Why?

[talltimber]

slimey's post got me to thinking. Why does everyone say that you should keep your lines vertical when spider riggin? If you are gonna speed up to the point of needing more weight to keep the line vertical, doesn't the presentation go from vertical to horizontal? I was under the impression that the advice of keeping lines vertical was to help you keep your speed slow enough for a vertical presentation.
If I have misunderstood and the meaning of vert. line position has nothing to do with speed, then what difference does it make if they are vertical? Depth control not withstanding, of course.

[rnvinc]

I think the more verticle my line is...it keeps me from goin too fast...kinda like a visual reminder to myself to slow down....

[Chasing Ghosts]

Verticle = a set depth... you go faster without adding weight and you change your fishing depth.

[Herewego]

Somedays they hit better going a little faster.

[STUMP HUNTER]

You are right about depth control. Keeping the lines vertical you know the depth of your bait. If they are biting better at a faster speed you are fishing to deep and the speed is placing your bait where they want it. That is the reason I will start out with bait at different depths and them move to the depth where the bites are coming from.

[crappiemax]

If it's not vertical, you're long line trolling:p

[J White]

Somedays they hit better going a little faster.

Yep. I have experienced days when they would not touch a minnow sitting
still, but ease through at .5 or so and they're all over it.
Other days it had to be motionless in their face for minutes.
Just depends on the mood.
Boat wakes are not always a bad thing either. Have had fish go on a bite
after a boat passed, then quit. You either sit there hoping for another boat,
or stand up and bounce/rock the boat and hope nobody is watching :p