| FISHING SNELLS FOR WALLEYES |
| Written by Mike Walbridge - TeamIceHeave.com |
Snells are a popular choice for many anglers, for a variety of species today. As far back as I can
remember, whether in the boat with my Mom and Dad, or fishing with my Grandparents, we were
drifting snells and looking for the old marble eyes. It has stuck with me ever since. There is
something about drifting a structure and waiting for that tell tale hit that got me so interested in
fishing, and kept me addicted for all of these years.
remember, whether in the boat with my Mom and Dad, or fishing with my Grandparents, we were
drifting snells and looking for the old marble eyes. It has stuck with me ever since. There is
something about drifting a structure and waiting for that tell tale hit that got me so interested in
fishing, and kept me addicted for all of these years.
There are some keys to keep in mind when fishing this method that I’ve come to learn
throughout my experiences on the water. In the beginning it seems simple, add enough weight to
get you to the bottom and wait for the bite. In fact, in a number of situations that will be enough to
put a few fish in the live well, but what about them days when the fish are finicky? What about
length? How should snells be fished differently when working rocks versus working mud? Believe
me, I’ve snagged my fair share of rocks.
throughout my experiences on the water. In the beginning it seems simple, add enough weight to
get you to the bottom and wait for the bite. In fact, in a number of situations that will be enough to
put a few fish in the live well, but what about them days when the fish are finicky? What about
length? How should snells be fished differently when working rocks versus working mud? Believe
me, I’ve snagged my fair share of rocks.
There are a number of quality weights available today to help keep you out of the rocks. You will
still have to deal with some snags depending on the size of the boulders you are working, but these
new bottom bouncers, rock runners and other slip sinkers can greatly increase your odds of being
snag free and keeping your bait in the zone for a greater period of time. As with anything else,
there are a few options I like better then others, but ultimately the decision rests on your
shoulders. My top choice has become the Rock-Runner Slip Bouncers from Northland Tackle, and
there are a few reasons for this. One, they feature a thin, wire feeler keeping things sensitive,
allowing you to feel the structure you are running across. This also makes it a great choice for
fishing mud, which I will touch on shortly. The second feature that keeps these particular weights
in my tackle box is the Quick-Change Weight Snap. We all know the winds can change at the drop
of a dime, and this feature allows you to change your weight size just as quickly, without having to
take the time to re-tie. They also range in size from ¼ ounce all the way to 1 ½ ounces, giving
you an option for nearly every situation you will face on your favorite lake. Some other great
weight options when using snells include Roach-Rig Walker Sinkers, also from Northland Tackle,
and the No-Snagg Sinkers from Lindy Fishing Tackle.
still have to deal with some snags depending on the size of the boulders you are working, but these
new bottom bouncers, rock runners and other slip sinkers can greatly increase your odds of being
snag free and keeping your bait in the zone for a greater period of time. As with anything else,
there are a few options I like better then others, but ultimately the decision rests on your
shoulders. My top choice has become the Rock-Runner Slip Bouncers from Northland Tackle, and
there are a few reasons for this. One, they feature a thin, wire feeler keeping things sensitive,
allowing you to feel the structure you are running across. This also makes it a great choice for
fishing mud, which I will touch on shortly. The second feature that keeps these particular weights
in my tackle box is the Quick-Change Weight Snap. We all know the winds can change at the drop
of a dime, and this feature allows you to change your weight size just as quickly, without having to
take the time to re-tie. They also range in size from ¼ ounce all the way to 1 ½ ounces, giving
you an option for nearly every situation you will face on your favorite lake. Some other great
weight options when using snells include Roach-Rig Walker Sinkers, also from Northland Tackle,
and the No-Snagg Sinkers from Lindy Fishing Tackle.
As I mentioned, the Rock-Runner Slip Bouncers are an excellent choice for fishing mud, here’s
why. When you drag your bait across mud, it creates a “cloud.� Depending on how hard your
weight is hitting the bottom it can be a substantial one that will spook the fish you are chasing.
Avoiding this is simple, but takes a little getting used to in order to feel comfortable knowing you
are down far enough. When you drop your rig down, stop the bail as soon as you feel it hit bottom
(or when your line slacks if you can't feel it). Drag it for a short time, because whether you're
trolling or drifting, chances are your set up will lift some when it gets up to the speed you're
traveling. Lower your rod tip to the water, if it doesn't slack, let out some more line until it does.
Once you know you are down there in contact with the bottom, give it a couple of cranks on the
reel to lift your weight up. You should now be out of contact with the mud, yet a foot (or less) off
the bottom. You can once again drop your rod tip toward the water and see if it slacks just to be
sure, and if you don't think you're down there, start the process again until you feel comfortable
that you are. Using a Rock-Runner Slip Bouncer for this situation gives you a little forgiveness,
thanks to the thin wire feeler on the bottom. It creates a lot less disturbance than other weights,
ultimately allowing you to put more fish in the boat.
why. When you drag your bait across mud, it creates a “cloud.� Depending on how hard your
weight is hitting the bottom it can be a substantial one that will spook the fish you are chasing.
Avoiding this is simple, but takes a little getting used to in order to feel comfortable knowing you
are down far enough. When you drop your rig down, stop the bail as soon as you feel it hit bottom
(or when your line slacks if you can't feel it). Drag it for a short time, because whether you're
trolling or drifting, chances are your set up will lift some when it gets up to the speed you're
traveling. Lower your rod tip to the water, if it doesn't slack, let out some more line until it does.
Once you know you are down there in contact with the bottom, give it a couple of cranks on the
reel to lift your weight up. You should now be out of contact with the mud, yet a foot (or less) off
the bottom. You can once again drop your rod tip toward the water and see if it slacks just to be
sure, and if you don't think you're down there, start the process again until you feel comfortable
that you are. Using a Rock-Runner Slip Bouncer for this situation gives you a little forgiveness,
thanks to the thin wire feeler on the bottom. It creates a lot less disturbance than other weights,
ultimately allowing you to put more fish in the boat.
Now that we have you off the bottom, and hopefully snag free, what should we do on those days
when the Walleyes are biting but not making it all the way to your hook before you rear back?
Reeling up a half eaten leech, crawler, minnow or plastic can become extremely frustrating. A
good way to avoid this problem is to “feed line� to the fish the instant you feel that bite. The
most effective way to do this is to keep your bail open, using your finger (often referred to as your â
€œtrigger fingerâ€�) to keep the line from spooling out. The length of time you will want to feed
fish line will all depend on how aggressive they are. This could be as little as five seconds and as
much as thirty seconds. From my experience, a majority of the time it will be in that five to ten
second range. Another important point to this is to set the hook as soon as the slack in your line
disappears. You shouldn’t try to “feel� for the fish first because there is a good chance
they will end up spitting the bait. As soon as that line tightens, rear back and prepare for the fight!
when the Walleyes are biting but not making it all the way to your hook before you rear back?
Reeling up a half eaten leech, crawler, minnow or plastic can become extremely frustrating. A
good way to avoid this problem is to “feed line� to the fish the instant you feel that bite. The
most effective way to do this is to keep your bail open, using your finger (often referred to as your â
€œtrigger fingerâ€�) to keep the line from spooling out. The length of time you will want to feed
fish line will all depend on how aggressive they are. This could be as little as five seconds and as
much as thirty seconds. From my experience, a majority of the time it will be in that five to ten
second range. Another important point to this is to set the hook as soon as the slack in your line
disappears. You shouldn’t try to “feel� for the fish first because there is a good chance
they will end up spitting the bait. As soon as that line tightens, rear back and prepare for the fight!
One of the most overlooked aspects to fishing snells is the length of the snell. For your more
stained or murky waters this isn’t as big of an issue, but on lakes where the water is clear, this
becomes much more important. Take Mille Lacs Lake in central Minnesota as an example. A lot
of people go to their local bait shop and pick up spinners, float rigs, etc., that range from 1 foot to 4
maybe 5 feet in length. More often than not on Mille Lacs you're going to want to run a snell that
is between 8 and 10 feet in length. I know a lot of the guides up there are running them as long as
12 feet in length. A longer snell gets your bait presentation further away from the weight, bottom
bouncer, rock runner, etc. This is key in this lake as the water clarity is exceptional, and having
your leech dragging 4 feet or less behind your weight can spook the fish, reducing your catch rate.
This is far less important on stained lakes, as your weight will not be as visible to the fish. There
are a few options to remedy this situation.
stained or murky waters this isn’t as big of an issue, but on lakes where the water is clear, this
becomes much more important. Take Mille Lacs Lake in central Minnesota as an example. A lot
of people go to their local bait shop and pick up spinners, float rigs, etc., that range from 1 foot to 4
maybe 5 feet in length. More often than not on Mille Lacs you're going to want to run a snell that
is between 8 and 10 feet in length. I know a lot of the guides up there are running them as long as
12 feet in length. A longer snell gets your bait presentation further away from the weight, bottom
bouncer, rock runner, etc. This is key in this lake as the water clarity is exceptional, and having
your leech dragging 4 feet or less behind your weight can spook the fish, reducing your catch rate.
This is far less important on stained lakes, as your weight will not be as visible to the fish. There
are a few options to remedy this situation.
If you take the time to apply these tips while you’re out fishing with snells, I’m positive
you’ll put more fish in the boat. As always, practice makes perfect. Give it a shot and see how
it works for you.
you’ll put more fish in the boat. As always, practice makes perfect. Give it a shot and see how
it works for you.
First, and the easiest for most fishermen, is to find tackle shops, or sites online, that carry longer
snells. For instance, a lot of the bait shops around the Mille Lacs Lake area, knowing you’ll
need that extra distance between your sinker and your bait, carry longer snells, including spinner
rigs. Another option, one that I usually go with, is to tie your own snells. It isn't difficult to do,
and once you get the hang of it you'll be able to kick out plenty of them for your outing in 10 to 20
minutes, and it is much cheaper on the pocket book as well. Obviously, in this scenario it will take
some thinking in advance of your trip to allow you to purchase the component parts (floats,
spinners, clevis', beads, hooks, line). One thing is for sure, it will save you a lot of money, and
tying them yourself allows you to have a variety to your liking. For clear lakes, I like to tie them 7
to 10 feet in length on average.
snells. For instance, a lot of the bait shops around the Mille Lacs Lake area, knowing you’ll
need that extra distance between your sinker and your bait, carry longer snells, including spinner
rigs. Another option, one that I usually go with, is to tie your own snells. It isn't difficult to do,
and once you get the hang of it you'll be able to kick out plenty of them for your outing in 10 to 20
minutes, and it is much cheaper on the pocket book as well. Obviously, in this scenario it will take
some thinking in advance of your trip to allow you to purchase the component parts (floats,
spinners, clevis', beads, hooks, line). One thing is for sure, it will save you a lot of money, and
tying them yourself allows you to have a variety to your liking. For clear lakes, I like to tie them 7
to 10 feet in length on average.
Good fishing, I hope to see you on the water.