So the set up is as follows, leech, bare hook, 24” up from the hook put enough split shot, slip bobber, and a bobber stop. "


That is a very effective way to fish. But it is not the TGO method. Here is the TGO method straight from the horse's mouth:

The Great Outdoors: "Said it before, and I'll say it again: use a #4 or #6 plain hook tied directly to your line, one BB split shot about 3-4 feet away from the hook, and a medium sized leech or 2 inch piece of night crawler.
Troll this very slowly (almost at a standstill) across a reef, close to or right on the bottom.
In some cases, don't use any sinker at all.
Just cast it out and let it slooooooowly sink to the bottom, and move it few inches at a time.
This method is best used with the piece of crawler on the hook, because the leech will swim and suspend itself."


You were doing it correct but it can be hard to cast. You need to have fairly light line and it needs to be fresh. I can cast a single leech plenty far to catch fish.

And it works nearly everywhere. It is especially effective from most campsites, especially in the evening...

 
gqualls
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04/02/2018 04:37PM  
While not the TGO method something close is what I use when live bait fishing. #4 or 6 hook, #7 or #9 splitshot usually about 18 inches above bait. I throw out and fish the live bait by bouncing the sinker off the bottom, much like I do a 3 inch curly tail on a 1/8 ounce jighead. I usually use 6# line and casting far enough is never an issue. I've caught Pike, Smallies, and Walleye fishing in this manner. Good luck and tight lines!
 
The Great Outdoors
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04/02/2018 05:33PM  
scat: "I would suggest that you remember that the guy you are emulating doesn’t fish out of a canoe. He fishes on a lake he’s been on for years, if not decades, and he is in a boat with motors, anchors, GPS, etc. He can motor to his spot on a spot and drop the bait on a hook with a split shot right on the fishes head. He’s not on a dock or in a canoe battling wind and whatever else. First you have to find the fish. Then you can try that ‘method’ out. Good luck with that. Better off trolling spinner rigs with bait in a canoe. Just sayin."

The plain hook tied directly with a BB shot about 3-4 feet from the hook works well wherever you use it. Many times, do not use a sinker either with a leech or minnow only hooked through the upper lip, about 1/8th inch back at the most. Cast it out, and let it drop naturally.
A leech or minnow on the plain hook can easily be cast 30+ feet when using 6 or 8 pound test line.
I fished the BWCA from a canoe many times over the years, now stay on one lake due to health problems.
I will never convince a non believer, but that's their loss!! :)
 
04/02/2018 06:06PM  
6 or 8 pound mono, split shot, hook, you should be able to cast out 100 feet if everything is “ balanced” . Sometimes you might have to adjust the size of the split shot, doesn’t have to be that small to be effective.
 
nooneuno
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04/02/2018 06:46PM  
The TGO method is more of mind set than a hookset, more simple than complex, less is more because more just leads to more. A leech and a plain hook works, why? because fish in the BWCA are not as educated as fish "down South" they bite on the same things they have been feedin on for thousands of years, they don't subscribe to the fancy fishin magazines, so they don't realize they are only sposed to bite on this years most perductive, super duper, high fallutin, whiz bang gizmo. And don't even get em started on the cable channels, no cable up there anywhoo......
 
04/02/2018 07:24PM  
I am not a nonbeliever, I am an advocate actually, that is how I fish a lot on my home waters, as light as possible. I just get a weird reaction when tying a hook to a line and putting a piece of bait on it is a new ‘method’. It seems that is probably been a method since man started fishing. But, I get it, so I’m good with it, so I’ll shut up about it. Cheers, scat
 
Savage Voyageur
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04/02/2018 07:48PM  
nofish: "
Savage Voyageur: "You are forgetting the most important part of this rig, the slip bobber. With that you can cast a long distance, I’m guessing 50 feet or more. Adjust the weight on the slip bobber until it stands up from the bottom, then move the bobber stop so it’s resting one foot off the bottom.


So the set up is as follows, leech, bare hook, 24” up from the hook put enough split shot, slip bobber, and a bobber stop. "



Ok what am I missing about this? Your talking about a hook, weight, and a bobber? What makes this the TGO method? Isn't this just fishing with a slip bobber? Sounds about as old school and mainstream as I can imagine unless I'm missing something about how its fished differently.


"


First of all I think it’s called that because Jim who owns the bait store in Ely MN called The Great Outdoors has a dislike to artificial baits of any kind. He will post it in every thread that is started about catching fish in the BWCA. I agree, it is nothing new or invented by him. I have been using this way to fish for 50 plus years. But I will say Jim has given many here great advice over the years and this is just one of them.

Second you are not missing anything. The original poster talked nothing about a bobber and said he could only cast it out 10 feet. I’m thinking he’s not using a slip bobber at all, or using it wrong. I can cast a slip bobber 50 plus feet, maybe more. We are trying to figure it out for him.

Slip bobber fishing has been around for a long time. Just like when Quetico Mike talks about using a Lucky 13 lure, Basspro using a black jitterbug, or a daredevil spoon, or lazy Ike. These are all old school ways that still catch fish. Jim at TGO has taught many here an old school trick long forgotten by many that still works. So here it’s called the TGO method.
 
carmike
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04/02/2018 08:34PM  
Very cool method. I fished a tournament last summer and lost (by a lot) to some guys doing much the same thing, just in a different kind of spot -- long-lining nightcrawlers waaaaay behind the boat, using *very* light weights, and suspending the crawler just over the weed tops. Pretty interesting technique, and not one that I'm all that familiar with.
 
The Great Outdoors
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04/02/2018 08:47PM  
carmike: "Very cool method. I fished a tournament last summer and lost (by a lot) to some guys doing much the same thing, just in a different kind of spot -- long-lining nightcrawlers waaaaay behind the boat, using *very* light weights, and suspending the crawler just over the weed tops. Pretty interesting technique, and not one that I'm all that familiar with. "

Exactly, throwing it out with no weight and letting it sink slowly is the way when not trolling.
The method you described above is for trolling, long lining (about 50 feet in back of the boat) works great when the hook is tipped with half a crawler, leech, or upper lip hooked minnow. If using a motor, troll in reverse then put motor into neutral when the line gets tight. Leave it in neutral until the line gets slack in it and starts to sink, then back into reverse and repeat this process. Same when in a canoe, move very slowly. If in 10 feet of water or less, do not use a sinker.
 
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