01-23-2006, 06:08 AM
[black][size 3]Well nobody has a monopoly on how to fish for walleyes, but you never know what history is setting right at your doorstep.
I found this tidbit of history when doing a search for a product for one of our members. I thought it interesting enough that it should be shared.
I have seen this method used by many small craft anglers on the Detroit River. Yet never got a close up look see at to the equipment they were using. And after reading the article I understand how several more products came to being using the same technical engineering.
I was wondering how many old timers here know about or have done this them selves.[/size][/black]
The art of Handlining
an excerpt of the artical
The History
How it all started was when the first telephone lines were being installed in the Detroit and surrounding areas before 1920. The spare copper wire line lying around was “appropriated” by the local anglers for fishing the river. Then someone came up with the idea of adding a heavy sash weight from an old window as a sinker. The old timers first used a wooden board to wrap the wire line around, until some one came up with the idea of using the innards of a broken Victrola player to wind the wire up automatically. The old “River Rats” placed the Victrola boxes in the front of their small rowboats and took turns fishing and rowing, and caught a lot of walleyes.
The Equipment
Today’s equipment is still locally made in the Detroit area but its a lot more user friendly than in years past. Lets take a look at what you’ll need to get started in handlining. Like anything else new, the initial concern can be the cost of equipping yourself. The basic reels and ancillary items needed run less than $200 with money left over for a plentiful supply of lures.
The only mechanical device needed is the trolling reel. This is a spring-loaded reel designed to hold 300 feet, of 60lb test plastic coated wire line. This allows the wire to be played out, and when retrieved, is automatically rewound onto the reel. Some of the more popular reels are made by A&S and Gold Cap. You will also need a couple of shanks, sinkers, leaders in several lengths, leader keepers, and of course lures. Let’s take a look at each one.
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I found this tidbit of history when doing a search for a product for one of our members. I thought it interesting enough that it should be shared.
I have seen this method used by many small craft anglers on the Detroit River. Yet never got a close up look see at to the equipment they were using. And after reading the article I understand how several more products came to being using the same technical engineering.
I was wondering how many old timers here know about or have done this them selves.[/size][/black]
The art of Handlining
an excerpt of the artical
The History
How it all started was when the first telephone lines were being installed in the Detroit and surrounding areas before 1920. The spare copper wire line lying around was “appropriated” by the local anglers for fishing the river. Then someone came up with the idea of adding a heavy sash weight from an old window as a sinker. The old timers first used a wooden board to wrap the wire line around, until some one came up with the idea of using the innards of a broken Victrola player to wind the wire up automatically. The old “River Rats” placed the Victrola boxes in the front of their small rowboats and took turns fishing and rowing, and caught a lot of walleyes.
The Equipment
Today’s equipment is still locally made in the Detroit area but its a lot more user friendly than in years past. Lets take a look at what you’ll need to get started in handlining. Like anything else new, the initial concern can be the cost of equipping yourself. The basic reels and ancillary items needed run less than $200 with money left over for a plentiful supply of lures.
The only mechanical device needed is the trolling reel. This is a spring-loaded reel designed to hold 300 feet, of 60lb test plastic coated wire line. This allows the wire to be played out, and when retrieved, is automatically rewound onto the reel. Some of the more popular reels are made by A&S and Gold Cap. You will also need a couple of shanks, sinkers, leaders in several lengths, leader keepers, and of course lures. Let’s take a look at each one.
[center] [/center]
[signature]