When Walleyes are holding on rock structure, jigging really works well, but if you’re drifting or trolling over the same rocky area, I can’t think of a better presentation for catching fish than using a bottom bouncer. Last week I wrote about Walleyes on the rocks, and I would cover what bottom bounces are and how to use them. For those who know all this, as you all know, I started this page for those new to fishing or only fish a few weeks a year.

Bottom bouncers are basically a walking sinker made for minimizing snags while maneuvering over rocky areas while keeping your bait just off the bottom. Here’s my best description of a bottom bouncer. It’s a stiff wire that looks like the number 7. The horizonal part (that extends to the left) is the ARM that is bent around 90 degrees. At the end of this arm is a snap/swivel, where you connect your SNELL (LEADER TO YOUR BAIT) and even though the Snell can be any length, I have found 3 feet works the best for me, but experiment to see what works better for you, because your bait might be bigger or weigh more.

The vertical (UP/DOWN) part is the LEG and there is a molded lead weight towards the middle of the leg. Then your main line extending up to your rod attaches to the top (WHERE THE ARM & LEG MEETS). Got all that? Now, the weight of the bouncer can be ¼ oz. to 4 oz. and it’s been said you should use 1 oz. for every 10 feet, but I believe that would depend on the wind, current and or drifting speed.

Some may disagree, but if it’s a light bite or you are missing bites, going lighter has helped me catch more fish. Bottom bouncers come in different shapes, styles, weights, colors and lengths and are mostly used for fishing with live bait, but you can also use spinners, spoons and even crankbaits.

Now for fishing with this type of tackle. You want light tension on the bottom bouncer when lowering it into the water, because if you are not moving or there is no current, the Snell (LEADER TO YOUR BAIT) could wrap around your main line, and the bouncer won’t run efficiently. If you’re sitting still, you could cast it out but keep tension on the line until the bottom bouncer contacts the rocky bottom.

When fishing with this type of rig, it can take a while to distinguish between a bite and the bottom bouncer hitting or dancing over rocks, but trust me, once you catch a fish, you will feel a tug rather than a usual tap. Well, that’s all I got on bottom bouncers and I hope I explained it well enough, because when fishing for Walleye that are holding close to rocky structure, no other bait/tackle will work as well as a bottom bouncer.