Trolling For Bass And/or Walleye

[Trolling For Walleye]

Just introducing myself here. I'm 31, have been boating on Table Rock Lake since my youth (but live in the KC area)

I recently acquired a boat that I keep near the Shell Knob Area.

It's an older sea-faring type boat, and the way it is set up is not very conducive to traditional cast-fishing.

I've got some older (but still working great) Abu Garcia baitcasters, and i've got an older Humminbird monochrome depth-finder (which also works well)

I also have a down-rigger to get my crankbait down deeper

I have had somewhat good success trolling for bass with crankbait along bluffs.

Last year I even caught a walleye (DELICIOUS), and a few white and small-mouth bass also.

I'm mostly catch-and-release unless i catch a good walleye (of course they have to be over 18")

I would like to learn more from this forum about the art of catching walleye, trolling techniques, and where some hot spots are.

This seems like a pretty cool forum.

Any advice on books to read, or places to fish would be awesome!

Thanks and I look forward to reading and posting more here.

[JimmyBaja]

Just introducing myself here. I'm 31, have been boating on Table Rock Lake since my youth (but live in the KC area)

I recently acquired a boat that I keep near the Shell Knob Area.

It's an older sea-faring type boat, and the way it is set up is not very conducive to traditional cast-fishing.

I've got some older (but still working great) Abu Garcia baitcasters, and i've got an older Humminbird monochrome depth-finder (which also works well)

I also have a down-rigger to get my crankbait down deeper

I have had somewhat good success trolling for bass with crankbait along bluffs.

Last year I even caught a walleye (DELICIOUS), and a few white and small-mouth bass also.

I'm mostly catch-and-release unless i catch a good walleye (of course they have to be over 18")

I would like to learn more from this forum about the art of catching walleye, trolling techniques, and where some hot spots are.

This seems like a pretty cool forum.

Any advice on books to read, or places to fish would be awesome!

Thanks and I look forward to reading and posting more here.

I know you.... Thought you were changing lakes? Moving the boat up north?

[Trolling For Walleye]

I know you.... Thought you were changing lakes? Moving the boat up north?

I passed on that idea after what MWBP folk said re: Truman.

I was just flirting with the idea.. but I'm sticking with the Rock.. i'll just suck up and keep making the drive.

[rps]

TFW

The point @ Campbell's Point is an area where I have taken several nice walleye. Also try the bluff with trees across from Big M. Usually in June and July the walleye will hold near the thermocline.

Good luck.

[Trolling For Walleye]

TFW

The point @ Campbell's Point is an area where I have taken several nice walleye. Also try the bluff with trees across from Big M. Usually in June and July the walleye will hold near the thermocline.

Good luck.

i had my luck also at the point at Campbell's point!! I will try harder there.

I have not made my way over to Big M though.. i'll mark it down..

Thanks a ton!

[powerdive]

TFW, troll inside bends with channel drops (usually well away from shore), as well as the edges of large points that have a good bit of shallower water on top. Follow the contours around, staying at the same relative depth (i.e., 17-20)...start shallow, then move progressively deeper on ensuing passes. Know how deep your lures run, and keep them close to the bottom. When you connect, focus on that depth for the rest of the day.

[Whack'emGood]

There he is... I was just gonna suggest that Powerdrive would be a good one to ask. He (along with RPS) is one of the premier trolling experts on this forum. Take his advice and use it word for word.

Good luck!

Whack'em

[powerdive]

No riggers. I use trolling rods with linecounter reels loaded with either 10/2 Stealth braid or leadcore. Sometimes use planer boards to run 3 or 4 lines and open the spread. Check bends and points from the mouth of the Kings to Holiday Island--lotta water there, but it's all walleye water most years (this year stunk). Scout with your sonar before you fish an area--make sure there is lots of activity low in the water column (unless fishing timber--there the fish suspend--rps can help you with that).

Proven lures include Reef Runners and Shad Raps, providing you can get them where they need to be. The key is precise depth placement. You might be running at 20 feet in June, and 40 feet by August............ If you run a downrigger, stay off the contours and out of the timber, or you'll lose a ball or worse. Use floating stickbaits--not deep divers--or crawler harnesses or flutter spoons, and watch your speed to optimize lure action.

[rps]

What powerdive said = good stuff.

The hellbenders and hotntots will work very well also. I use a lot of Storm baits and Cabelas knockoff of the reef runner because you can buy these baits cheap during sales. I am a devoted long liner, no downriggers. Of course, I am fond of a bounce the bait through the tree tops pattern. That would not agree with down riggers. I use 10 pound Power Pro and linecounter reels. Unlike Powerdive, I do not use a rod holder. I keep one line out and keep the rod in my hand. That works better on the tree top pattern. My last ingredient is a Trollers Bible that I use to know how deep my bait will travel with X feet of line out.

Good luck.

[Martin]

I agree with RPS and Powerdive. The Trollers Bible (nickname) is actually called "Precision Trolling", and you can get a copy from Cabelas or go straight to the www.precisionangling.com website.

The link to Cabelas is http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/template...&hasJS=true

(wow, that's a long one).

Tablerock walleyes like # 5 Shad Raps alot but you should start learning about leadcore line to get it deep enough to do any good. In fact, with leadcore trolling line, you can put any small or shallow running bait WAY down there in the 15 to 35 foot range. Seems like some days the walleyes like small lures and some days they bite that big ole Reef Runner. My best luck with the Tablerock walleyes is from mid-April clear through July if you can stand the heat and all the ski boats. lol .

A couple of years ago, the walleyes put on the feed bag in early Sept and it lasted a few weeks. I caught the 4 biggest walleyes of my life in one week. This year I couldn't even catch one in Sept. (Darn walleyes) lol