Bouncing Across The Walleye World

Most bouncers commonly used for traditional walleye presentations run 1, 1 1⁄2, or 2 ounces. Consider lighter bouncers for subtle finesse presentations and heavier 3-ouncers for deep water or quick trolling; heavyweights are popular on the Great Lakes where zebra mussels will cut exposed line but over which bouncers crawl unphased, probing the 30- to 40-foot level. You can even fish bouncers and spinner-crawler harnesses in conjunction with planer boards, especially when walleyes are on or near bottom.

Plain lead bouncers have evolved into colored options, chiefly fluorescent oranges and yellows and chartreuses for adding visibility in dingy water. A few exotic designs feature a spinner and clevis, or a float, on the top wire arm, adding some combination of flash, vibration, sound, color, profile, and flotation. Most, however, are pretty straightforward designs.

Bouncers typically are fished on moderate-action long-handled casting rods, suitable for both holding or placing in rod holders. For holding, 61⁄2- to 7-footers are about right. For fishing strictly in rod holders, you can go even a bit longer. The key is for the rod to be forgiving on the strike, bending slowly without spooking a fish while it ingests the bait. A soft-enough rod will simply bend, and the fish will hook itself, before you even lift the rod out of the holder. A stiffer rod will stop bending too soon, and the fish will sense danger and drop the bait prematurely.

Small flippin’ reels spooled with anything from 10- to 20-pound-test abrasion-resistant monofilament line usually are best, although some tournament pros prefer superline for added sensitivity in deep water or increased abrasion resistance around wood. Small reels are more than adequate, since you don’t need loads of line capacity; nor do you need to hold heavy weight all day. Plus, a flippin’ feature allows you to hit the button and let out line, then lift your thumb and engage the reel without having to use two hands. It’s perfect for trolling along with a foot-controlled bowmount electric and a rod in each hand, especially if one is a left-handed reel, and the other a right. That way, when you get a bite, sweepset one rod, then set the other in a holder on the opposite side of the boat, and finally, fight the fish. Meanwhile, the other rod keeps fishing for you during the battle, and many a walleye has fallen prey to an untended rod with a soft tip and a lively livebait on the line.

In the end, a bottom bouncer, be it jazzed up with goodies or simply a plain ol’ hunka lead molded onto a length of wire, does three things simultaneously: it skips across rock snags while following contours, presenting livebait along the way. Once you establish the basic bouncer, the rest is all razzle dazzle and personal preference. The best thing is, bouncers fish equally effectively whether you hold the rod or place it in a rod holder and let nature take its course. In other words, they’re almost impossible to fish incorrectly. And for that, we thank our lucky stars every day for that lucky bounce.