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| I don't know about most of you folks but there doesn't seem to be much accomplishment in driving a boat around and letting the boat motor set the hook for you. I know there must be some technique to trolling and I also know that you can put a pile of fish in your rig, but to me that's not muskie hunting. I feel that a muskie should be worked for by casting until your arm falls off. I think trolling is a good idea to get kids or other folks interested in muskie fishing, but to me I haven't taken much pleasure in the skis I've caught trolling..... |
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Posts: 70
| When you've trolled GB for 17 days this fall without a rip.....It would be satisfying to get one |
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Posts: 32934
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | TT,
This post shows a complete lack of any understanding for the technique. There are as many (if not more) variables in learning how to properly, consistently, and accurately present a lure trolling as there are for casting, and that's an indisputable fact. And, 'what you feel' isn't much of a guide as to how the rest of us pursue our passion, anyway. |
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Posts: 194
| It's called a personal choice. Don't like trolling, don't do it. Simple. I find plenty of satifaction in the fish I catch trolling. Trolling presents its own different challenges. Seems like a pretty loaded question. |
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Posts: 1185
Location: Wishin I Was Fishin' | I'm glad you feel this way....at least one less to worry about on Green Bay |
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Posts: 8835
| I used to feel the same way. "Oh, the boat caught the fish. I just reeled it in." "What challenge is there to driving the boat around and waiting for something to happen?"
That's called ignorance, and I was as guilty of it back then as you apparently are today. Then I spent some time trolling with guys who really know what they are doing. Wow. 6 lines, knowing what lures to run where in your spread, how much line to put out, using downriggers and boards, and then knowing the structure and the lake and your electronics well enough to actually put those lures in the right place, without getting them fouled up together or snagged...
Any idiot can cast at a weed edge and reel and do figure 8's. Any idiot can throw a lure or two out and drag them around the lake. But to be effective at trolling? THAT is an art form. |
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Location: Latitude 41.3016 Longitude 88.6160 | Trolling with 5-6 lines is a art form, the one thing I hate is you have to keep the boat moving so your lines don't get twisted up, and with planer boards and the boat moving forward it is a different kind of fight then if you were casting. I think alot of guys will fish one way because they like it and if they only catch so many fish so be it, but they did it there way, and then there are others that will fish anyway trolling, casting, suckers, even if they don't like that style of fishing just to say that they caught a fish, so to each there own.
Edited by PIKEMASTER 11/26/2009 10:51 AM
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| Dear TT----I guess it depends on your definition of satisfaction. The fact IS----trolling has caught some of the largest muskies ever boated. While it may not be your preferred method of musky hunting---there are many people who have spent countless hours perfecting their trolling techniques down to a science. Unfortunately for some casters---trolling often puts many more/larger fish in the net. It also has to do with the bodies of water that you fish. I fish Indiana ALOT----the lakes are small. Casting works most of the time----BUT when the lakes get heavy pressure---these fish are a sucker for a trolled minnow bait at high speed. If you're catching fish trolling when everyone else is casting---that's what I call satisfaction. Good luck--PP |
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Posts: 222
| I have been trolling LOTW in Oct. Nov. for about 10 years, sometimes we do 50% trolling 50% casting and over that time we have boated 10 over 50" trolling and 1 over 50" casting. I am very satisfied catching 50" fish trolling, and there is a LOT more technique (in my opinion) to trolling then casting. Here are two fish we got this year on the same spot about the size of a truck about 150 yards off shore on a hump 14 ft. down in 25 ft. of water and the only reason we found it was we where TROLLING from one island to another.
Darren
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 Darrens 52.jpg (72KB - 188 downloads)
Jerrys 50.jpg (64KB - 176 downloads)
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| Sounds like there are a few jealous people who can't consistently catch fish trolling. I catch probably 90 percent of my fish casting, but the fish I have caught trolling are not any less satisfying to me. I have friends that are great trollers and it is not something that is learned over night. There is definitely some skill to it to become a good troller. |
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | In a word, yes. Trolling isn't rocket appliances, but it isn't a cake walk either. It can be a good resort if it's a tough day or frigid cold out. A good tool to any good fisherman's arsenal. |
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| I will state my opinion and a fact..
Opinion=
I personally take more pleasure in the HUNT of a fish casting. I chose my baits that are appropraite for the surrondings and also work them to the situation. Locating a fish and having to come back to it is also more rewarding especially when it is large fish that has been to the boat a couple of times. Nothing like crossin the lake to go back at a huge fish anticapating the bite before a calm sunset, No? Having 2-3 anglers in a boat ALL contributing to the game and hear the whiping of the rods and the reels workin. What about the figure 8? That is what makes this fish even more unique. How many stories are there of a fish doing something "out of hand" at boatside????? We cant forget about top water either, watching a wake behind your bait as the fish is tucked in tight nose to tail is way more of a rush as you anticapate the bite.
I LIke to troll also but i feel i am the one doing ALMOST all of the work in the boat. I love to roll into an area and attack the underwater
world beneath my hull staring at my electronics planing my route over the structure rolling across points, working the breaks etc, while starin at the graph and only leaving once i feel confident i have worked it properly from my plotter trail (thank you for a gps). Changing your speeds, powering in and out of turns is also more of what the wheel man has fun with. This is why i do not like to hop in someone elses boat during the trollin season unless i know i will walk away learnin somethin new. A few times this fall i chose to fish alone and risk losing a cannon then hoping in a fellow anglers rig. I personally would rather troll myself and hopefully hook into fish then someone else playing the game for me. Kinda like rally racing, theres a driver and a passenger.
Up here in LOTW there are way more anglers that luck into fish trolling than casting. It may be different from up here to down there as the systems are different. I believe it is more of a challenge on LOTW to catch fish casting than trolling, though you definatelly will average more higher # casting once you have got some game. Really good trollers love trolling because they catch fish controlling the situation. Some people will not go vertical jiggin for ski's, as they may find it to slow and boring but it works.
Fact=
Catching muskies is always rewarding though sometimes its more of a preference.
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Posts: 1764
Location: Ogden, Ut | TwitchbaitTommy - 11/26/2009 7:32 AM
I don't know about most of you folks but there doesn't seem to be much accomplishment in driving a boat around and letting the boat motor set the hook for you. I know there must be some technique to trolling and I also know that you can put a pile of fish in your rig, but to me that's not muskie hunting. I feel that a muskie should be worked for by casting until your arm falls off. I think trolling is a good idea to get kids or other folks interested in muskie fishing, but to me I haven't taken much pleasure in the skis I've caught trolling.....
Most of the satisfaction comes in recognizing trolling when I see it... 
S. |
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| Trolling is a lazy mans sport. clearly. A lot easier way to fish than casting. |
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Posts: 814
| IMO if you aren't getting satisfaction from fish caught trolling.....then flat out you have no clue as to WHY you caught those fish(zombie trolling). There is tons to learn to troll effectively, as I learn all the time. There also is a time when trolling is the BEST way to contact and catch fish. season, thermocline,water temps,baitfish,bar pressure,clouds,skies. all these are factors that need to be looked at. Step back and ask yourself the why's, then you'll start to get satisfaction that your looking for.
The best thing that I have learned so far is. Find the bait and you've found the muskies, no matter what season it is!
Fair Chase.....your wet behind the ears! Watch the Gregg Thomas video and Learn before you speak!
Edited by mskyhntr 11/26/2009 12:40 PM
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| Your missin the point!
Not lazy, it is sometimes required. |
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| The fact of the matter is if your only casting your missing out on a lot of muskie and most likely the biggest in the system. Some instances trolling is the only way to contact fish in certain situations.
Deep water like 15+, or suspended fish over deep water. These are definate times to troll. But hey if you choose to leave these fish for people in the know thats your choice. I'll be out there burnen gas. |
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Posts: 2865
Location: Brookfield, WI | Fish caught trolling don't count as much in your overall catch records. A fish caught trolling is worth about 70% of a casting caught fish. Sucker caught fish have even less value than trolling fish.
There' a formula floating around here somewhere.
Kevin |
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Posts: 1530
| trolling requires skills. maybe you could try with your popeil pocket fishing rod,,,and a few banjo minnows. |
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Posts: 32934
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Fair chase, I'll put Gary Parsons or Todd Riley or Mark Courts or any of the real trolling gurus of the walleye world who also fish a few muskies now and again up against your obviously uneducated and unsophisticated anonymous trolling experience any day, and we'll see who works harder and catches the most fish trolling. It's a science, and the anglers who excel at it are also some of the best at the other techniques out there, because they can control a boat under the worst possible conditions using ANY manner of propulsion and know how to read the water and the fish....really really well.
Spend a day with one of the Walleye Pros out there trolling some day. Learn 'slow death', learn how to 'stall a board' on a turn to elicit a strike, learn how to read the water actually USING the electronics to the true potential for which they were designed, learn how to position the lure in exactly the right place in the water column to get a Muskie to eat it (and actually know where those muskies are so one can do that) and much more. Bruce Samson would put on a clinic even the idiots who claim trolling is 'easy' would be completely floored by...especially when he hits submit on his onboard networked Panasonic Toughbook and produces a 3D map of what your water looks like you've been casting and 'thought' you knew well.
http://www.hightechfishing.com/
By the way; Doc was fishing the Goon and other locations back in the 70's and early 80's in search of the ultimate Muskie water and knows his 'skies. |
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Posts: 1316
Location: Lebanon,Mo | fair chase - 11/26/2009 12:31 PM
Trolling is a lazy mans sport. clearly. A lot easier way to fish than casting.
Yeah,it's lazy to work a weededge with a tiller in one hand moving back and fourth while the other hand is working a bait and trying to view the depthfinder at the same time. |
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Posts: 568
| trolling catches fish --zero doubt --but assuming I'm healthy enough to cast I'd give up muskie fishing if forced to do nothing but troll. if the weather is decent I'm falling asleep within 5 minutes. just not my cup of tea either --but to each his own. Talking musky not any other fish here but I still see it as dragging lures around . there is some skill involved , but it's boring as all heck IMO. MD |
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Posts: 1663
Location: Kodiak, AK | I think this thread is trolling.
But as a muskie guy fishing the muskie trolling capital, I don't do it. Just not my thing, but more power to those that do it. It puts the fish in the boat for sure. |
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Posts: 1316
Location: Lebanon,Mo | There is a time to cast and a time to troll,both work and produce.If somebody thinks trolling is for lazy people or think it's just a easy way to catch fish,your not doing it right.Try trolling by yourself with three lines out,one in your hand working a bait,and checking lines for weeds every ten minutes or so.You will realize casting that bucktail out there is alot easier.I guess most people just think trolling is sitting back and driving around the lake and taking it easy,not in my boat. |
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Posts: 17
Location: Brighton, Ontario, CANADA | My personal preference is casting, but I would never look down on trolling or any other technique, they all have their place and all require skill.
BTW my personal best was caught trolling on Pigeon Lake (a 44" x 22" muskie)
Tom |
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Posts: 906
Location: Warroad, Mn | Trolling from a boat control standpoint and structure knowledge is much more demanding than casting. I feel I earn every fish we catch trolling. Sometimes casting is too easy! Doug Johnson |
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Posts: 182
Location: musky waters of SE, WI | Anyone can go and throw a bait in the water let it out a ways, put in the rod holder and sit back and drive around the lake. Yeah they may get lucky and catch one. But you really have to know what your doing to be able to catch fish consistently. Knowing the lake structure, lure depth, amount of line out, speed, boat control, and other factors take some skill and perfect technique to be able to catch fish on a usual basis. It is, i think, more work than keeping your boat on structure and casting. This is why i can never really get into it, its hard to do, plus sitting there can get down right boring at times.
Edited by Ryan_Cotter 11/26/2009 8:56 PM
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Posts: 556
| Casting or Trolling??? Both have their places--I too was guilty once of thinking I could just throw out a line and motor around and catch fish. HA !!! was I wrong. I love to cast BUT I have also learned there is an Technique to catching fish while trolling. I am a believer in both methods now and now know that it is far more than LUCK and a easy way to catch fish when it comes to trolling. Try it--Learn about it and you too will see there is a place for it in your Musky Fishing World. |
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| Id quit,,;) |
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| "When you've trolled GB for 17 days this fall without a rip.....It would be satisfying to get one".........
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