Just for fun: can you tell me what this is?

[cj_tiz]

Looks like the old wire trolling box for the deep lakes.

 

[perchjerker]

here is the inside. This one is in exceptional shape.

I have another one thats made out of an old Victrola record player. That was a common way to make them back then

 

[Defiant]

You were correct Id have never guessed that cool setup though never seen anything like it .

 

[perchjerker]

thanks

I will dig up the other one and take a few pics. Its totally different than this one but just as cool in its own way

 

[Wyatt]

It's a weather box. If the box is wet, it's raining. If the box is white, it's snowing. If the box is gone, tornado.

Haha! I think that's the first time I've laughed all day. Thank you!

Thats a neat contraption! I'd love to see that thing in action.

 

[fl.graderman]

I was hoping someone else was going to ask so I didn't have to look like the only idiot, but what is it?


2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX
1996 Evinrude 25hp 3 cylinder looper

 

[Wyatt]

I was hoping someone else was going to ask so I didn't have to look like the only idiot, but what is it?


2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX
1996 Evinrude 25hp 3 cylinder looper

This ~~~~>

Actually its an antique handlining reel. Handlining is popular for walleye here on the Detroit River. Its a deep fast river
. You hook a 1-2 lb weight to the wire line, the spool is spring loaded to take the wire in and let it out.

Off the wire, between the snap and weight, there is what is called a "shank" this is another piece of wire about 3ft long with clevises every 6 in or so. You clip mono leaders to this and then use a shallow diving plug to slowly troll against the current bumping bottom as you go. I will get some pics of the inside of the box.

 

[fl.graderman]

Oh shoot. I missed that post. Now I really do look like an idiot.

Perch, I've never seen anything like that. When I was a kid, my grandpa and uncle used to take me walleye fishing, but we would go to Lake St. Clair and just drift with crawler harnesses.

2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX
1996 Evinrude 25hp 3 cylinder looper

 

[perchjerker]

Oh shoot. I missed that post. Now I really do look like an idiot.

Perch, I've never seen anything like that. When I was a kid, my grandpa and uncle used to take me walleye fishing, but we would go to Lake St. Clair and just drift with crawler harnesses.

2015 Tracker Grizzly 1448 MVX
1996 Evinrude 25hp 3 cylinder looper

yeah you see it all the time on the St Clair and Detroit Rivers. Usually using modern-day reels. Its actually a pretty famous method over in those parts

its usually done in fast flowing rivers where the females are spawning to get you bait right down there with them

you rarely see it used on the lakes

if you search ebay for handline reels you will see tons of them

 

[jethro]

Very interesting! I still am confused at why it's better using in that box rather than spooling the copper on a rod and reel?

 

[perchjerker]

Very interesting! I still am confused at why it's better using in that box rather than spooling the copper on a rod and reel?

there is no rod and reel.

You troll along the bottom bumping it as you go with a 2 lb weight. When a fish hits you bring it in hand over hand

if you tried it with a rod and reel the weight would tire you out in a few minutes, and you can not react quick enough to keep from snagging as the areas fished with this are usually very snaggy and the current is over 8 mph. And you would need a rod as stiff as a pool cue. You need the direct feel of the wire line telegraphing to you whats going on at the other end of the line. You can tell if the bottom is soft or hard, if there are weeds or fish on the line this way.

People do do this with a method called pole lining, but its not nearly as effective.

Its not for the timid lol

 

[-CN-]

Why is it in a wooden box? With the way the "quiz" was worded, I get the impression that the wooden box is significant in some way.
I am not familiar with this technique or equipment, so I am confused.

 

[jethro]

Its not for the timid lol

I can imagine!! Wow. Can you even feel the fish hit? What is the terminal tackle? Live or dead chunk bait? So obviously the box is only a holder, you let the line out than tie it to a cleat?

 

[perchjerker]

I did not want people just to guess it was a wooden box is all.

Modern days reels are clamped to the gunnel towards the front of the boat.

The reel is spring loaded, sort of like a drop light or air hose reel, except it does not lock in place.

The terminal tackle is there is a large weight on the bottom, looks like a giant bottom bouncer with wire thats about as thick as a coat hanger running through it. There are different styles but thats the kind I like.

Off this weight, what is called a shank is attached to it, I explained this part earlier if you look back it will save me typing.

There are clevisis attached to the shank. Off this you run heavy, maybe 30 lb stiff mono. Snap swivel on the shank end. Usually you run a original floating rapala or what is called a pencil plug, (think shallow running stick bait)on the other end off a snap (no swivel).

The leaders are anywhere between 10-50ft long. And get this, you run 2 leaders off the shank, so you have 2 baits in the water off the same main line.

Off the lower clevis, you run a shorter leader, say 10 ft. About a foot or so above it, you run a longer one, say 40 ft. The idea is to get the first bait to the fish, if he sees it and doesnt hit it, maybe the second one will. Since its a lot further back its running deeper, it is close to where the first one is running. It all depends on speed and angle of the main line in the water. There is a real science to this type of fishing.

Ok if you are still with me, this is how it goes

Get to your trolling spot and start heading up river against the current. Remember, its about an 8 mph current in the bottom is super snaggy with huge boulders, actually in the Det River there is chunks of roadbed from when they built the first freeway in the US (Davisdon Freeway) back in the 40s-50s. People think its old cars down there (might be a few lol)

The reason I mention this is because this makes the perfect spawning ground for walleyes, they can lay their eggs among this stuff and stay out of the strong current and just wait for bait to float by while they are on their nests.

Back to fishing

So you are now trolling up the river at a very slow pace. You set the weight in the water and toss out your bottom bait and let the leader play out. Once the slack is gone slowly let out more wire and then toss out the longer lead.

But watch out in front of you!! The river is jammed with fisherman jigging!! Dont be a moron and catch one of their lines in your rig!! Detroit River spring fishing is a full contact sport, you can walk across the bows of boats and I am not kidding

So now slowly let the wire down until you feel it just ticking the bottom. You need to be at the most a 45 degree angle or you will drag and snag the bottom and lose everything! 2 $7 raps, a $8 weight and all the leaders etc.

Now if you have managed to keep from snagging, what you do is slowly creep along, holding the wire in your hand and have your arm down at your side over the edge of the boat, slowly swing you hand back and forth just barely ticking the bottom kind of like pendulum.

But watch out!! Dont wrap that line around your finger you big dummy!! If you snag it will cut your finger off!!!

There is a special way to hold the line so this does not happen.

So if you have managed to get this far without maiming yourself or messing someone else up just keep chugging along.

All of the sudden, whats this? Feels like a little kid is tugging at your coat sleeve!! Wait!! Fish on!! Oh yeah!!

So just now you slowly bring it in, the reel will take up the slack for you as you bring the line in. Now you need to figure out which leader its on. Thats usually pretty easy, its off at a funny angle compared to the other one and the weight. So the weight will come in first, swing it in the boat and set it on the floor, then grab the line the fish is one and play it in the boat. Id its a big one get the net ready!!

Repeat until a limit is reached!!

 

[jethro]

Wow, and I thought deepwater summer trolling with downriggers for salmon and lakers was a process!

 

[perchjerker]

Wow, and I thought deepwater summer trolling with downriggers for salmon and lakers was a process!

oh downriggers are a piece of cake lol

 

[-CN-]

That's interesting.
Sounds like a lot of work.
At what point do you drink your beer?

 

[perchjerker]

That's interesting.
Sounds like a lot of work.
At what point do you drink your beer?

it only takes one had to fish

the other one holds the beer.

its actually really easy once you get the hang of it.

 

[Hustler16]

A primitive hydrowave

Sent from my SPH-L720T using Tapatalk

 

[DaleH]

Darwin's 3rd Law of Mortality:

"Here ... hold my beer .. watch this!"

Thanks! I enjoyed that guessing game!