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Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Fishing Forum :: Casual fishing
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| Author | Message Text | ||
| Savage Voyageur |
For walleye, get a 6’6” to 7’ medium weight rod with a fast tip. Get a medium size reel with 8# mono line spooled on it. A slip bobber setup is a good rig to use up there. There is a recent thread with pictures to show you how it is rigged. I like leeches under a slip bobber or with a 1/4 oz jig. For lakers, be sure the lake you are fishing has them. Go on the DNR lake finder page first to see. Use a little Cleo spoon or similar, or a Rapala deep diving tail dancer in purpledescent color. |
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| SideSwipe |
I’m trying to target walleye and lake trout while simplifying my gear for doing so. I’ve always been a casual enjoyer of fishing simply because of the amount of knowledge and gear required. I rather just keep things simple. I am also going with a group of four others who I will try to guide their fishing gear on. I’m looking for help on the following: -a rod that will suit me for jigging/slip bobbing as well as trolling -a reel -suggestions on crankbaits and setup -any slip bobbing or jigging tips or methods in the BWCA -any equipment/method related tips -any bait I will need to bring I’ll do my best to follow up and research more on anything provided. |
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| lundojam |
Keep it simple: Slip bobber, plain hook, and a leech. You'll catch bass and walleyes. Start shallow keep moving until you get bit. Do not be overly patient, but be as precise as you can with the spots you try. Look for combinations of structural elements, like current near deep water, weeds and wood, etc. Use an anchor or a drift sock. For lake trout, troll the biggest tail dancer over deep (50 -100') to medium-deep (30- 55') water. |
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| thegildedgopher |
SideSwipe: "Hey guys I’ll get a trout stamp so I find your posts derailing the main thread. Take it to messages." Didn't mean to derail your thread. However it's important when info gets posted about regulations that we work together to make it as accurate as possible. It's a public forum and untold numbers of people may read this thread, potentially for years to come. Speaking from personal experience, it's not realistic to expect that when you post a thread it's "your" thread and all the replies will stay on topic. |
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| SideSwipe |
lundojam: "I don't think you need a leader for pike if you are crankbait fishing. My need for a leader would be if trolling with a crank bait for lakers and potentially walleye. Lakers mainly because of the potential to snag. |
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| SideSwipe |
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| SideSwipe |
thegildedgopher: "SideSwipe: "Hey guys I’ll get a trout stamp so I find your posts derailing the main thread. Take it to messages." I politely disagree. Your conversation is very far removed from the main thread subject and could honestly be a new thread. I don’t discount the importance of your discussion but it would be better for future reference and better content aggregation to be its own thread which could also then be stickied/pinned if the need arises. |
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| SideSwipe |
Any reason why not using braided line? I also saw that people recommended a braided line with a mono 10-15# to prevent pike bite offs. I’ll be going Snowbank, to Knife, to Kekekamic via Eddy Falls to Thomas and out through Disappointment. I’ll have camps on Ensign, Knife, Kekekamic and Thomas. |
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| Speckled |
Rod: 4-piece pack rod (med-light action), with a short rod tube which I strap to the side of my hiking pack. Reel: Spinning reel, buy a name brand here as you want a drag system that won't fail. I then have a small reel case that I use to pack the reel in the hiking pack. Line: I use 6 lb test. Lures Walleye: I would bring a selection of smaller deep to medium diving crankbaits, sinkers and swivels with smallish hooks to lindy rig fish with leeches or salted minnows. Slip bobbers, line ties and split shot sinkers with the same hooks for your lindy rig. Lake Trout: Vibrax inline spinners, krocodile or little cleo spoons, deep diving crankbaits. You can use the sinkers for the lindy rig setup to help get the lures deeper if going in later june, july or august. Bait I would bring either leeches or salted minnows. I like minnows early and leeches as the water warms. Also - you may already know this, but if targeting lakers, you need a trout stamp with your fishing license. |
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| SideSwipe |
Speckled: "Here's what I use; I am going in mid august. For a lindy rig can I run a weight on a swivel on the main line? What size hooks do you consider smallish? What are fishing line ties? What split shot weights do you recommend and how should I determine how much I should run? What size weight for casting the lindy? I would prefer a little more specifics as I am not very well versed but competent at googling. For the lindy rig I was thinking I could add a swivel to the sinker and have that on the main line with my leader attached to the swivel on the main line’s end. That way it’s easier to swap weights without retying and to break it down. How much weight do you run for trolling walleye vs lake trout. I saw 2oz for lake trout with a lindy rig basically. Thank you for your time. |
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| Hammertime |
If the rest of the crew has a similar experience level as you I would recommend targeting smallmouth bass. You will likely have much more action and they are a blast to catch. Use topwater baits (rapala skitter pop. Heddon torpedo, etc) and cast them towards boulders and dead trees against the shoreline. Also google “wacky rig” and bring some of those. The slip bobbers and jigs will catch you plenty of bass also. Good luck! |
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| thegildedgopher |
Speckled: "Also - you may already know this, but if targeting lakers, you need a trout stamp with your fishing license. This is not entirely accurate. If you're not on a designated trout lake (typically means the DNR stocks the lake with stream trout) and you're not on Lake Superior, you would only need the stamp if you intend to harvest lake trout. Fishing for them is OK without the stamp. There are other exceptions such as age as well. There is a very good, thorough discussion of all these nuances in this recent thread. There seems to be a lot of incomplete or misleading info about regulations floating around the forum this spring. The best thing for everyone to do is to read and have a thorough understanding of the regulations. The whole thing is posted online. If you have questions it's best to have them answered by the DNR. Our regs book is longer and more complicated than it needs to be, things can get confusing. |
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| Scoobs |
For travel, I go with a 7' medium light power, fast action, 2 piece rod so I can break the rod down and store it in the car more easily. St. Croix Triumph Medium Light Fast 2 PC rod - $115 This is a very good rod to start with. If you want to step up, you could try 7' Premiere MLF 2pc or an Avid 7' MLF 2pc. The sensitivity of the Avid rods is fantastic. But it's pricy. The Premiere is a good middle ground. Reel: A great reel is the Pflueger President 30X Spinning - $70 Line: PowerPro Braid 10# yellow line Seagar 10# Fluoro leader (100 yards) I tie the Fluoro leader to the braid line with an Alberto Knot - found here If you plan on trolling, I'd step up to a Medium Power, Fast Action rod for a little more backbone. For jigging - if you can find them and can keep them alive by refreshing the water - leeches... |
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| SideSwipe |
Hammertime: "Based on the time of year you are going I would recommend getting a rapala deep tail dancer 11 for lake trout. No extra tackle or rigging required. Just troll over the main lake basin. It will likely be slow but you might get the fish of a lifetime. I really enjoy eating trout and walleye. I'll pick one of those rapalas up. Thanks for the tips. |
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| Scoobs |
SideSwipe: "Scoobs: "SideSwipe: "Scoobs: "Walleye and smallies - you can throw in lake trout as well... 3.5" shad raps, 5" flickers. I don't go too big with the ripping' raps. You can weight down the line with some weights if you need it go deeper. I've used steel leaders when fishing for bass and pike. Walleye and Trout to seem to be more finicky. Especially trout. If you ended up hooking up with a pike while going for trout, and he cuts your line - chalk it up as bad luck. LOL ...or add a 15-20# fluoro leader, and hopefully that'll help more than the 10# fluoro leader. |
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| SideSwipe |
Scoobs: "SideSwipe: "Scoobs: "SideSwipe: "Scoobs: "Walleye and smallies - you can throw in lake trout as well... I like that logic. 15-20# leader on the trout jig otherwise stick with 10. What's too big on the rippin raps? |
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| Ioway |
Now it a 5" X 7" flat box, a zip lock of bobbers and a zip lock of jig bodies Medium weight, fast tipped rod 5.5" - 7" 4 pound test line mono Slip bobber knots N beads two sizes of bobber medium and large (when it gets windy) small jigs 1/64 oz. for slip bobber and shore casting large jigs 1/2 oz. for slow trolling and deep jigging variety of split shot to balance the slip bobber rig Leaches in a locker or I hear a wide mouth Nalgen is all the rage now. Night crawlers pack well in a soft sided small cooler and if you keep um cool will make it a week If your still feeling naked maybe some big jig bodies for the 1/2 oz. (Kalin's 5" watermelon), a few sizes of rattle traps (I like perch colored) and French spinners. |
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| missmolly |
lundojam: "I don't think you need a leader for pike if you are crankbait fishing. ^This^ I agree with KISS and that impatience is a virtue. If you're dangling a leech and there are fish below your canoe, it won't take long. |
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| Heyfritty |
All of this is to say, BRING leeches for slip bobber rigging. There is nothing that will make as big a difference for us casual fishermen! With newbies, it really can keep them motivated. And leeches are much easier to keep alive than the other live bait. It’s almost as if you keep them wet you can’t kill them. If I remember right, you said you were going up in August. Leeches become less available as the summer progresses, but there should still be plenty available. You might just want to check ahead to make sure the bait shop you’re targeting still has them. Good luck! Fritty |
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| Scoobs |
SideSwipe: "I don't seem to see 5" flickers" You'd be getting a flicker shad up to about 3.5". And jerk/stick baits (Berkley Hit Stick) from up and over 5". You can troll both. I'm going to be trolling a few Smithwicks on Loon Lake for trout shortly. I have a few colors and sizes (4" - 6"). They have shallow and deep divers. Might need to add a weight to the line to get them further down. Will also try a chartreuse Northland shad (3" or so - don't remember what size it is), and a variety of Cleo's. |
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| SideSwipe |
Scoobs: "Walleye and smallies - you can throw in lake trout as well... Thank you this was a great post, above and beyond on the links. The reel I have is a Shimano Mark II Q. Any synthetic bait over leeches? I just feel like leeches may add a lot more logistics and hassle for me. |
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| casualbriday |
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| Scoobs |
SideSwipe: "Scoobs: "Walleye and smallies - you can throw in lake trout as well... For fishing reels, I've never been a fan of spinning reels with the drag on the back. A personal preference, I guess. I gave a Pflueger option that comes recommended from a LOT of fishing staffs in pro shops all over. I have a tiny Pflueger 20X on a St. Croix Premiere 6'6 Light Fast 2pc rod (Cabela's split grip), and I love that combo. I'd go with at least a 25 or 30, for more line, 10 bearings (silky smooth reeling action), and 9 lb drag. The poundage isn't the biggest thing - you want a nice smooth drag. There are other options in the same size reel, as well as price from: Shimano, Daiwa, Abu Garcia, Lews, and Bass Pro Shops. You could also look at rods in the $85-$120 range from Okuma, Abu Garcia, Fenwick, etc. I prefer a cork handle from a foam handle. A stick bait and ned rigs for smallies. I have bunch of Sassy Sticks and Ned Dizzy plastics from BizzBaits. Love their plastics.... Right now, in WI, the 5.5" Sassy Stick in Icicle color is killing it. I'm bringing a few packs up to Gunflint Trail in a bit. There are fake scented leeches (Berkley Gulp plastic leeches) out there. But they tear after a bite or two. You can burn through them real quick. Kalin's Silver Ghost Jerk Minnow on a white Kalin's google-eye jig head would work on both trout and walleye. And smallies. Shad Raps, Rippin Rap, Flicker shads - a combo of floating shallow divers and medium to deep divers... White/Silver, Chartreuse, Purple colors... |
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| thegildedgopher |
Speckled: "thegildedgopher: "Speckled: "Also - you may already know this, but if targeting lakers, you need a trout stamp with your fishing license. I'm not trying to get in an argument and I suggest everyone read the regulations for themselves and address questions directly with the DNR. That said, the reason you can't find evidence in the regulations to support your claim is that it's just not there. The exact language from the regs states "...anglers need a trout/salmon stamp validation and a fishing or sports license when fishing in designated trout streams, designated trout lakes, Lake superior, or when possessing trout on waters that are not designated trout waters." And page 32 defines possession as "A fish is in your possession once you have caught and kept it." Also the licensing grid on page 14 says the stamp is required "for designated trout lakes, Lake Superior, and to harvest trout." Note that it doesn't say "to target trout." This just goes to show that our regulations are so complicated and opaque that even the average DNR employee doesn't understand them. Just like the USFS, you could probably ask this question to 3 different DNR employees and get 3 different responses. Personally I always buy the stamp because there's not much I like more than fresh grilled lake trout from the BWCA. I have sent an identical message to the fisheries offices in Finland, Tower, and Grand Marais. It will be interesting to see the response! |
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| Speckled |
thegildedgopher: "Speckled: "Also - you may already know this, but if targeting lakers, you need a trout stamp with your fishing license. Not how it works. I couldn't find it specifically in the regs, but admittedly didn't look too hard as I decided to just call a buddy of mine up at the Finland fisheries office. He verified my understanding. I'd invite others to call the Ely Area or Gunflint Area fisheries/DNR office to verify. They're always more than happy to speak with anglers. Here's how it works; Trout stamp is needed to fish designated trout waters, whether you are keeping or releasing. If you're on designated trout waters, you need a stamp. If you are on a lake that isn't designated, but holds trout, such as the lake trout lakes in the BW, you need a trout stamp if you're intentionally targeting lake trout, regardless of your intent to keep or release. Let's run through a few examples; Trolling a weed break in 15 feet of water in August on Knife lake for walleye - No Trout Stamp needed. Trolling 25 feet deep on Knife Lake with a 1 oz weight and little cleo targeting lake trout on Knife Lake - You need a trout stamp (regardless of intent to keep or release) Casting a shallow bay in June with a mepps inline spinner for smallmouth on Lac La Croix - No trout stamp needed. Fishing of any sort on a lake that only holds lake trout (even if it's not designated), such as Kek - Trout Stamp is needed. To put it simply - If you're trying to catch a trout, you need a trout stamp, whether you keep it or not is irrelevant. |
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| foxfireniner |
I like to keep newbies active. I like at least a 6'6" pole, medium light. I use Berkely 1 piece. The length keeps hooks overhead, the one piece keeps a newb from casting off the end of the rod... I've had it happen after a break off! And berkleys are cheap so you won't be heartbroken if you break it. Take repair tips and glue. Reel, I like diawa. Get the 2000 size with 8 pound line. J11 jointed rapala in blue or orange, reef runner in green and yellow, whopper plopper in any color. Cast and retrieve, these will catch fish. The reef runner... In the late afternoons, as the front of the canoe casts the rapala or the plopper, in will troll the reef runner to locate walleye. Then you can go to the leeches easily. You will need a leech locker and skip knots. I also take fish grippers so newbies do get hurt. Northerns are toothy of course but walleyes also have teeth. Walleyes also have very sharp gill plates and a spiky dorsal fin. A fish gripper it's great for everyone in the canoe |
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| Speckled |
My read on it was the "avg. DNR employee" didn't have any confusion. He was crystal clear in how it works. I've asked this question previously as it's come up in the past and got the same answer from a different DNR employee, whom I also happen to know. Is it possible they're wrong, sure. I don't think it was ever listed directly under the section you're referenceing, but falls under a general section of not being able to legally target fish you're not legally allowed to keep...unless there were specific catch and release regs for that water or species. I would add I also agree in that it could be more clear. Thanks for sending out the e-mails, hopefully they all come back with the same message one way or the other. |
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| SideSwipe |
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| scotttimm |
Man did I love that St. Croix... |
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| espezial |
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| thegildedgopher |
Speckled: "No argument here, just a discussion on how the regs work. I'll be curious to thier response as well. How was your message worded? I won't paste the whole thing in here again, but see the trout stamp thread we've both been posted in. Kevin Mott of Finland fisheries agreed my interpretation is correct. Actually he said I was even being TOO restrictive and the stamp only applies to stream trout (which makes sense because the stamp directly funds stream trout stocking). Regardless of who is "right," you should have your friend chat with Kevin because it would probably be a good idea for them to get on the same page. I used software to search the entire regs book for "target" and there is nothing to support what you mentioned about not being allowed to target a fish that you can't legally harvest. |
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| SideSwipe |
Scoobs: "SideSwipe: "Scoobs: "Walleye and smallies - you can throw in lake trout as well... Thanks for the reply again. In regards to the "Shad Raps, Rippin Rap, Flicker shads" any recommendations for weights for each specific. I notice the weight determines the dive depth. Do Shad raps work better at certain depth? I also noticed some people recommend running titanium leaders on their crank bait to prevent losing them to pike. Should I be concerned? |