Split-Shotting for Walleyes
by Mark Romanack
Simple and unsophisticated, an ordinary split-shot pinched on the line a couple feet in front of a single hook constitutes a live-bait rig. Crude by many standards, let there be no doubt split-shot rigs have a time and place. The most simple of live-bait rigs is one of the most effective.
As a tournament fisherman, I use split-shot rigs frequently. Developing confidence in this simple presentation is the first step. I frequently fish split-shot rigs because for one, they're easy to rig and can be effective in a wide variety of situations. Second, a split-shot rig is the only live-bait rig that can be cast effectively. Third, a split-shot rig is the ideal choice when fishing a dead rod in combination with other walleye fishing presentations.
Fashioning a split-shot rig takes less time than tying your shoes! Ideally suited to spinning tackle, split-shotting works best when matched up to light- or medium-light-action spinning rods and six- to eight-pound-test line.
Begin by tying a single hook, floating jighead, or soft-body jig directly to the monofilament. Complete the rig by pinching a split-shot on the line 18-24 inches ahead of the hook. Use just enough split-shot weight to keep the rig on bottom.
The bait you use dictates the best hook choice. For fishing minnows, a No. 1 or 2 Aberdeen is always a good choice. Mustad also has a new hook, the 90774BLN, that is made of thin wire with a turned-up eye for snelling. Both these hooks penetrate quickly with minimal pressure.
If leeches are the bait of choice, choose the lightest possible hook. One of Mustad's Walleye Snells (515WES) in size 4 is a good choice. This hook comes snelled on a seven-foot clear monofilament leader. Simply cut the leader to the desired length. Other suitable hooks include the Eagle Claw Featherlite series L757G Walleye and Owner 5230 Walleye Snell. Each of these hooks are light enough that the leech can swim naturally. Most other hooks will weigh down the leech and reduce it's delicate action.
Most crawler fishermen prefer a beak-style hook like Mustad's 92567R, VMC's 7299, Gamakatsu's 021, or Eagle Claw's L195G. These compact hooks are easy to hide in a crawler and insure the bait has a natural undulating action in the water. Choose the size 4 or 2.
Some anglers prefer a floating jighead or soft-body jig, such as the Phelps Floater, when fishing split-shot rigs. These unique hooks add color and bulk to the presentation and can be helpful especially in stained or turbid water. The No. 4 is best for crawlers and leeches, and the No. 2 a better choice when fishing minnows.
The design of a split-shot rig allows them to be cast from a boat or shore. Think of this presentation as a jigging rather than rigging.
Where split-shot rigs have an advantage over leadheads is in snag-filled waters. Because the hook and bait are free to move about on the short leader, a split-shot rig can be worked through rocks, wood, and weeds with far fewer hang-ups than leadheads that position the weight, hook, and bait on bottom.
The biggest mistake anglers make when fishing split-shot rigs is overworking the presentation. Concentrate on moving the rig slowly so the bait can swim naturally and tease strikes from waiting walleye.
Make a short cast and let the split-shot sink to bottom. When the line collapses on the surface that's your signal that the bait has hit bottom. Reel up the slack line carefully until you can just feel the weight of the shot on bottom. With the rod at the 10 o'clock position and pointed at the split-shot, pull the rod towards you until it reaches the 11 o'clock position and hold the rod still for a few seconds. This rod motion will lift the split-shot slightly off bottom and cause it to swing towards you in a pendulum motion.
Next reel back down to the 10 o'clock position and pick up the slack line until the weight of the split-shot can be felt again. Repeat the process by pulling the rod to the 11 o'clock position, holding for a few seconds, and reeling up the slack again. Continue this process over and over again until the rig has been completely retrieved.
This simple jigging motion keeps a slight tension in the line that makes it possible to detect strikes. Remember, the best way to fish a split-shot rig is on a taunt, but not tight line. A taunt line will telegraph even the most subtle strike. If slack is allowed to form in the line, strikes are very difficult to detect.
Keep the jigging motion simple and when a strike is detected, set the hook immediately using a strong upwards rod sweep. Unlike other rigging methods, where the angler feeds line to the fish, split-shotting calls for a quick and decisive hookset.
I routinely use a split-shot rig as a second line while fishing a different lure, bait, or presentation with a primary rod. Known as dead rod fishing, the split-shot rig is baited, cast out, placed in a rod holder, and forgotten until a bucking rod tip signals a strike.
Fishing with a dead rod may seem like the lazy man's method, but actually it makes it possible to experiment with two different presentations at the same time. Think of zeroing in on walleyes as a hunter sighting in a rifle. The hunter test fires his rifle at a target, adjusts his sights accordingly, and fires again. The process of shooting test shots and making necessary adjustments continues until the bullet strikes the bull's-eye. Trying different baits, lures, and presentations is the on-going process required to find and pattern walleye.
Dead rods and split-shot rigs work best in areas where snags are minimal. Sand, clay, and gravel flats are good places to experiment with split-shot rigs. Small reefs are also good places to try out a dead rod.
A few years ago while pre-fishing for a tournament, I encountered piles of three- to five-pound walleye using a shallow reef. The reef topped off in about eight feet of water and was covered with pea-sized gravel and boulders the size of basketballs. Casting a 1/8-ounce jig tipped with a fathead minnow produced one walleye after another. Unfortunately, jigging is a rather slow-paced technique that limits the angler to one rod.
In an effort to put two lines in the water and maximize my catch, I set out a split-shot rig baited with a large minnow on a dead rod. During the course of the day the dead rod only produced about half a dozen fish. Fortunately, one of the fish landed was my largest of the day. The kicker fish I earned by split-shotting kept me in the money at a tournament where ounces often add up to dollars.
Other areas where a dead rod is handy include rivers with slow to moderate currents and contour trolling along breaklines in natural lakes or reservoirs.
Longer 8- to 12-foot steelhead-style rods are the ideal split-shotting tool when fishing a dead line. Noodle rods such as the Browning Syntec and Midas Dick Swan series are ideal. These long and soft-action rods help present the bait a little farther from the boat and the light tip action also telegraphs strikes readily.
Many times I've seen a dead rod outfish other presentations where the angler held the rod. One such experience happened to me while fishing the Tittabawasse River in Saginaw County. I was fishing in early May during the annual spawning run. A common technique here is to drift river flats using split-shot rigs and jigs tipped with crawlers for bait.
A simple way to fish, the boat is positioned perpendicular to the current flow and allowed to drift naturally downstream. The rigs and jigs are cast upstream and allowed to sink to bottom. The key is to let out enough line so the rig or jig drags along bottom.
On this particular day I chose to cast a jig with one rod while dragging a split-shot rig on a second dead rod. Despite my best efforts I couldn't buy a bite casting a jig. Meanwhile, the dead rod with the split-shot rig had a fish on almost constantly. Figuring it had to be the split-shot rig the fish wanted, I decided to cast the split-shot and let the jig simply drag along bottom for awhile. You guessed it, the jig started producing fish after fish, meanwhile the split-shot rig I was casting shut off as quickly as a spring shower.
When I finally wised up and let both rods simply fish as dead rods, the action was so fast I could hardly keep baited lines in the water. If there's a moral to this story, it's don't assume that just because the rod is in your hand it will catch more fish.
The versatile split-shot rig is one of the least-used live bait rigs among walleye anglers, yet in my humble opinion it's one of the best. Simple to rig and fish, the next time you reach for a jig or slip-sinker rig, ask yourself if a split-shot might be a better choice.
