Trolling???

[MikeOGNR]

Anyone got any tips for trolling for bass?? Lure selection how and where to troll also is it effective??

[prjavelin]

dont go trolling. IMHO trolling is for lazy losers that want to have everything easy. It involves very little technique and it gets old really fast. not fun at all.

tie a shad rap rapala or a rapala dt 10 to dt 16 and burn gasoline and wait for the fish to do all the work. this is exactly what my uncle does. run around with those baits on and he catches something.

I knew of a guy fishing structure that got around 50 bass in my home lake and that is extremely tough on my high pressured waters. work on learning structure and cover and you will be much better than a guy trolling.

Once again this is my humble opinion.

[BassfisherMass]

i do troll every now and then useing a 5 1/2 rubber worm haveing it behind me about 25 yards or so and the worm would be right ontop of the water

not sure if that helps you any or not

[gobig]

Trolling is a very effective way to catch bass.

[Bluebasser86]

It can be very boring but it's far from a technique for "lazy losers". You have to be able to read a lake and the structure in it, know where the fish will be holding, what speed your boat needs to be going, what direction your bait needs to cross with the fish, what baits to use, what gear will get your bait where it needs to be, and a host of other factors. True you can just pull the first bait out of your box behind the boat long enough and probably catch something but the same could be said for casting a bait.

Personally I'd rather get poked in the eye with a sharp stick then have to troll because it bores me to tears but I have done it and if you know what you're doing it can be far more effective than casting the same baits you're trolling. It's great for coving lots of water and picking up scattered fish or fishing a bait in water way deeper than it would normally reach. I've had my best success trolling with number 5 or 7 shad raps or glass raps. I wasn't trolling for bass but they can't seem to leave those things alone at time.

[RobertBG]

I've had good luck trolling from place to place in my old n slow jon boat and on eletric only lakes.I figure mine as well have a wet line if it's going to take a while to move from place to place.

[detroit1]

Lazy losers? That description may be true for most people that drag lures around, but there are many that know what they are doing. Proper trolling is a lost art these days. I remember stories written about Buck Perry and his spoonplugs back in the 60's and 70's. It was a way to learn the lake's structure before there were depth finders. The only times i troll is when i'm eating my lunch (i can't be on a lake without a bait in the water) or when i just can't seem to catch anything while casting...

[deep]

Lazy losers? That description may be true for most people that drag lures around, but there are many that know what they are doing. Proper trolling is a lost art these days. I remember stories written about Buck Perry and his spoonplugs back in the 60's and 70's. It was a way to learn the lake's structure before there were depth finders. The only times i troll is when i'm eating my lunch (i can't be on a lake without a bait in the water) or when i just can't seem to catch anything while casting...

.. and Bill Murphy too.

[Surveyor]

I love the "thump" you get with a texas rigged worm and the explosion from a top water frog so I don't troll much. You just loose that feel-- excitement when trolling.

I have tho. Usually with a spinner bait or crank bait, occasionally a worm or creature bait

Trolling will catch a few fish but most important it will FIND fish.

More often than not if you catch one trolling there is more there. I always drop back and throw a worm or swim bait where I got the hookup and usually catch more.

[prjavelin]

let me explain the comment!

I fish a reservoir thats 266 acres when full(usually its not full). I have also been to another lake thats around 150 acres when full. The lakes in PR are not big by any means. not compated to the 100k + acre lake you guys have in the states, the okeechobees and the great lakes. the guys that go trolling here do so because they dont want to cast and recast. I have personally talked to a bunch of them. they think its a hassle and most of them are bucket fishermen to begin with. a lap around the lake takes less than one hour.

to be continued baby is crying

[WRB]

The reason the tournament bass anglers are not allowed to troll it is so effective.

Anytime I take out a new fisherman I often troll crank baits to cover water at a controlled depth where bass are located. If you are using deep diving crank baits at 18' you use your sonar to keep the lures between 15 to 20', you discover exactly how deep that lure runs at the speed you troll; a slow walking speed for example. Just run the lure next to the boat to determine what speed the lure runs good at. The advantage is the bass will usually hook themselves when trolling and gives the new angler experience in feeling strikes verse hitting the bottom or snagging weeds. Within a few hours you can learn several weeks worth of crank bait experience.

Strolling or dragging soft plastic worm on a C-rig or slip shot jrig through bass you have metered is also a good way to teach new worm anglers what a worm bite feels like. You control the proper depth with the sonar and you also know the speed is right because you are using the same rig and can feel the same structure as the angler you are teaching. A few hours of strolling is valuable, then you can cast and retrieve knowing the angler has a good idea what to expect.

Tom

[NBR]

I am very bored when trolling but on tough recreational fishing days trolling can be an effective way to find the fish. Those skillful in trolling methods are anything but lazy. They are highly skilled in their art.

[Bassn Blvd]

dont go trolling. IMHO trolling is for lazy losers that want to have everything easy. It involves very little technique and it gets old really fast. not fun at all.

IMHO, don't listen to losers who know nothing about trolling and are narrow minded to learning different techniques.

[prjavelin]

my poor 6 weeks old baby is sick

here is a quick questions to those in favor of trolling:

where is the sport in trolling a 200 acre lake over an over and over until the fish find your bait and hook themselves? where is the challenge?

so you have to worry about depth and that is controlled by speed, you have to control the speed of the boat. your rod can sit on a rod holder. VS casting at the right spot, controlling the fall(if any) working the rod, cranking the reel at the rate you want it and setting the hook. dont get me started on locating the fish vs running around and stumble on them.

i can post and excerpt from the in fisherman series against trolling they ripped buck perry apart(well the person who wrote it). I bet many of the legends of the sport find it to be a low way of fishing. its just a step behind throwing a net and catching stringers.

[Bluebasser86]

my poor 6 weeks old baby is sick

here is a quick questions to those in favor of trolling:

where is the sport in trolling a 200 acre lake over an over and over until the fish find your bait and hook themselves? where is the challenge?

so you have to worry about depth and that is controlled by speed, you have to control the speed of the boat. your rod can sit on a rod holder. VS casting at the right spot, controlling the fall(if any) working the rod, cranking the reel at the rate you want it and setting the hook. dont get me started on locating the fish vs running around and stumble on them.

i can post and excerpt from the in fisherman series against trolling they ripped buck perry apart(well the person who wrote it). I bet many of the legends of the sport find it to be a low way of fishing. its just a step behind throwing a net and catching stringers.

You still have to figure out what depth the fish are holding at, what areas they're holding in, what they're feeding on, what speed you need to troll, and a host of other variables, just like when you're casting and retrieving. I get what you're saying, sort of anyways. It sounds to me like you're talking about people that just pick the first bait out of their box, put it in the water and just drag it around and hope they stumble across a fish, a lot like a lot of people do when casting and retrieving a bait.

However, some people have it down to a science. In a larger body of water I might even argue that it's more difficult to troll because you're structure fishing, not casting to visible cover like most anglers do. So you have to be good at reading your electronics, topo maps, and knowing where the fish should be on a given day and what baits will catch them where they're at. Personally I can't stand trolling for anything. Probably why catching marlin or sailfish has never appealed much to me, because trolling is one of the main techniques to catch them.

I'm getting a hint of "holier than thou" mindset, like a fish caught trolling is somehow less of a fish, like some guys think of livebait/artificials or flyfishing/traditional gear. Either that or someone is trolling your lake and catching fish while you're struggling and it's hurting your pride.

[prjavelin]

IMHO, don't listen to losers who know nothing about trolling and is narrow minded to learning different techniques.

dude theres no need for name calling and taking it personal. Im free to speak my mind as I was not attacking you personally. You can make your point by providing an argument and proving me wrong.

[SirSnookalot]

I do a lot of trolling, but really not for bass in the last 50 years. As I kid we had a cottage on 1100 acre lake, I trolled in a rowboat using, night crawlers on a harness, plugs and spoons. I did have 6.5 ho OB, but quite often I did my trolling rowing the drop offs around the lake. Not only did I catch fish, I got a nice workout too.

[prjavelin]

You still have to figure out what depth the fish are holding at, what areas they're holding in, what they're feeding on, what speed you need to troll, and a host of other variables, just like when you're casting and retrieving. I get what you're saying, sort of anyways. It sounds to me like you're talking about people that just pick the first bait out of their box, put it in the water and just drag it around and hope they stumble across a fish, a lot like a lot of people do when casting and retrieving a bait.

However, some people have it down to a science. In a larger body of water I might even argue that it's more difficult to troll because you're structure fishing, not casting to visible cover like most anglers do. So you have to be good at reading your electronics, topo maps, and knowing where the fish should be on a given day and what baits will catch them where they're at. Personally I can't stand trolling for anything. Probably why catching marlin or sailfish has never appealed much to me, because trolling is one of the main techniques to catch them.

I'm getting a hint of "holier than thou" mindset, like a fish caught trolling is somehow less of a fish, like some guys think of livebait/artificials or flyfishing/traditional gear. Either that or someone is trolling your lake and catching fish while you're struggling and it's hurting your pride.

I dont own a boat so I cant troll. Ive gone fishing with people that do own boats(like my uncle did and a friend) and the only technique was trolling rapalas. I do think that a fish Ive caught trolling and much less of an acomplishment than those ive caught by reading here learning and working on what ive learned because i knew that i had to When we went trolling the only technique was the if clockwise you didnt find them they would go counterclockwise.

[Bluebasser86]

I dont own a boat so I cant troll. Ive gone fishing with people that do own boats(like my uncle did and a friend) and the only technique was trolling rapalas. I do think that a fish Ive caught trolling and much less of an acomplishment than those ive caught by reading here learning and working on what ive learned because i knew that i had to When we went trolling the only technique was the if clockwise you didnt find them they would go counterclockwise.

What you're describing is much less trolling and a lot more driving the boat around and hoping. Kind of like just letting the boat drift across the lake or going down a bank and just casting blindly. Someone who knows what they're doing will follow contours or structure, adjust baits, colors, speed, line weight and type, potentially use a planer board, trolling weight, or downrigger and have to adjust different variables with those, while reading electronics, controlling the boat so lines don't tangle. If it took no skill then why are some people so much better than others at it? I'm terrible at it but I don't enjoy it at all so it doesn't really matter to me.

[WRB]

The general bass fishing public has been conditioned to bass fish like their favaorite tournament pro. The pro makes a living promoting fishing tackle, boats and related fishing equipment. Since trolling is not allowed during a bass tournament, you never see bass pros trolling. I can make the argument that strolling is a form of trolling; moving the lure with the boat or long lining is a from of trolling; moving a few hundred yards with the boat under power.

Did you know the world record smallmouth bass was caught trolling?

Remember this fact; 90% of the bass are located in 10% of the lakes water; spend your time learning where that 10% of the water is that holds 90% of the bass. Trolling is a good technique to eliminate unproductive water while sonar surveying various locations; it simply another presentation tool for the non tournament angler.

Tom

[J Francho]

I used to troll crankbaits on Lake Ontario for smallies back in the 90s. Catch three fish in a specific area, anchor up and pick the spot apart. Worked real well for us.

[KAAATHLEEN]

Sometimes i like to just relax and sit but still take in the sun in the boat. Trolling gives me the opportunity to do just that. My dad likes to troll a lot, once you get well into your 70s you may understand which is why my dad like to troll. He cant cast like he could even 10 years ago but he has a passion for fishing. It is still a legal method of fishing...

Now lets talk about banning the alabama and umbrella rigs even if it has just 1 hook on it and 6 teasers. My belief is that they should be illegal everywhere but it is still legal in some places therefore people have every right to use it where it is still legal.

Others beleive they are fine some even with 5 or 7 hooks, We all have our opinions. Mine is ban them all, But if it is legal in your water go ahead and use it.

[Bassn Blvd]

dude theres no need for name calling and taking it personal. Im free to speak my mind as I was not attacking you personally. You can make your point by providing an argument and proving me wrong.

I didn't make it peronal, you did by saying "IMHO trolling is for lazy losers that want to have everything easy. It involves very little technique and it gets old really fast. not fun at all."

And just like you say you're free to speak your mind. Well, guess what? So am I.

The OP asked a question about trolling. He never mentioned the size of the lake. You assumed it was a 200 acre puddle because apparently that's what you're accustomed to fishing. A few members ansewred the question without prejudice, unlike your negativity and insults.

I assure you I am far from a lazy fisherman and I sometimes troll. I troll mostly while pre-fishing for tournaments, which I fish several each month.

Think about this. How much control do you have over a crankbait when reeling it in by hand? Theoritically, your hands are acting in the same capacity as my motor, except I'm able to keep the bait in the strike zone longer because I don't have to cast. I can also get my bait to dive deeper than hand cranking. I can also get a better feel for the bottom than hand reeling. When trolling, my crankbait is acting as a search bait. Once I get hit, I stop and fish different techniques.

[yoyoman]

The general bass fishing public has been conditioned to bass fish like their favaorite tournament pro. The pro makes a living promoting fishing tackle, boats and related fishing equipment. Since trolling is not allowed during a bass tournament, you never see bass pros trolling. I can make the argument that strolling is a form of trolling; moving the lure with the boat or long lining is a from of trolling; moving a few hundred yards with the boat under power.

Did you know the world record smallmouth bass was caught trolling?

Remember this fact; 90% of the bass are located in 10% of the lakes water; spend your time learning where that 10% of the water is that holds 90% of the bass. Trolling is a good technique to eliminate unproductive water while sonar surveying various locations; it simply another presentation tool for the non tournament angler.

Tom

excellent post. i personally do not troll for bass but have for saltwater and lake trout. i find it very boring but it is highly effective if doing correctly. i can garentee trollers who know what there doing will certainly hold there own if ot out fish you. they simply cover way more water than you can cast too. if some likes to troll, cast lures, use live bait i think that is there choice and that is what they enjoy doing. that is fishing. also it can get pretty boring pounding shorline after shorline wih cranks and spinnerbaits. this is not tornement fishing. go out have fun and enjoy the day.

[Bass Dude]

dont go trolling. IMHO trolling is for lazy losers that want to have everything easy. It involves very little technique and it gets old really fast. not fun at all.

You are way off on your opinion of trolling. It involves a lot of skill and technique. First, you still have to find the fish, just as you would casting. Secondly, you have all the same variables in presentation such as lure selection, lure speed, wind speed, depth, etc. Last, but not least, you need very precise boat control. In some ways, it is a way more complex way of fishing than casting. Go salmon fishing on the Great Lakes and see how involved it is...you will find a new appreciation for what goes into a successful trolling trip.

If you aren't catching anything it isn't much fun, but neither is casting for 10 hours a day without getting bit!!