Ask the Walleye Pro: Troy Morris

Q: I read that many of the pros were using “sliders” or “cheaters” as part of their spinner presentation on Green Bay. I understand it gives anglers an additional line in the water. Will you explain this set up?

-Terry, Shawano, Wis.

A: If your state regulations allow this presentation, cheater lines are a simple but complex way to present an extra line. The “cheater system” is to be used on your inside planer board. Let your board out half way, connect the snapper release and then send your board the rest of the way out. I like to use an OR-16 snapper release made by Off Shore Tackle. My snapper release is rigged as follows: First connect a ball bearing snap swivel to this snapper release attached to a predetermined length of line. Then attach a ball bearing swivel to the other end of that line and attach that to your spinner rig.

I was using a 30-pound mono leader (which allows you to lay the line on the floor without tangles) that was 30-feet in length with an in-line 1-ounce weight connected to a crawler harness. You can also use a snap-weight system which allows you to vary your depth by simply moving the snap weight up and down your line. Typically with a 1-ounce weight system moving at a speed from .8 mph to 1 mph it will be a 2 to 1 ratio meaning let out 2 feet of line for every foot of depth. For anything faster use a 3 to 1 ratio as this will get you in the “strike zone”. This presentation is a very fun way to fish because you are fighting the fish in hand-to-hand combat. There is no rod and reel with an advanced drag system involved when retrieving this cheater line. Terry go have fun with this and experiment with it, I guarantee it is an exciting new way to catch fish.

Q: I’ve heard grumblings amongst the pros that the Walleye Tour may or may not expand to five qualifying events in 2007. What are the advantages and disadvantages for the pros of having an additional tournament? What do you personally favor?

-FLW Leaguer

A: No matter what the FLW organization decides to do, it will be in the best interest of the professional sport of fishing and the sponsors that make this all happen. There are touring pros that are trying to make a living from this sport and I am sure they would like to see more tournaments they can compete in. My personal opinion; I think FLW Outdoors has a great opportunity to grow this sport and have an East and West division with six events total. No matter what they decide to do, I am very confident the tour will be a great success again in 2007.

Q: How did you manage to stay so consistent on Green Bay? Was catching 20 pounds each day your plan coming into the tourney?

-Pete Blaas, Appleton, Wis.

A: I was confident I could catch 20 pounds a day but was always hoping for a kicker fish that would give me 25 pounds or more. I was really hoping to fish with the top 10 on Saturday. Fishing where the fish were and not trying to reinvent the wheel is what kept me consistent.

Q: Why were so many fish concentrated in one area? That Geano Reef must have offered up more than a 1,000 walleyes during the course of the tournament. Are the fish always there, or is it a seasonal thing? Last year I thought they were catching them near Oconto.

-Harry

A: Harry you are correct. A lot of fish were up at Oconto last year but the tournament took place a bit earlier and with cooler water temperatures the fish were concentrated in the shallows on the flats. Typically on a freshwater system like Green Bay, the fish migrate to deeper water to follow baitfish that prefers the cooler water temperatures. There is basically a seasonal migration according to weather patterns. As you can see, water temperatures were a huge determining factor of where the fish will be on a body of water such as this.

Coming into this tournament, there were rumors we would need to make 50-mile runs to the Chambers Island area. Supposedly, the Chamber Island water temperatures would have been about right. I also heard that the fish were at Oconto again earlier this year, but the colder water temperature up north pushed the fish to the south. This stacked them up like “cord wood” in the Geano Reef area. Thanks for the question Harry.