Zig Zags while trolling

[JimB]

I understand the idea of zig sagging to alter lure speed and work more water than a straight track will.

Just curious as to how often, and how sharp of a turn most make.

Thanks in advance. Fishing out of Sandy Creek.

[bulletny]

JimB,    This tactic of zig-zagging seems to shine on those neutral to negative fish mood days and also just checking lure speed to under standing what speed they want that day. I usually go 200'-300' with a turn. I also will put the motor in neutral and stall my lures which flutters the baits back into the fishes face which has put as many fish on as s-turns. I fish mainly for walleye but using these tactics on Ontario and other combination trout walleye waters have put many browns steelhead and some lakers in my boat.I have a small tiller boat so I have even done very ubrupt turns to stall inside boards and speed up outsides ones, may not be the thing to do with a big boat. Also to just crank your speed up well beyond your normal speed maybe 3 to 4 mph and then back to say 2mph can also work as well as s-turns. Hope this helps

[JimB]

Any info always helps! Thanks for the reply.

[Sk8man]

  Good advice from bulletny - don't be afraid to rock the boat from side to side (if smaller boat) on slow days

Edited May 1, 2014 by Sk8man

[lakebound88]

Shhhhhhhhhhh!!!!! Rocking the boat "doesn't help" haha. We had a day where every time we ran side to side on the boat and got lures moving the rods would fire. Coincidence? Nnaahhhhh

Nick

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[Sk8man]

  A real OLDTIMER taught me that one about 1975 ....doesn't always work but enough to have convinced me....

[Gotta Bite]

The turns will affect the speed and action of your lure. The ones on the outside of the turn speed up and the ones on the inside will slow down or even come to a stop depending on how severe your turn is. You can really notice the effects when your running dipseys. The rod on the outside will usually bend more as it's digging in and the inside rod will almost go slack until you complete your turn. Depending on the mood of the fish will determine is he his the inside or outside rod. It seems for me anyway that the outside will take more hits as the fish thinks the bait is fleeing and trying to get away. You still need to have the right color lure and depth etc but that little change in speed will trigger that strike. Good luck to you.

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[JimB]

An old timer taught me how to do fish drives when ice fishing as well... run out past the holes, and hop/stomp your way back...drives them to the bait.

 

Thanks all.   Had a decent day out last Sunday.   Hoping to get out for the start of the derby, but the weather doesn't seem like it wants to play nice...

[ontherise]

I zig then zag when I see fish following the lure and don't seem to want to bite skees... Works sometimes.

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