Trolling out of the back of the boat

[RCC]

I troll out the back differently. I suppose you can figure out a system and get accustomed to it.

[Countrytime]

16 and 12 footers off each side straight out not slanted, and (4) 8 footers out the back 2 on each side of the motor. This will give you a good spread so tangling will be minimized. You can run doubles or singles like this. Rod tips should be about a foot above the water. Use a copilot or Ipilot fob. Keep at it and you will get acclimated running everything out the back in due time, it took awhile for me, but now I love it. Hope this helps.

[skeetbum]

Something else that went through my mind as I re-read the post. If you point rods straight out the back and don't elevate the tip a bit, there is a chance that a bigger fish could pull it straight out of the holder and say goodbye. Someone posted once that they taped a bolt on the top of the rod about halfway from the end of the handle to the reel with the head of the bolt towards the reel creating a ridge preventing this. I use a little angle to the side or up to prevent this, but don't feel confident that a surprise fish, like a LMB or striper, wouldn't pull a rod. Pay attention to the way they feel in the holders and you'll see, just wanted to give a few options and bring it up.

[Countrytime]

Skeetbum is right I have had them shoot out of the racks by stumps like torpedoes out of a launch tube, always lock your reels in by putting them behind the rod holder itself, if this is not satisfactory to you, put a pole float on them it will save you some $$$$$$, I lock my side rods back as well. Rod tips about six inches, no more than a foot, love to see those back 8 footers tips start raising up, oh yeah fish on!!

[Dutch552]

On a 6 rod spread I will run a 14' straight out from the boat at close to a 0-degree angle, behind that goes a 10' rod straight out but elevated 10-degrees or so, finally a 7' rod will be closest to the stern straight out at a 30-degree vertical angle to increase the separation and slightly decrease the running depth of the innermost rods.

I will second the advice to not run a rod flat out the back or you will lose it given enough time on the water. I've had one jump out the boat before when the lure got hung up in a shell bank and my rod holder was not adjusted correctly. Always run rods off the transom at enough of an angle so the force of a strike or snag will pull the rod tip downward and seat the rod more securely in the holder as opposed to a horizontal pull which will lead to lost gear. Most flush mount holders for trolling are sold in either a 15 or 30-degree model for transom rods.

[Iwannafish]

If trolling out back you want rod tips just off top of water with two people at back of boat. Lines in back of boat need to get under water as close as they can to boat to allow fish to be fought over top of them.

I agree with this assessment..... At least its the way I run mine, and for the same reason.

[crappielimits]

6-8 footers out back for just enough leverage to fight a big fish around outboard. Either lock reel best results make an l shaped stopper and fix to rod behind reel. I do this on all rods when long lining.