Anybody been A'Whippen the St.Claire yet?

[walleye express]

I know it's a shade early yet but don't want to miss the action when it starts. I usually whip the section of river from the Marine City Launch down to Algonac Park. I've had my best trips from Mid-May until Early June, but know they do prettty good earlier as well.

Also have another question. How many of you guy put a Rapala at the end of the Three-Gang set up when whippen? And what size is best? I tried a #14 Husky Jerk last year at the end, but the feel of the rig just wasn't right. Would a #11 or #13 Rapala be better? And what color Rapala works best for you?

[ice fishin nut]

Havent seen anybody out at the point by Russell yet, but have heard of a few being caught by the Marine City launch.

BTW, 1 dock is in here in Algonac, the Algonac DNR launch is open with all docks in, as is Marine City.

[Ed Michrina]

If you want to give those pencil plugs some action try putting a "long A bomber" at the end of the three gang set. I'v always used a pearl color with a full moon and purple with yellow dots with clouds or no moon.

[WALLEYE MIKE]

My best color was firetiger in a rap or bomber.

Earliest I probably started was around May 15 or so till the end of June. About the time the mayflies hatch. Seems to die about then.

[walleye express]

Thanks Guys.
I never thought of a Bomber. I can see where the better flotation of a bomber would work pretty good with the rig. About how far up is everybody running their three way swivel? I run mine about 24 to 30 inches above the sinker, but have seen some ran up the line as far as 4 feet.

And was also wondering about boat placement with you guys. I have had my best luck anchoring on top of a hump and (pump walking) the pencils on the back slope of the hump. My buddy has good luck working the face of the humps.

[WALLEYE MIKE]

Run mine 12-24 in. with a 6 ft. lead on each lure. I only run 2 lures. I try to go down the slope or down into a hole or down the drop off.

[The Little King]

Got out Monday night, water temp was 37 and didnt mark any fish, but wiped for about an hour and no hits so was called it a night

[Mark Sylvester]

little king....
please don't tell me you came from Glenview IL. to go whipping in the St. Clair river in the beginning of april??? If you did you are definitley THE MAN!!!!!:D

[Bob B.]

Welcome to the site Little King.
And people say I drive a long way to get to the river. For some reason it just doesn't seem that far now.

I normally run my first threeway 18" up from the sinker then another one 4' up from that. This set up has worked good for me over the years. I'm planning my first trip on the 24th of this month, I'm hoping they're in there by then. They have been in the past..........................Bob B.

http://www.hunt101.com/img/131747.jpg (http://www.hunt101.com/?p=131747&c=500&z=1)

[The Little King]

were hardcore, but not quite that hardcore - We came up for the Detroit River, after we limited out of the Detroit, we headed up to the St. Cliar. The guy that I was with grew up in St. Clair so we thought we would give it a try, plus I got to see whippping in action. So now when we go back up end of May, I have a clue as to what I am doing. Now I just need to to find some penicl plugs on-line. I tried using rapalas, thunder sticks, rip sticks, but with another crank behind them, the have almost no action

[walleye express]

Little King.

If your looking for plugs with action, you may be disapointed in the pencil plugs design charateristics. They pretty much stay stationary in the water, with little to no wiggle or side to side action whatsoever. I myself was kinda scratching my head when I first put one in the water. They pretty much stay in a straight line and do nothing. It's the whippen action itself that gets the walleyes attention I feel.

And Bob. I like that idea of running two three ways (one high and one low) and having two different plugs as the end plug. Even though admitting that Pencil plugs have little action, that last plug in line seems to get most of the strikes and hook-ups. Probably because it has a lot more free movment not being connected to anything from the tail end. And covering two different water depths along with looking more like a school of smelt with the one swimming higher, is a sound idea that I just might try this spring.

[Bob B.]

I only run one lure on a leader. 15' on top, 10' on bottom.

[Ed Michrina]

Pencil plugs dart side to side while handlining. wipping I guess you could call them a stick.

[4pwr]

The post on the pencil plugs caught my eye. When I first moved to Algonac I immediately tried to learn how the locals did it. Started with chugging because it was the cheapest way to go.Made all kinds of mistakes. Too heavy line and not learning what to feel for. Took a while to learn most if not all hits took place on the way down not on the way up. Anyway it was and is a simple and productive way to fish. Saw the old timers pulling wire with the old trolling reels. Had to try that. Found a red cap tolling reel at a garage sale for $25. Was making $150 a week then so it was a nice hunk of change for me. Pencil plugs were 8 to 10 bucks a dozen. Pretty soon had about 6 doz. What a mess when I first started. All tangles and such. Took a while to learn. Well anyway started catching fish. Started wondering why certain plugs caught fish and others didn't. One day playing around on the river put each plug on a line and watched along side the boat. The ones that caught fish had a nice tight wiggle to them. The ones that didn't just ran dead and straight. About the late 70's the color bonanza hit. Old tried and true colors and patterns were passe. I fell for it too. Now had to have about 200 pencil plugs. Got ill and did't fish for a couple of years. When I start again I just might stay with the old time colors and patterns. Don't feel like putsin with every new fad that comes along anymore. Any way by best luck was with plugs that had some wiggle in them.

[Ed Stringer]

I always run a rap off the back of my line up size 11 in the first part of the season and a size 9 at the end .
Colors I like the Vampire, Wonder bread, Natural on low moon nights. Clown, Ralphy or something crome on full moon nights .



" WHEN THE LILACS ARE BLOOMIN THE WALLEYES ZOOMMIN "




Ming Ming :cool:

[Bluesuten]

Hey Ming Ming keep a lid on the "Ralphie" that one is my ace in da hole"