Rigs that allow more than one bait on the line at the same time are killers! The multiple lure rigs present fish with different profiles, lure
actions, colors or live bait to test what the walleye prefer on any given day. You maximize your odds simply by having more baits in the water.
actions, colors or live bait to test what the walleye prefer on any given day. You maximize your odds simply by having more baits in the water.
Double Drop Shot
Single jigs or plain hooks often produce big fish from boats anchored over submerged
timber or rock piles. Adding a second hook a foot or two above the jig can easily
increase your catch by 40 percent. It's the walleye angler's answer to the bassman's
drop-shot rig- and it's just as deadly!
To rig it, use a palomar knot (go to the bottom of Fishing Facts page for knot
instructions) to tie a StandOut hook onto an 8-pound monofilament main line, leaving
an 8-inch to 2-foot tag end (go longer in clearer water, or in areas with lots of snags).
A StandOut is better than a standard octopus-style hook for this presentation because
its bend and offset line tie hold the bait about an inch from the line, plus the bend
imparts a lever action when you twitch your rodtip.
Single jigs or plain hooks often produce big fish from boats anchored over submerged
timber or rock piles. Adding a second hook a foot or two above the jig can easily
increase your catch by 40 percent. It's the walleye angler's answer to the bassman's
drop-shot rig- and it's just as deadly!
To rig it, use a palomar knot (go to the bottom of Fishing Facts page for knot
instructions) to tie a StandOut hook onto an 8-pound monofilament main line, leaving
an 8-inch to 2-foot tag end (go longer in clearer water, or in areas with lots of snags).
A StandOut is better than a standard octopus-style hook for this presentation because
its bend and offset line tie hold the bait about an inch from the line, plus the bend
imparts a lever action when you twitch your rodtip.
Drop Shot Variations
Tie a jig heavy enough to maintain bottom contact to the tag end. Tip both the jig and the
drop-shot hook with live bait or plastics like the Munchies Thumpin' Grub. The two-hook
setup, however, works to its full potential when you fish different live baits simultaneously,
letting you dial in the bait type, color, shape, size and action that work best.
If you think walleyes won't hit something so close to the vertical line, guess again. I've had
'eyes hit the drop-shot hook so hard that it's forced out through the gills and the fish is
actually hooked by the lower jig!
Fish right below the boat with a weedless jig on the bottom to avoid snags, or drift over
points or along weedlines.
You can also cast the rig, or better yet, suspend it under a slip float. Use 15-pound braid
on the main line, then add a thread-style bobber stop and slip float above a barrel swivel.
Add a 2-foot, 10-pound fluorocarbon leader, and use the same drop-shot hook and jig
combination outlined above.
Target pockets within cover, or use wind or current to float the rig across points and along
inside turns. You can also fish the float downstream in current if you use a bottom jig
heavy enough to stay vertical below the boat.
Tie a jig heavy enough to maintain bottom contact to the tag end. Tip both the jig and the
drop-shot hook with live bait or plastics like the Munchies Thumpin' Grub. The two-hook
setup, however, works to its full potential when you fish different live baits simultaneously,
letting you dial in the bait type, color, shape, size and action that work best.
If you think walleyes won't hit something so close to the vertical line, guess again. I've had
'eyes hit the drop-shot hook so hard that it's forced out through the gills and the fish is
actually hooked by the lower jig!
Fish right below the boat with a weedless jig on the bottom to avoid snags, or drift over
points or along weedlines.
You can also cast the rig, or better yet, suspend it under a slip float. Use 15-pound braid
on the main line, then add a thread-style bobber stop and slip float above a barrel swivel.
Add a 2-foot, 10-pound fluorocarbon leader, and use the same drop-shot hook and jig
combination outlined above.
Target pockets within cover, or use wind or current to float the rig across points and along
inside turns. You can also fish the float downstream in current if you use a bottom jig
heavy enough to stay vertical below the boat.
Double Rigs For Rivers
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Double-lure rigs are also ideal for targeting river walleyes. To troll upstream, use a double-
jig rig, a variation of the popular "Wolf River rig", which uses a three-way swivel system, a
weighted dropper and a 2- to 4-foot leader with a hook, and snell float or floating minnow-
bait. The double-jig rig, however, trades a big jig for the Wolf River rig's sinker on the 12-
to 18-inch dropper line (shown at right).
Depending on current strength, the jig should weigh 1/8 to an ounce and a half... whatever
weight maintains a 45-degree angle between the main line (10-pound mono or braid) and
the surface. Use a live minnow or a curlytail shad or even lizard style soft plastic bait on
the bottom jig. It's also a good idea to trade the three-way swivel for two small barrel
swivels when fish are biting light.
To fish the rig in rivers, slow-troll upstream, making "S" turns to cover different depths.
Focus on the breaks in the main channel. When fishing lakes and reservoirs, drift the rig
over points.
The Dubuque Rig (shown at bottom right) is a similar and highly effective way to troll
upstream with two crankbaits. In this case, the dropper line goes from a three-way swivel to
a pencil weight or a No-Snagg sinker, and the leader is assembled from two 2-foot pieces
of mono. Tie one piece to the open loop of the three-way and shallow-running, floating
minnowbait (with the treble removed) to the other.
Tie the other 2-foot leader to the rear eye of the first lure, tie a crankbait snap to the
opposite end, and attach it to a second shallow-running, floating crank.
The rig excels because it allows you to really dial in which action fish prefer, because the
front bait wobbles more subtly than the rear one, a difference that can be critical. Plus, you
can easily experiment with lure color and size.
jig rig, a variation of the popular "Wolf River rig", which uses a three-way swivel system, a
weighted dropper and a 2- to 4-foot leader with a hook, and snell float or floating minnow-
bait. The double-jig rig, however, trades a big jig for the Wolf River rig's sinker on the 12-
to 18-inch dropper line (shown at right).
Depending on current strength, the jig should weigh 1/8 to an ounce and a half... whatever
weight maintains a 45-degree angle between the main line (10-pound mono or braid) and
the surface. Use a live minnow or a curlytail shad or even lizard style soft plastic bait on
the bottom jig. It's also a good idea to trade the three-way swivel for two small barrel
swivels when fish are biting light.
To fish the rig in rivers, slow-troll upstream, making "S" turns to cover different depths.
Focus on the breaks in the main channel. When fishing lakes and reservoirs, drift the rig
over points.
The Dubuque Rig (shown at bottom right) is a similar and highly effective way to troll
upstream with two crankbaits. In this case, the dropper line goes from a three-way swivel to
a pencil weight or a No-Snagg sinker, and the leader is assembled from two 2-foot pieces
of mono. Tie one piece to the open loop of the three-way and shallow-running, floating
minnowbait (with the treble removed) to the other.
Tie the other 2-foot leader to the rear eye of the first lure, tie a crankbait snap to the
opposite end, and attach it to a second shallow-running, floating crank.
The rig excels because it allows you to really dial in which action fish prefer, because the
front bait wobbles more subtly than the rear one, a difference that can be critical. Plus, you
can easily experiment with lure color and size.
.
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by Ted Takasaki and Scott Richardson of North American Fisherman (April 2007)