Trolling Questions from a rookie

[WallyHunter]

To all you seasoned Lake Erie veterans,

I have only trolled on inland lakes for walleyes, but I intend to try trolling Lake Erie this year. In the past, I flat line trolled without any planer boards. Will this work on Erie? Also, what is the easiest way to maximize the number of lines/lures that I troll at a time? I am a little worried about tangling everything. Looking for a simple program that will allow me to run about 4 lures (spoons/cranks). Thanks a ton in advance!

[bolodunn]

without getting into all the planermast & big board crap, run 2 rods straight off the back & put a rod off each side, with dipsies. try spoons on the dipsies off the sides & reefrunners or deep cranks off the back!

[fishinmachine2]

My brother and I troll bottom bouncers all the time with out boards, 2 straight back and 2 off the side just turn the foreword rod holders all the way out and you shouldnt have a problem. That way you dont have to mess with the boards and with all the white bass around it gets to be a pain. We even run disc divers that way if the fish are suspended. (no boards). We will be out there either Friday or Saturday. Good Luck!!!


Scott

[King Crawler]

With a good long rod you can simply place the side rods at a right angle to the boat. That should give you 7-8 ft of separation from the back lines. Dont forget that you can also separate bais horizontally. If your back baits are on jets for example you may only need to have 50-70 ft of line out. Bottom bouncers in the side holders would probably be back over 100 ft. This also helps keeps them from tangling. I agree with fishing machine - if the fish are really hitting he boards are a bigger pain than they are worth.

[WallyHunter]

Hey thanks guys! I am also interested in trying a three-way rig with a spoon and crank. Can I get some details on how to set it up?

[King Crawler]

Main line to a 3-way. Attach the diving crank on a short 3-4 leader. Attach the spoon the toe the other opening of the 3-way using a slightly longer 6-7 foot leader (may also want to put a ball bearing swivel mid-way on this leader). Once put back, the crank dives to its usual depth (maybe slightly shallower) and takes the spoon along with it.

[Skinner 2]

You didn't say what size boat. I have a Lund 2100 Barron and I quit using boards a few years ago. I would run 7 foot rods off the back angled back and 9 foot rods off the side. Now I run 15 foor outriggers off the sides. a 7 foot rod off each corner and I can run a 5th rod striaght over the outboard. I run cranks, three ways and bottom bouncers. I normally fish with one other so 4 rods is normal and I don't use dipseys much any more. I don't have too many tangle issues but sometimes a fish will sweep and grab a line.

Skinner 2

Capt of Miss Adventure II

[J - Rod]

Bottom bouncers in the side holders would probably be back over 100 ft.

I am not familiar with Erie fishing. Is the bottom bouncer you speak of different than the wire 90 degree job that I am familiar with? I was taught to weight them so that you let them out just enough to tick bottom with your line at a 45 degree angle (ie 20 fow water would equal 28 ft of line out) or else they would not run properly. I ask because I want to fish Erie this year and am curious to know the Erie bottom bouncing technique with 100 foot leads. Snap weights, maybe? Or do the wire bouncers run OK with 100 feet of line out? Never tried it, just figured I'd lose the feel of the bottom. Thanks.

[andy capp]

The way we run our 3 ways is different.

Take your line and tie a barrel swivel on the end. Use a fairly large one. Then tie 3-5 ft of line on the other end of the barrlel swivel. Next take a 4 ft leader of line and put a swivel on each end. Use a smaller swivel that wont slide over the barrel you put on the main line. Hook you spoon on the 4 ft leader. Now get your crank running in the water, clip the leader with the spoon to the mainline, and just drop iy in the water. It will slide down to the barrel swivel and BAM you got a tangle free setup. It makes it a little easier when you wanna pull your lines and move. You just unclip the spoon leader and don't have to worry about tangleng leaders. This has worked well for us for years. I think Walleye Express makes a rig simalar you can buy at franks great outdoors.

[King Crawler]

I am not familiar with Erie fishing. Is the bottom bouncer you speak of different than the wire 90 degree job that I am familiar with? I was taught to weight them so that you let them out just enough to tick bottom with your line at a 45 degree angle (ie 20 fow water would equal 28 ft of line out) or else they would not run properly. I ask because I want to fish Erie this year and am curious to know the Erie bottom bouncing technique with 100 foot leads. Snap weights, maybe? Or do the wire bouncers run OK with 100 feet of line out? Never tried it, just figured I'd lose the feel of the bottom. Thanks.

We are talking about the same kind of bottom bouncer. And you are right that you just want them to "tick" bottom. But with a 1.5 or 2 oz. bottom bouncer it usually takes about 100 ft (at least for me trolling at 2.0 mph with 15 lb mono in 20 FOW). There is NO WAY that you are anywhere near bottom with 28 feet of line out (unless you have a one pound BB!:yikes: ). No snap weights for me either. Just long lining.

[WallyHunter]

well I have a 16-footer and the body isn't all that wide. I'm just looking for an easy trolling setup with the least amount of hastle. Thanks.

[die4irish]

I have a 17 ft boat and I use 2 off the sides w/bb's, and 2 long lines out the back. As long as I can keep the boat kinda straight its no problem :D

[CMFish51]

Try Dipsy divers if you plan on trolling over 1.8 MPH. Very effective and easy to use. Inline Planer boards can also be an easy investment to get two of your lures away form the boat. The remaining two rods, just flat line off the stern of the boat at a slight angle to give room for netting your gatorbacks...

[J - Rod]

We are talking about the same kind of bottom bouncer. And you are right that you just want them to "tick" bottom. But with a 1.5 or 2 oz. bottom bouncer it usually takes about 100 ft (at least for me trolling at 2.0 mph with 15 lb mono in 20 FOW). There is NO WAY that you are anywhere near bottom with 28 feet of line out (unless you have a one pound BB!:yikes: ). No snap weights for me either. Just long lining.

Probably 2-3 oz's to hit bottom in 20fow, but trolling at 0.5-1.0 mph on the electric with 10 or 12 lb mono. We are inlanders mostly, so we aren't covering as much water and can get away with slow speeds. Good to know that you can long line those things and catch fish, that may come in handy some day. :)