Success Hangs In The Balance

Leeches hooked through or near the suction cup, typically on about a #8 Octopus, lightwire round-bend (Aberdeen) or similarly sized wide-bend (Kahle) hook are the most popular option. The hook must be small and sharp, adequate to land a walleye without excessive bulk and weight that would retard the natural swimming attractiveness of the leech. About two feet above the bait, attach a sufficient number of small split shot to both sink the bait and reduce the buoyancy of the rig to a level of easy bite detection without undue disappearance in big waves. For further experimentation, try minnows hooked below the dorsal fin, or crawlers hooked through the collar, adjusting hook size to match the bait.

Float fishing semi-finesse calls for wide sweeping casts with long rods to sail the bait toward its target, to lift up slack off the water, and tighten the line on the hookset; actually, you just tighten the line and start the tiny hook point penetrating the walleye’s jaw, eventually working its way in past the barb under tension. Seven-foot-plus light-action spinning rods, typically spooled with 4- to 6-pound supple clear monofilament, provide the best combination of castability, cushion, and performance for floats. For afficionados, longer steelheading rods up to the likes of St. Croix’s 13-foot AST130MLF2 provide the ultimate in slipfloat control.

For clear water and spooky fish, plain hooks tend to excel, providing a smaller target and a softer up-down action in waves. But in dingy water or turbulent conditions, tiny 1/32-ounce fluorescent orange or yellow jigheads add a spot of color to help focus the strike at the hook and enhance the bait’s dance each time the float proceeds from wave crest to trough. For night fishing, use phosphorescent jigheads and either lighted (via a tiny lithium battery or light stick) or glow-in-the-dark floats.

How Deep?

The unappreciated dimension of slipfloats is that they work at all depths—not just in the relative shallows. Anglers tend to use them where they can see shallow wave disturbance, setting the depth of the bobber stop by guessing, and then drifting the bait shallow to see what happens. If it snags or frequently comes to rest, it’s set too deep. If it drifts clean on through, it’s probably an effective pass, but it pays to try mild adjustments. If a float occasionally brushes bottom, which you can tell when the float briefly pauses and leans over before resuming its drift, you’re in the fish zone.

But what about deeper areas: deep reef tops, deep points, and drop-offs? Best ask the bobber doctor.

PWT pro Dr. Bruce Samson is one of the original Mille Lacs slipbobber brigade, and Doc Bruce has hoisted many a big walleye from amidst shallow boulder piles pounded by big waves. Folks outside the tournament game fail to realize how effectively he applies slipfloats in deeper areas.