Trolling Direction???

[JigMaster]

AGAINST the WIND or WITH the WIND

Just wandering what the best trolling direction is and which way most of you guys do it? I just came back from a trip with Roger Gant using the side pulling technique (with the wind) and had a great time.

I am planning to go myself tommorrow and try things with the forward technique and was just wandering if going with the wind is the best way for the forward technique!

Thanks for your help!!!!

[Rhino]

Usually into the wind. Just barely have a bend in the line. With the wind is usually to fast and you can't keep your jigs/minnows in the strike zone. They tend to want to ski to the top if you move fast.

[lebruce]

If your talking slow trolling, I like going against the wind.I have allot more control of my boat,the presentation of the bait and my sanity .Going into the wind you can hang on a spot longer if you like by letting off the motor.If your lines start to hang-up on something just let the wind push you back.If you break off or have to put fish in the live well or hit a big school,just let the wind push you back through and come at it again rather then turning around.Some say the fish face into the wind and that's why you should troll with the wind.To me that's alright if your fishing within a couple feet of the surface (the water that's going with the wind).Any lower then that in the water column they will be facing the current.

[Moose1am]

I don't think I do this right. I troll INTO THE WIND as it's easier. But I have read that trolling with the wind is better since the fish face into the wind driven current.

Wind can created not only waves but underwater currents in a lake where the wind stacks the water up against the shoreline.

If it too windy I seek a sheltered cove. I prefer crappie fishing when there is little or no wind as it makes it easier for me to hover over a spot. I like to let the baits hang right in front of the fish's nose for a long time.

I have a Minn_kota Wind Sock that I tried one time but it made my boat drift sideways with the wind. It didn't really slow my boat down very much and didn't make the boat straighten out like I expected. Maybe I need to try using two wind socks instead of just one. It was pretty windy the day I tried my wind sock out so maybe it would work better when the winds are not as strong.

[Shellback]

I don't troll for crappies, but do troll for trout, salmon and walleye. I've got a deep V boat with a walkthru windshield and I really have a time controlling the boat trolling into the wind. The wind keeps pushing the bow off to one side and I must always throttle up the bring the bow back around into the wind. So I always try to troll with the wind and if speed is a issue, I have bags to deploy which will slow me down. Boats with a lower profile might not have this problem though.

[BANDIT]

I slow troll with the wind probably 75% of the time. I do this by dragging a 5 ft piece of logging chain. I let the wind dictate the amount of chain that is dragging bottom. I want the chain to hold the boat at a stand still and I use my trolling motor to move foward. If I catch a fish or detect a pole is hanging up, I simply let off of the motor. This gives me complete control of the boat at all times. Maybe its the confidence factor, but I catch alot more fish with the wind.