SWR: What The Heck?

What The Heck Is A SWR?
By Captain Jim Hirt

I received this e-mail recently and thought it was a good question that more anglers would be interested in. Should you have a question please e-mail me from my Website contact us page http://www.bluemaxcharters.com I will be pleased to answer. My charter season is under way and it may take a while to back to you.

Hello Capt. Jim Hirt:
I really liked your informative article on using SWR's on the http://www.badgertackle.com web site!!! I am asking for some additional info on using the SWR. I only have one year of trolling under my belt having gone out 12 times last year. I am rigging up a larger boat with 4 riggers and other stuff and wondering how to incorporate SWRs into my set up using your format as I have been reading a lot of your instructions posted various places on line.
I am trying to switch over to the V-Spread pattern together with the three mini set patterns as you describe. These two patterns were not mentioned in the same article as each other but I just assume that you blend these two approaches together. Many people who run SWRs run two on opposite corners thinking it is far enough from each other that they won't tangle. At the same time others claim they only run SWRs at the lowest position in the spread, or just one at the that position. If I ran two at the lowest position from the middle of the bottom of the V, then would they be too near to each other and apt to tangle since all my riggers are 50"s apart? Let me ask it this way: In the 3-minnie set V-Pattern where and how are the best spots to run 2 SWRs in the spread in relation to the other lures to prevent tangles as best as possible. In fact how many SWRs can I run in a spread? Thanks

Hello JC;

Thanks for reading my articles. I hope they add to your fishing enjoyment. The SWR is a long presentation for days when more conventional methods do not work. When I go to SWR’s one on each side of the boat will usually not get into trouble. As I set up downrigger leads (the distance from the ball to the spoon) the bottom or deepest lines are the shortest at 15 feet. Swr's are then run on one or two of the highest lines. In a four downrigger set up the two center downriggers are the deepest. They are separated by no less than 25 feet. One of the corner downriggers are run 25 feet or more above the highest center rigger and the other corner rigger 25 feet above the other SWR. In low light situations short leads are the most efficient. Save the SWR for calm water and bright light conditions they are not practical to run in heavy seas. The thing to remember is placement and presentation is more important than quantity.

SWR Rigging?

SWR or secret weapon rig is a rod with two or three colors of leadcore line. The advantage to this set up is it runs 8 feet below the downrigger weight to offer a lure in an quiet environment 100 feet behind the boat. When loading this reel, start with 300 yards 50 pound Power Pro for a backing line then strip the lead out of the end of the leadcore and tie a Willis Knot to the leadcore. Finish with a Willis Knot and 30 feet of a 20-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon to a ball bearing cross lock snap. To run this rig, snap on your favorite lure I like Reaper or Vulcan Spoons by Badger Tackle.

You may find the lures discussed in this article at http://www.badgertackle.com

Good Luck let's go fishing!!

Come back to this Website often to read all my articles. Jim charters out of Milwaukee, WI. with Blue Max Charters. He can be reached at 414-828-1094. Summer I will be out on the lake fighting fish, however, I would appreciate a call over winter to chat about whatever questions you may have or just call and say hello. You may also visit my web site at http://www.bluemaxcharters.com  Copyright© 2007, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.

The Three R's of Fishing #2

The Three R's of Fishing #2

By Capt. Jim Hirt

As with all sports and activities basics and fundamentals are the foundation from which a sound well played game is achieved. The name of this article could have been the twenty-five R's of fishing because many small details will make or break your day on the water. However I decided to focus on only three of the fundamentals rigging, reacting and record keeping. This is article #2 of a two part article. Look for part #1 for rigging tips.

Reacting to time of year is also to be considered when trying to catch moody fish. As the seasons change, so do the temperatures of the water. Fish are cold blooded and their metabolism changes as their body temp changes. Most anglers know there are cold and warm water species of fish. Which means all fish if given a choice will find their preferred temperature range. In fact too high or too low beyond their limits will cause stress and eventual death. In large fresh water lakes, the time of day isn't nearly as critical at locating the depth of the preferred temperature level for the fish species you're seeking. Lakes layer into three separate layers of water in the spring and stay that way until cold weather. The middle layer, where there is a larger concentration of dissolved oxygen, baitfish and therefore predator fish, is called the thermocline. It can usually be found anywhere from ten feet to the bottom. This is a temperature layer, as well as an oxygen-saturated layer, and fish will relate to it as both a comfort zone and one where their body metabolism functions the most efficiently. These fish will be suspended and feeding on alewives, smelt or other forage fish.

The peak feeding and optimum temperature for Coho and Chinook is 52°, with an active range from 44° to 58°. For Lake Trout the peak feeding and optimum temperature is 51°, with activity from 43° to 53°. Fish will rarely venture out of these zones, once stratification has taken place, except to catch a meal and then will quickly return to it. One thing to remember when fishing the thermocline is that its depth can change from day to day because of wind and wave action. It may be several feet deeper or shallower from one day to the next so you'll have to relocate it each time you go out. Having said all that, when fishing in water temperatures near the bottom of your target species preferred temp, adjust to small spoons in a slow presentation. At their optimum temp go aggressive with large baits in quick presentations. Most anglers under estimate the speed of their quarry.

I cannot stress record keeping too much. Your ability to document good and bad days will be your magic rabbit in the hat. This info will shorten your learning curve and should be reviewed before every fishing outing. Record the date, location, weather, lures or bait, presentation, for each type of fish you catch.

 

Good Luck let's go fishing!

Come back to this Website often to read all my articles. Jim charters out of Milwaukee, WI. with Blue Max Charters. He can be reached at 414-828-1094. Summer I will be out on the lake fighting fish, however, I would appreciate a call over winter to chat about whatever questions you may have or just call and say hello. You may also visit my web site at http://www.bluemaxcharters.com  Copyright© 2007, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.

Three R's of Fishing

The Three R's of Fishing #1
By Capt. Jim Hirt

As with all sports and activities basics and fundamentals are the foundation from which a sound well played game is achieved. The name of this article could have been the twenty five R's of fishing because many small details will make or break your day on the water. However I decided to focus on only three of the fundamentals, rigging, reacting and record keeping. This is article #1 of a two part article.

Rigging is a vast subject with a different definition to most anglers. To me it means assembling the correct components in the best way to meet the current conditions. Let's get into specifics. The rod, reel, line and terminal tackle are the foundation to success. In my earlier days of fishing the selection of a fishing rod was confusing. The more people you talked to the worse it got. My experience over the years has lead me to a simple conclusion, heavy weight rods for big fish with high test line. Light weight rods for small fish on light test line. Following the recommended line weight marked on the rod will put more fish in the cooler. A rod that is too stiff will not bend with light line. The result will be lost fish from failure to maintain a tight line to the target. You will also be able to use smaller snaps and terminal tackle on light line with a light action rod. This will enhance the lure action with improved presentation.

Reacting to changes will improve your success. The speed of your bait whether it is a spoon, jig, or crankbait is important. The right lure at the wrong speed will be less productive. The correct speed is dictated by many variables. Always consider the mood of fish and the environment they are in and adjust to the conditions. This will help you find the best speed. Mood is defined by weather and the time of year. High and low barometric pressure are a part of the weather question. They both have a significant impact on the mood of all fish. Activity level in fish will change with the movement or lack of barometer movement. You must know what the weather has been preceding your fishing trip. This information will set the stage giving you the information you can use to your advantage. A clear blue high sky after a low pressure front is every anglers nightmare. Fish get spooky, neutral or negative in these conditions. For these types of days a slow spot on the spot presentation is key. Work your favorite location with precise boat and lure control. Inactivity is normal, when this happens pick your favorite locations on any body of water and look for your target species in the next break to deeper water. Work smaller spoons, lures or baits in a slow systematic presentation. If motor trolling is your method of fishing use small spoons. Present them at slow speeds and fish them near the bottom. On the other hand steady barometric pressure for an extended period of time with overcast sky conditions is time to grab your pole and to head for the water. Don't miss these ideal days. The fish will be up on the shallow flats, near shore and active. Pound these fish with big baits and fast erratic actions. Work hard, work fast and cover a lot of water. This sets up a great opportunity for trolling big water. The correct lure color for overcast will put more fish in the boat. Silver or gold has long been the standard until resent years. Cutting edge anglers are now going to glow in the dark lures. The visibility of glow spoons far exceeds the old standards. Badger Tackle has great line up of glow spoons. For the anglers that run a boat speed from 2.0 to 3.5 MPH I would recommend the Vulcan magnum. This is a tough heavy weight spoon with a slim profile that fits well with most freshwater and saltwater forage base sizes. The other one I like is the Reaper. Run the regular size on clear calm days and magnum at first light, overcast or whenever you are down deep or in a low light presentation. The Reaper is a wide spoon with a crippled baitfish action for trolling at speeds of 1.0 to 2.5. The Striper and Salmon fishermen say it is a perfect match to the Shad and Alewife forage. Both are exclusively sold at http://www.badgertackle.com/ you won't be disappointed. Please read part #2 coming soon.

Good Luck let's go fishing!

Come back to this Website often to read all my articles. Jim charters out of Milwaukee, WI. with Blue Max Charters. He can be reached at 414-828-1094. Summer I will be out on the lake fighting fish, however, I would appreciate a call over winter to chat about whatever questions you may have or just call and say hello. You may also visit my web site at http://www.bluemaxcharters.com  Copyright© 2007, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.

Presentations for deeper than fifty feet

Key Presentations For Invisible Fish #3
By Capt. Jim Hirt

Day to day anglers are looking for more action. This past season we came up with a system that increased our numbers dramatically. When you are looking for fish suspended in open water this technique will put more fish in the cooler. Fish locators never tell the complete story. The cone of the transducer will not show shallow fish. Most anglers will not work tackle for fish they cannot see. A proven fact is, when motor trolling, shallow fish go around the boat to avoid the turbulence and noise.

The challenge of the elements.
Please let us continue with presentations for deeper than fifty feet. Article #1 and #2 of this series explained a dynamite answer for fish in the top fifty feet. Reread these articles if you can. On Lake Michigan and many large lakes the cold water is always available. Wind and currents move it up or down to create the constant challenge of finding the location of your target species preferred temperature. When you find a temperature break below fifty feet, that is the time to present your fishing spoons on copper wire fishing line. You could use longer leadcore lines, however, the amount of line and the time it takes to retrieve them becomes a laborious task and not much fun.

Stealth below fifty feet
You made your temperature check. The fifty two degree water preferred by Chinook salmon is at fifty five feet. In this situation when fishing midday downriggers may not work. The waters of Lake Michigan are very clear and light penetrates down and this turns fish off. This scenario is common in waters everywhere. The answer to consistent action in these tough conditions is fishing copper wire in a stealth presentation. If you don't fish salmon this same system will work on all species.

The why and how of copper line fishing
The most expensive part is the reel. It must have enough line capacity to handle the copper line plus Seaguar fluorocarbon and Power Pro 50 pound for a total of up to 400 yards. Forty five pound copper wire is very bulky and requires a large reel. I run my copper on a reel that will hold 530 yards of 25 pound test mono. Line counter reels are not necessary. Forty five pound copper sinks at a rate of 7 to 9 feet per 30 feet of line at two miles per hour boat speed. Three hundred feet will run about 80 feet deep. By working with these numbers you can get any depth you target. When loading this reel, start with 300 yards of Power Pro 50 pound then use an Albright knot to the copper and Albright knot to 30 feet of 20-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon to a ball bearing cross lock snap. You will need a heavy action 8 to 9 foot rod to work with copper line. You must run this with a planer board if you are going to use multiple set ups. Snap on your favorite spoon (the Vulcan or Reaper from Badger Tackle is a consistent producer for me) and let out all of the line to the Power Pro. Then install your board so it does not release. I usually run three or more boards off each side of the boat. Very wide turns and low boat traffic are a must to avoid tangles and getting ran over. I set my drags light. When the reel starts to scream, adjust the drag as necessary. Reel in the line until you can reach the board and hand release it. Now the line is clear to bring in the fish. Some of my biggest fish are caught on this presentation.

You may find the lures discussed in this article at http://www.badgertackle.com

Good Luck let's go fishing!!

Come back to this Website often to read all my articles. Jim charters out of Milwaukee, WI. with Blue Max Charters. He can be reached at 414-828-1094. Summer I will be out on the lake fighting fish, however, I would appreciate a call over winter to chat about whatever questions you may have or just call and say hello. You may also visit my web site at http://www.bluemaxcharters.com  Copyright© 2007, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.

Salmon Fishing, Rigging An Eighteen Foot Boat #3

Salmon Fishing, Rigging An Eighteen Foot Boat #3
By Capt. Jim Hirt

This article continues answering a recent question asked by a reader of my articles. It will cover the basics in what you need for fishing tackle and proper boat set up. We have already covered in article #1 the boat, electronics, downriggers and rod holders. Article #2 rods, reels and diving planers. Let's now go into tackle not previously covered.

Planer boards are a definite must for trolling any kind of fish. I use them April through October. Being flexible on the slow days is the answer to more fish. It is a fisherman with a full arsenal of presentations that finds action when fishing gets tough. The hot rig for the last several years has been leadcore. With the influx of Zebra Muscles the waters of the Great Lakes have become very clear. In my opinion the toughest conditions are calm clear sunny days. On these types of days leadcore is the way to go. I do not recommend this presentation for first light it is far to time consuming to run during a hot bite. After the early morning bite or about two hours after sunrise I break out the leadcore. The basics are reel, rod, line and planer board. The cost of a rig will start at about $150.

The reel you use is based on the amount of leadcore line you want to run. The rule of thumb is 4-5 feet of depth to every color of leadcore. When your target fish is 15 feet down you should run 3 or 4 colors of leadcore. Some of you may be thinking why is there a variation of 4 to 5 feet per color. The factors that affect this are type of lure and boat speed. This line is graduated in 10-yard sections each having a different color. When selecting a reel purchase one large enough to handle the amount of colors you would like to run. Leadcore is a bulky line and most likely will not fit on the reels you are currently using. Find a tackle store that deals with this product to ensure a correct purchase. Popular set ups are 3 colors, 5 colors and 8 colors.

Rods for leadcore need to have plenty of backbone. I use a medium action 8-foot rod. This should give you the power needed to reel in 500 feet of line, planer board and 20-pound kings.
The line comes in many test weights. 27 or 36 pound is what I run it all has the same sink rate. You will also need a backing line of one of the super lines like Power Pro. From the leadcore to the lure use a 20-pound fluorocarbon line.

To avoid tangles when running multiple leadcore you will need a planer board for each rig. The purpose of a planer board is to move the line off to the side of the boat away from other lines. Several manufactures have boards for leadcore. Church has a walleye board also you may use Offshore boards.

When loading this reel, start with 300 yards 50 pound Power Pro for a backing line then strip the lead out of the end of the leadcore and tie a Willis Knot to the leadcore. Finish with a Willis Knot and 30 feet of a 20-pound fluorocarbon to a ball bearing cross lock snap.

To run this rig, snap on your favorite lure I like Reaper or Vulcan Spoons by http://www.badgertackle.com and let out all of the line to the backing. Then install your board on the backing so it does not release. I usually run them 150 feet off each side of the boat. Very wide turns and low boat traffic are a must to avoid tangles and getting run over. I set my drags light. When the reel starts to scream, adjust the drag as necessary. Reel in the line until you can reach the board and hand release it. Now the line is clear to bring in the fish. Some of my biggest fish were caught on this presentation this year. The good news is it produces fish all day long.

Good Luck let's go fishing!!

Come back to this Website often to read all my articles. Jim charters out of Milwaukee, WI. with Blue Max Charters. He can be reached at 414-828-1094. Summer I will be out on the lake fighting fish, however, I would appreciate a call over winter to chat about whatever questions you may have or just call and say hello. You may also visit my web site at http://www.bluemaxcharters.com Copyright© 2007, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.