Drifting or dragging baits for channels in lakes

[cattin15]

Hey guys,

Just wondering what some of the basic setups and tactics used to drag baits for channels. Nothing too specific just gathering info to start doing this next season. Desired drift speed. Terminal set ups. Rod and reel ect..

Any help is greatly appreciated

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[Buckeye Mo]

Good question, I've wondered too when I see people talk about drifting to cover an area. I usually head to a likely spot and anchor.

Not sure if it's the same set up or what?


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[autogyroenthusiast]

at night i drift shallow rocky shorelines or outside edges of shallow fallen timber. hot daytime i find the creek channels or deeper ledges near fallen timber. rigging is a slip sinker (heavy enough to sink the cut gill) on the main line, main line tied to a tough swivel, then 8-12 inches of line tied from the swivel to the circle hook, with a small cigar crappie float pegged halfway between the swivel and the hook to keep the bait just off the bottom. i use a kayak and generally go slow, but no idea the actual mph speed. good luck.

edit to add that i use an Okuma 50 on an Ugly Stik and a Shimano (which is smaller) on another Ugly Stick. The bigger ones always hit the smaller reel lol. 30 lb test to horse them out of cover.

[TomC]

Thats bout the same setup i use sometimes without the bobber to keep the bait suspended up off the bottom a little bit. I like to drift at .4-.7mph with cut shad on the bottom.

[Doctor]

I use two types of set-ups first one is under bobbers, big pool noodle bobbers have a 3oz. egg sinker with a 12 inch leader, using cut Shad and Chubs throw out behind the boat and let the wind push me or use the trolling motor the faster I go the larger fish I seem to catch, what ever the water depth is I go halfway down, so ten foot bait is suspended under the bobber at 5 foot.

Second set-up I call dragging, using a 18 inch leader with a float pegged near a circle hook generally 6/0 size and a sinker slide with about a 1-2oz. pencil sinker. using 8 foot rods, 6500 abu's with 40#test line with fast tips throw it way behind the boat generally dragging it 50 foot or more behind the boat and I drag thru trees and over top of all kinds of structure you just have to be patient with the rods they will bow down as the weight goes into a tree or structure then the soft tip will pop the bait right thru and over top of the stuff, running the trolling motor around .5mph to 1.5mph, seem to catch the bigger fish at the higher speeds when the wind is blowing I point the bow into the wind and troll into the wind, if I go with the wind then I'll put out two drift socks and run the trolling motor in reverse to slow me down, have also flipped the boat sideways and using the same combination but the rods are on the side rod holders generally I have them right out of the back of the boat the wind is a major factor when dragging, whatever bank the wind is pushing into is where I start, wind pushes Shad into the banks and the fish will follow, I put the baits against the windblown bank and then drag them away, with my new Trolling motor I can now run the banks parallel using drift socks out the back to keep the back of the boat from swinging around from the wind trying to blow it that way, several different ways to do it, I know one thing dragging baits targets the most active fish in a lake and will triple or more your catch rate, you will have to work thru a bunch of smaller fish but is worth it ...............Doc

[negs]

thats some great info you guys put out. however as they say "a picture is worth a thousand words" any chance of a picture being posted of these rigs?

[Doctor]

Here's my dragging rig:



Another variation I use for real heavy cover the object is to get the bait to float above the snags the pencil weight very seldom gets hung up it just bumps and slides right over or thru the jungle while the bait rides above it.




Here's my Bobber set-up made of pool noodles I'm drifting these also:

[Salmonid]

Docs rig is the standard rig most guys are using. although the float isnt neccesary most of the time.

Salmonid

[cattin15]

Thanks for all the info guys!!

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[Doctor]

Main reason I use a bobber on the leader line is if I'm dragging and the sinker gets hung up, the bobber holds the bait straight above the snag if the sinker breaks loose then it slips thru the snag.

Without the bobber the hook will drop down into the snag then you have lost everything, generally I can pull right thru most of the worst snags on a lake without getting hung up.............Doc

[H2O Mellon]

Great posts Doc!

[Buckeye Mo]

thanks for the info!


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[OhioCatter]

Planer boards and trolling from .7 to 1.2 mph. As others have mentioned at the higher speeds you do seem to catch better quality fsh.

[Ðe§perado™]

I just tie a loop in the end of the line and put a walking sinker on, one just big enough to stay in contact with the bottom. Bigger sinker with choppy water. Then tie a large loop and about 18" or so up the line to make a 6-8" leader and put on a 5/0 Circle hook and just add cut shad. It saves on tackle and still brings in the fish.

[FISNFOOL]

At Skeeter when drifting for the channel cats, I use a floating jig head with a night crawler gobbed up on the hook so it is pierced several times to leach out more sent. Then about 18 inches up from the jig I have a small split shot rigged as a stop so a sliding walking sinker does not go any closer to the jig head. 1/4 to 3/8 ounce walking sinker.

Causeway bait n tackle has the jig heads bulk so you can pick out the ones you want. I use the flo-orange and Chartreuse. The orange seems to draw the cats. The Chartreuse rigged the same except with the crawler just hooked so it trails, gets the walleye. These jigs can pull the hook free of a snag, then just re-bend the hook if needed.

[Jayhat]

I like to drift in no more than 10mph wind. I use a raw shrimp stinkier the better, with no weight or the tiniest spit-shot a foot or so from hook. I use trolling motor to keep boat straight. I always lift motor out of water because the extra drag messes with the boat drifting. I buy raw frozen shrimp at Aldi's for about $4 a bag. I take 1/2 of them and add a 1/2 cup of water and a 1/2 cup olive oil with 1/2 cup of garlic powder and 1/2 cup of onion powder. Let soak for a couple of days before using. The other 1/2 of the shrimp I just let stink up in a baggie in my bait fridge.