Trolling with deep-sea wobblers is a very effective method of catching predatory fish. For those who are hearing about this fishing method for the first time, let us clarify that trolling is dragging bait with a spinning rod from a moving vessel.
Pike, pike perch, catfish and large perch are most often caught by trolling. The most catchy wobblers when trolling are cranks, shads and minnows with their own game.
Trolling wobblers are distinguished by the presence of a large blade, which deepens the wobbler to the required depth; as a rule, the larger the blade, the deeper the wobbler.
Fishing with deep-sea wobblers
Let us repeat once again that trolling wobblers must have a large blade and their own game. When reeling or dragging, the wobblers go deeper and begin to play.
The speed of deepening of baits depends on the speed of reeling; higher reeling speed means faster deepening. Deep-sea wobblers are considered to be those baits that can drop more than three meters.
Based on buoyancy, wobblers are divided into sinking, floating and suspending.
Suspenders are baits with neutral buoyancy, that is, when paused they hover in the water column. Suspenders are good for catching a passive predator.
What is a wobbler for trolling?
A wobbler is a solid (plastic, cork or wooden) voluminous bait of various shapes and sizes, used for catching fish by trolling, spinning or “track”. Successful fishing directly depends on the right bait. The modern fishing market is literally overflowing with a variety of baits from various manufacturers. Therefore, choosing the right wobbler for trolling sometimes becomes a difficult task.
Varieties of wobblers
There are many different wobblers, differing according to various criteria. Each model has a specific purpose. There are more or less universal models, and there are also highly specialized ones, suitable for a specific situation on a reservoir.
All wobblers are usually classified as follows:
By buoyancy:
- floating (always on the surface of the water);
- sinking (sink to the bottom after casting);
- suspenders (these models, without additional weighting, can remain at a shallow depth after casting).
According to the degree of possible depth:
- surface (poppers, crawlers, stickbaits);
- medium depth (rattlin, darter, jerk bait);
- deep-sea (deep runner and middle deep runner).
According to body shape:
- minnow (a bait with a thin elongated body, similar to a slightly swollen stick);
- crank (distinguished by a slightly laterally flattened body);
- shad (has a tall, flat body resembling the body of a herring);
- fat (distinguished by a shortened teardrop-shaped body).
Choosing wobbler color
The most effective colors of deep wobblers are the following: yellow, orange, acidic, light green, white, white-red.
In cloudy weather and muddy water, use bright colors, and for clear water and sunny weather, choose more natural colors.
Wobblers for trolling when fishing for pike - how to choose 5 catchy models
The most catchy baits are:
- Salmo Perch , length 80 / 120 / 140 mm, average price - 374 rubles. The series is presented in various colors, suitable for any time of year.
- Rapala Deep Tail Dancer, length 70 / 90 / 110 / 130 mm, from 510 rubles. Finnish wobblers behave steadily on the water, even if the current is very strong.
- Jaxon Karas , length 8/9/11 mm from 420 rubles. Due to their large size and active vibrations at the time of retrieving, they arouse the interest of the pike, forcing it to come to the surface.
- Yo-Zuri 3D Crank, length 65 mm from 567 rubles. Suitable for medium depth. It behaves effectively in areas with edges, slopes, and deep changes.
- Bomber Deep Long A, length 89/114 mm from 490 rubles. This minnow model works great when catching large predators. During trolling, it can sink to a depth of 6 to 8 meters.
Bomber, beloved by many trollers
Trolling wobbler size
To attract a predator from great depths, large wobblers are needed that create strong vibrations.
Especially large wobblers are used in the fall, when pike, pike perch and perch fatten up. That is, the fish are more likely to bite on a large bait, but do not overdo it with the size.
Fishermen have identified a direct relationship between the size of the wobbler and the size of the fish caught.
It has been noticed that in spring and summer large pike can be caught on wobblers up to 8 cm, and in autumn trophies need larger baits. To catch medium and large predators, it is worth using wobblers 10-20 cm long.
Selection criteria - what to look for when choosing a trolling wobbler
The choice of wobblers for trolling depends on the following parameters:
- Size . In large wobblers, at least 7 in length, strong vibration is noticeable. Large fish are usually caught with this type of bait. Small baits are not used for trolling, due to the fact that the predator needs to be attracted and provoked to attack from long distances
- Depths . Trolling is necessary in most cases using baits that can be lowered deep enough. The speed of the boat directly affects the depth of burial, this is especially important in the autumn. It is at this time of year that the fish sink closer to the bottom.
- Colors. Wobblers are colored according to many factors. For reservoirs with clean and clear water, bright shades are not relevant. They are best suited for cloudy water. Gray, bright red, light green and other paints are often used. In dark, deep water, acidic, chartreuse and fluo models are suitable.
Acid - choice for cloudy spring water - Games . Noisy wobblers with good vibration are the most effective and popular among trolling fishermen.
Deep-sea wobblers for pike
When choosing a trolling wobbler for pike, you need to know the approximate places where it stays, as well as the peaceful fish that the pike feeds on in a given body of water.
If the main food is roach, then the wobbler should be similar to roach, the same situation with rudd, perch, sabrefish and other fish.
It has been noticed that the most successful time for catching pike by trolling is summer.
Of all the wobblers, the most catchy ones for pike are:
- Bomber Long A
- Salmo Perch
- Rapala Shad Rap
- Rapala Tail Dancer.
A very important article on this topic: wobblers for pike
Deep-sea wobblers with a depth of over 5 meters
Fishing by trolling at a depth of over five meters and with moderate to medium currents is carried out using powerful gear.
In this case, deep-sea deep wobblers are used
Wobblers in this reservoir will require heavy ones, with a powerful wide shovel. There are not many of these, but there are high-quality models; you can watch the review in the video below.
To maintain a given horizon, you need deep models, suspenders and an average speed of the boat.
Deep models for trolling at depths of 3-5 meters
Deep-sea wobblers for trolling at depths of 5+:
Deep-sea wobblers for catfish
Catfish feed from the bottom; they have poor eyesight, but good hearing and sense of smell. It follows from this that you need to use wobbler models that go along the very bottom.
A trolling wobbler for catfish should be low-frequency, large and maintain the desired depth at low speed.
A big plus will be the presence of a noise chamber in the wobbler.
It would be a good idea to use thick attractants on the bait, which will additionally attract the catfish with its smell.
The direction of trolling must be carried out against the current.
The most catchy wobblers for catfish are the following models: Liberty Bite; Halco Sorcerer; Salmo Perch P08SDR.
Wobblers Afishup
This set of 131 Hard Soft Bait Minnow Fishing Lures features a super durable design with 3D eyes and super realistic varnishes for a natural look, providing excellent visibility and swimming effect while imitating the pattern and smell of real food. This helps attract more fish, including predatory ones.
- Suitable for salt and fresh water. Contains a large selection of baits for a variety of fish species and water depths, a favorite for all marine and freshwater species, a reliable choice for any angler and fishing enthusiast.
- Good to Excellent Quality: Unrivaled strength and deep enough hook penetration to guarantee performance and stability. Sharp hooks ensure hook strength and allow you to catch more fish by hooking them securely and preventing them from breaking off.
This fishing tackle set contains almost all the accessories needed for fishing, including lures, hooks, cutters, jig head, weights, line clamps, swivels, tackle box. This eliminates the need to purchase additional accessories from other suppliers.
Trolling pike perch - how to choose 5 working models of wobblers
The following models are suitable for catching pike perch by trolling:
- Halco SORCERER 150 DD 150 mm . It is a powerful bait, made of hard plastic, has a weight of 30 grams and neutral buoyancy - F. The wobbler is designed for a depth of 3.5 - 5 meters, for catching large prey. Works for pike perch on rocky ridges. Price - from 814 rubles.
- Salmo Bullhead BD 8 SDR 80 mm . This Polish model is suitable for depths of 3.5 - 8 meters. It weighs 17 grams and is sinking. Cost - from 547 rubles.
- SANSAN Trol 120F 502 120 mm . This is a fairly active plastic wobbler for catching predators using the trolling method. Its weight is 40 grams, and the degree of buoyancy is floating: F. Price - from 449 rubles.
- Rapala Down Deep Husky Jerk DHJ12 FT 120 mm . The model is also made of plastic. It weighs and is suitable for large trophies. Its cost is from 770 rubles.
- Panacea Marauder 80F DR 80 mm . This bait weighs 32 grams and can dive to a depth of 6 meters. Its price starts from 360 rubles.
How to rig trolling gear
Trolling involves the use of wobblers with a large blade that can sink to great depths.
For this fishing method, you will need an appropriate rod with a boat mount and comfortable holders.
Boat equipment
It is better to choose a multiplier or inertialess powerful reel with a spool from 4000 Shimano.
Thanks to the blades or gliders immersed in the water, the bait is moved away from the boat, increasing the coverage of the water space, reducing the possible snag of several wobblers used at the same time.
Trolling with gliders
With the help of sonars and echo sounders, you can find out the depth of the water and find future prey.
For trolling, the most suitable rod is 2 to 2.5 meters long. It is very convenient to fish with it, perform hooks during hooking and effectively bring future prey to the boat.
The reel for a fishing rod involved in trolling must be powerful enough, corresponding to the characteristics of this method of fishing and with the ability to tow large deep-sea bait.
You should choose a reel that is reliable and easy to use. For trolling fish, the most suitable multiplier reel is the “multiplier”. The gear ratio of the power coil should be - 3:1 - 4:1.
Trolling tackle
