basic wiper setup

[fish4fish]

ok this year i plan to fish for wipers for the first time, and i would appreate some ideas for a basic setup, is a spinning or baitcasting reel better? Braided, mono, or florocarbon? how heavy? Jigs, plastics, or cranks? Will be trolling and jigging, thanks
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[neveronsunday]

[red][size 3]Cheers! Certainly not the expert here but most folks that I know use a shad imitating lipless crank trolled through the water fairly fast, 2-4 mph. Shad seem to be their mainstay diet so anything that resembles that bait fish should work. It may help to know what size the new shad hatchlings are the time of year you fish it. I have tried multiple colors of lipless cranks from the size of a dime to half as big as the palm of my hand. All have caught Wipers at one time or another. The middle sized black or blue back over white lures seem to produce most consistently. [/size][/red]
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[#ff0000][size 3]I prefer a spinning rod with 12 pound test. I have usually used mono (cheap) but have done equally well with a braid. I think the fluorocarbon is best however. Wipers tend to be a little boat shy so you have to compensate by long lining or using side planers. I've had days in the low water season without the planers that I had to put out half a mile of line (it seemed) before I could get anything interested. The mono has so much stretch to it with that much out I have had fish I had to turn around and chase down with the boat. It's like trying to bring in a small submarine with a bungee cord. [/size][/#ff0000]
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[#ff0000][size 3]I've never had the pleasure but folks say to have some top water lures and long casting heavy spoons at your finger tips in case you locate a boil. It's a seasonal thing where the Wipers have an old fashioned western round up, corral the shad and have lunch. The bunched up shad head skyward creating the "boiling" surface. Cast into the boil and hang on. [/size][/#ff0000]
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[#ff0000][size 3]The majority of Wipers I have picked up have been from small packs running in open water. I've caught a few casting from shore on the west side. The fastest action I have seen in a good water year has been trolling the cut out looking area on the east side where I-15 gets closest to the dike. [/size][/#ff0000]
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[#ff0000][size 3]Wander through the Willard archives, you will find a lot of good info there and good luck! [/size][/#ff0000]
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[Old_Coot]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2][#002850]NeverOnSunday pretty much covered everything. Just a few things I might add: In the early wiper season before they get very active, trolling or casting curly tail grubs in white or chartreuse is a good choice. Another good choice of lures (at least it was the last couple years) are smaller Rapalas with dark backs and light bellies.

I have never caught a wiper jigging … but then, I've never tried. In my mind, they are a chase/pursue type fish. Also, since those wipers move around the lake so much, trolling is the easiest way for me to locate them.

My "go to" tackle setup for trolling is a medium or M-H rod and a spinning reel that can hold quite a bit of line (as NOS inferred). I have never used planer boards but this year I plan to use them for the same reason NOS indicated. A lot of guys prefer level wind reels for trolling but I just like the feel of the open face spin-cast reels for wipers.

I prefer a 14 lb. braded line or super line (Fire Line or Spiderwire) for my main line and ALWAYS use a 3-4 foot 10 - 12 lb. fluorocarbon leader. Because the braded lines have very little stretch, I can easily tell if my lure is running correctly. I use to put a swivel between my leader and main line but anymore I just connect them directly with a double uni-knot. At the end of the fluoro leader I tie on a small Duolock snap so that I can switch out cranks or jig heads quickly and easily. [/#002850][/size][/font]
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One of the cool things about setting up for wiper is that lots of different ways work. My nephue uses led core line. Some guys like big long heavy trolling rods. Some like light rods to enjoy the fight longer. I think that the very best way to get introduced to wiper fishing out there is to go along with someone who is familiar with fishing Willard. Fill free to PM me some time and I would be glad to take you out and demo "what not to do" sometime.[/#002850][/size][/font]
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[maniac]

It looks like these guys pretty much covered it. I have found that in the early spring the larger jigs, crank baits and poppers are usually more effective. And later in May when the smaller shad start to show up, the smaller baits in two or three inch, like the maniac minnow work better. Good luck and good fishing!
James
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