Trolling?

[Tuchifabz]

Is it ok to use a Med Mod Glass to troll? or should I go to Med Heavy Mod glass rod?

[WRB]

Trolling is like casting and retrieving a lure the only difference is you make 1 cast and move the lure with the boat. The rod needs to be able to handle the lure weight and resistance going through water. 

Deep diving lures create a lot of resistance where slim minnow shape lures like a jerk bait create very little resistance. Lure type and size determines rod power.

Easy to test by making a short cast and run the lure near the boat to watch and determine speed the lure runs right and force on the rod. Usually walking speed about 2 -2 1/2 miles per hour is a good starting point.

Tom

[Born 2 fish]

All depends on baits your trolling if I’m trolling small flicker shads I use a med moderate rod. So I don’t pull the hooks 

[jimmyjoe]

   Like @WRB said, it depends on what you're using for a lure. Trolling rods range anywhere from ultralight (the Lamiglas Kokanee trolling rods made from fiberglass) to medium (like the Shimano Compre  rods made from graphite) to heavy (like the Lamiglas XCC rods made from a graphite lower section and fiberglass tip). So your M/M rod DEFINITELY fits in there somewhere. You just need to determine exactly where.

 

   Good luck! Trolling can be flat-out fun!             jj

[Dwight Hottle]

Trolling rods are usually longer in length than conventional casting/spinning rods but you can use your regular rods with no problems. The longer rods help cushion the impact & help with spacing baits out when using multiple rods. Overall fiberglass rods make good trolling rods. My advice is to match the rod actions based on what type of line you are using. Fiberglass rods & moderate action graphite are best with braid which has little to no stretch. They help cushion the blow when a fish hits a fast moving bait and keep the fish buttoned up until you land it. If you use mono/fluoro  for line you can use a stiffer action rod like moderate fast or fast & still have a cushion from the line stretch. I prefer medium heavy moderate over medium moderate actions for bigger fish & baits that have more resistance. 

Trolling speeds are determined by your bait selection & fish species. Colder water temps also affects speed. Typical trolling speeds vary from 1.5 to 2.5 mph. Cold water temps vary from .5 to 1.5 mph. Those speeds cover most bass trolling. If trolling for musky, salmon, steelhead. lake trout or some other species you might troll at 2.5 to 5 mph. It is necessary to watch the action of a bait behind the boat to see how it responds to your boat speed. Some baits blow out over 3 to 3.5 mph. The other thing to consider when trolling is changing your speed & direction. Slow turns or trolling s patterns helps trigger strikes by speeding up one side buts slows the other side. Stalling & then speeding up also helps trigger strikes. Don't just troll in a straight line. Mix it up. Some fish follow a bait & will not hit it until it changes speed or direction. It's like a crank bait deflecting off structure. 

 

[jimmyjoe]

2 hours ago, Dwight Hottle said:

Trolling rods are usually longer in length than conventional casting/spinning rods but you can use your regular rods with no problems. The longer rods help cushion the impact & help with spacing baits out when using multiple rods. Overall fiberglass rods make good trolling rods. My advice is to match the rod actions based on what type of line you are using. Fiberglass rods & moderate action graphite are best with braid which has little to no stretch. They help cushion the blow when a fish hits a fast moving bait and keep the fish buttoned up until you land it. If you use mono/fluoro  for line you can use a stiffer action rod like moderate fast or fast & still have a cushion from the line stretch. I prefer medium heavy moderate over medium moderate actions for bigger fish & baits that have more resistance. 

Trolling speeds are determined by your bait selection & fish species. Colder water temps also affects speed. Typical trolling speeds vary from 1.5 to 2.5 mph. Cold water temps vary from .5 to 1.5 mph. Those speeds cover most bass trolling. If trolling for musky, salmon, steelhead. lake trout or some other species you might troll at 2.5 to 5 mph. It is necessary to watch the action of a bait behind the boat to see how it responds to your boat speed. Some baits blow out over 3 to 3.5 mph. The other thing to consider when trolling is changing your speed & direction. Slow turns or trolling s patterns helps trigger strikes by speeding up one side buts slows the other side. Stalling & then speeding up also helps trigger strikes. Don't just troll in a straight line. Mix it up. Some fish follow a bait & will not hit it until it changes speed or direction. It's like a crank bait deflecting off structure. 

 

 

   This is a bible of trolling in very few words. Read it well!                 JJ