Is It Legal? ...

[Felix77]

Guys,

 

I picked up a magazine at BPS and read an article on a technique referred to as "Dragging a fluke".  Now I understood dragging to mean slowing reeling or moving the rod slightly to cause the bait to inch it's way back to you.  Not according to this article.

 

Here's the quote about the technique.  This is after the cast and let it sink to the bottom part which I assumed everyone would know ...

 

"He doesn't reel it.  He doesn't hop or twitch it.

He simply holds onto his rod as the breeze pushes his boat

and his bait scuffs along the bottom.  That's it!"

 

I thought that would be considered trolling.  This is an article about a technique used on the Elite series so it must be legal right?  

[james 14]

The definitions I've seen state that the boat is "under power". If the boat is being pushed by the wind then I don't think you could consider it as such. If they allow long-lining a crankbait then I don't see where they'd have a problem with this.

[Teal]

As long as his gasoline engine is off is he is not given any advantage of covering alot of water. He is dependant on wind/current to move him and the lure. He is just drifting with the dead sticked lure. Sounds legal to me.

Ive done similar with lightly weight softpastics. I would come up wind blown points or banks and cast infront of stumps and rocks and let the current push the lure toward the target.

[Felix77]

As long as his gasoline engine is off is he is not given any advantage of covering alot of water. He is dependant on wind/current to move him and the lure. He is just drifting with the dead sticked lure. Sounds legal to me.

Ive done similar with lightly weight softpastics. I would come up wind blown points or banks and cast infront of stumps and rocks and let the current push the lure toward the target.

 

 

The definitions I've seen state that the boat is "under power". If the boat is being pushed by the wind then I don't think you could consider it as such. If they allow long-lining a crankbait then I don't see where they'd have a problem with this.

 

What about the trolling motor?  Wouldn't that be considered "under power"?

[Teal]

They didnt see the trolling motor as "under power" when guys were long lining last year.

[Felix77]

The difference with long-lining is that the intent isn't for the trolling motor to move the bait to catch fish.  In this case the intent is to move your bait with the motor.

 

After looking on other sites it looks like this (long lining) is a very touchy subject because while the intent isn't there the crankbait is obviously moving.

[BassinB]

if the trolling motor is under constant power to provide action to a bait it is considered trolling.  If the trolling motor is used to position a boat during cast and retrieve it is not considered trolling.

[Felix77]

Seems really grey and ultimately it's left to the person(s) in the boat to make a judgement call.  

 

In the case of a co-angler this is where morality takes precedence to the rules.  There's nothing stopping a co-angler from dropping a like and letting drag regardless of what the boater is doing with the trolling motor.

 

More and more like golf where players enforce their own rules.  

 

I have to say this was an interesting one.  Thanks to all of you for your feedback.  

[J Francho]

If it's wind or current moving the bait, that's totally natural, and ok in my book.  If it's done with the trolling motor, then it's not ok.  Ultimately, it's up to the tournament directors.