Best way to get a Lunker in the boat???

[defiant1]

Ok, need some advice/practical experience from the masses.

Been fishing the last couple of weekends and have been catching nice sized walleye (17-22 inch) and have not had any issues getting the fish in the boat. A net was used when necessary, but most times the fish was swung in the boat with no issues.

So, while pulling plugs a very nice sized walleye hits the lure. The crankbait (brand new out of the box) is attached to a Fireline leader which is connected to 27# lead core line. The rod is a 12 foot lead core trolling rod. So, the walleye did not fight or resist whatsoever. We weren't even sure it was a walleye until it reached just below the surface. So at this point, we know it is a very good sized walleye (guestimate 6 lbs). It still did not move or resist. I kept steady tension on the line the entire time I was reeling.

The walleye was about 2 feet from the rear of the boat and the netter was getting ready, Keep in mind I am all the way to the front of the boat to compensate for the rod length and to let the guy with the net the ability to have room to maneuver as needed. I slightly pulled up on the rod tip just so the walleye's mouth breached the surface and at that moment the crank bait let loose and the walleye calmly returned to the deep.

So, when something like this happens it is clearly frustrating, disappointing and demoralizing. And you go over in your head what you should have done different. I applied the same technique that proved successful when landing fish earlier.

In retrospect, I really could have left the walleye in the water (slightly below the surface) and let him glide in closer to the boat where my partner could have netted him.

At any rate, I have not been fortunate to catch a lot of 5+ lb walleye, so I have no prior experience to pull from. I figured I would post the inquiry on if larger walleye act different when being reeled in or when they get closer to the surface as compared to smaller walleye. Plus, any proven techniques that you all have been using to get the lunkers in the boat that you can pass along, would be appreciated.

d1

 

[701FishSlayer]

Keep the rod down and like ya said with the 12 footer make sure your in the way front and netter is on the knees in the back corner. When walter shows up, that netter has got to meet you in the middle and put some real effort into it. Walter doesn't come around often, but when he does I trust my netman.

 

[Allen]

They have a tendency to be net shy and will dive if they see the net.

Solution, get a longer net with a better net handler. :::


Or, just chalk it up to experience. Shit happens, poop occurs, and life goes on. I am guessing the fish just wasn't hooked very well in the first place.

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By the way, that first line is truer than lines 2 and 3.

 

[cooter00]

I'm happens to the best of us I have had some real nice Willy's look at me an spit the crank I don't know how they do it but they do it happens it really sucks in a tourney but it sucks either way lol

 

[shorthairsrus]

I agree sometimes they just get off. I usually have my electric in the water and if the fish is big enough I will through the motor in neutral turn my electric on and just put a little pressure on plus turn. The boat when it get to net slightly to make sure it comes close to net.

 

[LBrandt]

Like Allen said (crap happens) even to the best of us.

 

[Rowdie]

keep the boat in gear and get the net behind the fish. Then let the fish back into net.

 

[Captain Ahab]

Keep the rod tip down(but good side bend)or even in the water until you want to net it. A head shake on the surface has spit many lures in my face. Keeping calm and not getting excited also helps a lot. Sometimes it just happens no matter what.

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Also, always net for the head of the fish.

 

[gonefshn]

One thing that helps is replacing your back hook with these. But as the others have said. Some days you can do no wrong. Others nothing goes right. We troll 14' rods a lot. It's a tough call whether to reel that big fish in on top of the water or slow way down and keep it under. The really big ones (9+) will almost always require you to slow down. When trolling lead with long rods (or most for that matter) you need to keep in mind that the pull and fight of the fish is making that hole in the fishes mouth larger and larger as it comes in. If the fish has any chance to turn around and take off away from you it increases the chance of the hook popping out. With long rods the person reeling it in needs to get up in front of the boat right away. Also, make sure you have a net with a nice long extending handle.

 

[DirtyMike]

I would switch out the fireline leader with mono or fluoro. A little bounce in the line will keep a fish pinned.

 

[guywhofishes]

What are optimal techniques for boat control and netting WHILE TROLLING?? Even for normal fish - not just lunkers?

This thread has me curious - since my Skegosaurus is working wonderfully and I have been recently netting walleyes (by myself) - sort of a pain - but a worthwhile pain.

I've got the traditional "boat's not moving" netting down well enough. And I am smart enough to know I shouldn't kill all motors and let a ###show commence (experience taught me that real quick).

At this point I've been using main motor for power, using xi5 for steering and adding the necessary 01. or 0.2 mph. When I get bit I throw main out of gear and bump the xi5 from 2.0 or whatever I am at down to 1.0.

Seems to work OK - maybe I should just kill the motor and leave the xi5 set at 2.0? The xi5 does seem very slow to react to the lack of thrust from the main motor - so maybe that's as good as knocking the xi5 down to 1.0?

Anyway - I'd like to hear netting advice from people who troll all day every day. That other thread had a remark about getting the net behind fish and then letting it fall back into it. Can someone flesh that out more?

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I would switch out the fireline leader with mono or fluoro. A little bounce in the line will keep a fish pinned.

long rods with medium action accomplish this too though - not?

 

[DirtyMike]

long rods with medium action accomplish this too though - not?

It should, but should a fish choose to struggle at the boat, it adds even more give to the fish rather than pulling the hook. As far as your situation with shutting down the main while you net fish, I've lost a lot of fish by not moving or moving backwards. Keep her bookin and reel into the net.

 

[buckhunter24_7]

Sharpen those hooks

 

[guywhofishes]

One thing I do when it comes to netting "lunkers" is I am trying to get a good look at the hook set as we battle the fish. If it's down deep I relax and let the fish tire - if it's hanging by a thread on her lip my netting (or advice to my netter) is way different - I know we probably got one shot at it. In other words my technique is different because the risks are different for different hookup types.

A lot of newbs I have fished with get cranky and ask me why I went against what I had told them all day long about proper netting - on a certain fish late in the day for instance I'll see the fish is hanging by a thread and net differently.

I tell them that with experience you occasionally have to adust to the hookup. I think they think I am BSing them and covering for doing it different the one time.

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the thought that a good fish is hanging by a thread is what freaks me out about leaving the boat in gear and just winching it in

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that... and I swear more fish go belly up in the well when you haul them in for what seems to be forever against the current

maybe just take an ice filled cooler and whack/stack when I plan to troll I guess

 

[johnr]

Spear em.

 

[eyexer]

taze em bro

 

[LBrandt]

Offer her a cheese cake. I am sorry but I had to, must be the cold meds.

 

[WormWiggler]

I was going to say wear tight jeans and flash a little weed... but then I read the title again and noticed the "a"

 

[DirtyMike]

I was going to say wear tight jeans and flash a little weed... but then I read the title again and noticed the "a"

Haha

 

[Fly Carpin]

I was going to say wear tight jeans and flash a little weed... but then I read the title again and noticed the "a"

It's about damn time hahaha