Help trolling big sticks

[pro-fish-n-c]

Recently began pulling 13" grandmas for tiger muskies, 1.8 to 3.0 GPS speed. 9' ugly sticks new style, 40lb braid. Daiwa lc47's. We have taken two big hits and after short struggle lost both. Both felt to be approx. 15lb class , possibly bigger. Both hit like a screamer salmon and then let off. Lures show teeth marks from up and down instead of lengthwise, like they grabbed from underneath and ran with it. My question is on drag settings, I normally run pretty tight, let the pole take the hit for a good hookset, when fishing for average northerns, 32 to 35" ers. Should I be loosening way up or tightening for bigger fish, worried about breaking off on a trophy level fish. Should I run 80 or 100lb braid instead and tighten it right up.

[muskiedreams]

Most people I know use 80lb Power Pro.

 

How tight the drag should be could be subject for arguement. I prefer to set a light drag to the point where you might have to tighten it to reel the lure in while trolling. The thougt being, if the drag is tight and the fish just has the lure in its mouth with no hooks engaged and it feels too much resistance, the fish can just open its mouth and let the lure go before you have a chance to grab the rod. Plus with a lot of pressure on the rod holder, it will be tougher to get the rod out of the holder and can possibly break a rod or rod holder if it is very tight and the fish is pulling hard. With the drag set lighter, the fish will be less inclined to let go before you get the rod in your hand. Then you can thumb the reel and give it some good jerks to set the hook which will be more effective in setting the hook than heavy drag. Once you have done that you can always increase the drag to fight the fish. There will always be some hits where the fish clamps down hard and you still may not be able to get a hook set but I feel this way gives you a better chance of that.

 

I'm not sure about the size of the hooks on those lures. Maybe someone else can ring in on that. If they are smaller than desirable, putting larger hooks on and or bending them out a little may also increase chances of a good hook set. And of course making sure the hooks are as sharp as possible.

Edited August 7, 2014 by muskiedreams

[NitroMusky]

Im with muskiedreams on this one. Usually leave em two-finger pull tight- easily pull out line with two fingers and thumb on the line. Basically just tight enough that they dont move under wave action on the boat.

Lost way more on Chautauqua one trip this year than typical, and only difference was that they were tightened down pretty good. I had attributed it to that.

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[JOE ESOX]

Same as nitro and muskiedreams. I run drags as light as possible. they sometimes creep out when bouncing in waves.. Then i tighten them just a hair. Also run 80lb braid for trolling esox... Although i doubt that line diameter is a factor with your issue

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Edited August 7, 2014 by JOE ESOX

[pro-fish-n-c]

I appreciate all the advice.  I believe I have my drags set way to tight. Obviously this has been effective at this point on my regular trolling rigs as I have done well on smaller fish in the past this way, but to maximize my chances I will try nice and loose with the bigger stuff.  When doing a hookset on a big fish that is peeliing drag, is it more of a big slow sweep, or you do rip pretty hard and quick. Once again I'm used to smaller pike and walleyes essentialy hooking themselves and just reeling in after pulling the rod out of the rodholder.

[Ivan]

Seems like I may do things a little differently than has been suggested so far.  I run my drags where I would want them set for fighting the fish while reeling it in.  I would call it a medium drag setting. Hard to explain what medium is though. If I were to just put my bait in the water next to the boat, at the speed I would be trolling at, if I jerk the rod in a hook setting motion, the drag will slip slightly, but not much.  It takes me a medium amount of force to pull line off my trolling reels with my hands. Sometimes while fighting a very large fish, I will need to tighten my drag slightly to be able to gain on it, but most fish I never have to touch my drag setting to effectively fight the fish.

 

I also never set the hooks with my rod or jerk my rod in order to set hooks, but I'm also not trolling as slow as you.  When I'm trolling along at 4+mph and I get a strike, drag peels off the reel while the rod is in the holder. Don't stop or slow your boat until after your rod is out of the holder and in your hands. The forward momentum of the boat and the resistance of your drag has set the hooks. Then put your boat in neutral, and reel the fish in.

 

A few other things I have found to be true.  Bigger baits and hooks require a tighter drag setting than smaller baits and hooks.  Shorter lines with braid require a looser drag setting.  Slower speeds require a tighter drag setting to set hooks.  Your rod action also plays a part in how your drag should be set.  A softer rod requires a tighter drag to get a good hookset.  Bigger muskies have harder, bonier mouths than smaller muskies and therefore are harder to sink hooks into.

 

I would say if your hits sounded like a screaming salmon then your drag was probably no too tight. Sometimes they just don't hook up.  Are you sharpening your hooks with a file?  Are you "T ing" your belly hooks on your cranks?  I would probably run heavier line than 40lb on 13" baits also. As suggested, I'd try some 80lb power pro for that size bait...at least 65lb.

[mostlymuskies]

I'm with Ivan on this one, I have medium tension as well,just loose enough if the fish decides to run no hooks get bent out.The only time I use a loose drag is late in the winter when trolling under 2.0 mph, where they can swim up latch on, feel the tension and let go without every getting hooked up, loose drag then let's them swim off to the side with the crankbait , then you set the hook.I never set the hook at 3 to 4.5 mph, if they are not hooked from boat movement and weight of the leadcore,They would not be still hooked up when you grab the rod!

Edited August 7, 2014 by mostlymuskies

[Cody]

Adam and Larry thank you for the helpful information. The transformation from tournament Bass fishing to Muskies fishing is a great new learning experience for me. Thanks again !