How much line should you let out when trolling?
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 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.
How fast do you troll for striper?
According to the Fishaholics, when fish are less active, the ideal speed is about 2.0 to 2.5 mph. When the fish does not bite, or the bite is tough, it is better to go below to 2.0 mph. However, if striped basses are active, you can opt for a higher speed between 2.5 and 3.5 mph.
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 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.
What is the best time to go striper fishing?
The best time of day to catch striped bass is early morning from dawn until about 2 hours after sunrise and late afternoon from 2 hours before sunset until dusk. Fishing for striped bass can be even better in the hours before a major cold front or rain event arrives.
What is the best rig for mackerel?
There are numerous feather rigs, tinsel rigs, sabiki rigs, hokkai rigs and more available which are effective for mackerel. I favour tinsels, feathered sabikis and luminous hokkais. I tend to choose rigs with hook sizes ranging from size 4 up to a size 2/0.
What size hooks for mackerel?
Typically, people fish with size 1-0 hooks, but this makes it harder to catch garfish and is a bit big for mackerel too, so something smaller like a size 4 is preferable.
What is the best bait for mackerel?
“The most effective way of catching mackerel here is to use a string of lures or feathers. These basic lures are retrieved erratically through the water, mimicking small baitfish such as sand eels, which are the staple diet of mackerel. Plain white through to vivid day-glo orange colors work best here.
Can you freeze freshly caught mackerel?
Yes, you can freeze mackerel. Mackerel can be frozen for around 3 months. Regardless of how it has been packaged, it’s perfectly safe to freeze mackerel. This means you can have access to delicious oily fish regardless of the time of year.
What month is best for mackerel fishing?
May-June is the best time to catch mackerel, although they are caught all summer in numbers and larger specimens are sometimes caught in winter.