• Power Trolling for Crappie by Brad Wiegmann

    Power of trolling is a curious thing. You rig a lure up and drag or push it around. In hopes of enticing a crappie to strike it.


    Your lure darts and swims back and forth with a lifelike action. Anticipation of a strike keeps you fishing all day. That's the power of trolling.


    Of course, there are several different techniques when it comes to trolling. Crappie anglers like dragging, pushing and pulling lures when it comes to trolling. Everyone or team seem to have their own unique way of doing it.



    On the other hand, B'n'M' Poles pros Travis and Charles Bunting have taken trolling to another level. A more faster and powerful level.


    "It's definitely an open water technique. You rig four rods out on the right side, four rods on the left and hammer down on the trolling motor. If you troll into a brush pile you're going to get hung up," said Travis.



    Charles agreed with Travis on keeping the speed fast when power trolling. "We might start at .6 mph, but we'll speed up quickly to around 1.5- to 2-mph typically. However, it's not uncommon for us to go from 2- to 3-mph when fishing this technique," said Charles.



    It's all about speed and covering water fast to make this a productive technique. Travis and Charles admit it takes special gear to do it. "For fishing rods, we use 16-foot B'n'M' Poles Pro Staff Trolling Rods. The longer rods extend our spread and help us cover more water quickly," said Charles.


    Depending on state law, Travis and Charles will rig and put out three or four fishing rods on each side. They use a B'n'M' reel (www.bnmpoles.com) spooled up with 10 pound Vicious Hi-Vis Yellow monofilament line through a barrel weight and tied to a snap. Vicious Panfish 8 pound clear monofilament is used as leader material from the snap to the lures.



    In shallow water with depths less than 10-feet, Travis and Charles like to use a 1 1/2-ounce barrel weight. The duo like tying two Road Runner heads about 18-inches apart. As for soft plastics, they like Muddy Water Baits with the unique actions and design letting them swim lifelike when trolled.


    When fishing in water depths over 10 feet deep, the father and son team use a 3/32-ounce Road Runner head (www.ttiblakemore.com) with a heavier 5/16-ounce Road Runner head on the bottom along with a 2-ounce to keep the lure deep. Both Road Runner heads will get a different colored Muddy Water Baits soft plastic lure attached.


    "We're going so fast power trolling we actually get a reaction bite most of the time. I like to do sharp turns and fishing with the heavy barrel weights which keep the lures tracking straight. You can turn on a dime and make super sharp turns to follow schools of crappie actively feeding on schools of aggressive crappies. You can't do that with crankbaits that require a longer turn," said Travis.


    As for where to fish when power trolling, Travis and Charles like open water. Best areas have little brush or lay down. Marine electronics are a vital tool since the duo will graph an area.


    "Normally, we are fishing ledges, flats and contours looking for crappie actively feeding on shad. The best places will show up on the sonar unit as long snaky balls of baitfish with crappie below them," said Travis. "The best time to power fish is in the summer, fall and post spawn when shad move out to the main lake," said Charlie.


    It's not hard to power troll. In fact, you probably already have all the lures and tackle to go out and power troll. Just remember to go fast, find the bait, use heavy weights to keep the lures in the strike and stay away from brush.

    .
    Comments 10 Comments
    1. Dave and Lynn's Avatar
      Dave and Lynn -
      Great tips. Thanks
    1. Billbob's Avatar
      Billbob -
      good read
    1. "G"'s Avatar
      "G" -
      good info
    1. bigarm's Avatar
      bigarm -
      Good read and info, Thanks
    1. RetiredRR's Avatar
      RetiredRR -
      Clever.........and I'm a copy cat.
    1. brucec's Avatar
      brucec -
      Great info!!!!!!!!!!
    1. Reelmn's Avatar
      Reelmn -
      Do it all the time.
    1. kickingback's Avatar
      kickingback -
      Cool pics! Nice!
    1. TowboatTroller's Avatar
      TowboatTroller -
      Very good read!!
    1. TowboatTroller's Avatar
      TowboatTroller -
      I'd like to see a pole rigged up to see exactly how you do it as where to put big weight.
  • .

BACK TO TOP