How do I properly fish a worm harness

[solopaddler]

When I lived in the Philippines I saw people eat stuff like that .

[Headhunter]

I like to use lead core for worm harnesses... you can virtually dial in the bottom and can easily adjust depth simply by speeding up or slowing down the boat or reeling or letting line out. Just be sure to use a good leader material. Also as lead core is no-stretch, you won't miss many bites.

HH

[Nemo]

Wow wish I read this before my vacation.... Good thing I am up next week. New stuff to try...Great post.

 

Solo you lived in the Philippines? Do any fishing?

[steve_paul]

Great stuff here guys, thanks.

[jameshendrix]

Here's a bit of info that should help you with harness selection

 

Walleye Beads & Blades

 

Improving The Percentages

 

Much has been written about Walleye and the bait colors that attract them. Blend that information with all the other variables such as water clarity, current flow, light penetration (time of day), scent, vibration (noise) and everything else that comes into play. Is it any wonder that trying to decide what is the hot bait going to be for today an Einstein decision.

 

To help narrow the search for the right combinations down to a manageable few and recognizing that spinners are the high percentage bait, the single most important choice is to determine the harness colors. In-Fisherman magazine produced a very well researched and tested article a number of years ago that pointed out just what the best bait colors should be under ideal conditions. The article explained the rod and cone make-up of the walleye eye and their ability to distinguish colors. Their eyes lack yellow and blue cells which creates a color blindness situation and limits their vision to a range of reds or greens. Now if we accept the theory that the spectrum of color vision is affected by depth and start at red, orange, yellow, green, blue, etc. The question becomes what will they see as you progressively fish deeper water. Red is visible to a depth of about 15 feet in clear water and blue is identifiable in very deep situations as long as there is light penetration.

 

 

In my experience the most important element of good harness design is the color of the beads, how they are arranged and what blade color complements that basic choice. This single factor is the most important when you are trying to get a walleye to eat your bait.

 

I make this argument for a special reason, the bead color remains constant while trolling but the blade becomes a blur of color. I call it the HALO effect.

 

If our choice is to create high percentage opportunities for our baits to encourage walleye to bite then isn t it logical to use the colors that fit the middle of the visible spectrum -orange/yellow/green and isn t it amazing that these color choices represent perch colors in their natural element. Perch are the one constant as far as forage in a walleye fishery and their range of use of the water column also duplicates the highest percentage for walleye activity.

 

I like to use the following perch patterns chartreuse beads/orange or green blades salmon red beads/chartreuse blades chartreuse beads/orange-chartreuse striped blades.

 

 

This particular color choice is also best for stained waters.

 

Now that we have an optimum pattern set lets take a look at variables. Walleye will range from just under the surface to 50 and 60 feet deep sometimes. Depending on the forage base, whether it s perch, shiners, smelt, whitefish (ciscos) or a number of other food fish for this all-seeing predator, colors play a roll.

 

If you can accept the fact that the beads are the most important component of the harness you can now limit your basic bead color choices smelt = blue/green, common shiners = black/white, white fish (ciscos) = black/silver. Blades in green or blue to finish the smelt emulation and black, white or purple for shiners and whitefish (ciscos). These are the basics and certainly will cover most of your fishing challenges.

 

 

Next up are the special options and these are my blade color choices shallow (less than 5 feet = red, 6 to 15 feet = orange, 16 to 25 feet = green, chartreuse or blue, 26 to 40 feet = white and 41 feet + = black or purple. When fishing deeper than 20 feet I like blades that are painted on top and nickel/chrome under, the odd flash seems to trigger bites when you pump your rod. For those rare occasions when brass, gold or copper is the undertone required, I ll have some pink blades handy. In fact there is one body of water I fish for deep walleye and pink over copper will out produce any other combo by a substantial margin.

 

If you are in the habit of tying your harnesses with quick-change clevises it makes experimenting all that much easier when you encounter those finicky bite days. All of the above combinations are set for clear water conditions, as the water becomes more turbid just adjust the depth range upwards.

 

Early in the season I like to start out with smaller blades, sizes 2 and 3 ½, as the water warms and the forage base matures I ll move up to sizes 4 and 5. In those really dirty water or mud-line situations sometimes your best choice will be a size 7 blade and I find hammered silver to be the best choice.

 

Speed will also dictate my selection of blade, around 1 MPH, Colorado is my choice, 1 to 2 MPH = Indiana and over 2 MPH the selection then are Willows. There are quite a few varieties of blades available today other than those already mentioned and there are times when they can be deadly. Remember that this short story is based on high percentage baits, that doesn t mean you shouldn t experiment on your own.. These combinations are just what I have discovered work well for me and the waters I fish on.

 

A few years back I discovered a very special spinner that is available in many colors. It is a spin & glow and when baited with a leech or worm can be deadly. They also work well for speckled trout.

 

 

The one thing I would recommend any of you to try, is to snorkel behind a harness and look at what the fish sees. Just go to a beach and have a buddy cast and retrieve a spinner harness by you.. I know the observations will reveal some basic truths about spinners and the validity of the choices I have made to improve my catch ratio and hopefully do the same for you.

 

McQ i thank you now its up to me .

[jameshendrix]

 

Here's a bit of info that should help you with harness selection

 

Walleye Beads & Blades

 

Improving The Percentages

 

Much has been written about Walleye and the bait colors that attract them. Blend that information with all the other variables such as water clarity, current flow, light penetration (time of day), scent, vibration (noise) and everything else that comes into play. Is it any wonder that trying to decide what is the hot bait going to be for today an Einstein decision.

 

To help narrow the search for the right combinations down to a manageable few and recognizing that spinners are the high percentage bait, the single most important choice is to determine the harness colors. In-Fisherman magazine produced a very well researched and tested article a number of years ago that pointed out just what the best bait colors should be under ideal conditions. The article explained the rod and cone make-up of the walleye eye and their ability to distinguish colors. Their eyes lack yellow and blue cells which creates a color blindness situation and limits their vision to a range of reds or greens. Now if we accept the theory that the spectrum of color vision is affected by depth and start at red, orange, yellow, green, blue, etc. The question becomes what will they see as you progressively fish deeper water. Red is visible to a depth of about 15 feet in clear water and blue is identifiable in very deep situations as long as there is light penetration.

 

 

In my experience the most important element of good harness design is the color of the beads, how they are arranged and what blade color complements that basic choice. This single factor is the most important when you are trying to get a walleye to eat your bait.

 

I make this argument for a special reason, the bead color remains constant while trolling but the blade becomes a blur of color. I call it the HALO effect.

 

If our choice is to create high percentage opportunities for our baits to encourage walleye to bite then isn t it logical to use the colors that fit the middle of the visible spectrum -orange/yellow/green and isn t it amazing that these color choices represent perch colors in their natural element. Perch are the one constant as far as forage in a walleye fishery and their range of use of the water column also duplicates the highest percentage for walleye activity.

 

I like to use the following perch patterns chartreuse beads/orange or green blades salmon red beads/chartreuse blades chartreuse beads/orange-chartreuse striped blades.

 

 

This particular color choice is also best for stained waters.

 

Now that we have an optimum pattern set lets take a look at variables. Walleye will range from just under the surface to 50 and 60 feet deep sometimes. Depending on the forage base, whether it s perch, shiners, smelt, whitefish (ciscos) or a number of other food fish for this all-seeing predator, colors play a roll.

 

If you can accept the fact that the beads are the most important component of the harness you can now limit your basic bead color choices smelt = blue/green, common shiners = black/white, white fish (ciscos) = black/silver. Blades in green or blue to finish the smelt emulation and black, white or purple for shiners and whitefish (ciscos). These are the basics and certainly will cover most of your fishing challenges.

 

 

Next up are the special options and these are my blade color choices shallow (less than 5 feet = red, 6 to 15 feet = orange, 16 to 25 feet = green, chartreuse or blue, 26 to 40 feet = white and 41 feet + = black or purple. When fishing deeper than 20 feet I like blades that are painted on top and nickel/chrome under, the odd flash seems to trigger bites when you pump your rod. For those rare occasions when brass, gold or copper is the undertone required, I ll have some pink blades handy. In fact there is one body of water I fish for deep walleye and pink over copper will out produce any other combo by a substantial margin.

 

If you are in the habit of tying your harnesses with quick-change clevises it makes experimenting all that much easier when you encounter those finicky bite days. All of the above combinations are set for clear water conditions, as the water becomes more turbid just adjust the depth range upwards.

 

Early in the season I like to start out with smaller blades, sizes 2 and 3 ½, as the water warms and the forage base matures I ll move up to sizes 4 and 5. In those really dirty water or mud-line situations sometimes your best choice will be a size 7 blade and I find hammered silver to be the best choice.

 

Speed will also dictate my selection of blade, around 1 MPH, Colorado is my choice, 1 to 2 MPH = Indiana and over 2 MPH the selection then are Willows. There are quite a few varieties of blades available today other than those already mentioned and there are times when they can be deadly. Remember that this short story is based on high percentage baits, that doesn t mean you shouldn t experiment on your own.. These combinations are just what I have discovered work well for me and the waters I fish on.

 

A few years back I discovered a very special spinner that is available in many colors. It is a spin & glow and when baited with a leech or worm can be deadly. They also work well for speckled trout.

 

 

The one thing I would recommend any of you to try, is to snorkel behind a harness and look at what the fish sees. Just go to a beach and have a buddy cast and retrieve a spinner harness by you.. I know the observations will reveal some basic truths about spinners and the validity of the choices I have made to improve my catch ratio and hopefully do the same for you.

 

McQ.

[jameshendrix]

i thank you now its up to me .

[Fish4Eyes]

Another way to make your worm harness stay off the bottom is to slip a piece of styrofoam on the line. One of those small pieces of styrofoam that is often used in packaging. However the best ones to use are the ones sold for worm harnesses or those spinning type styrofoams like in one of the above photos.

 

Was at Bass Pro last weekend, they also sell floating worm harnesses now. I knew I should of got a couple

[Freshtrax]

What a great read. I've never had any luck with them now I know why. Much thanks to all that contributed.

[Sinker]

I troll harnesses. Almost exclusively for eyes, and NEVER run a bottom bouncer. The only time I do run one, is in water over 20ft deep.

 

I generally troll 10-12ft water, and just use an egg weight. (1/8 - 3/8oz depending on depth/speed)

 

I find the bottom bouncers just catch weeds, and the egg weight tends to sneak thru them better.

 

I also shorten my harnesses. 18-24" works best for me.

 

This set up works great in the kawarthas. I use the least amount of weight I can get away with, and adjust my length of line out until. I'm contacting bottom.

 

I troll anywhere from 1-1.8mph, but try to stick around 1.3-1.5 for the most part.

 

S.

[Roy]

I almost always (to not say always) use a bouncer with a harness. Mostly fish current in the Larry here and the bouncer lets me feel the bottom. Generally have a 4'-5' harness lead from the bouncer. Land speed going up current is generally between .8 and 1.8

[206]

Quick and simple rig I have caught my share of eye pike and muskey with a worm harness, end of your line put a snap swivel....add your worm harness and a bell weight, bigger the bell weight the deeper the harness runs.

 

Might be a lil rednck but gets the job done

[fishindevil]

There is no wrong way to fish a harness !!!! I bottom bounce with them as well as longline them and make all my own I also will use different blades as the Colorado blades run shallowest then the Indiana blades followed by the willow leaf blades !!!! I also use interchangeable clevis so I can change blades on the harness I also run floaters on some to just keep it off the bottom and give it a little buoyancy I prefer mine with 2 hooks but it's a personal preference they are very versatile and I have caught everything on them including lake trout !!!! Muskies like them too as well as pike bass you name it !!!!! And weather it's spring or fall or summer they work and are always my go-to choice !!!!!! You can run minnows on them as well and run them off a planner board too !!! It's endless what you can do with them !!! And when you make your own they are all pretty much one of a kind ....tight-lines.

[solopaddler]

I troll harnesses. Almost exclusively for eyes, and NEVER run a bottom bouncer. The only time I do run one, is in water over 20ft deep.

 

I generally troll 10-12ft water, and just use an egg weight. (1/8 - 3/8oz depending on depth/speed)

 

I find the bottom bouncers just catch weeds, and the egg weight tends to sneak thru them better.

 

I also shorten my harnesses. 18-24" works best for me.

 

This set up works great in the kawarthas. I use the least amount of weight I can get away with, and adjust my length of line out until. I'm contacting bottom.

 

I troll anywhere from 1-1.8mph, but try to stick around 1.3-1.5 for the most part.

 

S.

 

 

I agree, in shallow weedier water a bouncer is not a good choice. I rig exactly the same as you only difference being I run bullet shaped worm weights and not egg sinkers. They slip through the weeds nicely...

[F7Firecat]

I havent read all the replies, just remeber to keep your line as vertical as possible (use more weight rather than less) and don't let it drag out far away from the boat. The more verticall your line is the less you will get snaggged as you can lift and feel tthe bottom structure with your bottom bouncer and lift and drop as necessary.

 

If you find your worm harness getting snagged alot, try a floater on the worm harness to keep it up off the bottom more.