Hey Guys,
I have a little fiberglass boat and I was wondering whats the best trolling technique from a boat? Do you need down riggers? I usually use rapala or lucky craft when i have gone before but are there any other lures that are good for trolling? any info would help! thanks
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I troll without down riggers and have caught fish on rapalas alone, pop gear and rapala, pop gear & worm, dodger and worm, flatfish alone, just experiment a little. If you cast and reel it then try trolling it. Trolling flies is fun because when the fish hit you really feel'em. When I want to get deeper I use leaded line and a flatfish.
Like what others have said rapalas work, spinners, pop gear, and all works too. The main question is what species are you targeting and where? At porcupine you don't need downriggers, at the gorge you do for kokanee anyway. At hyrum dam you can do fine just flat lining or lead line. So what fish and where?
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If you have a boat put a down rigger on it!!! Now days you can pick them up cheap,, if the fish aren't bitting on the top you'll be able to drop down and get them at any depth,, and I allways use an attractor popgear,flasher,dodger. They definatly indrease your catch rate for most fish. If you just want to let your line out the back of the boat pop gear and a worm is hard to beat. But most lures cath fish while trolling I use jakes,spinners,tripple teasers,flatfish,most any spoons,and I've even killed the trout slow trolling power bait..but then again you might be going for wipers and I don't think power bait would be very productive for those lol. I hope this helps you out.
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Trout mostly! Deer Creek, Strawberry places close to home
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You can get deeper with a trolling sinker and heavier line,they are shallow right now for the most part and when it warms up they will be deeper,also with a trolling sinker you dont have to let out 100's of feet to get down.that works but you cant beat a downrigger !!!! lures are pretty easy just about anything with pink for Deer Creek and orange or white at Strawberry
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Sounds like all good advice so far. I'll add my 2c on 'washing lures' . . .
One thing I like about down-riggers, is you can put the pop gear on the ball for attraction, then maybe a dodger in front of your lure - but then once you hit and pop free - you're free of all the pop gear's weight/drag - and it's (almost) all fish!
Couple other options to consider: bottom bouncers, inline weights, planer boards. I mix it up sometimes - combo of lead-line and planer board, or downrigger and lead, or sometimes just letting the lure do it's own diving - much as it will.
There's also various divers you can use. One of my favs is the Dipsy Diver.
Second pole permit is a great option so you can multiply YOU options when you troll. Now if I can just grow those eyes in the back of my head . . .