Preferred speed while trolling

[Guppy35]

Three questions:

 

1. What device do you measure your speed by / think is most accurate? (probe @ the ball, GPS, ff, etc.)

 

2. What is your preferred speed for the following species: Brown Trout, Landlocked Salmon, Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout

 

3. How does your trolling speed change from early Spring through the summer and into the fall? (Faster when the water temp is warmer?)

 

Mostly interested in information on the finger lakes, but all are welcome to reply!

 

[holy mackerel]

The best speed is based on your lure selection. Find the speed your spread likes. I use an Osprey analog paddle wheel gauge for surface, Subtroll for down speed. Usually 2.2 to 2.75.

[Guppy35]

Thanks for the reply.  I forgot to mention that i generally run spoons.  I've tried flasher and fly combos but have not figured out the secret to it yet, as i continually catch more on spoons than flasher fly.

[TyeeTanic]

Well, most accurately? It depends on what you are trying to measure.  GPS is better for speed over ground, but down speed (probe at cannonball) is better for speed of lure through water.

 

What is most important for trolling is the speed of the lure through the water - as this imposes a certain action on the lure which will either attract fish or turn them off.

 

Currents can change a lot, so maintaining a GPS speed means that your lure through water speed will vary significantly. I don't know where you are fishing but the worst I've seen is around 0.8 to 1.0 mph currents.  So think about trolling in 1 direction and then turning around 180 degrees and trolling back.  The lure speed will be different by 1.6 to 2.0 mph between the two directions!!!  When this happens you will see it in your rods, they will either be bent over backwards from high drag, or loose due to no drag.

 

On Lake Ontario, for salmon most guys I know stick between 2.2 to 2.8 mph down speed, with the average starting point at around 2.5 mph.

[Chas0218]

When I start to set up I get my gps speed set around 2mph once I get a couple dipsys out and my outside riggers then I will deploy my inner riggers with the probe then go off the probe.  I keep the probe speed right around 2.5mph but it depends on the bite. I have gone a season without the probe and did better than having the probe and kept my GPS speed around 2.2.

[Gill-T]

Trolling the shoreline in spring you don't need a downspeed, just look at GPS.  Around 2MPH should be about right.  Later in the season when you are using spoons or flashers downspeed is critical as you head out into deeper water where currents rule.  If you don't have a downspeed unit you can start with your GPS at 2.5-3mph and then speed up or slow down based on your dipsy rods bend or the angle of the downrigger cable.  When I didn't have a probe I would set to the GPS fore-mentioned speed and then speed up until I heard the hum of my rigger cables start.  Keep in mind you downspeed changes constantly as you troll esp. if you change direction.  Always a good practice to figure out the current direction down below, and troll into the current thus guaranteeing your spoons will be kicking and not dead. 

[Blue Knight]

All the above are good advice but there are times when the fish will be more active to a faster or slower troll. If you're marking a lot of chasers try changing your speed slower then faster. Nothing in this game is concrete and a little variation now & then can be very productive!

[LongLine]

Actual speed is not important.  What is important is whether you can repeat it or not after you catch the first one.  Always note your direction (getting an idea of underwater currents) and whether the outside or inside line gets the hit. (outside = faster; inside = slower)

 

Tom B.

(LongLine)

[hawkeye625]

I go by my depthraider most of the time.  2.0 to 2.3 for salmon/steelies on the lower side for browns and lakers 1.5 to 2.  Generally my gps speed is higher by .5mph can be much higher in currents, but generally .5 mph.  Also do some zig zagging and pay attention like longline said as to which lines get bit.  That tells you whether to speed up or slow down on any given day (fish are moody sometimes).

 

Remember all probes don't read at the same speed.  Seems like my depthraider reads slower than fish hawks, doesn't matter to me as long as I can find a speed and can repeat it.  Just remember when someone tells you they're going 2.0 at the ball, their unit may not read the same as yours.  Pay close attention to bends in your rods and bubbles coming off your rigger lines when you get bit.  It's always good to know what your looking for when your electronics crap out, can save a day on the water.

[TyeeTanic]

Actual speed is not important.  What is important is whether you can repeat it or not after you catch the first one.  Always note your direction (getting an idea of underwater currents) and whether the outside or inside line gets the hit. (outside = faster; inside = slower)

 

Tom B.

(LongLine)

Tom, nOT poking fun here. But, you start by saying speed isn't important then finish by implying it is very important. Anyhow I get what you are saying. Down sped gives you a good starting point when you are in unknown waters. Once you know what speed is working, like you say, you need to repeat. If you know the waters on the other hand, you can probably use GPS speed.

[Team Game Face]

I prefer 2.7 miles an hour on the fishhawk. That seems to be the most consistent speed for catching fish. But as in anything in the world of fishing there are small variations on daily basis. Some days little faster Some days little slower

[Team Game Face]

I would also add that each unit the moor, the depth raider and the fishhawk have different speeds that they are the most effective. Not because you're actually doing a different speed because of the functionality of each unit. I have never fished with a moor but I here that 2 is the number for that one and 2.5 on your depth raider. If you are fishing deep I would never trust your GPS because I have seen drastic variations in the speed at the ball compared to the speed overground

[LongLine]

Mark - I think we see it the same way.  I have a down probe, 2 GPS units and a surface speed indicator.  None ever agree how fast I'm going. I've paced myself with other boats who've said they're going 2.2 and when I'm set at that speed, see that they are out-running me. Therefore, to me, knowing the exact/actual/precise speed is not critical.  I've known some guys waste a lot of time trying to calibrate their speed indicators and worry about what some other boat is doing.

 

I also watch angle of the rigg'r cable; pull on the planners; bend in the rods; bubbles from the cable as well as the pitch/hum of the cable.  I also note the current direction trends on the NOAA sites before I head out and make sure that I note if I'm heading N,S, E or west.  Also of interest is whether I'm going straight or making a turn.  I also see how my lures are running near the surface.  These are all clues as to what speed I set my rig at.  i.e. faster or slower.

 

IMO, what's important is to find out what works for you.  It's great to have a starting point but adjustments always have to be made. 

 

You'll often hear on the radio or on the web that 2.2 mph is the magic speed, BUT what direction was that in?  Was it down speed or GPS?  They don't always tell you they were heading into a 2 mph current hence their lure was going a lot faster. 

 

My point is that once you catch a fish then note your indicators and come as best as you can to repeat it.  If you're marking fish but no hits then change your speed.   IMO, if you set out at 2.2 and maintain that all day, you're going to have many fishless hours.  2.2 on the fingers or in a bay produces a much different lure action than 2.2 heading N on Big-O.

 

Down speed is probably the easiest to gauge speed by, however it as inherent inaccuracies induced by blowback (angle of the probe) and whether the current hits it from the paddle side or if you're in an upwelling.

 

Tom B.

(LongLine)

 

 

 

 

 

[Sk8man]

I guess from my vantage point "electronics" is not necessarily the answer to the speed issue because there is no "one size fits all". The very nature of speed in the water makes it a "relative" issue. In other words the number on whatever "gizmo" you are looking at is not some "magic number" and it is not necessarily transferable to another boat or situation and the number itself is meaningless for another situation. The reason is this: the speed at the lure (which is what you really are or should be interested in) is related to your boat cutting through the water, the sub surface currents below in that body of water (or section of it often varies from one side or part of lake to another) the length of your line, the lure itself, the other equipment you have out (especially in small boats) because the weight of boats and drag sub surface (are or could be) different etc. So when folks talk about boat speed at a certain number it is applicable to their particular boat in that particular situation with those particular variables (and perhaps many others) present. The 2.5 that they are reading on their particular boat on that device at that particular time may be very different in terms of the speed at the lure (and not necessarily at the ball either because of line out length and lure factors) from another boat at another time on another body of water etc. Even the hull design of 2 different boats traveling at the same 2.5 number with identical equipment out may influence the the action of the lure itself when run at the same depth. My point is the total reliance on some arbitrary number in two different situations is not a great idea. The importance of the number on your particular boat in a situation is repeatability in that you can replicate the conditions responsible for achieving your desired result. To me lure speed is better thought of in terms of ranges where a given lure or attractor/lure combination is effective and is based on repeatability rather than some absolute (but arbitrary) number. Fine tuning your lure at the side of the boat and watching how they run on your particular boat at that time in those conditions (and yes it can change when they are at depth) and running other equipment at compatible speed, watching the angle of your lines seems a better approach than totally relying on the electronics. I'm sure a lot of "technology buffs" will have a problem with my reasoning but it is based on my own experience not blind faith in whatever electronic device I happen to be using.

 

P.S. Pretty funny.....Tom and I were writing at the same time

Edited February 16, 2014 by Sk8man

[TyeeTanic]

Tom, we are on exactly the same page. On everything you said. Have fun.

[LongLine]

Just to complicate matters more...size of you line can also greatly affect your lure action.  A Bomber Long A being dragged behind straight 30 LB mono at 2.2 mph won't wobble nearly as well as if being dragged behind straight 10 Lb Co-poly at same speed. 

 

Tom B.

(LongLine)

[Blue Knight]

I've read every post on this topic and they are all very informative. This will be my 40th year on the lake. That's damn good since I'm only 39 LOL! Every day on the lake is different. As said start with a speed that has been productive for you and if that's not working start adjusting until you get some action. Another thing to keep in mind is don't rely on just a straight line of trolling. A little zig zag will do the trick also!

[Guppy35]

Thank you everyone for the replies, as Blue Knight has said, every post on this topic has been very informative.  As far as changing your speed, how long of inactivity before you decide you should adjust your speed? 10 minutes, 20 minutes? And i know this is another one of those "relative" questions, but when you do adjust your speed, how much should you change it by?  .1 mph, .5mph?

 

Sounds like the best way to figure it out is to get on the water and do some experimenting....COME ON SPRING!!

[Sk8man]

I think you gave a good answer to that one yourself Sean

[hawkeye625]

start to zig zag if you feel your not getting bit as much as you would like, time frame is up to you.  If you get bit on the inside, slow down, if outside gets hit speed up.  also remember it might not be your speed, when you speed up your dipsys/longlines will rise, slow down they will fall.  could be depth and not speed.

 

sometimes just the erratic action of the zig zag gets em going. 

[TyeeTanic]

start to zig zag if you feel your not getting bit as much as you would like, time frame is up to you.  If you get bit on the inside, slow down, if outside gets hit speed up.  also remember it might not be your speed, when you speed up your dipsys/longlines will rise, slow down they will fall.  could be depth and not speed.

 

sometimes just the erratic action of the zig zag gets em going. 

 

Exactly.  Zig zag and pay lots of attention to details. Don't come to conclusions too quickly.