Running depth guideline help please?

[Ranger690]

Since I have been bitten by this crappie bug, I have been buying some stuff to try. I have never trolled like I have been reading about. Can you guys answer a couple of questions for me. I am wondering what to expect when I start.

I will be using some 16', 14', 12' rods. 6 lb line on each. I am going to stagger 1/16 and 1/32 oz jigs and put them back about "an average cast" (? 60' maybe). Each head will have a 2" curl tail grubb on it. I have a gps to moniter my speed. I should have my Minnkota Autopilot installed tomorrow. I will be fishing a lake (no current).

So, with that gear, I am wondering about what depth I expect these jigs to run at different speeds. 0.5, 0.8, 1.0 mph. I really have no idea what to expect. 4' deep or 20' deep at those speeds. I know a book the size of War & Peace can be written on the subject, and I have lots to learn, but can you get me in the ball park? I figure to be losing a lot of gear on Sunday afternoon!! :D

Thanks for the help. Maybe I will have a pic to post Sunday evening!!!

Dayton

[Tim The Lippa Rippa Mon]

This should help clear up the fog some for you:

Jig Trolling

Full baskets to you! <,"}/>{ Rippa

[Barnacle Bill]

I sure hope the fish don't read that! LOL

[Ranger690]

I get the Pothagarus thing, but was thinking more about real world. The angle calculations work, but don't take into consideration the drag of the line and the arc (bow) that is really in the line, thus always running shallower than the actual calculation.

Dayton

[PanMan_VA]

I haven't determined how deep my jigs run at too many speeds and distances. I can tell you that my 1/16 ounce jigs run about 4' deep on 4 pound test line with 40'-50' of line out at a speed of 1.2 mph. I estimate the angle of the line to be 5 degrees under these consitions. This agrees with the web site Tim gave us.

The jigs will hang just about straight down until I reach .7 mph. Then, the vertical component of the drag force becomes greater than the weight force and the jigs begin to rise in the water column.

You can ignore the error introduced by the drag of the line bowing it. For these line tests and jig weights, it will only be an inch or two difference at most.

[FalconSmitty]

Tim,
you have just given me a headache. It has been way to long since I did geometry. Was that a pentagon on that site?lol advil please.

[Moose1am]

Several things effect how deep the jigs will run at various boat speed. Lenght of line out and the DIAMETER of that line effect the depth of the jigs. The thicker lines offer more resistance to the water and cause more friction and will make the line come up toward the surface more as compared to a thinner diameter line. Also the weight at the end of the line will effect the depth vs speed equation. And finally the shape and drag of any lures, hooks or bobbers etc will have an effect.


Bottom line is this. Work out a combination by trolling over flats of known depth and experiment when different setups. Then write the boat speed, lure type, line type and diameter etc, and any other factors down in a log book. Preferable a water proof paper type log book. Then you should be able to do the same thing for a different depth flat.

You can tell when the baits are touching the bottom and then take up some line at that point to get the lures to ride just above the bottom, touching the bottom from time to time.

Might try trolling with weedless type hooks at first during your tests or just snip the point of the hooks off while conducting the depth tests. That way the testing will go faster as you won't be hanging up on the bottom as often when you get too deep. Once you get the variables written down and can duplicate your variables .( use a line counter to measure how much line you have out from the reel) you should be able to go anywhere on that lake and get the lures running at the right depths.

You should be able to do the same thing with crankbaits as they can haul in some nice fish and you can troll them behind a boat with the big motor running on slow speed or with the boat going in reverse if you have a lund type boat with a high transom that keeps the water out. They do this back trolling a lot up North in Canada. It works great for catching walleyes and I have used it successfully up there for that purpose.

Since I have been bitten by this crappie bug, I have been buying some stuff to try. I have never trolled like I have been reading about. Can you guys answer a couple of questions for me. I am wondering what to expect when I start.

I will be using some 16', 14', 12' rods. 6 lb line on each. I am going to stagger 1/16 and 1/32 oz jigs and put them back about "an average cast" (? 60' maybe). Each head will have a 2" curl tail grubb on it. I have a gps to moniter my speed. I should have my Minnkota Autopilot installed tomorrow. I will be fishing a lake (no current).

So, with that gear, I am wondering about what depth I expect these jigs to run at different speeds. 0.5, 0.8, 1.0 mph. I really have no idea what to expect. 4' deep or 20' deep at those speeds. I know a book the size of War & Peace can be written on the subject, and I have lots to learn, but can you get me in the ball park? I figure to be losing a lot of gear on Sunday afternoon!! :D

Thanks for the help. Maybe I will have a pic to post Sunday evening!!!

Dayton

[Tim The Lippa Rippa Mon]

Tim,
you have just given me a headache. It has been way to long since I did geometry. Was that a pentagon on that site?lol advil please.

Isosceles Triangle maybe?!?! :rolleyes:

I am in the same boat with you! I book marked that site, and put it on the lists of things to never get around to doing! I started having college flash backs of the worst kind when I found it. But I thought I'd post the link, and that it would inspire the more (anal)letical sides in us. :p <,"}/>{ Rippa

[crazy_charlie]

Hello Everyone, Acadamy sells a thing that looks like a small delta wing, it has vertical fins top & bottom. there are a number of holes in the vertical fins. by using different holes you can acually set the depth it runs at. when a fish hits it, it will flip over and go to the surface, really a neat little thing for about $3. find the fish on sonar, set the depth and the rest is up to the fish.
Charlie

[whizkids]

Bottom line is this. Work out a combination by trolling over flats of known depth and experiment when different setups. Then write the boat speed, lure type, line type and diameter etc, and any other factors down in a log book. Preferable a water proof paper type log book. Then you should be able to do the same thing for a different depth flat.

Moose is correct. This is the only way you will get a reasonable idea. I have dabbled with it for two seasons and talked to several very succesful trollers.
There is no easy way. Time, time , time, time on the water is the only way.
One other note. Minnow head vs chub head vs round head all run slightly different. Second, It is not unusual for one manuf. 1/16 to weight 3/32, especially if it has the larger hooks. So buying the same jigs from the same
pourer is important. Many tackle shops buy bulk from the cheapest and they will vary in weight from batch to batch.

With the different length rods you are creating a horizontal spread. Use different weight jigs and create a vertical spread. Vary speeds to create a depth range. When you catch a fish note the speed, jig size, etc. Change another rod to match the one you caught the fish on. If business picks up change some others. As you can see this process requires a lot of change and experimentation which is why long line trollers use a lot of rods. They are always experimenting with some of them in case the bite changes.