Trolling Question

[hogpaw]

I was out fishing the other day and noticed some folks trolling. They were fishing triple drop rigs with jigs and no additional weight. They were catching a mess of crappie. We were more set up for tight line that day but did toss about 4 lines out trolling and didn't catch but a couple of fish in two hours. We could have changed our rig like theirs but decided to go tight line the brush piles. We generally troll with a double drop with 1/2 to 3/4 ounce of weight.

Is this a standard practice trolling with the lines 30-40 yards behind the boat using just the weight of the jigs?

[CrappiePappy]

I've only used two types of trolling setups ...... single jig or Roadrunner, or a crankbait pulling a jig. The single jig/Roadrunner setup was strictly for Crappie .... the crank/jig trailing setup was for Hybrid Stripers, but caught Crappie on the jig. I don't really use the trolling method much, just on certain lakes and at certain times. Most of the rest of the time, casting a jig or Roadrunner to a specific target is how I catch them.

On Weiss Lake (Ala) - slow trolling single or double jigs, without added weight, is pretty standard for pre-spawn fish. Guides and locals generally use the "spider rig" setup, when the fish are along the channels or in the flats. They just adjust boat speed to allow the 1/32 or 1/16oz jigs to reach the desired depth.

I used to fish Green River Lake (Ky) most every Spring ...... trolling a couple of rods out behind the boat, under trolling motor power, using Roadrunners. I would troll over the sand/mud flats in 6-8ft of water. Caught a lot of nice fish doing that, and when I found an area where they seemed to be concentrated - I'd fancast the area with the Roadrunner.

Flatline trolling has its merits ... given the right conditions and terrain. Adjusting boat speed, length of line out, and jig weights is important, as it allows you to maintain proper depth presentation.

I "prefer" to cast jigs (dock shooting included) ... but, when faced with the situation where others are catching fish, using a different bait or method, and I'm not doing as well -- I get like 'em or as near as my equipment will allow :D .......... luck2ya ..... cp

[skiptomylu]

My trolling is using one jig either 1/16oz. or 1/32oz. and that is all. Your depth is controlled by speed so usually go slow. I am not sure my jig is quite 40 yards behind the boat, but it is at least as far back as I can cast

[hogpaw]

That is interesting. I thought everyone used single or double drop rigs with heavy weights to keep them as straight down as possible to keep them from tangling.

[skiptomylu]

hogpaw,

I have always trolled around and over the grass and have one spot in the fall it's 12' or deeper over hydrilla(sp).
I started doing this in the late 70's and kind of just stumbled on to the idea. One Spring windy day drifting along over a flat covered in hydrilla that the is any where from 4' to 14' deep and caught some nice crappie. So thought maybe I should use my troll motor on days with not much wind and have been trolling ever since.

Never have tried any weight though.

[drill instructor]

i troll off the back of my boat most of the time. i switch between double 1/32 and single 1/16 jigs. i let out about 30-40yrds on the majority of the poles. I havent tried the 3 jig set up, but i probably will this fall

[hogpaw]

If you are running with that much line out how many poles can you fish out of a boat at a time? It seems like 2 on the sides and two on the back of the boat. Looks like spider rigging would be out of the question.

[fishdoc]

flatline troll with 12 rods, use different lengths to separate jigs, use 6 off front 6 off back. 12' , 9', 6', 5'. use same size line and jig on all rods...usually 1/16 oz roadrunners. only tangles come from big fish and we've had a lot of practice gettin tangles out!!!! been doin this since 1988. i slow down til jig touches bottom then speed up a little...works like a charm!