trolling for bass

[CallMeTheSeeker]

just wonderin if any of you guys have trolled for bass?

last trip out we were fishing at a couple of our normal spots and not catching jack.  Well it happened my gf was with us and she gets bored if we sit without catchign anything for an hour and a half or so.

So we decided we'd troll around for a bit with a sinker and a night crawler(usually we'll do this for some nice panfish).  We just rig up a panfish hook on the end of the line then a small gremlin lead clip on sinker about a foot and a half up form the hook.  well this time we came across this one part of the lake....and within a two minute span both me and my buddy had decent bass on(14"+)

i got to thinkin this might be a good way to find the bass when they arent hittin(and u dont have a fish finder)..at least in shallower water anyway.

I was thinkin if we threw some bigger hooks on our line too we might be able to weed out the panfish/perch hits even more.

just wonderin if any of you have done this and if it's helped you at all.  Or any tips from any of you that have.

thanks again

-Seeker

[bassackwards]

trolling has to be the easiest way to find em and catch 'em.

I love to do it when I'm feelin lazy, or tired of casting.  (? lol)

I have been reading "In Pursuit of Giant Bass", and I have yet to come to where Bill Murphy talks about trolling, but he has mentioned that its a great method.  I'm thinking he does it a bit different.

[nwgabassmaster]

For black bass, no, I have never trolled.  The main reason is that the method of trolling, in most tournaments, is prohibited, and the fish that you catch in this method are forfeit.

However, on Lake Weiss, during this part of the year, especially during the day, you can catch quite a few decent sized white bass, striped bass, and hybrids, along with the bigger crappies if you troll behind your boat, around 75-100', with spoons.  

We did this for several years in the hot parts of the day, and ended up filling the coolers full of these fish, and having a decent fish fry during the evenings.

As for the changing of the hook, it won't work.  Sure, they won't get hooked nearly as often, but if you are still using a nightcrawler, that's the part that they are after, not the hook.  So, either switch up baits, or still be stuck with the problem of having the panfish nipping at your line.

[Gatorbassman]

Welcome to the site.

  This is a great way to bring in some nice bass. Yes, as nwga said, it is against tournament rules. But when fishing for fun why not. I fish a few trolling motor only lakes and I have a rod holder mounted to the back corner of my boat just for trolling. I put a medium diving crankbait on and just let it go behind the boat. I have picked up several very large bass this way.

It's a great way to find the bass. When you catch one, there are usually a few more in that area. That's when I would grab a Carolina Rig and fan cast the area.

[Phishn_Phool]

I remember when I was younger, I was fishing Lake Norfork, Ar and I would yake a weeks vacqation and go fishing the week after Christmas and that is how we would locate the bass alot.  We would troll a 600 series Bomber and troll the bluffs at different depths.  Often we would locate fish like this and the switch to a jig and pig.  I have caught some nice bass doing this.

                                    CPR ;D

[Raul]

I do it everytime I 'm in the boat when I 'm moving from one spot to another when both are far away, it 's a very effective way to locate the fish, when done right it can be very productive.

It 's not the easiest way to catch them,  it 's a fishing technique and it has as much art and science just like any other, you have to select the right lure, troll it at the right speed, at the right distance from the boat and through the right spots, just exactly what you do when you cast.

[bassackwards]

did someone say easy?  must have been a typo-- ;D

[utser]

do it all the time. from put in to my favorite spot, or if i move around. you aint fishin unless bait is in the water.  usually tie on a thunderstick or a big spinner and let it run about 50 ft behind. picked up some nice fish this way. not only bass. musky, pickerel, walleye,occasional trout.