What Is Back Trolling For Walleye?

Back trolling is the opposite of trolling its putting your trolling motor in reverse instead of going forward. It puts your line in front of the boat instead of behind by the motor. I like doing this when there is a little wind.

What is the purpose of back trolling for walleye?

So why is back-trolling so effective? “The bow swings too much for precision trolling forward,” Roach says. He also says the flat part of the transom allows an angler much more boat control. “It also allows you to hold yourself better in the current (for river fishing).”

What is the benefit of back trolling?

This iconic boat control method has been used to catch countless walleye and with a little practice, anyone can master this form of boat control. The benefits of back-trolling are the ability to slow the boat down and also the ability to turn the boat sharply while following depth contours.

How fast should I be trolling for walleye?

Trolling speed, in the spring, is best at 1.3 – 1.5 mph. Summer trolling speeds increase 1.5- 2 mph as walleyes are more active in warmer water temperatures.

What is walleye trolling?

Why Troll for Walleye? For the uninitiated, trolling is the act of running a baited rig or lure behind a moving boat and towing it at slow speed until a fish grabs. For walleye, that’s most often done with diving crankbaits or spinner rigs behind some weight.

What is back trolling on a river?

Back-trolling in rivers is a rather unique steelhead fishing method that uses the boat to present wobbling plugs to fish holding in runs and shallow holes.Rod holders are used to space out the rods and allow the plugs to fish without tangling among other lines.

What is a Backtroller boat?

As the name implies, backtrolling is done by moving your boat backwards, with the transom leading the way. To do it, face the back of the boat into the wind and work the motor in and out of reverse.It allows you to cover water at a desired speed and prevents the bow of the boat from being pushed around by the wind.

What is back trolling for salmon?

Back trolling is a controlled way to slide your boat downriver slowly thru a hole or run so you can move through a hole. Instead of anchoring and only fishing one area, back trolling provides the opportunity to cover more water efficiently.

What is the best time of day to catch walleye?

Generally, the best time to fish for Walleye is early morning and late evening. When the sun is high at midday, Walleye move deeper and hold tightly to shade providing Cover. During periods of low light however, Walleye will move in shallow to feed on baitfish holding close to shore.

What colors do walleye see best?

Walleyes also possess color vision, based on analysis of the structure of the light-sensitive cones. Scientists tell us walleyes should see red, orange, and yellow the best, followed by green. Theory also suggests walleyes see blue and violet less well, and these colors may even appear black.

What line do you use to troll for walleye?

monofilament line
For most walleye trolling applications 10 to 14 pound test monofilament line is the ideal choice. Lines of this pound test rating are more than strong enough to handle even big walleye, yet thin enough to enable crankbaits and other popular trolling lures to reach substantial depths.

Do you have to troll for walleye?

Trolling is by far one of the most effective ways to target walleyes throughout much of their range. By pulling baits behind the boat, anglers can more effectively cover the vast expanses of open water that walleyes utilize in the warm water months of the year.

How much line should I let out for a troll?

Downriggers. Downriggers allow for extra long length between the downrigger ball and the lure. Let out 50 feet of line and clip into the release. If that’s not enough distance to prevent your lake’s wary walleyes from seeing the ball…then let out 150 feet of line!

Should you troll with or against the current?

When in an area with current, troll crosscurrent as opposed to with and/or against the current. Going crosscurrent, you don’t have to worry about how the current is affecting your lure’s or bait’s speed through the water. Plus, fish generally swim into the current.

What size swivel clips should I use for walleye trolling?

Light and strong and allows the bait to give its maximum wiggle. I use a size 12 or 14 Crane swivel at the end of my braid and attach a 2′ piece of fluro to the swivel.

Why are walleyes so hard to catch?

You’re cranking weed edges too slowly.
Walleyes relating to weedbeds often school tightly. To find them, quickly work a crankbait along the edges until you get a strike. You can pick that area apart slowly after you find the fish with a fast-moving lure.

What color lures are best for walleye?

The most basic and most productive colors for targeting walleye are purple and green. These colors come in a variety of shades and can be used in a large range of depths. For sunny days, select bright or flashy purple or green, and for cloudy days try a solid, darker green or purple.

What depth do walleye like in winter?

Generally speaking walleye will hold to the same structure as they would during fall months during early ice. Slight drop-offs, sandy or rocky flats, green weed beds, and hard structure anywhere from 8 to 15 feet deep are great places to start.

Does lure size matter?

Decreasing lure size usually has a minor effect on catch rates. In contrast, even minor increases above the size optimum can yield major decreases in catch rates. If your catch rate falls off after upsizing, you are beyond the preferred size.

How do you attract walleye?

Live bait can be highly successful for walleye, which usually involves still fishing, drifting, or trolling the bait. A bottom-bouncing rig or slip sinker is effective for drawing the walleye’s attention in clear water. The best choices of live bait include leeches, minnows, and nightcrawlers.

How do you catch walleye in early season?

Early in the spring when water temps are cold and the sun shines I have often seen walleyes hanging out in shallow water where they appear to be sunning themselves. Clear, calm water can mean a difficult bite, but slow rolling a jig and minnow or dangling a leech under a bobber can often entice these wary walleyes.