# saugeye pros....got a question



## Scum_Frog (Apr 3, 2009)

say you were fishing a small reservoir.....60acres or less.....fish bowl....pretty much no structure but the edges dropoff from 4'-15'......how fast would you troll...."electric trolling motor" also what style of lures.....harnesses??cranks? colors? so forth....any help will be appreciative. We've been trying for a while now and know they are in there.....'caught them previously and/or seen them on the ice camera'.....what do we ddooooooo lol. Trying to have some hook ups but not successful! We've tried trolling faster....slower....middle....cranks....shallow or deep...natural colors and exotics.....cant get anything going!! Again any help will be appreciative! thanks again!


----------



## promag (Aug 21, 2011)

Try to jig. It is by far the best tackle to use. You can switch up retrieving style,color, action (grub bodies, tubes,wacky worms,ect...). Also verticle jigging. Don't neglect a jigging spoon you can cast far away from your boat without spooking the fish and work all depths at the same time. If you are a die hard plug user try to use the big 7" stick bait like rapala x raps or husky jerks. Also use the plugs with a fast retrieve in late summer into fall. Saugeye stick to structure,walleye come off of it, sauger go deep. Always try to make contact with structure or bottom and very your presentation. Best of luck..

Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


----------



## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Whats the most common forage base in the lake? Regardless though you cant go wrong with nightcrawlers when the water is warm like it is. I beleive that worms work so well and often cause they look like bug larva and small bugs that have hatched in the water. and almost all bodys of water have bugs.
If shad are the main forage in the lake then usally this time of yr. shad will ball up really good. Find those shad and throw lipless crankbaits, and blaid baits through those balls of shad. 
Hope this helps ya 
Bobby
Oh and on the trolling speed, as with most fishing there are many variables. But this time of yr when trolling cranks i would keep the speeds on the high range(2-3.5mph) and variey your speeds and make alot of s turns. Good luck!


----------



## Scum_Frog (Apr 3, 2009)

Thanks for the input guys!! As far as forage....0 shad....mainly green sunfish/gils/tons of crappie and a whole pile of crawfish.....I think we may be trolling to slow....gunna try kickin it up a notch next time and also throwin in a few s turns to mix it up.....havent casted spoons at all.....also how far off bank should we troll.....if the only structure is the bank drop off.....say....bottom of drop off is here |......should be trollin right on it?? 10' away,.....20'......4,000,000' lol jk but just curious!! were tired of wasted trips is all lol. Again thank you! Also may try some harnesses behind some bottom bouncers!


----------



## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Hard to say. I would make one pass on bottem of droppoff, then one in middle, then if possiple on on top of the drop. 
Another possibility is thread half a crawler on a small jig head and set ur boat up deep and throw shallow, then work that jig down the sloap. 
Just some suggestions
Bobby


----------



## Scum_Frog (Apr 3, 2009)

Thanks again! We cant bounce a jig back down the slope unfortunately because its a solid rock mess......your snagged literally almost everytime.....but i think working it along the edge of the dropoff and perhaps a little deeper might do the trick.....Im definitely going to try speeding up our troll and also do u recommend bigger or smaller type cranks.....cordell's?? hot n tots??? huskys??? size?? We've got a mixed variety i may just experiment with it especially since i think i was trolling to slow as it was.


----------



## MDBuckeye (Sep 29, 2009)

If there are lots of crawdads use the natural crawdad colors with your browns/reds and orange colors. Also try some natural silver/blue or black back lures. I personally like Berkley flicker shad, Bandit Lures, and Rapala shad raps. All of those manufactures give lots of color combo's.

You may also want to try a slower more methodical approach and do a slip bobber and leech right on the break. I would say the fish move up and down the break depending on daylight conditions. Low light = shallower fish. They will also start holding shallower as the water cools.

Good luck!


----------



## MDBuckeye (Sep 29, 2009)

Oh BTW, I am FAR from a pro... FWIW.


----------



## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Yea i would use any crank that looks like a crawdad or a blugill or crappie. And the slipbobber idea is a good one to!
Bobby


----------



## Gottagofishn (Nov 18, 2009)

Just for kicks......have you ever tried Erie Dearies? In a small lake they might be fun. Harnesses are always good. You are probably right about the speed while its warm....it will help keep the little stuff off and you might find the sweet spot. Cranks....well all you need is the right one at the right depth/speed..lol.

Forage base is a clue....fish where the bait is and good luck!


----------



## killingtime (Apr 29, 2009)

if the water is real clear they will stick close to the bottom in the shallower water. if there is alot of rocks in there you are going to lose some baits but get right in them with some twister tails. use smaller jig heads if you have to so you wont get hung up as much. i am not a pro either but in my opinion a jig and twister is a very neutral bait for saugeye and can produce fish most of the time. green chartruse with a pink jig head is my favorite. as mentioned maybe put a small piece of night crawler on with the jig. try night fishing for them if you havent tried before they will come up shallow looking for bait fish. when trolling cranks you want them just ticking the botttom every now and then so you know your staying close to the bottom. again i am not a pro just giving ideas that work for myself. good luck.


----------



## Scum_Frog (Apr 3, 2009)

When we troll we have tried right off the bottom and hitting the bottom.....different size lures different colors different everything!!! Its crazy how we are yet to pull out an eye......we have caught them shore fishing at night throwing up against the rocks but nothing out of the boat. I cant believe it. We are going to give the meat approach a try. Somethings eventually gotta work! Thanks for all the tips guys!


----------



## katfish ken (Feb 5, 2010)

Try some crawdads on a carolina rig, use as little weight as you can get by with and about a 2' leader jig them about a foot or so off the bottom.. as for trolling speed I would start by drifting with the wind. there is something that the fish will relate to on bottom, May be a depression no more than a few inches deeper than the area around it, or maybe a single rock that stands out to them.


----------



## Gottagofishn (Nov 18, 2009)

All good stuff in here.......I find that in a rocky mess sometimes the lighter jig works for me as well. I also find I have an easier time controlling the jig if I use lighter line along with it. If I'm using a 1/16th oz jig 6lb. test works pretty well. The lighter jig might get you down there without getting hung up as much. 
Me no pro Bro., just an old guy that has been fishin a while....


----------

