The Spoonpluggers Forum

Today and the rest of the weekend I find myself on one of those clear lakes with 18' weedlines and moss beyond. As soon as the lure touches the moss I can't rip it clean. I stacked the lures as best I could and didn't get anything.

Went as far as I could with no-bo. Then I went to the wire. I started at 22' and was really yelling at myself because I wasn't bumping when a 26" Northern Pike hit. So I must have been close. Stats were 22' to 25' deep, water temp 80, speed 4.4 knots.

Knowing that the area that I am fishing has 50' water in the area I tryed to continue around the hole with bigger lures and longer line. Here is the issue (finally) When I get the appropriate length of line out, I put the motor to slow idle forward and gently pull the line forward and release back to help sink the line. It seems that the lure hits the bottom but when I advance throttle I lose the botton (I know, its under the water). I have tried to add as much as 20 more feet but I still don't get the bump. I think I am doing something wrong.

I know its probably early for me to be using wire but I just don't see another solution other than to get into the depths. I would change lakes but I am commited to a relatives lake home so I am here for a few days anyway.

What am I missing about getting the lure down.

What kind of speed are we talking about also. At 5 mph the 700 is giving me quite a pull to say the least on wire.

Thanks,
Fran

Fran:
Sometimes, if the bottom is soft it is difficult to tell a bump. I've had the same problem when I go into the middle of the channel where over a period of years the silt has settled and made for a very soft bottom. No matter how much wire line I had out it could not feel the bump. But a breakline exists where you can feel the bump then it ends.

Fran,

Knowing your equipment i.e. lures/wire line/ reels, comes like anything else- experimention.
First, let out the amount of wire you think you need to secure the desired depth. If you're unsure about what that is, simply double the depth a lure would get using NO-BO. When the desired amount is released, engage the reel so the lure's wobble can be felt. At that point you'd then stop the boat and let the slowing forward motion cuase the lure to sink while keeping taunt the wire. Counting down 20-30 seconds generally does the job. Do not apply any rod motion at all with wire during this process, but just engage your outboard to get the lure running. The only time I'd recommend any rod motion is when clearing a lure of debris... while the boat is in motion.
As for going "deep", there should be a specific target, like a deep breakline or something that can be identified. Trolling around a mucky hole and maintaining proper depth control, especially on a soft bottom will not happen overnight. You need to be intimate with the details of such features in order to keep that lure in proper position.
Remember, if you can't feel your lure vibrating properly, like if it was running free, it's quite possible your lure or wire may be dragging through the muck layer(s).
As for your dilema about securing proper depth control on a soft bottom, your starting point is a free running lure. From there, you'd want to start letting out line "slowly", say one level wind at a time. the moment any change in the vibration occurs, (erratic) it generally indicates skipping through soft layers of muck. When this occurs, take enough line in so that you maintain a steady wobble. You now know that the lure is just off the bottom, and will probable hit the high spots on the muck, but only on occasion. When done in the proper fashion, this process will not have to be repeated often. Gaining confidence in how deep your lure is running is essential on softer bottoms, as being close is often the ticket to trigger strikes.
When making your maps, make notations on how many level winds to take to secure certain depths. This will be invaluable information in the future.
Fran, sounds to me like you're making a lot of headway out there. Keep up the good work!!!


Walt