Winnebago Mud Flats Trolling Set Up

Did not want to post on fishing post so I thought I would try here and hope for some replies.

I am interested in how others start their setup trolling the flats out on Winnebago?  

Say you are using 6 rods will you target certain depths to start or will you try and cover the full potential water column?   

How quickly do you make changes?   

Also would like to know any tips on how to keep track of what rods are running at what depths?   I know at the start but often times lose track as boards are reeled in or dropped back to land fish.  

RML

2 firetiger number 7s 2 racy shad number 7s and then 2 random number 7 flicker shad.  50-70-85 feet back so 2 at each length. 70 is 10feet down at mph with 10lb diameter line.  I personally use 12lb big game. Get the percussion trolling app for your phone and #7 flickers come free with it.  I rely on my locator to tell me where the fish are but 10ft down is usually a good starting point in the mud 15fow or greater.  When the water is clear I move my baits up in the column and will go to shad raps and minnow raps no rattles.  Water gets murky I move to flickers, flicker minnows in size 9, and tail dancers.  Buddy uses a lot of thunder sticks and hot n tots and does just as well so... finding an active school is key then they'll bite anything those mud fish will also act like spoiled brats and not bite for days also.  Then move to harnesses.  They also move ALOT so being a mile from where you got them the day before isn't uncommon.  I have better luck in mornings but find a school and you can pound on them all day

Selecting depth is as easy as reading the graph to see where your walleye marks are and running your baits above them by a foot or 2 or 3.  When we run boards out there we are constantly calling out how far back we are running those baits when we set them and when we hook into fish on them.  That way we start to see the pattern such as another one just hit at 65' back lets move x board up or down to target that hot depth or keep varying depth until you dial it in.  By calling out lures and feet back you start to memorize your set up.  Communication is key so both sides of the boat are working together to target the water column. set your rods up with the high baits on the outside and deep ones closest to the boat.  Make a note of the line out on counter when the board comes off to better remember the depth you set it at.  Call it out....that one hit at 95 back that way your partner makes note as well.  Sometimes when the bite gets hot on 1 lure i will run 5-6 of them same color same size all within 20' line on counter of them.  I have certain proven lure/color combos that i buy a bunch of so when they are hot on that i will run half or more of the spread with that lure.  Start out with 3 different types of lures and 3 or 4 color patterns vary depths among them to start then start switching out until something happens either lure type or color.  sometimes  I run a lure 20 mins before changing sometimes and hour or 2.  I'll switch back to a lure that didnt work in the am to find out that color just works better in the afternoon when the sun is high  I pretty much only target the mud I cant give away specifics because it took me a lot of time to figure out how to consistantly get on a good bite out there.