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mastertangler
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10/29/2017 06:49AM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
I haven't used floating jig heads much.........the last time was some 20 years ago and I was in Texas fishing a rocky bank at night with a slip sinker rig and a floating jig head tipped with a minnow. I was crappie fishing with 6lb test and had the tussle of my life when a flat head cat snapped it up. They are very serious customers. I put the fish on one of those metal stringers for the night expecting to get a photo session come morning but when I returned the metal clip was bent and broken open and the fish was gone.

I don't want to be a one trick pony with my crawlers so several floating jig heads need to tag along. I am looking for a premium hook. Also, what has been your favorite color in canoe country?
 
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oth
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10/29/2017 09:14AM  
screwball and gumdrop w/stinger hook. both northland products I believe. About all I see on the shelf when shopping. May be many more, but that is what I usually see available. I like the screwball because of the short shank and wide gap. a worm blower helps too; for nice big crawlers as they can be heavy. the highball jig may have more bouancy but for some reason they don't bring me as much luck.
 
10/29/2017 09:47AM  
My choice is Northlands gum drop floaters. My color choices that seem to work on Walleyes, and trout, which is the species I use them for are sunrise, watermelon, and fire tiger. I will put the appropriate size split shot 18 inches or so above the jig, sometimes higher depending on drift speed. I do widen the hook gap most of time.to me they seem a little narrow out of the bag.
 
10/29/2017 10:39AM  
+1 Wallee, Northland Gum Drop Floaters is one of my "go to" presentations for walleye. I would add in blue colored "Moonlight" to Wallee's lineup of color selection. That is my favorite color for sure especially in the stained Quetico lakes I fish. It is a "glow in the dark" gum drop offering.

When fishing Quetico, I go with the biggest floater and biggest hook size 1/0 ... I find that I need the bigger hook size to accommodate the artificial trailers needed in Quetico. I prefer Berkley Gulp Killer Crawlers for gum drop fishing. 3 inch Killer Crawlers are hollow and provide great action. 4 inch Gulp Crwalers work well especially watermelon color.

If I were fishing BWCA or lakes that allow live nightcrawlers I might opt for the smaller #2 or #4 hook size. MT, I know you are bringing your "conditioned" big fat live night crawlers. Lunkers Love Night crawlers calls for smaller size #8 hooks so you might go with the smaller #4 hook. I have experimented with all 3 hooks sizes of gum drops (#4, #2, 1/0) and larger 1/0 has worked best for me.

Like wallee you can pull this floating jig using a split shot 18 inches above the jig.

When walleye are just off the bottom, I usually fish it with a 1/2 oz. Lindy Walking Slip sinker in 10-25 ft. of water in early to mid summer and use a heavier 3/4 oz. slip sinker when fishing 25-35 ft. in later summer and fall. The Lindy slip weight does a good job of keeping the floating gum drop just off the bottom. You can also use a Lindy No Snagg Slip Sinker .

In stained lakes I go with a shorter snell from the Lindy weight ... 20 to 24 inches and on clear lakes I often lengthen my snell to 40 to 48 inches.

Always use a swivel behind your walking sinker on your snell attached to your floating jig head. I like Lindy's swivel clip where you can quickly clip your pre tied floating jig head setup.

I have also used 1.5 to 2 oz. bottom bouncers to slow troll for eyes with a gum drop.

Using gumdrops is a great " search method" to cover lots of water especially when walleyes are a bit finicky when crankbaits aren't working. Once I find concentrations of eyes I often switch to vertically jigging.

The TGO method ( Lunkers Love Night Crawlers) works great too. I have become a convert to this way to catch walleyes especially on lakes I can fish LIVE night crawlers.

Northland Gum Drop Floater

Berkley Gulp Killer Crawler

Lindy No Snagg Slip Sinker

Lindy walking sinker

Lindy Swivel Clips
 
lundojam
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10/29/2017 09:42PM  
I have no fave. To me, there is always something better. Nobody ever won a walleye tournament using a floating jighead that I know of. The only time I use them is in place of a slipbobber from shore where the depth is irregular/unknown.
 
10/30/2017 12:03AM  
Lundojam,

I had not heard of any walleye tournament winners using a floating jig head either.

Most will win trolling crankbaits with planer boards or pulling harnesses with bottom bouncers or using jigging raps or shiver minnows.

But a quick Google search revealed that a gum drop floater did in fact help a team win a walleye tournament. LOL ... ( but the story was posted by Northland... the manufacturers of the gum drop floater).

Gum Drop Floater helps team win Cabelas Master Walleye Season Opener

But I have to say these small floating jigs work well for me in Quetico fishing from a canoe. Here are some pics of couple of 30+ inchers caught on gum drops up at Opasquia Provincial Park @ Big Hook Wilderness Camps on my annual boat fishing trip in August 2008 and 2017.





 
mastertangler
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10/30/2017 06:22AM  
Wasn't the super awesome walleye bite in Conmee with Stu done with crawlers and floating jig heads or am I wrong?

I will likely take your advice Walleye13 and go with a bigger hook........I have always liked glo type colors as well but I will get a variety. Not a lot of "buzz" on the walleye forums concerning floaters but I did find out the Northland Gumdrop was formerly known as a Phelps and is the preferred floater.

I am big about having a rod out while in camp if I have bait along. The bait runner will be sporting a Gumdrop jig head with an air injected crawler. Might as well have something out.

 
mastertangler
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10/30/2017 06:36AM  
I suppose i should toss this out. There is quite a bit of talk from the Ontario Lodges about the Loten Walleye rig. I am not keen on tying trailer hooks to the shank of my other hook however and prefer when there are attachment points specifically for adding one. But evidently the guy has made a name for himself getting big ones with this rig. Just google Loten walleye rig and numerous hits come up.



Loten Walleye rig
 
Savage Voyageur
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10/30/2017 10:14AM  
I use Northland gum ball jig heads with Leeches and crawlers. They work good for keeping my bait off the bottom the lake. I also have used a float on the line next to the hook area. It has a bead on each side of the float that does not move. Kind of acts as same as a floating jig head.
 
mastertangler
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10/31/2017 04:17AM  
quote Savage Voyageur: I also have used a float on the line next to the hook area. It has a bead on each side of the float that does not move. Kind of acts as same as a floating jig head. "


Yes I was reading about a rig like that. What sort of float is used? I am picturing something similar to a strike indicator like they use for fly fishing?
 
Savage Voyageur
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10/31/2017 01:48PM  
quote mastertangler: "
quote Savage Voyageur: I also have used a float on the line next to the hook area. It has a bead on each side of the float that does not move. Kind of acts as same as a floating jig head. "



Yes I was reading about a rig like that. What sort of float is used? I am picturing something similar to a strike indicator like they use for fly fishing? "


Yes it is exactly that. It is a small float with a hole in the middle. The line goes through the middle of the float than loops around and continues on to the hook. Or maybe it’s the bead that the line wraps around. This rig works great with a rocky bottom. Less hang ups.
 
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