# Alum Creek Trolling



## Jworm1451 (Mar 3, 2014)

Does any one have any suggestions for trolling at Alum Creek?.?.? Is it worth trying? Would like to try trolling for Walleye and/or Muskie

What do you use?

HJ12
Planer Boards
Worm Harness

Any input is appreciated. Thanks


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Remember trolling lake erie walleye and inland saugeye are totally different animals... shad syle cranks close to bottem work well. Search the forum and there is TONS of saugeye/alum trolling info...


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## 93stratosfishnski (Aug 25, 2011)

And you will catch plenty of accident muskie on 3" baits...


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

93stratosfishnski said:


> And you will catch plenty of accident muskie on 3" baits...


Derek,c'mon man. You cant post on ogf w/o getting blasted... how dear you target muskie with saugeye gear!... MURDERER!


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## MassillonBuckeye (May 3, 2010)

He eats em too! Usually with a side of smallmouth.


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## T-180 (Oct 18, 2005)

Saugeyefisher said:


> Derek,c'mon man. You cant post on ogf w/o getting blasted... how dear you target muskie with saugeye gear!... MURDERER!


He probably meant "hook" a bunch of muskie, landing them is a whole different story : ) !! We always joke that the easiest way to hook up with a ski is to put your most expensive crank bait on w/o a leader & you're gauranteed to hook (lose) one.


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

MassillonBuckeye said:


> He eats em too! Usually with a side of smallmouth.


What will we ever do with THAT GUY! Heard he likes to bust up peoples power steering pumps to....geesh...
T-180, your right. I have NEVER caught a ski targeting ski, though over the years have landed quite a few on bass/eye gear....


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## Govbarney (Jan 3, 2011)

It would seem that the obvious answer here would just be to always use a metal leader when trolling in Alum , regardless if its for Eye's or Ski's... right?


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## 93stratosfishnski (Aug 25, 2011)

Nope I used 30lb power pro and have landed 10+ muskie and never been bitten off... smallest 33" biggest 45"


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

93stratosfishnski said:


> Nope I used 30lb power pro and have landed 10+ muskie and never been bitten off... smallest 33" biggest 45"


Yea same opinion here. Especially when trolling. Imo if you put a steel leader on you will constantly get out fished...
And i troll with mono...


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## Core_d (Apr 7, 2014)

I landed a 35" musky on 4# mono with 1/32 wire jig head. He was far from dead on the stringer. In the end he was skillet bound anyhow. Also, no qualms about keeping a musky. If its real bruiser set it free 35 or 6 is ideal table fare.


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Core_d said:


> I landed a 35" musky on 4# mono with 1/32 wire jig head. He was far from dead on the stringer. In the end he was skillet bound anyhow. Also, no qualms about keeping a musky. If its real bruiser set it free 35 or 6 is ideal table fare.


Sorry my post was a joke.... back to subject jworm. Get some sr7's flickershads and wally duvers. Troll them on and off pionts in 8-15 fow. You will catch fish..


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## kfi (Nov 11, 2013)

Yea, I've tried to troll during a few trips this spring with no luck yet. My new (to me) boat is setup with some downriggers so depth not a problem. Slowest I can go with outboard is ~2.2 mph and I think that is one of my problems (along with finding 'em) for eyes. I'll keep at it and report accordingly.


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

kfi said:


> Yea, I've tried to troll during a few trips this spring with no luck yet. My new (to me) boat is setup with some downriggers so depth not a problem. Slowest I can go with outboard is ~2.2 mph and I think that is one of my problems (along with finding 'em) for eyes. I'll keep at it and report accordingly.


Give it a month and 2.2 will be to slow. Id say the riggers arent helping. Great for deep flat basins. I dont even like useing my bigger le trolling rods for saugeye.. a medium action 7-8' rod with the smaller diawa lc will do spooled with either 30 lb braid or 10 lb mono,your preference,pro and cons to both,but probally more pros with the braid inland lake trolling. A small duo lock snap and shad style cranks trolled 2.5-3 mph will catch fish like crazy in the comeing months.. mark some points on a map and work them. 
Problem with the riggers is tou cant make the adjutments you need to follow the changing contours at alum,fast enough....


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Oh now summer time muskie may be different with the riggers. Once the thermolcine sets up it may be a good way to troll the thermocline? Not sure though...


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## JayBee (May 27, 2011)

kfi,

I trolled Buckeye last Saturday in the afternoon. I was pulling about 2.2 mph as well (also about as slow as I can go) and managed to boat 5 eyes. I've become convinced over the past few years that the speed is not nearly as crucial as maintaining contact w/ the bottom is. A crank really digging and a crank just "ticking" the bottom has been a successful set up for me when I am by myself. 

Obviously speed is "a" factor to be considered, but it doesn't seem to be "the" factor, IMO.


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## Core_d (Apr 7, 2014)

Does alum develop a thermocline? I was under the impression creek fed lakes do not. Wouldn't know first hand though.


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## kfi (Nov 11, 2013)

Thanks jb & saugeye fisher for the pointers... I'll keep working at it. Thus far my trolling has been primarily short time coming to/from some coves looking for crappie. Most of my plugs are shallow divers so in my (very inexperienced) mind seems like I would want riggers to get em down near bottom. Just in the few trips I've found its a good bit of work setting lines (my usual fishing partner is my 10 yr old son so we both have tons to learn). I totally agree it is difficult to adjust to changing contour so I've tried just using the contour map on my phone (navionics) and follow a specific contour. Any additional feedback welcome..


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## Jworm1451 (Mar 3, 2014)

Thanks to everyone for the replies. My plan is go Crappie fishing at Alum on Saturday and then depending on how things go giving trolling a shot. I've never trolled Alum just the western basin of Lake Erie so I appreciate the pointers!


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## JayBee (May 27, 2011)

kfi,

I might suggest that you use some snap weights with your cranks. I troll almost exclusively with shad raps (sr5 or sr7) and flicker shads and when I need to get them down to the bottom past that 8-9' mark, snaps are what I utilize (easy to adjust your leader length and remove when reeling in). You can then adjust your depth simply by reeling in or letting out line as the contours change.


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## gone-fishing (Aug 27, 2011)

Love those snap weights

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


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## Core_d (Apr 7, 2014)

gone-fishing said:


> Love those snap weights
> 
> Sent from my SPH-L710 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


Where do you get them at? Ive considered trolling with mono then crimp some stranded electrical wire in line for weight then use an flouro leader. Snap weights sound a little easyier.


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

JayBee said:


> kfi,
> 
> I might suggest that you use some snap weights with your cranks. I troll almost exclusively with shad raps (sr5 or sr7) and flicker shads and when I need to get them down to the bottom past that 8-9' mark, snaps are what I utilize (easy to adjust your leader length and remove when reeling in). You can then adjust your depth simply by reeling in or letting out line as the contours change.


Fyi speed determines depth more then any thing when trolling snap weights... length of linematters most with divers...
Do you use off shore snaps? All of our snaps are what came off our planers after we put the or15's on our planers....


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## gone-fishing (Aug 27, 2011)

I use offshore snaps but not necessarily weights from offshore. I order them in bulk from offshore. They are the same as some of the boards just depends on when you bought them just make sure they have the pin in them or you will lose them. I think they are red...darn colorblindness:thumbdown:
Speed always matters to some degree no matter what you are using. ..I like them more for the shorter drop lengths but I also like to troll flicker shads in the 20-30' range the eyes like to hide from time to time. I rarely use weights for skis however

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


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## JayBee (May 27, 2011)

Saugeyefisher said:


> Fyi speed determines depth more then any thing when trolling snap weights... length of linematters most with divers...
> Do you use off shore snaps? All of our snaps are what came off our planers after we put the or15's on our planers....


Yep, speed matters. I was referring more so to the ability to take in or let out line with ease which is an issue with the downriggers. 

I use the off shore as well. Typically go 50/50 when setting them. Of course, I troll Buckeye far more than anywhere else so they tend to get a lot of rest.


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