Long Lining

[Adam 1]

So I have this terrible problem of catching one on the first pass and then nothing. Feel confident but not able to replicate. also do you all use tube jigs when long lining. We have been and also jokers and some paddle tails.
Thanks for any and all suggestions.

[CrappiePappy]

Are you making these passes, over the area you catch the first fish, from both directions ?? Sometimes you need to be going in the same direction as you were on the initial pass.
If you're not seeing the fish on your electronics, on follow-up passes, they may have moved, already been on the move, spooked by your motor or boat shadow, or any number of other reasons.

I don't normally "long line" ... I "push" jigs. I've used about every style of plastics (except curly tails), but seem to have the most success with stinger shad shaped bodies & tube jigs (the flaired skirt types, like Crappie Thunder tubes).

About the only baits I've used, when long line trolling, has been marabou jigs and marabou Roadrunners.

Crappie won't normally chase a bait very far, so when you're long line trolling, or pushing/pulling, they're reacting to the bait coming by. Once that bait is "out of range" they're no longer interested.

[Yonder]

I push out the side, as well. We always called it dredging. Some hand ties, some sexy tail style, plastics.
If I can find deep enough water, 10' or so, I'll drag a small crank or Rapala.
To and fro, seems I hook up going the same direction, mostly.

[CrappiePappy]

I push out the side, as well. We always called it dredging. Some hand ties, some sexy tail style, plastics.
If I can find deep enough water, 10' or so, I'll drag a small crank or Rapala.
To and fro, seems I hook up going the same direction, mostly.

One of our members (mrdux), who's a guide on KY Lake & specializes in pushing cranks, came to our Green River Lake Spring Fling and gave a seminar on pushing cranks. I was way too busy doing other things to attend the full seminar, but did pick up on one thing he mentioned ... which was that Crappie can sometimes only be caught when going in one direction. I made a mental note of that, but it didn't fully register with me until I went out the following day. Lo & behold ... the majority of the Crappie that I caught, pushing jigs & cranks, were caught when I was going in one direction. Even though I marked the Crappie on my DI unit when going in either direction, most were caught when going that one direction.

My speed, baits, and colors were the same ... regardless of direction ... so I can only assume that those fish, at that time/place, were mostly ignoring my baits unless they were coming at/by them in that one direction. And while they may not react that way all the time, when I notice it happening in the future ... I'll spend more time going in that one direction, rather than doing any back & forth runs.

[BigDawgg]

Thanks for the info.

[dannyr3_8]

maybe i have been going the wrong way lol

[LedHed]

Gr8 post. I have a few ?s too;
Why push opposed to pull?
How far back do you place jigs/cranks when your pushing?

For Bluegill fishing, think we get more fish trolling away from the sun - in the shallows. Deep water it doesn't matter.

[CrappiePappy]

Why push opposed to pull?
How far back do you place jigs/cranks when your pushing?

I push in order to :

fish from the front of the boat w/foot controlled trolling motor

have a shorter turn radius when avoiding obstacles or following a contour

How much line you let out depends on what depth you want the bait to reach. When Pushing I usually keep my speed such that my lines are at about a 45deg angle. That's done by the speed of the boat & how much weight I'm using. I can tell approx. how deep my bait is by multiplying how much line I have out by 0.6 --- so if I have 20ft of line out, then my weight & jig are about 12ft deep (20x0.6=12)

Pushing cranks is a little trickier, since the lines are rarely at that 45deg angle. Also heavier weights are usually used for cranks, as well as higher speeds. There are charts that show approx. depths with 2oz weights & certain brands of crankbaits at a certain speed.

Pushing jigs, I'm usually running at 0.6 - 1mph ... Pushing cranks is usually done at 1.25 - 2mph
Pushing jigs, I'm usually using 1/2oz - 1.5oz weights ... Pushing cranks is usually done with 2oz weights (or more, in some cases).

Leader lines for jigs, I usually use about 2ft of line (lighter lb test than main line) ... Leader lines for cranks are usually 3 to 5ft of line (and may be equal to or lighter lb test than main line).

These are just what most people I know use, but there's really no set in stone rule on weight, speed, leader length or pound test, so it's all relative to what works for each individual.

[murdok]

I push in order to :

fish from the front of the boat w/foot controlled trolling motor

have a shorter turn radius when avoiding obstacles or following a contour

How much line you let out depends on what depth you want the bait to reach. When Pushing I usually keep my speed such that my lines are at about a 45deg angle. That's done by the speed of the boat & how much weight I'm using. I can tell approx. how deep my bait is by multiplying how much line I have out by 0.6 --- so if I have 20ft of line out, then my weight & jig are about 12ft deep (20x0.6=12)

Pushing cranks is a little trickier, since the lines are rarely at that 45deg angle. Also heavier weights are usually used for cranks, as well as higher speeds. There are charts that show approx. depths with 2oz weights & certain brands of crankbaits at a certain speed.

Pushing jigs, I'm usually running at 0.6 - 1mph ... Pushing cranks is usually done at 1.25 - 2mph
Pushing jigs, I'm usually using 1/2oz - 1.5oz weights ... Pushing cranks is usually done with 2oz weights (or more, in some cases).

Leader lines for jigs, I usually use about 2ft of line (lighter lb test than main line) ... Leader lines for cranks are usually 3 to 5ft of line (and may be equal to or lighter lb test than main line).

These are just what most people I know use, but there's really no set in stone rule on weight, speed, leader length or pound test, so it's all relative to what works for each individual.

lots of good info there. if ya want there is a very good 30min video a guy on here made a year or so back. its long lining 101 by popatop912. if ya cant find it on cdc just search utube its easy to find. really good info.

[sinkermaker]

Some on here say that going with the wind is better than going into the wind. I myself have not seen this to be true. I like curly tails for there action but when I set up I start with a variety and find out what the fish want