trolling question

[Willy7o2]

I want to troll lures for stripers, but don't have a trolling motor. If I just run minimal (wakeless) speed on my boat, is that ideal trolling speed or is it too fast still?
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[4poundonly]

Best way would be figure out how fast your going generally you want to troll under 3mph but above 1.5mph. It varies. They have a cool application you can download to your smartphone its basically a moblie speedometer. Its free.[]
[url "http://www.freewarepocketpc.net/ppc-download-gps-speedo.html"]http://www.freewarepocketpc.net/ppc-download-gps-speedo.html[/url]
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[syncityangler]

There's an app for that LOL[]
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[vegaskid]

yeah, anything less than 4mph would be ok I think. I like trolling between 2-3.5. If your using a wakebait or something like a plug, you may need a drift sock or trolling plate.You want those babies just crawlin. I would not worry much about motor noise In lake mead. Yes, its loud; but they hear boats all the time. They can hear boats for probably miles around. Trolling in the river is a different story. The striper there are real spooky and you have to be sneaky to get them. []
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[lvfishingdude]

i troll between 2.5 - 3.5 mph and slay stripers all the time.
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[BillyH]

Never thought about trolling with a drift sock out, i guess thats one way to slow your boat down.
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[TheWhizzle]

Noise is your biggest concern. If you let out 100 yds or more behind the boat, you should be far enough away from the noise for the fish to forget about your presence.

Think of trolling speed like your casting retrieve speed.
Fish respond to different speeds all the time. Drop down to 1 mph if you can. Go as fast as 4 or 5 if your bait will still run true.

Fish swim fast guys. Those stripers easily swim faster than 10 or 15 mph. Maybe you can trigger a reaction strike trolling at 5mph when you cant buy a feeding strike at 1.5mph.

The point is, vary your retrieve until you get bit, and then repeat what worked.
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[michfishgod]

we use drip socks all the time up here. also gps will tell your mph too. not sure if you can use a anchor were your at on the river or not cause some river in michigan you can not any ways on the river you can use about 50-60 pounds of chain in a welded ring hoop on the end of a anchor rope.

this is depending on river speed and let some thing like a j plug or a hot- n-tot or simular flat fish behind the boat 50-100 yrd out is fine. then you lift up that chain anchor and push the fish up aginst fallen brush and let them get pissed about it and strike mite work on your river mite not who knows does here in michiugan. just some tips
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[Largemouth_kid]

I'm not sure, I work my fly behind the float tube at kicking speed n snag fish all day. Just have to understand how the bait moves and try to match that speed. I even jig my baits when I'm in a boat to give the look of spooked bait. But as a guide everyone on here has it about right. Were not fishing tuna so a higher speed isn't needed. 1 to 5 mph should do. Hell drifting catches fish. Best vet is to try. What could it hurt. No fish oh well. At least you had a day to clear your head.
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[lvfishingdude]

i forgot to say, i let out between 150' - 300' of line when i troll
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[2nakiller]

My trolling speed varies, if I feel I need to go slower, I use a poor man's drift sock, 5 gallon bucket, don't forget to pull it in before you take off, BTW I have a few bucket handles in case anyone needs some...[shocked]
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