trolling setup

[dingbat]

Re: trolling setup

I have been trolling for years just using cheap baitcaster rods and have never had a problem. I rod with some good flex is great, the bigger fish love to try to snap your rod in half. I would not recommend braided line to anyone (just my personal opinion), I find that the line likes to chew the eyelets on my rod. A good 20lb test line will work beautifully on what ever you are doing.

It's not the braid that?s the problem, it's your rods. You want hardaloy guides or better when fishing braid.

#20 braid (#6 dia.) beats the heck out of using #20 mono both in depth control and sensitivity. Give Sufix Performance braid a try one time. You?ll never spool another reel with mono again.

 

[Mark_VTfisherman]

Re: trolling setup

Why do you have your rod all bent up like that when the downrigger is caring the load? I can't see the rod taking up enough of the slack when the click pops to be of any benefit.

When running with little letback from the ball, the loaded rod seems to set the hook well. Short leader/letback fish seem to be always well hooked. When I run long leads (50 feet, sometimes up to 100) I get releases but sometimes no fish...

Either way, I keep my hooks wicked sharp, but I still like the visual of the rod popping. It makes a sound that gets my attention as well, if I am preoccupied somewhere else.

With live or cut bait maybe hooking isn't an issue but I run lures consistently.

That's my take; your mileage may vary.

 

[dingbat]

Re: trolling setup

When running with little letback from the ball, the loaded rod seems to set the hook well. Short leader/letback fish seem to be always well hooked. When I run long leads (50 feet, sometimes up to 100) I get releases but sometimes no fish...

Either way, I keep my hooks wicked sharp, but I still like the visual of the rod popping. It makes a sound that gets my attention as well, if I am preoccupied somewhere else.

With live or cut bait maybe hooking isn't an issue but I run lures consistently.

That's my take; your mileage may vary.

Ok, makes sense.

I never thought about a visual indication. I'm used to the drag going off and waking up the dead. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz......

 

[Steroumai]

Re: trolling setup

It's not the braid that?s the problem, it's your rods. You want hardaloy guides or better when fishing braid.

#20 braid (#6 dia.) beats the heck out of using #20 mono both in depth control and sensitivity. Give Sufix Performance braid a try one time. You?ll never spool another reel with mono again.

I will have to give braided a try. I always had a biased against braided (come down from my family). Since reading alot of posts about braided I have been wanting to try it.

But it is mostly my rods, for most of my life the rods I have had were fairly cheap or gifts. Now that I am a little older I want to spend the money on a decent rod (but not so much that my wife beats me to death with it).

Who knows, next year you might hear me raving about braided line...

 

[dingbat]

Re: trolling setup

I will have to give braided a try. I always had a biased against braided (come down from my family). Since reading alot of posts about braided I have been wanting to try it.

But it is mostly my rods, for most of my life the rods I have had were fairly cheap or gifts. Now that I am a little older I want to spend the money on a decent rod (but not so much that my wife beats me to death with it).

Who knows, next year you might hear me raving about braided line...

The price of a rod really doesn't figure into this. There are many price point rods out there that you'll have no problems running braid.

 

[deadstick]

Re: trolling setup

we use reels with counters on them. this is so nice, no guessing! the reel is on sale @ BPS. here is a link to some reels like that
http://www.lakemichiganangler.com/store/Okuma_Magda_Line_Counter_Trolling_Reels.htm

 

[Mark_VTfisherman]

Re: trolling setup

I have an Okuma Magda Pro combo with leadcore on it. I love it. Great gear for the money! I just ordered two more Okuma combos from my friend's tackle store- one the same combo I already have and the other a "diver" rod. both have line counters. Sometimes indispensible.

 

[Downrigger39]

Re: trolling setup

For Kokannees here in Ca. using a downrigger I use a lamiglas kokanee 7' 9" pole with a Abu Garcia 6500C4.
I have caught some nice koks with them and nice trout,,, The guide here helped design this rod for lamiglas Danny Lane ,,

 

[bkwapisz]

Re: trolling setup

we use reels with counters on them. this is so nice, no guessing! the reel is on sale @ BPS. here is a link to some reels like that
http://www.lakemichiganangler.com/store/Okuma_Magda_Line_Counter_Trolling_Reels.htm

I have those Okumas and they're really nice. I paired them up with some Daiwa Wilderness 8'6" poles from ebay and I'm a happy troller. The Daiwas are usually available on ebay for 2/$45 out the door incl shipping. Haven't sourced them elsewhere yet, but for a beginner like me they're fine.

 

[Mark_VTfisherman]

Re: trolling setup

I have those Okumas and they're really nice. I paired them up with some Daiwa Wilderness 8'6" poles from ebay and I'm a happy troller. The Daiwas are usually available on ebay for 2/$45 out the door incl shipping. Haven't sourced them elsewhere yet, but for a beginner like me they're fine.

Don't shortchange your tackle or yourself. I am not the greatest fisherman out there, but I have caught a ton of fish on equipment like that.

I *do* have some equip I am not happy with- I bought two used Compass line counter trolling reels mounted on Eagle Claw downrigger rods. I like the soft whippy rods but the drags really stink on those Compass reels. Not smooth, hard to set just right. Gear ratio is slow too. Nevertheless, on my first trip out with the rods I did boat a 22"+ rainbow on Memphramagog, but I think better reels will be in my future...

The Okuma stuff however has been 100% dependable (other than one morning at about 17 degrees: anything with just a little moisture was frozen!) and I have found the Okuma drag smooth and very adjustable. I even like the Okuma rods that the combo comes with.

Locally, my friend's tackle shop, The Old Fishing Hole, has the combos on the shelf for $64.99. I have three and I have been very pleased with them. Beyond those I have almost every rod I *need* but if I bought "the good stuff" I would only have a few rods and reels, limiting my fishing options. I am set up for multiple fishing techniques with dependable but comparatively inexpensive equipment and that wouldn't be the case if I bought high-priced tackle. I can't blame any lost fish on my equipment- usually impatience is what loses fish for me, or lack of attention.

Good fishing - Mark