# How do you troll lures



## Magicrik

This sound like a stupid question i know.......but on my first trip out i was trolling a SX48 in what is call whitebait. i pulled the think for about an hours without a hit. Maybe its the way i was doing it or the speed i was going, my leader was only 6lb maxiam. Ive read the tips Peril put up about watching your rod tip. The lure was moving great. Do you think i should try some of my other lures?
Ive got some RMC S52 scorpion in Gold and orange, Green/yellow/orange. Should i try them?
The biggiest problem ive got is that i want to go up the Maroochy river to peatree creek and on a map it looks about 6Km from my house. is i worth the next time its going to take to troll a lure up there or should i just power up and troll when i get there?
All this thinking gives me brain ache :?


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## hairymick

Hi Rik,

Don't give up on the SX mate. if it is swimming OK it will catch fish.

What works for me is to go SLOOOOOW  real slow. To work out the best speed for me, I put the lure just in the water - rod in holder and watched it. When I was only going just fast enough to make it start to work, that is the speed I troll at.

Mate, I would pick my tides, troll up with it and come back with it. I would also use two rods, one with a SX and another one with something else.

I would also troll right along the edge of the banks so that my lure was within a metre or so of it. The bream should be schooling up there at the moment and they will be along those banks.


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## hairymick

Oh yeah,

You also need some 40s and 60s mate. (They seem to catch better than the 48s for me)


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## Davey G

mate....just keep trying, sounds like youre doing the right things...

perhaps the fish just aren't there......


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## andybear

Yep.. you are doing it right.... sometimes the fish just don't cooperate..slow is good.... sometimes stop is good,.... just watch out for the duty cormorant in Pine River though

Cheers Andybear :lol:


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## Magicrik

ive got some 40's One in a purpley colour and one with what looks like tigar strips in gold and black. i dont know the number........oh i found it its call the gold coast special.
But about the travel troll there? or just get there and then troll?
hey hairymick I was thinking of doing that. Thats why i going so far up river cos the tides going to help me up too and back :lol:


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## Peril

The in purpley colour is real good for flatties. Trouble is they like to keep them.

Travel then troll or travel/troll: its all a matter of judgement. Little point trolling a 1m diving lure through deep water and there's no point trolling slowly where you don't expect to catch fish because you won't do it well - you'll speed up. On the other hand there's nothing wrong with leaving the lure in the water while travelling - anything you catch then is a bonus (I got a nice salmon this way on an sx40).

Don't try to compromise here. If you don't travel slowly, as Mick described, you won't be using the lure optimally. (Of course variation is good, but in the main it is the lowest speed at which the lure works). So you have to decide at any point in your journey to travel or troll. Just leave the lure out all the time unless there is a danger of snagging.


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## Davey G

rik, if I'm paddling quick to get to a spot then I'll usually troll a bigger lure (Rapala CD9, Rapala Husk Jerk or Halco Laser Pro). These lures will swim / work effectively at higher speed and allow me to paddle fast while still having a chance at a tailor, salmon, kingfish or other species.

Once I get to my desired spot I'll then switch to a smaller lure to target flathead, bream, whatever.

On some of my trips, 50% of my time is spent paddling across open or deep water so it seems stupid not to have something dragghing along behind whilst I'm paddling. I've actually caught most of my bigger fish by doing this.

Cheers


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## Breambo

Also some of the lures, like the RMG,s, will say on the packet, for eg my lazer pro 125 packet says 2-4 knots trolling speed.
The sx40 in the gold and black (301?) is one of my favs. Im on me third one.    
I,ve been having success on Palamons, Attack, Strike Pro, Scorpions and Rapalas( just to mention a few) but I still usually try one of the SX first. Usually I go on the depth that I need as the first criteria.


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## Phoenix

Lure depth has a lot to do with it.

I also try and keep my lures about 12-15 metres behind me, ie 3-4 boat lengths behind you is the prefered distance.

Use your ears and listen to the reel - you will work out what is normal and what it sounds like when the lure has fouled on weed.

Use your eyes and watch the rod action and you paddle through the water - this will also give you a good idea as to what is normal and when you have fouled the lure.

Fish simply wont strike at a lure that has been fouled on weed.


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## Gator

On the same sort of subject: At what angle do most position their rods in the holder when trolling? High, Low, Horzontal, fwd, aft????

Duncan


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## Dodge

Duncan said:


> On the same sort of subject: At what angle do most position their rods in the holder when trolling? High, Low, Horzontal, fwd, aft????
> 
> Duncan


I go about 30 deg above the water, and is easy to watch the tip working


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## Guest

I try and lay mine as flat as possible and out 90 degrees......

I figure less chance of crossed lines, and also more depth on my deep divers. If I were fishing shallow areas then I might lift my rod tips a little?


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## Magicrik

hey Duncan i just had my rods in my flush mount rod holders..... :? 
If i need the tip of the rod to be as close to the water as it can, illl go and get some tubing today and mount them on my crate at about 40/45 degrees.

Dallas the last thing you said confused me. How can you have your rod flat and have it out 90 degrees? 90 degrees is stright up anit it?


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## Gator

Rik: I have a couple of Scotty rod holders mounted to the coaming of my sit in kayak. They are fully adjustable on both the horozontal and the vertical. When I get my new yak Malibu X-Factor next week I intend to get a couple of Scotty inserts that will fit in the flush mounts and then the rod holder fits onto that. No drilling of holes for a permenant mount. Should work fine.


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## Magicrik

That sounds like a good idea Duncan, beause i think the rod holder on my yak are to low and that why my reel jammed up.

Ive been out and i got ......
Rapala GSR-7 it looks just like a herrin
Little Lucifer 6' 
Rapala TD-9 limited Edition

So im going to give them a go this weekend and ill let you know how it goes


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## rawprawn

I spend a lot of time trolling. Trolling this morning I had two very light rods out both siting snugly in the flush mounts which are standard on the P13. I was using two el cheepo rods and reels (as I do) and using 6lb monofil leader.

I was trolling a gold black SX 40 and a silver Scorpion (the smallest one). I caught approx 10 bream in two hours only half where legal. I troll slowly. I look back at my tips and make sure they are not vibrating too frantically. I think about how fast a fish the size of the lure would be normally be swimming and match it. I pause often and itÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s during the slowing down phase that I will often get a hit. I got a double hook up today and the second hit was whilst I was stoped. This is not unusual.

One you get a few under your belt your confidence will grow and this confidence will transfer to the lure (donÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t ask me how itÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s magic). Just keep plugging away.


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## Mallard Duck

Magicrik:



> Dallas the last thing you said confused me. How can you have your rod flat and have it out 90 degrees? 90 degrees is stright up anit it?


I think that he means that he trolls the rods parrallel with the water (flat) and at 90 degrees to his seated position in the kayak so that the rods are perpendicular to the direction of travel.

I could be wrong though. :?


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## Guest

Chris said:


> Magicrik:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Dallas the last thing you said confused me. How can you have your rod flat and have it out 90 degrees? 90 degrees is stright up anit it?
> 
> 
> 
> I think that he means that he trolls the rods parrallel with the water (flat) and at 90 degrees to his seated position in the kayak so that the rods are perpendicular to the direction of travel.
> 
> I could be wrong though. :?
Click to expand...

Yup 

90 degrees to the centre line of the kayak........out meaning out to the side.

I like my rods out front when trolling so I can see my rod tips without craning my neck around, I often troll the edges of drop offs and need to keep my depth steady to avoid snagging up, so keeping my eyes up front and on the sounder makes life easier as well. I have adjustable Scotty Powerlocks up front on the Tarpon, and now have a similar setup with a Scotty Triple on the new Prowler 

I'm a huge fan of forward mounted adjustable rod holders. Very versatile 

When trolling deep divers as I do quite often, the lower the rod tip to the water the deeper I can get my lures down and into the zone. With standard flush mounts that keep the tip high the only way to get the lures to the same depth is to let out more line, which makes lure placement when navigating around points and structure difficult.

Open water trolling would be a different ballgame I imagine


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## Magicrik

Thanks guys 
At the moment im just going to use the tubing ive got. Ill look into getting the scotty holder later.........but ive got my too rods set one each side of me and at about 30 and 40 degrees from the water.

Im going to put the GSR-7 on my 12lb line, with 10lb leader do you think this is ok or to light? because i figured the lure is massive to what i normaly use and if a fish hits it or should i said when a fish hits it it going to be a big fish and i dont want my new lures being taken on the first hit


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## Guest

Depending what species you are targeting, I'd even maybe up your leader a little?


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## Magicrik

Im targeting anything thats in the maroochy river.......im not fussy :lol: 
But can i ask you guys to look at the angles ive got my rods please and give me some input.

http://www.akff.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=30816#30816

That the link to my yak page


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## yaker

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## Chillihilli

In my (limited) experience, I've caught fish trolling from the flush mounts behind me and the adjustable in front of me. Like Dallas, my preference is the forward mounted adjustable, so you can watch the tip. I also like to keep my foot against the butt of the rod (sits jus nicely in front of the footrest).

The slower the better I think, and they usually hit as you change direction and/or the lure slows down for a couple of seconds.

I was in Swan Bay down here on Sunday. Beautiful conditions, but a run out tide coming off a huge shallow weedy bay. Floating weed everywhere. I was only getting about 20 metres of trolling in before it would foul and just drag the weed through the water. I gave up in the end and spent a couple of hours enjoying the paddle. You could tell when it fouled because the vibration of the rod tip stopped.

I try and stick to one lure at a time, as I find with two you invariably get a tangle. If you get a fish and don't pull the other line in, by the time you've landed the fish it will have gone slack and tangled.


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## Nic

I mainly troll now. I really enjoy it.

I had an experience with an old timer a month or two ago. He was using a small bream lure off the bank, but he had a small sinker further up the line seperated by a tiny swivel. This sinker was about thumbnail size, so not tiny like a pea. Anyway, this old timer was throwing the lure quite far out, waiting for it to sink, then bringing it back in along the bottom. He said the lure size was good but the water depth didn't allow it to get down. He was catching quite a few just whilst I was standing there quite dumbstruck. So, I have now be trolling using this methos with the Sx-40's etc and in all depths. Its been working a treat. In fact I caught my largest flathead just this weekend using a Gold Bomber with the sinker. It doesn't seem to affect the swim action a great deal, so long as the leader is long enough. Its just keeps them on the bottom.

Can always learn something new from the 'ol boys around the ramps.


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## Magicrik

i like that idea of the sinker on the line. cos no matter what your depth your lures gonna be on the bottom. if you let out another line what is


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## Magicrik

It works the damn thing works. 
I was out on the bank and i cast out and on the first go a 50cm flattie hammered the little gold and black SX40.
the only problem i have is its hard to cast and not get the lures all rapped up. But im out tonight and im going to give it a go from the yak, It cant go wrong there i dont need to cast it


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