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Posts: 3480
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | Hi Everyone,
Looking to expand my horizons and am hoping to pick the brains of those who are experienced with big river trolling....rivers that have some really deep holes, some shelves here and there, but mainly a very defined drop and extremely limited backwaters. I'm just getting started with this idea and am wondering about a few things that might give me a jump-start on locating and rigging...
First, Equipment....
I have purchased a couple of in-line planer boards, but may not stay with them and move to a mast and larger boards. Just started playing with them a couple of days ago, and speed is definitely not a friend of the in-line boards with deeper diving crankbaits...(at least the ones I purchased..."off shore" brand)
Trolling rods are in the works with line counters...
Being there is some deep water, how much do you use downriggers?
Any specific depth that you generally find the fish in?
Seasonal locations/ depths?
Any help would be greatly appreciated...
Thanks in advance!!
Steve |
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Posts: 639
Location: Hudson, WI | I'm no expert since I prefer casting, but here goes...
The river I troll has steep breaks, and I try to stay on the edge. I'd run a deep diving crank on a board to the outside and a medium depth crank on a down rod on that same side (assuming you have two people in the boat). Then run a blade on a board on your farthest inside rod and another medium depth crank in the propwash.
Run 3.5-4 mph, and it's debatable, but I try to run with the current as much as possible. Biggest tip is to back your drag off and set your clicker. You should be able to pull a little line by hand. I broke off a giant three weeks ago due to my drag being set too tight. Brand new 100 pound Sufix with the drag backed off and it still happened. Don't throw her in neutral until your fighting the fish.
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Posts: 432
Location: mpls | Pm "captain bigfish" on this site.
He is an expert on trolling rivers- especially the one you are asking about 
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Posts: 3480
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | Mol,
are you running big planer boards on a mast or are you running the smaller inlines? I found I could not go over 2.5 mph trolling depthraiders behind the off shore brand inline boards (from fleet farm)...the depthraiders would pull nice and hard, which would pull the front of the board out of the water taking away it's tracking ability.
Wondering if I should look at the church boards with the adjustable weight on the bottom, or a larger board...
Thanks
Steve
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Posts: 639
Location: Hudson, WI | I just run the Church in-lines, Steve. "The Walleye Board." I was concerned they would be a little small, and I remember keeping my receipt in case I needed to exchange them. They work just fine. DR's, Kriscos, Heli-Dawgs...handles them all with no problems.
By the way, they love Krisco's out there. |
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Posts: 10
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Posts: 247
Location: Uxbridge Ontario | Although some of the biggest fish I have encountered have come from steep sloping rock face drop-offs, the fish are few and far between. To spot varied terrain like spotting patches of weed prior to running it over, watch the shoreline for small gravel or sand patches... like tiny beaches. Best indication of foliage IMO. |
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