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Posts: 2024
| What is your fall trolling spread typically consist of this time of year? What conditions dictate what you clip on, use/no use of planar boards, etc?
Was out the other day and had bright, sunny skies and warm temps, no wind. Two down rods about 20-25' back with jointed Believers and jointed DRaiders down about 6-7' and a 10" Jake/9" Grandma behind one board down about 9', a shallow diving jointed "St. Clair type" bait down maybe 3' behind a board. Also had a Shallow Invader behind another board. Board rods were back about 30-35'. Shad based reservoir marking bait anywhere between 15 and 6-8' down. Lots of turns, crashed baits into shallow structure, varied speed.
As you can see I'm relatively new to trolling, having in the past considered it a boring technique and something to be employed in desperation. However, I'm liking it more and more especially this time of year when traditionally casting has produced very little. Just kinda want to compare my thoughts on spreads, when/where to use different things, etc with other maybe more seasoned trolling vets out there. | |
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Posts: 723
| exactly what you have done, you have to go out and do 100 more times, I have found that certain conditions need certain applications in trolling just like casting, I can tell you my spread, and 15 different ways I set it up depending on wind, current, overcast, sunny, rain, you name it, but it may not apply to the water youre fishing, just go out, and keep switching it up till you have success, and then make a mental note, cause most of the time it is different the next day, not much, but a little.
I used to think trolling was boring till we started having 10+ fish days with a slob to boot.
I really feel the biggest and I mean the biggest niche in trolling is duplication of situations.
lure depth, speed, outside or inside turns, and retracing hot areas will turn your 2 fish day into a double digit day.
Pm me if you'd like some pointers. | |
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Posts: 1106
Location: Muskegon Michigan | Fall trolling spreads on St Clair, down rods when its rough and over cast. Boards when its blue bird and calm. then mix in everything else. Smaller lakes leave the boards unless there is room to turn. I use 31 inch double ski type boards. Lures match the depth of fish on sonar. Deep runners for deep fish shallow stuff when the fish are up. Oh and use WOOD HA HA HA HA . Kingfisher | |
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Posts: 3242
Location: Racine, Wi | dogboy - 11/1/2006 9:10 PM
just go out, and keep switching it up till you have success, and then make a mental note, cause most of the time it is different the next day, not much, but a little.
You couldn't have put it better. There are lots of little changes that you can apply. If you're not getting them running one way, maybe change the depths a little, or maybe the speed. Let's say you mark a fish running a certain area, and you know your bait is right there. The next time through you can speed up and see if that triggers them. Maybe you have to slow down the next time through. Maybe run the same style of bait, but change the colors. That's where trolling gets fun. The little changes that it takes to score fish. Then when you get bit, write it down (I have a horrible memory) and you'll start to see patterns develop. Like dogboy said, it can change the very next day, or even from hour to hour as the light changes, or weather changes, so don't sit on a set if you're not getting bit. There's a reason it's not working. | |
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Posts: 32953
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Trolling is no less involved than casting with the 'where' still being as important as the mechanics. Plotter trails defining the structure or where bait fish were contacted can help you stay on 'em. Keep the presentation above where the fish are showing up, and vary the speed until you find the magic for that day. I watch some of the best trollers in the world work the water on the Pro Walleye Tours, and see precision mechanics executed by the best. Some days the difference between getting bit and not can be a couple feet in lure depth, a tiny adjustment in speed, or a varying pattern that gets the cranks or rigs bit.
One of the best I've seen in the Muskie world is Mike's Extreme....that guy is a muskie trolling machine. | |
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Fall Trolling Spread