Trolling fishing became possible after the rapid growth of available small-size watercraft and outboard motors designed for them. The prototype of this type of fishing in the form of a track has long faded into the background. After all, towing baits using mechanical force is much more convenient and comfortable for the fisherman, and mobility when searching for promising sites for predators is not the least important thing in fishing.
Frequent and quick changes of places, the possibility of fishing large areas and varying depths made trolling the surest way to get really trophy fish, but at the same time they played a cruel joke on this method, giving it the reputation of a type of fishing aimed at exterminating the brood stock of a predator. It is worth noting that trolling is not a legal way of catching fish in all regions of our country, so when planning fishing trips, you should pay special attention to this factor, clarifying the interpretation of the local law.
How to organize trolling fishing, ensuring the process in terms of the technical part and auxiliary devices, as well as the basic hunting strategies, the fisherman will become aware of after reading this article.
What is trolling
Trolling is a modern way of catching fish using a motorized boat with a set of gear and bait, equipped with gadgets for navigation and echolocation that help search for trophies in vast water areas. In trolling fishing, the role of the fisherman is to present the bait to a certain depth and distance, directly control the bites and then reel in the hooked fish.
The wiring, or rather towing of the nozzle, is carried out due to the movement of the boat. At the time of fishing, you can use and control several gear with similar parameters with different types of bait, fishing at depth levels that differ in size from each other. This fishing method is intended for catching marine and freshwater predatory fish using bait of artificial and animal origin.
Rod
The basis is a trolling rod, which serves as a powerful spinning rod blank. Usually there are several of them, since, unlike casting fishing, all forms are rigidly fixed in a special rack. Fishing with one is not advisable - you will burn more gasoline than you catch fish. However, trolling for beginners is a difficult process, and it is better to start with two strong rods.
Spinning rod CROCODILE 2.1 m Vostok 585 for 1 piece. Plug rod ALLIGATOR Helios 730 for 1 piece. Spinning rod CROCODILE 2.4 m Vostok 740 for 1 piece. Plug rod KRACKEN Helios 1,290 for 1 piece. ProGUIDE X rod 1.98 m, 80-150 g CHC-26-97-199 Dragon 8 195 for 1 piece. Rod Elite Giant Cat 300 3.05 m, 300 g CHC-21-49-305 Dragon 3 945 for 1 piece. Rod Millenium SF SeiJig 150 2.75 m, 70-150 g CHC-22-27-275 Dragon 5 160 for 1 piece. Rod Millenium SF SeaWarrior 250 2.75 m, 70-150 g/20-250 g CHC-22-32-275 Dragon 6,085 for 1 piece.
Buy a reliable trolling rod
The length of trolling gear is small - usually 1.8 - 2.4 meters. It makes more sense to use longer forms if fishing is carried out with three or more sticks. To prevent the lines from getting tangled with each other, they are spaced as far apart as possible. As it has already become clear, trolling is not a jig, where the super sensitivity of the blank is important. The wiring is carried out by the boat, the animation of the bait is only independent, and ideally self-hooking occurs.
The material used for the fishing rod is usually graphite, fiberglass, carbon fiber or composite. For coastal fishing, a carbon rod (graphite and carbon fiber) is better suited - it is quite light and sensitive. But this is not suitable for trolling due to its low reliability under heavy loads, and sensitivity and lightness are of no use here. It is preferable to choose more durable forms made of fiberglass, which, moreover, have a lower cost. However, there are also special, especially durable carbon fiber rods, but they already form a completely different price segment, inaccessible to the majority.
Varieties
Trolling fishing has several directions and gradation by variety depending on the fishing location. There are such types of fishing as:
- sea trolling;
- river fishing method on moderate currents;
- trolling fishing on a small river.
In addition to the differences associated with reservoirs, trolling fishing is divided into thematic, for a specific type of predator, and general, in which the type of trophy is not initially placed at the forefront of the fishing result and is carried out at random. Thematic fishing mostly includes fishing in fresh water bodies, when one purposefully hunts for pike, pike perch or catfish, using specially selected baits for these purposes.
Sea fishing is more difficult to plan for a specific type of fish due to the wide variety of inhabitants of the water areas. Such fishing strategies are similar to a lottery, when absolutely any fish can become a trophy in the catch. In addition to the above types of methods, trolling is divided into basic and search. The main one is when a predator is caught only from a moving boat. Search - when areas of accumulation of fishing objects found by towing baits are subsequently fished with classic spinning types of hunting, anchoring a swimming device at a certain point.
Searching open places
The easiest place to troll. Sometimes you have to fish the middle of rivers and other deep areas of the reservoir. Some, mostly inexperienced fishermen, stick to the shore in the hope of catching small fish. But at the same time, they lose the opportunity to catch a large pike standing at depth. I caught decent pike only closer to the middle of the river, near the bottom and in “half-water”. Remember, in hot weather a thermocline forms on the lake. The wobbler must be driven above the thermocline layer. Fish in an oxygen-poor environment eat little and are completely inactive.
The fish does not like such conditions and rises to the upper layers. Some novice anglers fish in lakes and reservoirs at depth, not even suspecting that there are no fish there at all. This is another case where an echo sounder will be needed. Fishing open areas does not require special knowledge and maneuverability as when fishing the coastline.
Wobblers should be larger, brighter colors and deeper. The usual depth of the river in which large fish can be found is about 4 meters, but I do not claim that it is in such places that a large predator lives. The fastest current on the river is in the fairway. When fishing against a (strong) current, the wobbler will have high drag. In this case, it is better to use a jig head with a ripper or twister. Lower it to the bottom and slowly move against the current. The ripper should touch the bottom. If this does not happen, choose a heavier head. This is necessary for clearer control over the bait and greater confidence that the bait is moving near the bottom. For deep-sea trolling, I would recommend Rapala wobblers: Rattling Fat Rap or Shad Rap, but for too deep sections of the river it is better to take the Down Deep Rattling Fat Rap wobbler, which is designed for fairly deep reservoirs. In most normal rivers and lakes there are holes where the wobbler does not reach the bottom. Here I would recommend using a sinker or bouncer. A bouncer is generally more preferable in our conditions (the bottom is uneven, the fish often stays near the bottom). Wobblers with the Rattling prefix are more preferable, as they contain balls that make a sound when the wobbler vibrates. It’s okay if your wobbler doesn’t reach the bottom, since many pikes go into “half water” and often, it’s the large individuals.
Try fishing with a large wobbler, unless, of course, you are counting on something more than a kilogram pike. For me it is more important to set a record in my own competition than to catch small things in large quantities.
Don’t forget one more factor: the lower the current in the river, the more dirt will settle at the bottom. Therefore, you should not let the wobbler touch the bottom. Make it go above the bottom. This is where a bouncer can come in handy again.
By trolling in the middle of the river, you can find a school of pike perch and after landing one trophy, it will be possible to use the spinning method and pull out a few more decent fish. When fishing in the middle of the river, you don’t need a particularly quiet motor, since the fish mainly stay in the lower layers of the water and are not afraid of it. It is advisable to move the bait on a slow retrieve. At depth it is advisable to use a “suspender”. In addition to them, we can recommend the usual deep wobblers, such as Shad Rap, Fat Rap Deep Runner, Magnum Countdown (from 11 to 18 cm), Ratlin Fat Rap and Rattlin Rapala. All these wobblers must have dimensions of at least 7 cm.
Main gear parameters:
| fish | forests, kg | gear power, g |
| pike | 5 — 15 | 30 — 60 — 120 |
| zander | 3 — 7 | 10 — 40 |
| perch | 2 — 5 | 10 — 30 |
| lake trout | 4 — 7 | 10 — 40 |
| brown trout | 4 — 7 | 10 — 40 |
| palia | 3 — 6 | 10 — 40 |
| salmon | 7 — 16 | 30 — 60 — 120 |
Trolling tackle
The fundamental gear for trolling fishing is the spinning rod. Regardless of the types of trolling, a set of spinning equipment must have increased power that can withstand serious overloads. Excessive loads are not only associated with the occurrence of efforts when fighting massive caught fish and retrieving heavy deep-sea baits, but also arise from frequent hooks of fishing tools on underwater obstacles, which is considered an ordinary, working case in this area of hunting. Let's look at the main criteria for selecting a set of tackle from a more thorough perspective, focusing on each element separately.
Rod
The material of a spinning rod for trolling must meet the requirements of strength combined with the properties of high plasticity. The weight of the rod for this method of fishing is not considered the most important criterion, because the fisherman does not constantly hold the tackle in his hands, but handles it periodically, which does not cause fatigue. Consequently, even blanks with reinforced winding rings made of fiberglass are quite suitable for the frame of the gear.
Length
It is inconvenient to use long tackle in a boat, so the optimal blank lengths are considered to be rods in the range of 2.3 - 3 meters. This spinning rod can be used comfortably when feeding and adjusting the course of the bait, as well as adjusting trajectories, avoiding obstacles that arise along the way.
Test
Trolling gear is selected with weights starting from 20 grams. This is the optimal value with which you can drive the wobbler in the surface water horizon, knowingly introducing the risk of unexpected hooks that seriously load the form. Practice shows that when hunting on small rivers, rods with a test range of 20–50 grams are suitable. When fishing in large rivers, lakes and reservoirs, 40–80 grams, and the sea direction of trophy production is carried out with gear with tests ranging from 100 grams and above.
Build
To ensure guaranteed self-hooking of pecked fish, the best results are shown by medium-fast and fast action gear. Slow blanks do not guarantee reliable hooking due to the softness and high degree of shock absorption of the material, which gives the fish a chance to escape, spitting out the bait weakened by the tension of the cord. Ultra-fast blanks increase the reliability of hooking, but easily break when hooked and a sharp bite from a fish.
Coil
In the configuration of tackle for trolling fishing, inertia-free traction and multiplier reels with large, capacious spools are used.
Important! In the design of the reel, special importance is attached to fine adjustment of the clutches, which helps preserve the rod and bait when snags occur.
When catching fish in fresh waters, reels starting from 3500 units are used. For sea fishing, it is preferable to install bulky multipliers with a line counter and a spool reserve of hundreds, or even a thousand meters. Recently, miniature multipliers have appeared on sale, suitable for trolling fishing in small reservoirs for small trophies.
fishing line
The priority of equipment for trolling fishing is to install a non-stretch braided cord, which transmits the bite signal more clearly and quickly and takes up less volume in the spool, having high breaking load limits with smaller diameters. Multi-colored braided cords are comfortable for fishing; by the coloring of the sections, it is visually easy to determine the length of the unwinding of the tackle. Monofilament fishing lines, due to the high stretch coefficient and large diameters of the thread, are rarely used in trolling fishing and in very specific hunting conditions at short distances for carrying bait.
Inertia-free
For shallow depths, this choice is quite justified. They cost less, and if necessary, the clutch can be turned off and reeled in manually, which is very convenient when fishing for large specimens. In cartoons, the clutch does not turn off. The friction clutch must be configured correctly to avoid triggering when micro-hooks occur. And if the setting is too tight, then it will not give up the line even with a strong jerk on a dead hook. In this case, you risk being left without a form. The best option would be a powerful power model with a gear ratio of 1:3 or 1:4 and with 4-6 bearings. The spool capacity is at least 100 meters of fishing line.
Reel AKIRA 4000F Helios 1,555 for 1 piece. Proskyer Surf 4+1 reel under RYOBI RYOBI 7,710 for 1 pc. Spinning reel 20 LAGUNA LT 4000 C DAIWA 4,600 for 1 piece. Spinning reel Odyssey 4000 FD Lagoon 2 380 for 1 pc. Reel CATANA 4000 FD Shimano 4 850 for 1 pc.
Trolling boat
For marine fishing, boats of varying power are equipped, allowing long passages and withstanding difficult weather conditions. Choosing a boat for the more familiar type of troll in river and lake conditions is much simpler and unpretentious.
Important! Any PVC boat, wooden, plastic or metal model that has a transom or a device for attaching a motor is suitable for trolling.
The power of the motor, whether electric or gasoline, depends on the weight and carrying capacity of the boat. For fishing, the boat is equipped with comfortable seats and various devices that help hold gear and navigation gadgets, store bait and caught trophies. All this tuning of the boat is adjusted to the individual needs and preferences of the fisherman, meeting the requirements for safe operation of the boat and comfortable fishing.
Auxiliary equipment
Beginner fishermen who have just begun to master trolling fishing should have an understanding of auxiliary equipment that will provide additional quality and convenience for fishing. The presence of these elements will determine the saving of expensive fishing time, as well as the quantitative component of the catch.
This does not mean that it is impossible to carry out trolling without these gadgets and devices, because you can purchase them not at once, but as needed, over time getting a taste and already understanding the essence of this kind of fishing, or you can not use them at all, ignoring convenience and relying purely on luck . For example, the presence of a GPS navigator will help you quickly find a trajectory marked on the lake, which during a previous fishing trip showed a significant result in terms of trophies obtained and was prudently entered into the device’s memory. We will look at some important auxiliary things in a little more detail.
Echo sounder
There is no doubt that an echo sounder will not be an unnecessary extra in a boat designed for trolling. Information about the bottom topography is fully capable of becoming the initial data for the planned fishing strategy. Having this device in hand, the angler will quickly become familiar with the territory intended for fishing, making a preliminary walk around it and identifying promising points. In addition, some modern gadgets in this direction, in addition to the bottom topography, can show the presence of a trophy, which will allow you to place the bait in the right place and in the exact water horizon and be prepared for a possible reaction of the fish in the form of a bite.
A variety of echo sounders with different capabilities and price levels allows you to choose a device that suits your budget and your needs. Some gadgets, combining echolacing with navigation at the same time, will become an indispensable assistant in conducting repeated fishing trips on the same body of water.
Downrigger
This device helps to accurately guide the bait in a certain water horizon. The downrigger has nothing to do with electronic devices, but it copes with its function quite effectively, giving the bait the required depth stroke regardless of the distance it is released from the boat.
The essence of the mechanism is based on the principle of operation of a miniature winch attached to a boat, using a cord to support a load moving in the desired horizon. Connected by a clip to the main cord of the tackle, when a fish bites, the weight spontaneously detaches from the stretching thread with the bait, allowing you to freely remove the hooked fish.
Other devices
Other practical and useful equipment includes rod holders that can free the fisherman from constantly holding the gear in his hands, allowing him to visually monitor the progress of fishing, reacting only to the moment a bite occurs. In trolling from boats and boats, where several equipment is used simultaneously, various devices are often used to regulate the movement of baits and help ensure not only depth and distance parameters, but also prevent tangling of cords. In particular, sinkers and bouncers are responsible for the level indicators of the stroke, and outriggers and paravanes are responsible for their spreading and not intersecting the trajectories of the cords during wiring.
fishing line
When you purchase fishing line, pay attention to the characteristics of the blank you have already purchased. Exceeding the maximum breaking load of the fishing line can lead to breakage of the rod, and an excessively thin thread will constantly break. Therefore, follow the recommendations on the form; usually the recommended characteristics of the fishing line are written on them. It is justified to use a thinner thread in places where there is a high probability of dead hooks, and in this case it is better to have a line break than to break the rod.
Line FORWARD Green Warrior 100 m Nylon Nisus 195 for 1 pc. Trolling Line 150 m transparent Momoi 299 for 1 pc. Line Striner Sinking 150 m olive Rubicon 120 for 1 pc. Monofilament line MASK UNIVERSAL 150 m AKKOI 215 for 1 pc. Line SKYLINE Fluorocarbon Composition Evo Tech PRO GhostInv 250 m Sprut 389 for 1 pc. Fantaji fishing line 150 m black-green Shii Saido 270 for 1 pc.
-20%
Line Feeder mono Burgundy 150 m Sufix 390 312 for 1 pc.
Buy a reliable monofilament for trolling fishing
Most trolling enthusiasts choose durable braid, but under trolling loads such threads fray the rings and fray themselves. In addition, inextensible braids are unable to absorb strong jerks of prey. This problem is solved by a monofilament shock leader. Due to its springiness, the monofilament does not pull the bait out of the fish’s mouth. With hard and fast rods, it is sometimes better to use high-quality monofilament or be sure to supplement the braid with a shock leader. In Russian conditions, it is possible that a heavy pike will be interested in the bait, so it makes sense to equip the shock leader with a metal leash of about half a meter.
Lures
Wobblers for trolling are the classic and most common bait for the method we are considering. Lure manufacturers produce deep-sea wobblers with factory game settings specifically for this type of hunting. Cranks, fats, shads and minnows are the most promising types of wobblers for fishing . In addition to wobblers, the troll uses oscillating spoons and loaded silicone. When focusing on silicone baits, it is worth noting the prospects of such species as ripper and spinnerbait.
Lure sizes are selected based on fishing conditions, as well as the amount of fish expected to be caught. In some cases, fishermen use not only artificial baits, but also rigs with dead fish as bait. Rotating spoons, due to the high probability of twisting the cords, are rarely used in trolling, and if they are used, then in conjunction with a nylon cord.
Search for a predator
Even having determined the method of catching a predator, the angler needs to find active fish. In trolling fishing this is done using an echo sounder. A motor boat equipped with this gadget will help you quickly solve the problem of finding predators in vast water areas and successfully start fishing. The absence of an echo sounder significantly complicates the task, requiring the fisherman to know the habits of the object being fished and the ability to find fish based on certain surface features, weather conditions and structural features of the reservoir. Thus, almost all freshwater predators like to hunt in places with the presence of aquatic vegetation and its boundaries, as well as in areas near the bottom that have anomalies in the form of depth lines, holes, the presence of driftwood and snags. With an increase in atmospheric pressure, the predator moves to shallow water, and when it decreases, it moves to the depths. Intense heat slows down fish, forcing them to sink to the bottom and take slow-moving baits.
Trolling in shallow water
Shallow-water zones include water areas with depths of up to three meters. These are often favorite habitats for small pike, pike perch and asp. Trolling on rivers and lakes in shallow waters does not differ in its strategies. The fisherman uses wobblers with a small depth, medium-sized oscillating spoons and silicone of different sizes. Fishing with dead fish pays off. Lures are placed over algae and near the boundaries of clear water. Straight-line even pulls and pulls with pulls at low boat speeds are successful.
Trolling in the depths
Fishing by trolling on a river with depths of over five meters and the presence of even moderate currents will require powerful gear. For fishing, deep-sea wobblers, heavy spoons and coated silicone are used. Wiring is associated with strong vibrations from the play of the bait and resistance to the forces of the current; moreover, the catches include large and strong fish, which can crush the tackle if not properly fished. The fisherman will need to develop fishing skills, experience of which is easiest to gain by starting fishing in shallow waters. According to the depths, the bait leads near the bottom, even sometimes touching the ground. Uniform wiring alternates with pulling, short winding of the cord followed by lowering, movements from side to side. The boat is driven at medium and high speeds.
Spoons
Many trollers use metal baits, and quite successfully. usually these are heavy, narrow-bodied vibrators. The pike perch has a weakness for them and will definitely try to grab the bait. Spinnerbaits reach the required depth on their own thanks to aerodynamics and weight; they almost never need deepeners. But turntables are used less frequently and work only in tandem with deepeners, since at high speed they simply fly to the surface.
Salmon spinner Roll (35 g Brass) scales (1512) Helios 189 for 1 pc. Oscillating spoon Aoko Spoon (87mm/35g/FT) Sprut 530 for 1 pc. Oscillating spoon Keijuro Spoon (65mm/30g/FT) Sprut 540 for 1 pc. Salmon spinner Roll 35 g Gray. blue scales Helios Helios 189 for 1 piece. Salmon spinner Roll (35 g Copper) scales (1513) Helios 189 for 1 pc. The spinner wavered. Steez Spoon 35g (1-1/4 oz) WAKASAGI (07431573) DAIWA 1,030 for 1 piece. Oscillating spoon Keijuro Spoon (65mm/30g/SOB) Sprut 540 for 1 pc. Salmon spinner oscillating ROLL (35g; 9cm) (PR-P-35-08) Premier Fishing 190 for 1 pc. Oscillating spinner Casper Spoon (78mm/33g/SBK) Sprut 380 for 1 pc. Salmon spinner oscillating ROLL (35 g; 9 cm) (PR-P-35-05) Premier Fishing 190 for 1 piece.
Choose a lure for trolling
Silicone baits
Large silicones work quite well in trolling fishing, but their life is short - they suffer significantly from the teeth of a predator and therefore are often used only once. Sometimes a pike attacks the bait and bites off the tail without touching the hook, and swims away in confusion. To avoid such cases, use additional hanging tees or offset hooks that are threaded through the body of the bait.
Vibrating tail Trofey Silver Sparkles & Pink Helios 138 for 1 pack. Vibrating tail Trofey Silver Sparkles & Fio LT Helios 138 for 1 pack. Sinking bait 4D LB River Roach, color Gree/Silver Savage Gear 510 for 1 pc. Vibrating tail Trofey Blue Lime Helios 138 for 1 pack. Vibrating tail Trofey Red Sparkles WT Helios 138 for 1 pack. Soft bait Slick Shad, color UV Firetiger Fox Rage 990 for 1 pack. Sinking bait 4D Perch Shad 175 Slow Sink, color Perch Savage Gear 990 for 1 pack. Vibrating tail Trofey Blue Sparkles & White Helios 138 for 1 pack. Replicant Realistic Pike Soft Lure, Super Wounded Pike Fox Rage 1,190 per pack. Soft bait Replicant Realistic Pike, color Super Hot Pike Fox Rage 1,190 for 1 pack.
But in other respects, silicone baits are simply ideal for trolling - the long body of a silicone fish creates an excellent game and creates fewer hooks than the already mentioned types of baits.
How to fish by trolling
Regarding trolling fishing techniques, it is worth paying attention to two main points of guiding baits along rivers. Wiring can be done both with the flow and against it. When choosing fishing tactics with the current, special attention is paid to the speed of the boat, which should allow the bait to play and not float freely in the water flow.
Important! The correct play of the bait is distinguished by the peculiar uniform rhythmic twitching of the quiver-type tackle, without any failure.
Driving baits against the current in selecting speeds is easier, because the animation of the simulator is achieved even with minimal movement as a result of the force of the water flow. In this case, an important parameter is the release length of the bait, which affects the depth of its stroke. During the reeling process, the angler must monitor the hooks, lowering the line in a timely manner and slowing down, and when reeling in the cords, pay attention to the trajectory of the bait, preventing the thread from getting on the motor propeller.
