Figuring the depth for B/B's

[WALLEYE MIKE]

Just incase some of you want to know how deep your B/B's should be at a 45* angle.


For every 5 ft. of depth you should let out 7 ft of line to be at 45 degrees.

In the river at 40 ft. would be 56ft of line out.

If that is too much figuring take your depth lets say 40 ft and add half. It gives you 60 ft which is fairly close to the 56.


Hope this helps some of you guys. I have line counters on my reels for this.

[chamookman]

Another "rule of thumb", that works quite well is use one (1) ounce of weight for every 10' of depth. Bob

[WALLEYE MIKE]

Another "rule of thumb", that works quite well is use one (1) ounce of weight for every 10' of depth. Bob

I figured that was a given. But then again some aren't as experianced as us. Thanks for added that tip.

[Slick fishing]

Hey Mike when I teach new people how to pull crawler harnesses "IN THE RIVERS ONLY" I really dont worry about the the Angle of the line I find feel of the bottom more important and I find it easier for them to pick it up by useing feel of the bouncer on the bottom.. seeing that line can put a strain on your eyes because I use light fireline..

I show them how the rod tip should act when it running right and how it will act when it not running right..Speed and depth and the weight of the bouncer all play big rolls in determining how much line you need out..

Say for instance my favorite speed is 2,2 to2.4 and I am in 40' of water you should have out 90' of line, double your depth and add 10' that is with a 3oz bouncer.. I dont know how many times I have set my lines and I never look at my line counter because I have done it for so long I use feel only and the wife would look at my line counter and hers and say that we where always pretty much the same depth on the line counter that tells me she has got the feel down how I taught her..

I am not trying to throw a wrench in your post because you may be talking about the lake then everything changes, I amjust telling how I do it, all this can change if you are useing a diffrent size bouncer bouncer as you go faster because of wind and so forth you should go to a 4oz bouncer to hold bottom.. There are a lot of variables when it comes down to running your bouncer right and that is why I say feel of the bottom is the best way to go and and the most important and easier to do for rookies. I am not trying to argue I am just telling everyone how I do it.. Cya Slick

PS..Guys what ever you do dont just let that much line out quickley other wise it will get tangled take it kind of slow but not to slow, you dont want your stuff running back there all tangled up.. I wanted to mention this is for "RIVER FISHING ONLY"

[Off the wall]

We are going to try and fish the river from a boat tonight for the first time, we are going to be fishing just north of Alcaonac (sp). when you say speed do you troll with the current. Would you recomend a 4 oz. bb so we know that we are on the bottom.

Thanks

Mike

[Slick fishing]

We are going to try and fish the river from a boat tonight for the first time, we are going to be fishing just north of Alcaonac (sp). when you say speed do you troll with the current. Would you recomend a 4 oz. bb so we know that we are on the bottom.

Thanks

Mike

Mike if your running in the speeds that I have talked about in the post above you can use the 3oz bottom bouncer but if there is a north wind and you are higher than the speed I listed above throw out a 4oz.. The big thing is feel, let the line out slowley and wait till you feel the bottom and then go to your next rod and set it then when your done setting your rods go back and check to see if your feeling bottom.. The key is to lift the rod and start letting it back and it shouldent be touching bottom until you have a nice 45degree angle on the pole, those are for running rods out the back of the boat but for rods off the side of the boat you need to feel bottom when your rod is parrellel to the rod holder on the side of the boat..

Ok when you feel that put it back in the rod holder and watch your gps speed and your depth because you will have to adjust the rods with line out or line in for the bouncer to run right.. I run 4 rods on my boat 2 per person and any one that has fished with me can tell you I am like a jack rabbit on the boat always adjusting lines but you can get away with a few feet but when there is a 4 or 5 change in depth you had better adjust.. "THIS IS FOR THE RIVER ONLY"

[WALLEYE MIKE]

As for speed going down river, I set my bow mount on the second speed (probably about 2.5 or 2.6 or so mph) with the current. My bouncers are just touching bottom. No way at 40 ft would I put out 90 ft with a 3 or 4oz bouncer. I used a 2 oz yesterday(lost my last 3 oz) and instead of 55ft, I upped it to 60 or so and it was hitting bottom.

Slick, maybe with your stronger current up there you might need more line out to feel bottom.

[Slick fishing]

As for speed going down river, I set my bow mount on the second speed (probably about 2.5 or 2.6 or so mph) with the current. My bouncers are just touching bottom. No way at 40 ft would I put out 90 ft with a 3 or 4oz bouncer. I used a 2 oz yesterday(lost my last 3 oz) and instead of 55ft, I upped it to 60 or so and it was hitting bottom.

Slick, maybe with your stronger current up there you might need more line out to feel bottom.

Mike that is only with a 3oz bottom bouncer not a 4oz that is why I stress that the feel of the bottom is more imprtant that anything else I dont care what percision trollling say because there are just to many varibles to fishing the river.. If you have ever fished the rapids in the river the current even gets worse because of the narrowing of the river,, The only thing I can say is results speak for them selfs I have done it this way for years and it works. The thing that I like about this is if the fishing is tough say and there are not a lot of fish in the river because of bad spawning year I will still get them when everyone else is struggling because it's more productive when you have 4 rods out instead of 2 with 2 guys on the boat, feel is everything, and to try and calculate and say you only need so much line out and so forth just dont work.. FEEL-FEEL-FEEL- is everything I cant stress that enough ask Ice fishin nut..

Good luck out there.. Cya Slick

[Slick fishing]

You know Mike I was just in the shower thinking about what you said about current look how wide the river gets between Saint Clair and Algonac it's huge compared to the Saint Clair area because you have Stag island that is making it real narrow there and as you get closer to Saint Clair it has a bend then the sand bar right in the middle of the river in front of Saint Clair.. That will narrow it up even more then it gets narrow at Saint Clair Edison then it get wide in Marine city which in turn slows the current down before it get to Algonac..

Now I am convinced of it, you guys have less current speed in the Marine city Algonac area.. That is why I cannot stress anymore to anyone wanting to bottom bounce in the river feel is the most important.. You can use our references but you will find if you have to much line out because you wont have harnesses to long because you will be snaging up all the time.. really need to learn what to feel for when you run them BB in the river.. Cya Slick

[WALLEYE MIKE]

I also use this method (45 degree) while fishing Lk. Leelanau in 40-60ft of water. Speed about 1-1.5 mph 40 ft let out 56 ft of line. And of course feel for the bottom.

[Slick fishing]

doing it in a lake is a whole other ball game and your speed has changed and so does your amount of line but like we said feel is the important thing.. Cya Slick

[Off the wall]

I will try and give you guys a shout while I'm out there later. Some more tips may be needed.

Mike