raywriter
09-03-2009, 07:47 PM
Two of us started out trolling minnow imitators about noon and hit a smallmouth that spit out a small shad or alewife (2 1/2"). That was a good clue. We switched to shad imitators (Lewis Rat-L-Traps). We targeted weed edges with the wind blowing into the edge. Two types of 'Traps were necessary: Larger floating styles and slightly smaller sinking models. We were casting from a dead drift most of the time.
If your cast was going to cross the weeds from the shallow side into deeper water the floater was best - it dives to about four or five feet on the retrieve. It would "skim" the weed tops. If your cast was going to land just at the deep edge and head out deeper from there, the sinker was best. You could slow the retrieve slightly and let it sort of follow the weedline downward toward deep water. We each had two rods set up, one with a floater and the other a sinker. The choice of which to cast was based on how far we were from the weed edge and how thick the weeds were.
The six best smallies were from 3# to 4#, 6 oz. We also caught smaller ones and an occasional bonus pike. Gold floaters were best. Chrome/blue colored sinkers were a close second. Perch color also produced one heavyweight.
If your cast was going to cross the weeds from the shallow side into deeper water the floater was best - it dives to about four or five feet on the retrieve. It would "skim" the weed tops. If your cast was going to land just at the deep edge and head out deeper from there, the sinker was best. You could slow the retrieve slightly and let it sort of follow the weedline downward toward deep water. We each had two rods set up, one with a floater and the other a sinker. The choice of which to cast was based on how far we were from the weed edge and how thick the weeds were.
The six best smallies were from 3# to 4#, 6 oz. We also caught smaller ones and an occasional bonus pike. Gold floaters were best. Chrome/blue colored sinkers were a close second. Perch color also produced one heavyweight.