You might be wondering, what exactly is trolling?
In a nutshell, it’s a fishing technique that involves dragging a hooked lure or bait
through the water from a moving boat. You can have one line in the water
or several, but the aim is always the same – making your bait look like moving prey.
This is one of the most effective ways to catch fish but there are a few things you should know
before trying it out. In this video, we’re covering factors like essential fishing gear,
picking the right spot, what you can catch, and more,
to show you why trolling is the ultimate fishing technique. But before we dive in, make sure to hit
the like and subscribe buttons below to stay up to date on all the latest fishing videos.
One of the best things about trolling is its versatility. You can troll out in the ocean,
on a lake, or even on a river. What matters is that the water is deep enough for your boat.
There are two main things you’ll want to pay attention to,
whether you’re chasing Tuna in the Gulf of Mexico or Salmon in the Great Lakes.
Number one is getting close to the fish. You can do this either by using sonar to find schooling
baitfish, looking out for birds swooping into the water, or tracking down floating weed lines.
Number two is hitting the right depth. There are several tricks you can use to
lower your bait exactly where the fish are. This requires certain equipment,
some fancier than others, but we’ll get to that a little later in this video.
For now, let’s focus on the kinds of fish you can catch while trolling.
Like we mentioned earlier, you can troll for fish in various waters. And to be honest,
the list of species you can catch is even longer than the waters you’ll hook ‘em in. With a fishing
technique as effective as this one, that’s no surprise. It would be impossible to cover them
all so let’s get into a few of the signature species you can hook in different places.
Freshwater trolling can land you several Salmon and Trout species
In saltwater, the nearshore trolling staples are Kingfish,
Wahoo, and Barracuda. And then offshore, you can find exciting big game species like Mahi Mahi,
Tuna, Sailfish, and Marlin. With A-listers like these, it’s easy
to see why so many bucket list memories were made precisely on trolling trips.
But how do you go about catching these fish? First off, you’ll need to gear up with the essentials.
Whether you’re fishing in deep offshore waters or a lake, there are a few items
you’ll want to have in your tackle box. Quality rods and reels are number one and
will go a long way in helping you bring fish onto the boat. And then there are riggers,
which will help you place your bait at the right depth. Let’s take a closer look.
A typical trolling boat can handle anywhere between two and six lines. Usually,
you’ll slot them into the rod holders on the boat’s gunwales. In most cases,
any reasonably stiff rod will do the trick. However, if you’re going for bigger fish,
a stiffer and heavier rod in the six-and-a-half to seven-in-a-half foot range tends to work best.
You’ll also need to choose a reel. Finding the best trolling reel is an endless debate between
anglers so we’ll try to give you a basic overview in this video. If you’re debating
between using a conventional or spinning reel, go with conventional. These will give you a lot
more line to work with, which is crucial for trolling. There are also line-counting reels,
which are a great choice for beginners since they’ll do most of the guesswork for you.
If you’re targeting big fish like Tuna, two-speed reels are a life-saver.
With a single click, you’re able to switch to a faster, line-gulping, speed, which is a big asset
when you’re working against a fish that’s racing towards you. You’ll also have more pulling power.
The bottom line is that you have plenty of choices.
If you’re just starting, don’t feel pressured to spend a fortune – just
make sure you’re choosing a reel that’s suitable for your target.
As you might have guessed, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution for trolling
lines either. Most anglers agree that monofilament is a good option when trolling at higher speeds.
The stretch capacity of mono gives you
a big advantage – especially when you’re going after big game fish.
On the flip side, braided lines are much stronger and they’re typically smaller in diameter.
That gives you the option to troll your baits further away from the boat. Braided line is
also less buoyant than mono, so if you’re after depth it’s probably the better option.
Finally, let’s talk about riggers. One of the biggest advantages of trolling is the fact that
you can cover a lot more ground by having multiple lines in the water. Riggers are what makes that
happen. There are different kinds, including outriggers, downriggers, and planer boards.
Outriggers are what allows you to have multiple lines in the water. They also keep your lines
spread out, helping to stop them from tangling up. They’re nothing more than long poles fitted to the
side of your boat, but their effects make them an essential part of a trolling angler’s arsenal.
Then there are downriggers. Much like outriggers,
downriggers are a device that will help keep your lines detangled. But they also give you
the added benefit of lowering your bait into deep waters by supporting heavier weights.
They’re more expensive than outriggers, but they definitely help get the job done.
A cheaper alternative to downriggers are planer boards. This is another tool you can
use to spread and lower your trolling baits. In essence, these are small,
floating devices, which a fishing line passes through in a downward direction.
You can use anywhere from two to six at a time, but “the more the merrier.”
Using more boards doesn’t just allow you to cover more ground,
they also make it easier to tell when one of your lines is lagging behind.
Plus, they support attaching your line to a spring mechanism that’s connected to a
bright-colored flag. As soon as the fish bites, the flag starts to go down, signaling a strike.
And then there are baits and lures. This is another area where you have plenty of options,
and that depends heavily on the kind of fish you’re targeting.
Live bait, dead bait, lures, or a combination of lures and bait are all on the table.
Skirted lures are more effective for chasing bigger fish, while soft plastics are better
suited for trolling for smaller game. Spoons and plugs are versatile options, and they fall
somewhere in the middle. For saltwater trolling, squid, ballyhoo, mullet, and mackerel are go-to
baits for most anglers. These will allow you to chase an assortment of pelagic species.
If you’ve made it this far, you’re likely ready to start planning your fishing trip,
and that’s why we’re here. FishingBooker makes heading out on your next trolling adventure easy.
With thousands of captains and guides offering trolling trips to choose from and easy online
booking, you’ll save time and money, and experience an exciting day on the water.
Drop us a line in the comments and let us know
what your ideal trolling trip looks like – we love to hear from you!