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Posts: 498
Location: Ludington, MI | So I was out trying Saric's early season open-water method from their 25 Tips book today and I was encountering baitballs 10 feet high. Surface temps were 74, but at my trolling motor it was like 66 -- figure 4 feet down. I want to say the tops of the bait balls were 10 down. If you're dialing in a spread with that information, how deep are you aiming with your lures? How far back would you run Baby DRs or Super Shad Raps or 6" Flatsticks if you were targeting the muskies that might be babysitting these schools?
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| Was out this morning, picked up a fish short line trolling a Believer. Was fishing a mid lake flat, had just marked a bait ball in 10' of water, probably 4' feet down. Believer was running about 2' feet down, less than 15' behind the boat. |
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Posts: 20183
Location: oswego, il | I would run the baits 10ft down. I would start the baby DR at 40ft of line Flatstick at 50 and shad rap at 60. You could however run them all at 40 to start and get a baseline on where they will hit knowing they are not all at the same depth. |
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Posts: 498
Location: Ludington, MI | Thank you. These were off the break, as Todd probably surmised. 23 fow seemed to be the magic depth. Lots of bait, some promising marks, just no rips. |
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Posts: 1213
Location: Walker, MN | It's pretty common to spot fish with your eyes sunning 2'-3' down. I think it's pretty easy to troll under fish this time of year. I feel like the'll come up 20' to hit a lure, but might not go down 5'. I start the season running baits 4'-5' down behind boards. At least that's what has worked for me. |
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Posts: 409
Location: Almond, WI | I like Todd's method, I often put something 40' back and play with bait type to vary depth instead of length of the lead. Ultimately I'm not convinced that any method is better than guess and check, I just can say that most fish I've caught have been 35-45' back, with baits anywhere from 6-10' down. With two lines I'd attempt to run one at 4-6 feet and another at about 10 feet. If that doesn't work, I'd adjust deeper in two foot increments. Some lakes they are boat/prop shy so boards help, other lakes it doesn't matter, so that may be another factor to consider. |
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Posts: 21
| ToddM - 5/26/2020 6:27 PM
I would run the baits 10ft down. I would start the baby DR at 40ft of line Flatstick at 50 and shad rap at 60. You could however run them all at 40 to start and get a baseline on where they will hit knowing they are not all at the same depth.
I don't see any of that as "short line" trolling. I have't read Jim's book, but in my world short line means 20' or less. I often catch fish 12 - 15' behind the boat especially in the prop wash! |
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Posts: 682
Location: Sycamore, IL | Esox Chaos - 7/8/2020 1:55 PM
ToddM - 5/26/2020 6:27 PM
I would run the baits 10ft down. I would start the baby DR at 40ft of line Flatstick at 50 and shad rap at 60. You could however run them all at 40 to start and get a baseline on where they will hit knowing they are not all at the same depth.
I don't see any of that as "short line" trolling. I have't read Jim's book, but in my world short line means 20' or less. I often catch fish 12 - 15' behind the boat especially in the prop wash!
Esox Chaos- agreed. My top producing line for the past two years has been 12 ft down rod. Caught plenty of fish with just the leader out.. |
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Posts: 100
| Run the bait some distance above the school of bait you marked. I'd shoot for 5 foot down in this example. You want your bait to look like a fish that was separated from the school and is easy pickings. |
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Location: Ontario | I use 80 but make sure your drag is not too tight so the fish doesn't collide with the prop. |
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Posts: 360
| Caught plenty of fish this spring with nothing more then a 3ft leader sticking out of the rod tip. Trolling 3 or 4 foot of water |
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