Long-Lining ????

[J Francho]

There isn't books written on how to make a 20ft diver dive 35+.

Actually, yes there are books that list baits and what depths they dive to under certain circumstances. In this case, more line won't make the bait go deeper. Only stay in the zone longer. If you want a bait to run deeper, add weight, either to the line or the bait itself or use weighted line.

[SirSnookalot]

*SIRSNOOK- wasn't directing any of that towards you past just saying the boat wasn't under power on retrieve. In no way am I suggesting anything about IQ or furthermore. Just wanted to make that clear when I was going back over it.

I'm not critical, I've done off beat things myself. I may not have read the op close enough, it sounded very similar to trolling. I don't fish tournaments and have no idea of what the rules are. Being a recreational fisherman, just about anything goes.

I do believe extra depth can be obtained using an inline sinker, it does for us, how much deeper I don't know. These weights go from 1/2 oz and I've seen them as high as 10lbs. Just to give an idea of what they look like, btw postitioned high up on the leader the action of the lure is not effected.

http://compare.ebay.com/like/290462172470?_lwgsi=y&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar

[bigbassctchr101]

Actually, yes there are books that list baits and what depths they dive to under certain circumstances. In this case, more line won't make the bait go deeper. Only stay in the zone longer. If you want a bait to run deeper, add weight, either to the line or the bait itself or use weighted line.

Very true- I've seen these books with each bait and depth and stuff like that. But Starks was getting a regular 6XD down below 30ft with no weight added. So the pendulum effect from reaching max depth- running at max depth- and return to the boat was lengthened allowing for a deeper max depth (i dont know this for sure, but its my best guess). I'm not sure what lb test line he was using. And thought maybe a small diameter sinking braid could have been used to lessen line drag. I'm not sure exactly how he did it. But I know that his 6XD and Hot Lips were floating before his retrieve started. And maybe he was using a weight, but if so, it wasn't enough to sink the bait from the start.

[Al Wolbach]

I followed several of these guys around on the final day of the tournament and at least 5 of the 12 were strolling while I watched, and maybe more that I didn't see. One of them even used the big motor to move his boat after the cast and before his retrieve, although most used their trolling motor. There was no rule breaking going on, as the tournament director was well aware of what was going on, and many of the fishermen were doing the same thing as word spread. The leader of days 1-3 was strolling and more of them as the days went on. Strolling has been going on here for years, including tournaments, just not common knowledge or on television before now.

Most of the fishermen claimed to be fishing 10lb floro which they claimed allowed their lures to go deeper and stay there longer while strolling. They switched rods quite often but many of them claimed to be fishing 6XD's but the only bait I could ID was a hot lips. And all that I watched had a hot lips tied on.

I have used this techique and I will tell you that you will sleep well afterwards. Your arms will feel like jello after 30 minutes and if you have a bad back don't even try it. This is a truely painful way to fish, my hat is off to these guys, as many of them did it all day, for several days. The key to making this method work, most of the time, is to crank as fast as you can, burn it.

Detecting bites is out of the question unless its a short strike. You can tell you have something but don't know if it is a boot, a stick, bottom or fish. Only time will tell. And not all of your fish are bass, everything eats crankbaits. It was fun to watch although I wish Bret Myers had won since he lead for several days.....................................Al

[bigbassctchr101]

Most of the fishermen claimed to be fishing 10lb floro which they claimed allowed their lures to go deeper and stay there longer while strolling. They switched rods quite often but many of them claimed to be fishing 6XD's but the only bait I could ID was a hot lips. And all that I watched had a hot lips tied on.

Agreed on the hot lips. Maybe the XD trick was sponsor related although I did see some casting of the XD plug. I didn't see anyone use the big motor, but doubt it happened. I think I would probably feel a little different about that, but since thats not the topic, I'm not even going to think about it lol.

I troll sometimes on Douglas and Cherokee when prefishing just so I can hit the deep humps and points. I use big bucktails in front of my deep divers though to get them deeper. On Cherokee this usually ends up with a rockfish or hybrid, but you can find out a lot on Douglas like this at times.

[RoLo]

Actually, yes there are books that list baits and what depths they dive to under certain circumstances. In this case, more line won't make the bait go deeper. Only stay in the zone longer. If you want a bait to run deeper, add weight either to the line or the bait itself or use weighted line.

Or Downrigger

I know, that's a self-releasing line-weight

Roger

[J Francho]

Yes, a down rigger would obviously work, too. My uncle ran a salmon charter on Lake Ontario for decades, I'm familiar with them. I don't see too many bass boats with down riggers installed. I used to have one small manual DR on my walleye boat that I used trolling for smallies.

[RoLo]

Yes, a down rigger would obviously work, too. My uncle ran a salmon charter on Lake Ontario for decades, I'm familiar with them. I don't see too many bass boats with down riggers installed. I used to have one small manual DR on my walleye boat that I used trolling for smallies.

''

I had port and starboard downriggers installed on a 24-ft center-console.

They were a nuisance to deal with but did a great job.

Mounted properly, the cannonball will be in the transducer cone

which takes the guesswork out of lure depth.

I didn't like working with cannonballs but liked planer boards even less.

Roger

[J Francho]

I used inline planers and Dipsey Divers. Even they were a pain. Mostly used them for brown trout in spring, when they'd follow the alewife into the shallows.

[Al Wolbach]

Agreed on the hot lips. Maybe the XD trick was sponsor related although I did see some casting of the XD plug. I didn't see anyone use the big motor, but doubt it happened. I think I would probably feel a little different about that, but since thats not the topic, I'm not even going to think about it lol.

I troll sometimes on Douglas and Cherokee when prefishing just so I can hit the deep humps and points. I use big bucktails in front of my deep divers though to get them deeper. On Cherokee this usually ends up with a rockfish or hybrid, but you can find out a lot on Douglas like this at times.

They were throwing other baits that I could not ID, maybe a 6XD, but the shape of the hot lips bill is unique and easily ID'ed. The rookie from Caryville named Card was using the big motor to feed out line. I don't see any difference myself but others may disagree..................Al

[SirSnookalot]

Whatever means someone uses to catch a fish is fine with me as long as it does not violate state or local laws. What is legal in a tournament is up the the governing body, I think state or local laws should apply as well.

If I understand this, a fisherman casts out a lure then puts the boat under power with the intent of letting out more line. Once that distance is reached then it's motor off and retrieve begins. Evan a lure at total rest laying there motionless has the possibility of being hit by a fish, if this would happen I'd say the fish was caught trolling because the boat was under power at the time of the strike.

I'm not critical of the tactic in fact I don't think it's a bad thing to try, but as far as I'm concerned it's trolling regardless of any other name that's placed on it.

[bigbassctchr101]

The BFL on Douglas had some incredible weights brought in. I honestly though it would take a little longer for people to figure out the long lining technique, but doesn't appear that way. The Tennessee rig came into play a lot in the BFL....I know of one co-angler that caught 2 6+'s on one cast and 2 3+'s on another cast. Several of these guys were fishing for only 5 bites a day though. So its a go big or go home strategy.