Trolling is one of the most productive ways to catch walleyes, but it is also a technique where many anglers experience the dreaded ‰One That Got Away‰ syndrome. There are two primary reasons for this: 1. Fish tend to ‰wallow‰ further back because of the long fight in, 2. The most common place to throw a hook is when a fish is on top of the water as it nears the boat.  To help remedy the dreaded ‰OTGA‰ syndrome, quick netting of the fish as it appears near the boat is important. Equip yourself with a good net like the Bass Pro Shops XPS Alaska Net with it‰’s 4 to 8 foot telescoping handle for an extra long reach. As the fish is fought to the boat, position the netter to the back of boat for the best vantage point, with the fish-fighter right behind him. When the fish hits the surface and is with in reach of the net, “drive” the net under the fish. Once under, lift the net up out of the water and quickly pull the fish in to the boat. The long-handled net really helps especially when the fish hits the surface out away from the boat, as is often the case when trolling.

Keith