Seeing Followers on Graph

[ncej03]

The last few trips I've been seeing a decent amount of fish come up to the ball, sometimes follow, then nothing.   Didn't get many rigger bites those days.  Anybody else experience this?  I"m running 20lb main line right to swivel.  Running 20 to 30 feet behind ball.  Thinking about putting on about 10ft of fluorocarbon for leader.  

[ontherise]

Try running your spoons closer to the ball... I have that happen and sometimes that helps..


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[Silver Fox]

The last few trips I've been seeing a decent amount of fish come up to the ball, sometimes follow, then nothing.   Didn't get many rigger bites those days.  Anybody else experience this?  I"m running 20lb main line right to swivel.  Running 20 to 30 feet behind ball.  Thinking about putting on about 10ft of fluorocarbon for leader.  

Just move your rigger around. I had 2 this weekend hit when I moved it up 5'.

Silverfoxcharters.net

[ifishy]

you can pop the rigger let it flutter up sometimes that will trigger a strike

[ncej03]

Thanks for the replies.  Interesting.   I had three fish hit my dipsy setup while I dropped it back a few feet after it was running a while.  

[phil2]

I had that allot this summer. Ended up put foot in carb 2.7 2.9 and 3.1 they would hit then. Think slower they get to good a look at it. 

 

[ncej03]

Yeah.  I think I was going slow with waves.   No probe yet.  I try to watch my dipsy rods loaded and blowback to judge speed.   I did pick up a few when bumped speed.  

 

 

[Sk8man]

If you watch some of the underwater videos of salmon trying to catch up with spoons - let alone an attractor/fly it becomes evident that although they are fast powerful swimmers they often have trouble actually grabbing the objects and sometimes they even may grab the wrong one, and sideways movement seems sometimes a problem for them. The wave action on the surface can also be a factor bouncing the setup up and down while it is going sideways or revolving. The fish may be following the setup for quite aways trying to nail it and/or they may just be checking it out because it or something about it doesn't look quite right to them. The situation is a good reason for always messing with your speed slowing down, increasing briefly, putting in neutral, occasionally giving the gas a jump, making turns so the inside setup(s) slows while the outside speeds up. The change itself may be the trigger that is necessary to make them grab the bait because it imparts a different action to the bait and where the following may have been curiosity the change in action generates an impulse to strike so it relates to a different behavior origin. Popping the rigger and letting it flutter as ifishy suggested may be doing the same thing and it often does work. The distance of the setup from the rigger weight may influence this as well as if placed close to the weight it may be seen as a unit vs. when the weight is followed at some longer distance by the setup it may either spook the fish initially attracted by the weight and its movement through the water from striking at the bait, or it may just lose their interest or curiosity and move away before the bait arrives. The deeper the setup is run it can pay to shorten the distance to the weight. The last time out one of them hit the rigger at 115 ft down and the flasher fly was running 3-4 ft behind the weight the other rigger with same stuff set much further back never saw action. Just some observations to think about not necessarily a rock solid answer to the situation

Edited August 22, 2018 by Sk8man

[fisherdude]

Trolling the finger lakes with Seth greens watching the sonar I will say to partner marking pretty good now . He will start rocking boat side to side or I will hit the full throttle switch on the control King for a bit . Both methods trigger strikes .

I was fishing the Seneca lake derby . I watch a boat trolling by me with his riggers mounted on a board across the stern I noticed the riggers slowly lifting straight up and slowly back down . I did a double take on that , even caught up with him and I followed him a bit to watch .

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[bout time]

It can mean a lot of things :

1. Not interested in particular lure once up close
2. Not the correct action
3. Incorrect lead lengths
4. Not in the mood
5. Wrong speed causing all the above
6. Etc

The most important thing is once a strike is triggered pay close attention to details.

Depth of rigger or line out of dipsy,
Setback from riggers (lead lengths)
Speed (surface or downspeed)
Direction of troll
Direction of wind

Repeat, Repeat, Repeat ......

You will often get strikes going one particular direction only to turn around and go through them again the opposite direction and not get bit.

One thing to start with is a rigger with a setback (lead length) of 8-10’ and another one at 20’ +\-. Whatever one gets the strikes set the other to match.

Let the fish’s mood that day determine your setup



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[Paul Czarnecki]

The last few trips I've been seeing a decent amount of fish come up to the ball, sometimes follow, then nothing.   Didn't get many rigger bites those days.  Anybody else experience this?  I"m running 20lb main line right to swivel.  Running 20 to 30 feet behind ball.  Thinking about putting on about 10ft of fluorocarbon for leader.  

If you're seeing them with their nose on the rigger ball and you're running 20-30' leads the fish is focused on the ball and not your bait. Shorten your leads. At least the one they are keying on.


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[ncej03]

Thanks for all the comments.  All make sense.  At the time I was seeing this I was running 20-30ft back.  

[GAMBLER]

I have found fewer riggers seem to be getting those fish to commit this season. 

[Xxx]

Also if your running rigger weights with a lot of bling your rigger weight is out performing your spread. Had lots of fish hit flashers or Dodgers with a lot of bling. Mine are all flat black.

[ncej03]

Tough bite out there today.  Out of Olcott.   Dropped in at 100ft checking if any stagers are around and started trolling north.  Marked some good stuff, but only one quick rip.  All warm water moved in.  Here's a picture of one that came up for a look at my rigger.  

[Gill-T]

what color is your rigger balls?

[ncej03]

Black. Round. 

[Gill-T]

I doubt they are chasing your balls then.  Keep in mind your graph was showing bait above the hook.  A dense ball of bait casts a shadow as it passes overhead......fish lift to feed.  Your boat casts a shadow.....fish don't know the difference.

[Xxx]

LOL yup back balls gets the job done well that ain't the problem then.

[ncej03]

Last time out picked up a few on riggers/spoons.  5ft back.  Thanks for the comments. 

[HB2]

On 8/23/2018 at 2:52 PM, GAMBLER said:

I have found fewer riggers seem to be getting those fish to commit this season. 

Been saying less is more for years 

 

Don't crowd the zone 

 

Also lazy s curves diving the boat 

[back on eerie 2016]

Could be the main line spooking them. I changed to a leader smaller than main line line and it.helped

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