What depth do you troll in?
Try deep-, medium- and shallow-runners, so that you have a lure or two that will run at every depth from 5 to 20 feet deep (or more, depending on how deep fish will hold in your local waters).
How much line should I let out for a troll?
Downriggers. Downriggers allow for extra long length between the downrigger ball and the lure. Let out 50 feet of line and clip into the release. If that’s not enough distance to prevent your lake’s wary walleyes from seeing the ball…then let out 150 feet of line!
How do you know how deep a lure will dive?
The diving depth of the lure can be roughly determined by the size of the bill; the bigger and longer, the deeper it will dive.
How far behind the boat should I troll?
Every boat is different and you should make your boat your own study. Proper distance for most boats will be anywhere from 20 feet to 150 feet behind your boat. Whether you have inboard diesel or outboard gas engines, your power dictates the distance you troll your baits and lures.
What speed should you troll at?
So, what is the best trolling speed? The best trolling speed depends on several factors including the type of fish, water conditions and lure choice. In general, trolling speeds between 1.5 and 2.5 mph, as measured by GPS, are a good starting place for most species like walleye, trout and salmon.
How do you control crankbait depth?
Move your crankbait too slow or too fast and it’ll run too shallow. The bill has to bite into the water at the correct angle for the lure to run as deep as possible. The length of your cast is the next thing that affects running depth. A longer cast will let the bait get down deeper.
How deep do fishing lures go?
Most crankbaits will dive 3 feet and deeper, fishing low water can easily get you snagged on vegetation, branches or rocks.
How far offshore do you have to go to catch dolphin?
You just need to pay attention to the fishing reports. In South Florida and the Florida Keys, the stream runs from three to five miles off the beach. You can actually catch dolphin over the edge of the reef in forty feet of water or less. Again, it isn’t the norm, but it does happen.
How do I know when my lure hits the bottom?
When they are in the water column, you should feel the vibration of the lure as it moves. If you feel anything else, you have either hit the bottom or some debris in the water column. If you just graze the bottom, you will feel a tick. If you are dragging the bottom, you will feel an uneven extra weight on the line.
How fast can you troll crawler harnesses?
The best trolling speed for fishing with a crawler harness is from 1 to 1.4 mph. This is significantly slower than most other baits used in the summer, and the reason for this is that you don’t want to rip off your nightcrawler from the harness by trolling at high speeds.
Should you troll with or against the current?
When in an area with current, troll crosscurrent as opposed to with and/or against the current. Going crosscurrent, you don’t have to worry about how the current is affecting your lure’s or bait’s speed through the water. Plus, fish generally swim into the current.
How do you troll with a spoon?
A spoon should wobble from side-to-side and will produce its best all-around, fish-catching action when trolled at speeds between the slowest that produces a wobble and the fastest darting action that does not cause the lure to revolve or spin. For fast trolling try the Krocodile.
How deep do square bill crankbaits dive?
Square bill crankbaits are best for running in the shallows from 1 to 4 feet, while a plug with a 1-inch bill will dive to about 10 feet deep. Some crankbaits with even longer bills have the ability to reach depths down to 25 or 30 feet. Another factor for choosing the right style of crankbait is the time of year.
How deep will walleye go?
Walleye are generally caught between 10-40 Ft. A typical mid-sized lake in the Midwest would likely hold Walleye between the depths of 10-15 Ft. during the Spring, 15-25 Ft. transitioning to Summer, 25-40 Ft.
How fast should I troll for walleye?
Trolling speed, in the spring, is best at 1.3 – 1.5 mph. Summer trolling speeds increase 1.5- 2 mph as walleyes are more active in warmer water temperatures.
Can you use crankbaits on a spinning reel?
You can choose between baitcasting and spinning reels for crankbaits. Both have certain advantages and disadvantages. Spinning ones are easier to use for beginners, and suitable for lighter lures. Baitcasting reels are more precise, but these are harder to master.
Do crankbaits have to hit bottom?
For professionals like Skeet Reese, Todd Faircloth and Mark Menendez, mismatching crankbaits to water depth — especially in the shallows — has become less an exception and more the rule. “As a general rule of thumb, you want a bait that will be in contact with the bottom at all times.