So guys can get an idea of what to use and what they need......
There is no limit of rods per person, but I use 2 rods for live bait and one rod for jiggin. If im in my boat by myself I often fish 4 rods, one on each corner, and run 2 higher than the 2 others. basically in fall these are the best methods and a downline method that involves special gear
1. Fish finder rig
http://ultimatefishingsite.net/fish-finder-rig/
Use a 1/2 - 3/4 oz egg sinker on your mainline then tie on a barrel swivel, some use a bead, I generally dont, then tie on your leader, I use 10-14lb floro then to ur hook. My preferred hook is a mosquito owner hook size 2 or 1. I like to hook my herring thru the nostrils sideways or thru the mouth out between the eyes a little forward. This is probably the best all around method year round, especially if the fish are slightly off the bottom or higher when chasing baitballs. *some guys like to use strike guards with their drags set very loose to hear a fish run off. Be careful if this is you, the stripers swallow herring fast and will gut hook easily this way, u will then have to cut ur leader and leave hook in the fish. Strike guards are fine just tend to your rods. I prefer to use baitrunners when fishing this way w a lighter egg sinker*
2. 3-way rig
http://www.learninghowtofish.com/med...ayrigwhite.jpg
I use this rig in the fall/winter, and its best when u actually hold it in your hand to feel the bites, the fish cannot run too far with this rig in a holder as they will let go when they feel the weight. I use 3/4 - 1oz ball sinker with a 1-2ft dropper, and I prefer TRUTURN swivels, but reg ones work too. The leader off 3way is 10-14 floro about 3 ft long to a mosquito owner hook size 1 hooked same way as the above fishfinder rig. This is a great fall/winter rig, and often turns up smallies, eyes, etc. too
3. Downline fishfinder rig using a line counter. This is how I fish them mainly. I use a fishfinder rig like I posted but I hook my herring and place rod in holder. I let out enuff line so my egg sinker is touching surface of water. I zero out my linecounter and engage the clicker. I pull out the amount of line I need and i kno my bait is at the right depth. The depth is where Im marking fish OR where I mark the bigger fish in the school, usually below the other fish. i run 1-2 ft above those marks for loose schools or when big schools I run right at the depth to avoid schoolies. I leave the reels in free spool with the clickers on, and I use very light rods. When my fish runs the clicker is usually enuff to set the hook and lets the fish take line til I get to the rod. I crank a few turns to tighten the line and hookset and then i remove the rod from holder and fight the fish. If u grab the rod first and try to set u will lose some fish to runoffs. I use 8-9ft ugly stik downrigger rods in light action and daiwa accudepth 17s for my reels
4. Livelining. Alot of the locals fish using the Liveline method. I do also but as the water gets colder fish relate to the bottom. In summer its great, in fall u usually add a splitshot to keep them lower. Some use loose drags, some use strike guards, I use baitrunner reels in freshwater size by okuma. You can also fish a slip bobber and fish it very deep, or kinda up high, the marks you see on your sonar will advise you as to what works that day.
The extra rods I carry are jiggin rods in long lengths like 7', ML and M action. I run a silver/gold/chartruese Binsky, If I'm In water over 25' I run 3/4. As the water drops to low 50s come Nov. I switch to a jigging rap by rapala, or snaprap on the other rod along w the binsky. Various leadhead jigs and plastic swim jigs work too at times. The jigging rap can work in Oct but usually a blade bait is better, the fish are still active w water in the 60s. When water hits 50s and below the jiggin rap starts to shine
Be prepared for some deeper fishing in mid Oct. I doubt we will mark fish in less than 25ish FOW, they will be in 25-35 mainly and some may venture in 35-45 as well, especially if on bait, they can be literally in the middle of the lake. Herring school up and suspend in the summer months, as the water gets cooler they still do that but also tend to hang lower in the water column, somewhere in the middle is the usual. There will be varied depths, but the schools bottom orient under bait close to the bottom when they are relating to their food, and the fish u see a few feet off the bottom and higher are feeding and will easily grab ur bait and jigs. Its good to jig cause u can trigger inactive fish w a reaction and pass the time in between live bait runoffs, otherwise put the radio on and drink ur coffee and BS while u wait for strikes. Very important to always watch ur sonar, fish will be zipping underneath u all day long, the water will be 60s and fish very active, so if you get on them u need to stay on them, they move quite a bit, side imaging really helps w that aspect knowing which way they are going. Dont be turned off by handfuls of boats in one spot or area, the schools often move quite a bit and you arent out of the game because someone else has the "hot spot". Dont sit too long anchored up in one area, if a half hour or more passes without action, move. Sometimes a small move will get you on feeding fish, sometimes you have to move to a whole new area, if your marking good fish and you got bait and are jigging without a nibble, those fish are taking a nap, find some hungry stripers
