Preparation for trolling pike perch and the technique of this fishing method

Most anglers believe that it is better to catch pike perch using a jig. But in reality, the most effective way to catch walleye is by trolling. Its main advantage is a quick check of the reservoir for the presence of an active predator. If we compare trolling for pike perch with jig and twitch fishing, it is not as dependent on weather conditions as other fishing methods.

Basic requirements for a trolling rod

Trolling fishing for pike perch with a spinning rod places a number of demands on the material from which the product is made. There are also special requirements for the test, length and action of the rod.

1. Glass and carbon fiber are used to make the fishing rod. Compared to carbon fiber, fiberglass products have a lower degree of sensitivity and weigh more. This is a budget option with a low price. Spinning rods made of carbon are the most sensitive and therefore are very popular among anglers. Often glass and carbon fiber are combined. The resulting product has average technical characteristics and has an affordable price.
2. For beginners who have never trolled, it is better to choose a rod length up to 2.4 m. This is the most suitable size. It is difficult to maneuver in a small boat with a spinning rod that is too long. Experienced fishermen use rods longer than 2.4 m, because... They are convenient to use on 2-3 rods at the same time.
3. A rod with a slow and medium action is not suitable for trolling. The best action is fast and super fast. On the product, the ultra-fast action is marked Extra fast or FF, and the fast action is marked with the letter F.
4. The rod test is selected depending on the conditions of the reservoir. Spinning with a small dough is suitable for shallow rivers with moderate currents. If the river is large and deep, and the current is fast, then a large, heavy bait is required. Accordingly, the spinning rod should hold it. Therefore, for such rivers, a product with an upper test limit of more than 100 g is chosen.

Which rod to choose for river trolling

Buying a rod for trolling is to some extent easier than, for example, for jig fishing. But at the same time, there are specific requirements for a trolling rod, which must be taken into account when choosing a spinning rod in a store. First of all, this is the length of the rod. Despite the fact that everyone chooses a fishing rod for themselves and their requirements for convenience, but, as practice has shown, the most optimal and working in trolling can be considered sticks with a length of 2.4-3 meters. Such rods are capable of making timely hooks, safely and successfully landing a heavy fish, and also do not cause excessive fatigue to the angler if he holds the rod suspended.

In addition, it should be remembered that when trolling, the rod can experience excessive load not only when hitting and snagging on the bottom, but also when simply knocking against each other and against the side of the boat during fast movement, especially in windy weather with high waves. And such seemingly insignificant knocks sometimes lead to breakage of a fragile fishing rod. Therefore, when choosing a spinning rod, you should pay attention to the fact that the rod is relatively thick-walled. Such spinning rods are also called tenacious. The most preferred are rods made of thick-walled graphite. It is better not to use high-modulus, medium- or low-modulus rods with graphite content. Composite spinning rods are often the most popular among trollers, consisting, as they say, fifty-fifty, half of graphite and fiberglass. But at the same time, pure fiberglass rods are too heavy and too soft, which will not allow you to accurately control the movement of the bait and make an energetic and hard hook. In addition, under the influence of a powerful load from a deep-sea wobbler with a long blade, such a spinning rod will literally bend in an arc.

Speaking about the test parameters of a trolling rod, it can be noted that the lower limit of the test will be 15-20 grams, and the upper limit will be 60-70 grams. But it happens that deep-sea divers with wobblers of large size and resistance require test indicators in the range of 120-150 grams. These indicators are selected for each situation individually.

As we found out, trolling on the river requires the use of a special fishing rod. But when choosing it, you should also pay attention to the handle of the spinning rod. It should be long, the so-called double handle. Short handles should not be used. When trolling with the rod in your hands, you can use rods with handles made of cork or other materials. But if the rod is fixed in the holder, the cork handle can quickly become unusable, since the cork can begin to crumble with points and knocks. Therefore, a handle made of microporous rubber - Duplon - is more suitable here.

In addition, when using a multiplier reel, which is the most acceptable and optimal for trolling, the rod must have a so-called trigger trigger and guide rings called “two-legged” according to the mounting method. It is better to buy a fishing rod for trolling, immediately choosing it for installing a multiplier reel.

Coil selection

To catch pike perch by trolling, you need to choose a suitable reel that will withstand the necessary loads and cope with landing the fish. The main property it should have is power. Otherwise, due to heavy loads, the coil will quickly break. If the baits are lightweight and the depth of the reservoir is shallow, then you can use simple lightweight models. The most convenient option is a multiplier reel . It is equipped with a counter that accurately displays the length of the fishing line.

Installation of trolling gear

Depending on the conditions of the reservoirs in which fishing is planned, the gear for catching pike perch must be durable. Because uneven surfaces, underwater snags and stones for gear are dangerous for hooking. Fishing rod equipment:

• Choose a short fishing rod with a fast action.
• It is also equipped with a multiplier reel and a metal leash. It is better to use a titanium or Kevlar leash. This flexible and thin product looks like fishing line and is particularly durable. Pike perch is a toothy fish and easily bites the fishing line during attacks. But with a metal leash it will be difficult to do this.
• Some Chinese fake wobblers cannot cope with strong currents and are unable to sink to the bottom on their own. Therefore, the fishing rod is additionally equipped with a sinker. The simplest deepening agent is sinker. It has a flat shape and is mounted at an angle.

To make the catch more effective, install a drop shot. This is a retractable leash, which consists of a fishing line with an end weight, a metal leash and a sinker. The end load is chosen in the shape of a pear or ball. To give the tackle flexibility, the leash is tied to a triple swivel. Having retreated 50 cm upward, sinkers are tied to it. Thanks to this equipment, the leash will not twist while moving. The bouncer has a more rigid design. It looks like a retractable leash. In this rig, the wobbler is attached to a spring wire.

Choosing a place to catch pike perch by trolling

Each type of fish has its own character, and if you do not take into account the behavior of pike perch, you may be left without a catch. Newbies often suffer from a lack of information about their behavior, returning home empty-handed. You need to know how to choose the right place to get a big catch. Pond conditions:

1. The bottom in places for catching pike perch should have a complex, uneven topography. The fish likes to appear in algae thickets, near deep holes and rock ledges.
2. The fish does not like standing water, so it is more often found in rivers with strong currents. You won't be able to catch it in the lake.
3. Individuals of various sizes like to swim into areas with vegetation at night, but do not stay there for long.
4. You can catch pike perch near the shore or in the shallows only at night. At this time they are looking for food, so they swim close to the shore.

You can increase your catch using an echo sounder, which is sold in any specialized store. It has an affordable price and every fisherman can afford to buy it.

Trolling equipment

An important element for successful fishing is the correct equipment. Trolling is considered a unique fishing method that requires the use of special gear. A few rules to help you choose the right equipment:

1. 
   Choosing a rod. It is better to take rods with a length of 1.8-2.7 m. They are the most convenient and practical for this fishing method.

2. Fishing line.
   Lately, wicker has become very popular because it is quite strong. It is worth taking with a diameter of 0.2-0.25 mm. There will be no problems with it during emergency braking and the braid will not break during hooking. You should not use thin fishing line for trolling.
3. Outrigger selection. Such a device will help you react much faster to the onset of a bite and will be able to provide control during self-hooking. It will help reduce the load on the spinning rod.
4. Downrigger. The device is necessary for deepening the bait to the required depth and for uniform wiring. Downriggers have become popular not so long ago, but fishermen use them en masse.
5. Echo sounder. For trolling fishing, such a device is indispensable, because it allows you to find depressions on the bottom much faster, and thereby select the most catchy place. With the help of an echo sounder it is easy to find fish, because it shows the location of objects on the bottom or in layers of water. It can show a cluster of stones at the bottom, where pike often hide.
6. Using a portable navigator. Such a device will allow you to remember the coordinates and route, and you can easily find the place of your previous hunt and catch it again.
7. Rod holders. They are necessary for trolling to secure the rod more firmly.
8. Leash. To hunt for pike, you need metal soft leashes 0.5 m long. They can withstand a weight of up to 50 kg. They are very strong and can withstand the resistance of prey.
9. Carbines and swivels. It is worth choosing parts made from high-quality steel. Brass models will not be able to withstand the weight or resistance of a large predator. It is better to take a swivel with a wide bearing, because it will help the bait play correctly and the line not to get tangled.
10. Hooks. For pike, you should take strong treble hooks. To make them more attractive, you should take models covered with bright paint.

Wobblers for trolling for pike perch

Wobblers for trolling fishing are selected according to their depth of immersion and stability of play. Size and color also play an important role:

1. Burying depth. Pike perch hunts for prey at the very bottom: in places with snags or on uneven terrain. He lies in wait for his prey near the exit from the pits. Given this feature, the immersion depth of a trolling wobbler should be more than 2 meters. A smaller working depth cannot be used. The shape and size of the blade will help you visually determine the working depth.
2. Lure size. To catch big fish, the pike perch bait must be large. In addition, the fisherman does not know exactly where the fish are congregating. A large bait creates a lot of noise and vibrations, so it can attract fish from a long distance.
3. Wobbler color. If the weather is cloudy and the water is cloudy, then you should use models with bright colors. Natural colors are used during sunny weather and in clear water. Due to the fact that fish behave differently in different bodies of water, you can experiment and use bait of any color.

An important condition when trolling is the stability of the wobbler. We can't let the game get disrupted. Otherwise, the fish will not notice the wobbler, which will constantly fall to the side. In addition, because of this, nothing will fall on the neighboring rod with the working bait. To avoid game instability, you need to buy products from trusted manufacturers.

Place and time of fishing

They hunt for pike from the beginning of the open water fishing season until late autumn. On hot days it is less active, so it will be more difficult to catch fish. In summer, you should choose cloudy and windy days for trolling.

The best time to hunt for such prey is considered to be autumn. After all, it is then that the fish begins to actively feed and scour the reservoir in search of prey. Best suited for trolling fishing:

1. Reservoirs.
2. Big rivers.
3. Large lakes.

You need to choose a place where large schools of peaceful fish will gather, and this is the main delicacy of pike. It is better to give preference to undamaged reservoirs with a depth of two to eight meters.

The boat is directed far from the shore to reduce the chance of getting caught on snags or getting tangled in seaweed. Medium-sized predators should be looked for in backwaters where there is practically no vegetation and the depth reaches 4-5 meters.

The best places for trolling for pike are:

• edges at the mouth of the river;
• deepening of bottom reliefs;
• turns of the river bed;
• deep holes with slow currents.

Trolling technique for catching pike perch

To choose tactics for catching pike perch by trolling, first examine the reservoir. This can be done using an echo sounder; it will help you select the optimal depth and locate places where fish accumulate. Fishing technique:

• All the necessary equipment is placed in the boat and sailed 10 m from the shore. Then the spinning rod with bait is cast, and the rod is attached to the holder.
• You need to move along the shore by boat at a speed of up to 2-3 km/h. Otherwise, if the speed is high, the bait will go to the bottom, and if the speed is too low, it will settle at an average depth. When fishing for pike perch, the optimal diving depth should be more than 3 m.
• The speed of the boat is chosen depending on weather conditions. In spring, fish can be caught at a speed of 2 to 4 km/h. In the fall, trolling for walleye is done at a slow speed, but experiments can be done.
• In order not to miss the prey, hooking is done with sharp movements on a large scale.
• If you install several spinning rods with different wobblers, the chance of catching will increase by 2 times.
• To prevent the wires of the baits from getting tangled with each other, casting is done at different distances from each other. The approximate distance varies from 20 to 50 m.

Summer trolling for pike perch differs from the rest in its good bite. Especially in early June, when spawning ends. During this period, the fish are hungry and can be caught with small artificial baits. Professional fishermen advise catching pike perch by trolling at night in hot weather (July and August). During this period, the fish becomes inactive.

Trolling - pros and cons

Photo by the author

Sometimes articles appear in the domestic fishing media, the authors of which resolutely reject trolling as a method of sport and recreational fishing due to its allegedly excessive production and, accordingly, a catastrophic reduction in populations of valuable fish species. In reality, everything is not so simple. Let’s try to figure out what is good and bad about trolling, or “path” in Russian.

If you have even occasionally looked at foreign fishing magazines, especially those published in the USA and Canada, you could not help but notice that articles on trolling occupy one of the main places on the pages of these publications. And there are reasons for this. Trolling is indispensable for sea fishing, when catching trophy predatory fish in vast lakes and reservoirs.

On the other hand, it is necessary to take into account the degree of fishing pressure in a particular region. In Russia, trolling is most widespread in the southern reservoirs of the European part of the country. Take, for example, the Lower Volga. We can safely say that over the past decades, with the increase in the number of fishing bases, the stocks of catfish, pike perch, silver carp and other trophy fish here have significantly thinned out. As a rule, the open water fishing season in the lower reaches of the Volga begins in April. Just at the time when the fish, overflowing with eggs, goes to spawn. It would seem that nothing could be simpler: give it the opportunity to spawn, and then catch it for your health. But instead, we are looking for a different reason - in the excessive catchability of some fishing methods. I am far from the idea of ​​​​imposing my point of view, however, in my opinion, trolling (in the sports sense of the word) has absolutely nothing to do with it. Any fishing method can be turned into poaching if desired.

First, let's talk about what's good about trolling. Imagine this picture. For the first time, you find yourself on a vast body of water (reservoir, lake, river), where the water surface stretches for several kilometers without any anomalies. Try to find predatory fish here! The task is not easy.

You can, of course, ask local fishermen. But, as a rule, they do not give up their catching places. This means that you will have to look for fish yourself. And here trolling, or track in Russian, is indispensable. The path is a purely Russian invention, but Western fishermen have managed to modernize this method of fishing and use it in cases where other fishing methods are less effective. By the way, the English word troll means to catch fish by dragging the bait.

Of all the methods of fishing the deep-sea areas of a vast body of water, the most effective, of course, is trolling, which allows you to quickly “comb” vast areas of the water area without having to anchor the boat every now and then, as is the case with conventional casting fishing. It should be borne in mind that there are many more nuances in trolling fishing techniques than simply placing the bait behind the boat. Many anglers do not think about the fact that predatory fish occupy certain areas in any large body of water. As a rule, these are underwater edges and grassy patches. You can find them not only using an echo sounder, but also a depth gauge. To begin with, it is important to understand that the bait should go above the manes of algae or along their very edge. Otherwise, the hooks will cling to the grass and collect bottom debris. Shifting the boat to the side will mean leaving the promising zone. Of course, a regular depth gauge can help here too. So, if you find a mane of aquatic vegetation at a depth of 4 m, in order to avoid snags, the wiring should be carried out from the side of the boat, located towards the shore, and adhere to a strictly fixed course with a depth under the boat of 4 m.

In vast lakes, for example, underwater thickets (pondweed, urut, elodea, hornwort and other plants) are located at depths of 3 to 6 m. This is where you need to look for pike ambushes. As for pike perch, it is most likely to be found where there is a sandy or rocky bottom and there are shelters in the form of snags, flooded trees, and piles of stones. An echo sounder can be very useful when studying the bottom topography and the presence of fish sites. But not always. On currents and in windy weather, for example, it is quite difficult to use it, since the boat is constantly being carried away. And anchoring it every time is a waste of precious time. In addition, it should be taken into account that large pike perch, pike, and even more so catfish go out hunting alone, which makes the search difficult.

At the same time, I should note that fishermen who do not recognize an echo sounder and prefer to do without this electronic device can successfully find fish sites using trolling. In this case, deep-diving wobblers, which usually have the word deep in their name, can be used as “scouts”. During wiring, as soon as the wobbler touches the bottom, it is necessary to reduce the speed of the boat or move slightly towards the depth. In this way, the fisherman fishes the most promising places: underwater rocky ridges or grass thickets, usually located on dumps in depth. Approximately the same tactics can be chosen when fishing with heavy oscillating spoons, silicone baits on jig heads and weight heads, as well as with some types of spinners.

However, much more trolling opportunities appear when using various deepeners. First of all, these are bouncers and sinkers, widely known in the West, which allow you to include far from deep-sea baits in trolling equipment: floating wobblers, light oscillating and rotating spoons, silicone baits. And, of course, ordinary sinkers are used - pear-shaped or other shapes weighing 10-40 g.

Wiring speed is important in trolling. It is likely that a catchable bait that works well at a certain speed will be ignored by the fish when it moves more slowly through the water column. True, this is typical mainly for the summer months. Generally, the warmer the water, the faster the wiring is needed. If the predator is not hunting at this time, its grip occurs if only for the reason that it also shows its aggressiveness in protecting the inhabited territory. And it often happens when, during hot summer trolling, a predatory fish grabs the bait so sharply that the angler has difficulty holding the rod in his hands.

Trolling naturally requires special gear. The rod should be rigid, with an elastic tip, so that it does not make nodding movements as the bait moves. Such a rod (fast action) also transmits signals well from the playing bait, including hitting the bottom and algae, which a soft rod will extinguish. It is best to use a rigid fishing line, based on reasonable considerations. The most optimal is monofilament with a breaking load of 3-5 kg ​​or high-quality braid with a cross-section of approximately 0.14 mm. Reels are inertial, inertialess and multiplier.

The advisability of using holders for trolling rods is, at least, a controversial issue. When using oars (instead of a motor), holders are certainly needed, but only if you are fishing alone. On the other hand, stationary fastening of the rod deprives the angler of the opportunity to maneuver the tip of the whip and diversify the fishing technique, which, of course, does not have the best effect on the results.

At depths greater than nine meters, classic trolling becomes less effective. In such places, the fisherman every time has to make sure that local sites of predatory fish (pike perch, pike, large perch, etc.) require particularly precise delivery of the bait, and most importantly, more careful control over its play. American fishermen, for example, believe that in such situations the best fishing method is backtrolling. Technically, it differs in that the boat moves in reverse, that is, stern forward, at a minimum speed. Backtrolling is most often used when fishing in deep areas around underwater mounds and hills, along rocky ridges, flooded channels, etc. Of course, in this case, an electric motor is installed instead of a gasoline one. During the fishing process, one hand of the fisherman lies on the handle of the motor, and with the other he holds the rod, maneuvering it depending on the circumstances, changing course from time to time. The fishing line is constantly located at a certain angle to the side of the boat. With two people, the fishing technique becomes easier. Backtrolling is especially appropriate when step-retrieving or fishing with a rig with live fish is required.

When fishing with live bait, the bite of a predator is clearly visible on the fishing line or by the twitching of the rod tip. Immediately you need to switch the motor to the neutral position and open the reel spool. Then release a little line, turn on the reel's reverse lock and, feeling the weight at the end of the line, make a sweeping hook. You should immediately throw the buoy overboard and only then start fishing. It’s also a good idea to notice at the moment of hooking how much line has left the reel. If you hook a good zander or pike, you need to anchor next to the buoy and fish this place more carefully. It often happens that even large predators are grouped in a promising place, not to mention the same zander weighing almost a kilo.

When choosing bait for trolling, it is advisable to focus on the color of the local forage fish. But, as experience shows, on most reservoirs the silver color is most often effective. However, baits painted to look like perch, small beetle, gudgeon and other fish are also in use. But what color of bait should be used in dark or light water is, in my opinion, a philosophical question. After all, predatory fish in any body of water feed not only on small fish. These could be baby frogs, molting crayfish, various larvae, earthworms...

Pike is perhaps the most popular and accessible object of hunting using trolling. The optimal equipment for a toothy predator is always a source of debate. Some anglers insist on using a soft metal leader for any bait. But this is not always justified. Such a leash is necessary when the bait, due to its small size, can actually end up completely in the pike’s mouth and the line will be cut by sharp teeth. The same is true if you are fishing with a live bait rig. A thin metal leash will always help when fishing out a toothy predator, protecting the fishing line from breaking. Where the water is very clear, pike are more careful, and in this case you can take the risk and catch them without a metal leash. Or use a double monofilament leash.

As for the negative aspects of trolling, it all depends on the fisherman. Let’s say that in the process of trolling a site of small pike perch is discovered. It could be ten or more fish. Fishermen (usually together) carefully anchor the boat and... completely destroy the school of pike perch by casting or plumb fishing. Another problem is that there are frequent cases of fish resting near the bottom turning purple. And this is especially true for catfish that are in a suspended state in early spring and late autumn. In such cases, fish usually suffer severe injuries.

Tactical fishing techniques by trolling require more experience compared to conventional spinning. But, as practice shows, they give good results, while other methods are not successful. Starting trolling from shallow waters and moving deeper to the underwater edges, the angler thereby chooses the surest path to the big fish.

Vladimir Kazantsev August 1, 2013 at 00:00