Thread: Longlining 101

Originally Posted by Wannabe...

Shine, what kind of effect on depth does a small minnow make on the depth of the jig as a general rule of thumb?

Wannabe...

Very little difference, ofcourse you gotta hook them thru bottom lip up thru upper lip to make them run in line with the jig head. I am talking about 1-2" minnows and usually tuffies but shiners work too. I like rosie reds too when I can get them.

An old timer once told me while ice fishing for Walleye years and years ago, "Son they like meat with their potato's". That has stuck with me ever since. And I'll be darned if it doesn't work for crappie too.:D

Originally Posted by Rees Guide

Now you done hurt my wittle feewins!!

Turnips don't have feewings...turnip head. Pffft.

Thanks Shine. I'm headed out in the AM with 3 kids in tow and 12 rods.....should make for an entertaining day. Was thinking I'd skip the minnows altogether and just LL, but guess I'll take a few dozen along and experiment some.

Wannabe...

Come back and let us know how you do with your test. I've tried minnows before but to be honest I didnt try 'em on different days. I saw no difference in the LL bite by tipping some rods with minners the one and only day I tried it. I was told to use small minners so that is what I got.

Will do.....but honestly, if I don't do good with it, will that be any measure of it's effectiveness? Just keeping it real yo.

Wannabe...

Wannabe....the way I see it is....if YOU catch more than ONE fish......then I would have to think it is a highly effective method of fishing, lol

Well, here's your long lining report - I hate weathermen. It ought to be legal to draw and quarter them for sport.

Headed out and went where I thought I could fish with the wind, which was supposed to be NNW at up to 10. Well, get there and its a steady 10 due west. Drats. OK, put all the lines out. Actually, only had 3 rods rigged and had to tie as I went with the boat rocking and rolling and breaking up fights between all 3 kids as I went. That was not much fun, but managed 2 shorts while all that was going. Finally get the lines out and the wind has climbed to 15, but is still manageable as long as I'm going with it. First keeper came for our guest about then. Long story short, we made a long long run but only got about 15 total with 2 keeps. Really couldn't experiment with everybody in the boat with jigs and colors and whatnot, so I just played with line out to attempt to repeat the most productive rods, which happened to be 2 1/32 jigs with Berkly Curl tails. About this time, I'm headed into timber and the wind is W and SW, so I figured I could fish where I wanted to now, so we rolled up and ran over and shut down on the high side of where I wanted originally. Redeploy the rods and got keeper #2 along with 5 or so more on this run. Actually had 2 really, really nice fish that my guest dumped from horsing him.....both would have been over 2 and another that my youngest netted then bounced him out of the net. At this point, the wind turned north and climbed to 25 sustained. Still fishable, but uncomfortable. Plus it was pushing me over a shallow spot in that direction so I rolled up and called it quits.

Total on the day was 2 in the box, 3 more dumped and about 20 throw backs. Still not bad considering the wind and complication. Not sure with the wind I'd have been any better off on my own, so can't blame it on the kids.

Did rig one rod tipped with minnows, but really didn't give it much of a shot. Will try again next time out.

Wannabe...

Forgot to mention, I rigged 6 rods out of the back and 4 off the front. Only tangles I got were on a couple of shorts that spiralled in and snagged another line. Not bad considering all rods were 14 footers plus 4 people on the boat. Therefore, Torch is a gewber and a rank amateur.

Wannabe...