12/20 -21 Got my fix!

[smlmike]

Arrived Sat. morn to SML around 7:30 to snow flurries. Had been about a month since I had got to fish. Got some things set up and headed out around 9:00. Pretty chilly, so I decided not to catch bait and just pull the U-rig until I found fish. That took all of about two minutes, the next dock up, fish on. That was quick. Turned around and went back across the hump and picked up a juvenile.  Tried casting that spot no takers. Continued on for awhile until I hit another on the U-rig, different hump. Hung out until twilight hoping for a show but that was it for Sat. Marked fish and bait deep 50-90 FOW. Good thing I didn't want bait.

Sunday weather was supposed to be warmer, but that didn't happen until afternoon. Headed up lake this morning and just past the bridge I believe I just missed the show. Birds circling but no divers or risers. Searched a while longer and broke out the U-rig. Same deal pulled in two more coming across humps/flats. Would have liked to pull some bait but wasn't going to happen, everything I saw had moved deep. All fish were in the mid 20's (inches) and except the juvenile was about 15". Left SML around 2:00 pm. 

Clear green and pearl swimbaits on the U-rigs running about 18' deep.

[cane]

Whats the best way you have found to estimate how deep your rigs are running?

[smlmike]

Started out with some of the tables (main line, type of line, lure weight, & speed) you can find online. They are real close for what I am doing. I test it occasionally on the clean humps/flats. When the rig bounces off bottom this is your gauge, watch your depth finder while crossing these areas
So for example I am pulling a 13oz rig, with 65# braid attached to it. Traveling at 2.5-2.75 mph. This puts me at 18' deep, staying above the submerged trees. If you come across something higher in the water just speed up for about 10 secs this will lift the rig up and hopefully over
I did get hung up 3 times over the weekend. Operator error!

[smlmike]

And the rig is 65' behind the boat or line out.

[medicineman]

Thanks for the posts ! I was there that morning also- boat motor wouldn't start- first time that has ever happened. I have a U-rig that I will try on my next outing.

[smlmike]

Check this article out, it has the chart that I would relate too.  DanDuncan2.docx (125.61 KB)