Super User Bird Posted March 25, 2021 Super User Posted March 25, 2021 So, launched boat this morning at local lake and make a b-line to favorite spot, after all, there was only 1 other vehicle in parking lot. Well wouldn't you know, there's an older gentleman slowly circling back and forth right where bass have consistently staged during pre-spawn. I watched him for 2 hrs circling at this hot spot so finally trolled up and asked him kindly what he was fishing for and he replied " trolling for Crappie ". First time I've heard or seen anyone troll for Crappie but he was relentless, still there an hour later after I talked to him, just circling and I only caught 1 LM elsewhere.
ajschn06 Posted March 25, 2021 Posted March 25, 2021 Trolling for anything isn't really fishing 2 2 1
Super User Bird Posted March 25, 2021 Author Super User Posted March 25, 2021 1 minute ago, ajschn06 said: Trolling for anything isn't really fishing I've fished for Crappie before but always found them in schools held up in submerged tree tops.
Super User roadwarrior Posted March 25, 2021 Super User Posted March 25, 2021 12 minutes ago, ajschn06 said: Trolling for anything isn't really fishing Geez... Before we had depth finders trolling was one of the most important ways to find fish. Lots of guys like trolling which they might refer to as "drifting". That is how I prefer fishing an A-Rig. 2
Global Moderator TnRiver46 Posted March 25, 2021 Global Moderator Posted March 25, 2021 16 minutes ago, ajschn06 said: Trolling for anything isn't really fishing Tell that to all the fish I catch trolling 4
ajschn06 Posted March 25, 2021 Posted March 25, 2021 1 minute ago, TnRiver46 said: Tell that to all the fish I catch trolling I, personally, wouldn't be bragging about "catching" those fish.. but to each their own...
Global Moderator TnRiver46 Posted March 25, 2021 Global Moderator Posted March 25, 2021 Just now, ajschn06 said: I, personally, wouldn't be bragging about "catching" those fish.. but to each their own... That’s your tale I’m sitting on mine
Crappiebasser Posted March 25, 2021 Posted March 25, 2021 19 minutes ago, ajschn06 said: Trolling for anything isn't really fishing I had this argument with a buddy a while back. How is trolling different than these bank beaters making 300 casts a day with crank baits or spinnerbaits. I get it’s not as sporting but if your goal is to get fish in the boat for supper it’s much more efficient.
Ski Posted March 25, 2021 Posted March 25, 2021 29 minutes ago, ajschn06 said: Trolling for anything isn't really fishing I respectfully disagree....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnrXrbsOZKs 2
Captain Phil Posted March 25, 2021 Posted March 25, 2021 Trolling is a very efficient way to fish. Before tournaments and trolling motors came into vogue, most bass fisherman trolled. Buck Perry popularized this fishing with his Spoon Plugs. If you wish to see how efficient trolling is, drag around a Rattle Trap or your favorite Crankbait for an hour or two. You may be surprised. Trolling is outlawed in tournaments because it removes the angler from the equation reducing him/her to cranking in fish. What that older angler was doing was more drifting than trolling. At certain times of the year crappies tend to bunch up in large schools. By varying your depth and moving around, you can find these schools. Today, TV anglers use underwater sonar to scan 360 degrees around the boat. Some even use viewers to view the fish directly. You could make a case that fishing that way is unsportsmanlike. I suppose some day a bass fisherman will create a lure that swims round and hooks onto inactive fish and it will be all the rage. ? 1
Super User Bankc Posted March 25, 2021 Super User Posted March 25, 2021 When I was young, trolling was okay and using fish finders were what was looked down upon as "not real fishing". "Might as well use a telephone", they said. My great grandfather told me that if you don't cut your own bamboo cane then you're not the one who's catching the fish. Zebco is (Or whoever. He didn't believe reels were sporting). But times change. Anyway, I don't care either way. I use fish finders. I troll. I use live bait. I fish without electronics from the bank with balsa cranks. I've even thrown firecrackers tied to rocks in a neighbor's pond (he was doing it with me). It's all real fishing. No reason to get judgmental with what other people enjoy doing. It hurts your own reputation more than the person you're judging. But yeah, in all my years I can't say as though I've ever heard of trolling for crappie. But white bass school, and trolling has always been a popular way to catch them, so I could see how it might not be a bad idea. 1
Global Moderator TnRiver46 Posted March 25, 2021 Global Moderator Posted March 25, 2021 If trolling isn’t fishing, what is side scan and live scope ? @Bird, trolling for crappie is the best way to get em. Just under 1mph with oars or electric motor 1
Super User Team9nine Posted March 25, 2021 Super User Posted March 25, 2021 Purists aside, while it's not my favorite way to chase crappie, I have caught quite a few nice ones over the years trolling cranks. A few of the guys around here are just about strictly crankbait trollers. Covers a good bit of water which you often need to do for open water schooling fish like crappie, especially in the summer. Like anything else, it can be as exact and scientific as any other method of fishing.
Super User Mobasser Posted March 25, 2021 Super User Posted March 25, 2021 I believe the world record smallmouth was caught by trolling a diving Bomber plug. Years ago, guys would troll to locate fish, then anchor and cast. Not my own favourite way to fish, but still works. I've caught a few crappie by trolling for them, but prefer casting. Just because your trolling doesn't guarantee that you'll catch anything...
MGF Posted March 25, 2021 Posted March 25, 2021 I don't crappie fish too much anymore but I've spent a lot of time trolling a two- jig rig. I don't see how it wouldn't be considered "fishing"...but you read all sorts of odd things on the net. 1
kayaking_kev Posted March 25, 2021 Posted March 25, 2021 Long story short, I kayaked long before I fished, decided to throw a line behind me as a I paddled after seeing so many fish all the time. I started catching a bunch of fish and had no clue how to tell a LM from a SM. Now, I'm hooked and I rarely troll and have taken 10 hours to fish a 3 mile stretch of river before. Lots of people around here troll for Crappie. I sometimes like to keep a Crappie line in my rod holder as I fish a spot or drift for Bass in the kayak. I also bank fish and I don't know about others, but I don't throw many crankbaits for fear of losing them and I rarely throw spinnerbaits. Depending on the season, Jerkbaits, Ned, Craws or anything that imitates them in early Spring, and a lot of Neko Rigged Worms and T-Rigs in the Summer, with some Lipless, Chatters, Spinners, and other baits mixed in there here and there throughout the season. My point is I think it takes a lot more skill to catch fish from the bank than it does trolling, but I have no problem trolling, but I can see how it can be annoying for other boaters as they seem to take up a lot of area.
MGF Posted March 25, 2021 Posted March 25, 2021 27 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said: If trolling isn’t fishing, what is side scan and live scope ? @Bird, trolling for crappie is the best way to get em. Just under 1mph with oars or electric motor ...or side scan and live scope mounted on 300 hp 70+ mph bass boats that have enough storage space for an entire tackle shop with talons and automated trolling motors that talk to the electronics and put you (or keep you) in the programmed location. It's what fishing is today for those who have the coin. Trolling, the way I do it is "old school" and doing it "the hard way". LOL 2
Super User WRB Posted March 25, 2021 Super User Posted March 25, 2021 The sport fish Ivan think of where trolling is common modern bass fishing. It’s not allowed tournament bass fishing snd that affects the mind set of recreational bass anglers. Tom 1
MGF Posted March 25, 2021 Posted March 25, 2021 10 minutes ago, kayaking_kev said: Long story short, I kayaked long before I fished, decided to throw a line behind me as a I paddled after see so many fish all the time. I started catching a bunch of fish and had no clue how to tell a LM from a SM. Now, I'm hooked and I rarely troll and have taken 10 hours to fish a 3 mile stretch of river before. Lots of people around here troll for Crappie. I sometimes like to keep a Crappie line in my rod holder as I fish a spot or drift for Bass in the kayak. I also bank fish and I don't know about others, but I don't throw many crankbaits for fear of losing them and I rarely throw spinnerbaits. Depending on the season, Jerkbaits, Ned, Craws or anything that imitates them in early Spring, and a lot of Neko Rigged Worms and T-Rigs in the Summer, with some Lipless, Chatters, Spinners, and other baits mixed in there here and there throughout the season. My point is I think it takes a lot more skill to catch fish from the bank than it does trolling, but I have no problem trolling, but I can see how it can be annoying for other boaters as they seem to take up a lot of area. Catching fish from the bank is easy enough if you can get to a stretch of bank that has fish on it...that's the hard part. It has been said that 90% of the fish are in 10% of the water...it's close enough. It's often hard to access the places that hold fish or cover nearly as much water without a boat
Global Moderator Bluebasser86 Posted March 25, 2021 Global Moderator Posted March 25, 2021 There's a huge difference between actually trolling effectively, and dragging a bait blindly behind a boat hoping it runs into a fish. I trolled up tons of crappie in my 2 man as a kid on roadrunners and shad raps. Trolling for them is one of the most popular ways to catch them in the summer when they scatter out. 3
ajschn06 Posted March 25, 2021 Posted March 25, 2021 1 hour ago, Ski said: I respectfully disagree....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnrXrbsOZKs Dragging live bait behind a boat and waiting? Nah...don’t care what species it is. If picking the right spot, making the right cast, and proper presentation isn’t involved then I’m out... I hit the trout streams a couple times a year with a worm and usually a bobber- I’m sure they call it “fishing” but I don’t consider it the same thing.... 1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said: If trolling isn’t fishing, what is side scan and live scope ? @Bird, trolling for crappie is the best way to get em. Just under 1mph with oars or electric motor Those also weak IMO
newriverfisherman1953 Posted March 25, 2021 Posted March 25, 2021 2 hours ago, ajschn06 said: Trolling for anything isn't really fishing That’s a pretty snobbish reply. I have had to change the way I fish. I can’t stand on the deck all day and cast like I used to. Now, I sit and cast, or use live bait or troll. I’m still doing what I like to do. That is fish. I wish you good health in years to come. 2
Ski Posted March 25, 2021 Posted March 25, 2021 17 minutes ago, ajschn06 said: Nah...don’t care what species it is. If picking the right spot, and proper presentation isn’t involved then I’m out... Ya have to pick the right depth, water temp, presentation , speed, weather, boat, float plan, I can go on and on to debate the techniques involved with successful trolling for targeted fish species. Just as much as if not more than throwing a bait. However if you do not like it then it is what it is but it is a a effective way to fish as well as a technical technique. R/Chris
Super User roadwarrior Posted March 25, 2021 Super User Posted March 25, 2021 This thread is swirling around the bowl...time to flush. Goodnight Irene. 3 1
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