Fishing meat effectively

[Dukdog]

Every year when I make my annual run to Lake O, I hear several guys extolling the virtues of trolling meat. Over the last 3 years, I've acquired several paddle, twinkie rigs, heads etc. I've been buying precut filets at the bait shop and to date, have had nary a hit!!

Having learned how critical speed and rotation are when fishing sewn smelt here in Maine, I'm thinking that those are the factors that are screwing me using meat!!

Here's what I've been doing that hasn't been working for me: Trolling speed 1.8 to 2.3 focusing on 2.1 as my go to number

I've been trying to tune my bait to rotate as slow as I can get it, usual 1 to 2 revs per second.

Any suggestions on what I can do to improve my tactics??

I know our landlocks over here don't like a spinning bait at all! The bait needs to run pretty straight with an occasional flick to one side or the other. If your bait goes to spinning on you, your hit rate will plummet! They want to see a crippled looking bait that is upright and trying to go along but falls over because it's hurt. We try to maintain 1.5 to 1.6 mph.

Edited July 7, 2014 by Dukdog

[Wolfhound]

I like to run meat....I usually run speed between 2.0 to 3.0.  I only run slow for lakers.  The meat must spin or rotate around one time per second or so.  I would try speeding up a little. 

 

Just my 2cents....

[skipper19]

Sounds as if you are doing most things right!..big paddle or spin doctors Twinkie rigs are deadly. The rotation is important as you found. Sounds like you have that tuned in. Rotated and not spun on its own axis. I run them on copper mostly.

Cadence of rolling is fine tuned to about 1 to 2 rolls per second at the speed of 2.4 to 2.8 gps at the side of the boat...not the back in the draft.

You will only get bigger kings usually. .so it's not like a hot grabber every time you put it out..be patient and it will have your biggest salmon in the box!

Mark

cent frum my notso smart fone

[Slimy Hooks]

Sounds like your very close to putting it together...only things ill add is try 5-6 foot leads from flasher to meat head...i know plenty of guys that run shorter, but i never second guess 5-6 feet...also, when tuning, use the side of the boat and you actually want it spinning on the fast side because you are going faster on top than down 99% of the time, and if your heads are tuned to barely roll at the surface, they might not when you send them down...i guess bringing your SOG to what you run down below will fix that...stay with it, and good luck...

[BAZOOKAJOE]

I find 48 and 60 as the best leads between flasher and meat rig.  Buy a couple matched sets from John King or Big weenie and you'll catch some fish.  Run the same speeds as you would any other device.  Close to the ball on a rigger (10 ft).  On a long copper (450+).  Or on an extra long lead between your dipsey and flasher (10 feet).

[Scottieoldschool]

Definatly pick up the pace 2.5 to 3.0. I rum meat around the 2.7 mph on gps

[Big Dave]

We catch a lot more landlocks at 2.8 to 3 at the ball on Cayuga.

[King Slammin]

Run them deep. I usually run them on Mag divers on a 1 setting out 260-350' when the lake is setup. Absolutely deadly for me on kings last yr. I think most of the guys nailed it as far as speed, 2.3- 3 mph is what I end up running. Maybe Crazy Yankee and JB will chime in on this thread since they have the meat down better than most

[Dukdog]

Looks like I need to pick up my speed. I've been successful with other gear at around 2.1 so I've been reluctant to change. I need to embrace some change!!

[DJ 17]

You can also try mc rockets. They are an artificial meat rig.  They have an aluminum spine in  them and are very easy to tune.  Plus they last a long time, you can catch many fish on one rocket.  Mike has tons of colors to choose from.  Run them 4 feet behind a Spin Doctor and see what happens.  I have had the best luck with them being my deepest rod regardless of how it  is being presented.

[Scottieoldschool]

They are expensive but really easy to use. I picked up a few but the fishing has been horrible so far this year.

Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

[Adk1]

So the aluminum spine is already in the artificial bait? So I do not need to insert myself?

[landingzone]

http://www.mcrocket.com

[DJ 17]

Right, the aluminum spine is inside the bait.  When the fish hits, the rocket usually slides up the line, after you land the fish, just slide it back down, retune the spine and send it back to get hit again!

[Adk1]

Will be picking a couple up at fat Nancy's in august