Deadsticking Walleye's

[ceo32312]

Does anyone do this? how does it work for you?

[rendo]

 Most walleye icefisherman here on the Saginaw Bay will use a dead stick with a medium sized shiner and then jig with second pole

[grumpymoe]

deadsticking walleye from past experience does not ice anywhere near the eyes that jigging does.....but......a deadline rigged with pickerel rigs seems for whatever the reason to attract the larger and likely lazier brutes....All my trophy eyes have been caught on the freshest salties you can find....alot of close ones on softwater cranks...but not on hardwater.....lazy dayz with just a twitch of the line will sometimes trigger a hit....Grump

[Water Wolf]

Yeah the guys are right on the money, the more active walleye will usually go after a jigged lure but the neutral to negative fish will often hit a deadstick, makes seance, in winter a fish has to conserve as much energy as they can to make it through to the rigors of spawing, but they also have to eat to sustain there growing eggs and body.
A fresh dead or dying minnow is an easy target.
I to like to use minnows/shiners, I like to center punch them on a small treble hook so the walleye had a hard time steeling it and so it hangs naturally in the water.

WW

[settlepa]

When you refer to a "Deadstick" do you mean just letting the pole sit or is there a certain rod you need for this?

[OTIS]

In New York we are allowed two poles and five tip-ups.  I always jig with one pole, and deadstick with a medium emerald shiner on the other.  Now I have my Jack Traps that will double the lines I have in the water.

[hali-man]

When you refer to a "Deadstick" do you mean just letting the pole sit or is there a certain rod you need for this?

Both- There are "deadstick" rods designed especially for this technique, although I've never found them necessary. Jigging has always been better to me.

[coldbum]

I always deadstick for eyes or anything else I am fishing for
like Otis said, here in NY we get 5 tip ups plus the two hand lines
put out 5 tipus with the craziest minnows in the bucket

 jiggin with the vex is a must, just as much as the local bait flavor of the day is a must on one of my other jiggin rods or hand line contraptions

5+2=7 for all yall fellers up in maine

7 lines in the water increase your odds

[ceo32312]

is there a certain rod type for a dead stick?

[Sax_]

is there a certain rod type for a dead stick?

no any rod will work just set it up on a rod holder , but make sure its close to you, have had rods dissapear into the depths .

[Manny]

I just recieved a Deadstick in the mail from Thorne Bros 2 weeks ago.  Works like a charm, definatly a wicked tool to have.  I use a spoon, 4" of line and a chartreuse or orange hook from Mustad.  Later on, a fireball jigged occasionally is awesome. I had fun with it the other day weeding through a bunch of 14" dinkers.  I would get a bite, lift up slowly to get an idea of the weight of the fish.  If it was a dink, I would bring him up half-way up the water column and shake him off. 

I think deadsticking really shine after first-ice is done, during the dog-days of Feb.

Manny

[AugustWest]

My deadstick would be a rod and reel with a slip bobber. I find the proper depth with the Vex and place the rod in a stand up holder next to the hole with the bail open. I prefer a Flourescent Thill Slip Bobber, that way when I am working a bunch of holes in the vicinity, I can see if the bobber is gone from up to 30 feet away, In these situations I ALWAYS use circle hooks, they are number one in my book for any live bait fishing.

[ceo32312]

What size/make circle hook do you use for your dead stick? 

[AugustWest]

Any brand, size 6 with a Floro leader. Leaders are not as important with a circle, because used properly, you will always get them in the corner of the mouth

[WALLYWHACKER]

Deadsticking is very popular where i fish on Lake Dauphin,Manitoba. We usually use a sensitive graphite ice rod of 30-36" with a reel with a smooth drag and place it in rod holder lowering a live minnow and jig of choice to within 1-4" of bottom. Lots of days you'll catch 75% on this versus jigging.when the eyes are in the mood jigging rules though!