Trolling Speed

[overthelimit]

I do not have a speed and temp probe and I'm looking at some pointers for trolling speed without one. It's not in the cards to go out and purchase one. I was out Saturday and was struggling to catch fish.

 

I would imagine that the current is typically moving from west to east as I noticed I was moving considerably faster when traveling in this direction. Should I crank up the trolling speed when moving with the current? I was basically trying to stay between 2.3 and 2.7 and asked another angler and he was going 3.7 when traveling east to get 2.7 at the ball.

 

Also, any general speed for trolling west into the current? Will down speed be close to SOG?

 

Thanks for the info.

[Lund SSS]

Lake Ontario never rests..... every day things change. I would rather have my sub troll than my depth finder. Your statement " trolling west into the current " , in 50'-100' it might be .5 mph where in 120' it might be 1.5 mph. and the dynamics of thermal currents never stay the same. The key to constant speed is knowing what your lures are doing down at the rigger balls. 

  I know you don't want to spend the $$$ 's to buy a speed/temp system but without it, your kinda fishing blind. There have been days out there when only a north/south works, and last year as it started to set up we could only catch fish trolling to the east. When you turned back to the west you'd Never make headway unless you made 5 mph at the ball. Most lures blow out above 3- 3.5. Pick up and run back 5-8 miles and set down for another east heading.

[skipper19]

Trolling east west will give the largest variations SOG to down speed. More matching would be a north south direction or angle.

Your fishing equipment will give you indicators. I watch for several features of "near" correct speed and compare that with gps.

Downrigger will have steady whine on cables.

Cable will pull bubbles that follows down under the surface about a foot.

Diver rods will have a pronounced curve with the tip pointed in direction of line exit.

Set drag just enough to stop line creep at the intended speed. If it clicks out later on..current has changed..or you are traveling faster due to wind, current, waves etc....check your gps.

GPS starting at 2.5 to 2.7 good to start. Do that north as you set up then go east west and see the difference in the above indicators.

Mostly check action of lures at the boat. Run lures that match your speed in your spread. IE. .don't mix light fluttering spoons with heavier spoons like NK.

Target a speed and match lures to it.

Hope this helps. It's never an exact science but when you have successfully fooled the fish you intend to be your target. ...

Repeatability is key.

Mark

cent frum my notso smart fone

[Chas0218]

This site will give you an idea of the current direction but speed will have to be figured out based on your downrigger lines.

 

http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/res/glcfs/currents/glcfs-currents-surf.html

[Sk8man]

Steve and Mark have given you some solid info. You never want to be trolling with the current in any direction...it kills lure action, leads to tangles and is generally a waste of time. I constantly monitor the downrigger wire angle as I have used the same weights for years and have a sense of how they should look and how this may mean making adjustments downward in my depth to compensate for "blowback and current. If the wire goes straight down or heads toward the transom at all I try to adjust my direction of the boat to cut across current and gradually to in the opposite direction to gain the "against current" position. It is also important to monitor the rod tips for pulsating indicating lure action and current. Whenever I don't intentionally increase my speed to the max operating level range of my lures I try to keep the angle of the downrigger wire at about twenty degrees or so but this would be different with very heavy weights (which I don't use). It pays to use the same equipment over time if it works for you so you can tell when things are out of synch.  Currents in the lakes are variable both over time and within areas or sides of the lakes themselves and over submerged structure and flat subsurface areas (e.g. basins) so in the absence of specific data from electronics coming from the weight and familiarity with your lures you will always be somewhat at the mercy of the water no matter what you do or what method you use...it is pretty much "guesstimation" in light of experience and familiarity of your equipment.

[tinfin]

Check into running a thumper rod! After a little practice it will show you what your lures are doing at the ball. I used one for years, well worth the time and effort until your able to get a probe! See Fish Doctors vid. clips on how to rig a thumper rod, than watch How to read a thumper.- Goodluck

[Chas0218]

Check into running a thumper rod! After a little practice it will show you what your lures are doing at the ball. I used one for years, well worth the time and effort until your able to get a probe! See Fish Doctors vid. clips on how to rig a thumper rod, than watch How to read a thumper.- Goodluck

 

This right here is good advice.  I didn't even think of that!  Great suggestion.

[overthelimit]

I'll check into the thumper rod, so generally is north/south troll closest replication of SOG to ball speed? Probe were looking at about $500ish? I only fish the lake a couple times a year.

Edited May 27, 2014 by overthelimit

[overthelimit]

I did notice Saturday the two nice coho I caught were both heading in a NNW direction.

[skipper19]

I did notice Saturday the two nice coho I caught were both heading in a NNW direction.

Yes depending on the part of the lake you are in...often a 330 heading is good in the Oak area to Olcott. Further west gets stronger current running east from Niagara. Where do you fish the lake?

cent frum my notso smart fone

[overthelimit]

Bar to the Oak, I was out of Wilson Saturday. Usually only fish spring browns and then near shore until the Lake Erie day bite gets going for eyes. 

[skipper19]

Try a little offshore..browns have slowed a bit and are picked over pretty good. Should see some salmon out there according to reports...looks promising! See what 120 or more fow reveals. Look for bait pods and scum line..temp breaks and color. Lots of various information to equation along with speed.

cent frum my notso smart fone

[jekyll]

A 3rd vote for a thumper. It will give you a very good speed indication. 

[Shelby Lynn]

A 3rd vote for a thumper. It will give you a very good speed indication.

I'll give my vote for a thumper rod also, used one for years and caught a good bunch of fish on it also, and when you do get a down speed devise, you can use the thumper rod for a back up dipsy rod! Definitely watch Ernie's video on how to read it!

[Larson 1750]

Hey gang taking some young guys out of port credit tomorrow...could use some tips. First time on the lake last year. Only fishing dipsies....no riggers. Had some luck last year thanks to LOU input. Anything you could throw my way would make me look like a hero. This all sound complicated!!!

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[Has Been]

I do not have speed or temp at the ball . I feel I do pretty well out there .After 30plus years of doing this trolling thing I feel I have  a pretty good handle on how & what to do.

 

 When trolling w/ the wind/waves,waves 1' or more, you must go slower than you think. The wind/wave action pushes the very  top layer of the water faster & the waves make it look like you are going slower than you actually are& gauge says .That layer 10' and lower is not afeccted as much. I like 1.8- 2.7, depening on how much wind.This is generall & there are exceptions to this. East wind for a while screws up everthing.

 

 When going into it , I crank the speed up to compensate for the top layer moving faster than the lower. Depending on wind,as much as 4 mph straight into it.

 

 I also turn an awfull lot,which varies the speed & triggers strikes.

I use buckets one on each side & they are in & out of the water all day.

 

I watch cable angle & the pull on my dipsey rod to determine speed.

 

 Last year after the boat was in the water , my speed prob got funk on it, did not work,  ,& I caught just as many .

 

 

Use speed forgiving lures in PROVEN colors & most importantly, get over fish.

I

Edited June 9, 2014 by Has Been

[Tomkatt1]

My advise is put a post..looking for used Moore sub troll..you might be surprised to pick one up at the right price.

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