trolling depth control

[Blue Sky]

This is a tip I'd like to share for all the trollers out there that don't use downriggers, dipsies or jet divers. I found it long ago and unfortunately no longer remember the original source, though I would like to give proper credit if I could:

"The rule of thumb that you need to follow is get to the speed that you want to troll and freespool your bait to the bottom. When your weight gets to the bottom, put your thumb on the spool and hold it for 30 seconds then repeat that process two more times. After three cycles of dropping and waiting 30 seconds, you'll be running about 2 feet off the bottom. That works no matter how fast you are going."​

I used this technique a lot on Lake Erie with three-ways and/or trolling sinkers for walleye and smallmouth, it does work. If you ever read the book "Precision Trolling" you'll learn how weight-only trolling depth control is so very speed-dependent. This technique takes the speed element out of the equation and is pretty consistent.

 

[dboles]

Nice I wil certainly be giving it a try as I fish from an older y stern canoe with a 2hp motor
Thanks for the tip will print that and waterproof it so's I can remember Then in the tackle box
Dan'l

 

[pilote]

that is one way to do it...i prefer to take all the mystery out of it; i use lead core line when trolling...

 

[Ebbtide]

We'd keep a marker handy an color in a foot of line on the first fish when fishing mono.

Lead core and monel wire marked with tape make it easy.

 

[Blue Sky]

The biggest advantage of this technique is that you don't need specialty rigs to reach down deep, and do it consistently. Lead core works well for deep trolling, but that's about all it's good for. With merely a 3-way and a big sinker any rod can be used. I've routinely trolled 40'-50' deep with a spinning outfit and 8-pound mono. Could have gone deeper if I needed to. This comes in especially handy when you're fishing on a friend's boat for the day and there's a limit to what you can carry along. Doing more, with less.

And you lead cores users do realize that even with lead core, the same line-out and the same nominal speed, on the upwind and downwind (or up current, down current) passes your boat speed is not really the same relative to the water and therefore your lure is not running the same depth each pass, right? Mine are.

 

[scarysharp]

"The rule of thumb that you need to follow is get to the speed that you want to troll and freespool your bait to the bottom. When your weight gets to the bottom, put your thumb on the spool and hold it for 30 seconds then repeat that process two more times. After three cycles of dropping and waiting 30 seconds, you'll be running about 2 feet off the bottom. That works no matter how fast you are going."​

I used this technique a lot on Lake Erie

Sounds like a great little trick but THAT technique isnt going to work in the ocean in 50-70ft. Getting a boat up to trolling speed for bass and freewheeling the line isnt going to get you anywhere NEAR the bottom. The current is way to strong for one thing. We either have to use lead core, or downriggers.
This seems more of a technique for lake fishing.