Trolling from a motorized boat is very different from the classic spinning or angling from a fun boat, where the main allies of the angler are not only luck and knowledge of the pond, but also the ability to do so. equipmentThe motor allows you to quickly catch vast areas, explore the bottom relief and find active sites of predators, which is especially important on large reservoirs and lakes.
But to make it work, you need to understand the physics of the process and adjust the equipment correctly. Simply towing a wobbler behind a boat often only causes rigs to break and no bites. The key to success lies in precise control, which is precisely controlling the depth of the dive and the wiring horizon, which is impossible without the use of specialized gadgets and understanding hydrodynamics.
In this article, we will explore all the nuances of the boat equipment, the choice of gear and tactics that will turn your boat into an effective platform for the extraction of trophy pike, perch or salmon. Prepare for the fact that the approach to fishing will change forever, becoming more technological and efficient.
Boat equipment and navigation equipment
The foundation of successful trolling is not so much the spinning itself as the equipment installed on board. sounder Without it, fishing becomes blind poking because anglers can't see the bottom relief, thermoclines, and most importantly, the fish's response to the bait that floats, and modern models allow them to create real-time maps of the depths, mark the grappling points, and return to them with the accuracy of a metre.
The second critical element is speed control. For trolling, it is critical to maintain a constant speed of 2 to 5 km/h, which is extremely difficult to do with a conventional outboard motor because of its minimal revs. electric motor on the nose or transom, or the use of special nozzles on the gasoline engine (kicker motor), which allow you to move at a minimum speed without overheating the engine.
Safety and convenience are also important: Trolling often involves staying in a boat for a long time, so having comfortable seats, protection from sun and rain, and reliable fixation of rods (outriggers or glider boards) significantly affects the fatigue of the angler. Navigation maps The sounder should be relevant, as old data can lead to a stranded landing when reversing or maneuvering.
⚠️ Warning: Never start trolling without making sure that the line or cord is not tangled behind the engine's lower unit or screw, which can lead to instantaneous loss of expensive bait and damage to the propeller.
Selection of tackles: rods, coils and cords
Motor trolling gear should have a higher margin of safety and reliability. Unlike jerk wiring, here the rod is subjected to constant static load from the resistance of the water and the bait itself. The optimal test of rods varies from 40 to 100 grams, and the formation is preferable fast or medium-fast, to clearly feel the wobbler's play and make a confident cut at a distance.
Coils are used mainly multiplier, as they have better traction power and allow you to accurately control the release of the line. Forest-intensity The coils should be high, as fishing at great depths may require a cord reserve of more than 200 meters. The use of wicker cords is preferable to monophile, since they do not have extensibility, which is critical for transmitting a bite at a great distance, but at very great depths or when fishing carefully in clear water, a fluorocarbon shock leader is sometimes used.
- 🎣 The rod: Specialized trolling spinning length of 1.8-2.4 meters with reinforced kettle and bandwidth rings on high legs.
- 🧵 Cord: A wicker cord with a diameter of 0.14-0.18 mm with a high burst load and minimal extensibility.
- 🔗 Furniture: High-quality vertebrae and winding rings, withstanding the load on the gap of at least 15-20 kg.
An important element of the equipment is clip Or a pinch that is attached to a cord and allows you to uncouple the rod when you bite, transferring loads to the side of the boat through a downrigger or board, and this prevents the hook from being pulled out of the mouth of the fish when the boat jerks abruptly.
Why is a wicker better than a monophile?
The wicker cord is almost unstretched, which allows you to feel even the lightest pokes of fish at a depth of 20-30 meters. A monophilic line at this length would turn into rubber, and you would just not notice half the bites. In addition, the wicker is thinner at the same strength that reduces sailing and water resistance.
Downriggers and depth control of wiring
The most difficult aspect of trolling is precisely getting the bait into the working horizon where the fish is standing. If the predator is 12 meters down and your Wobler goes 5, the result will be zero. downriggers A heavy load device (canaster) that sinks to a specified depth, a line is attached to the cargo through a special clip, and when a bite occurs, the line is released, allowing the fish to be caught without a load.
The use of a downrigger allows even small wobblears to sink to depths of 30, 50 or more meters, which cannot be done due to the bait's own buoyancy. This opens up opportunities for catching deep-seagulls, palias, salmon and large perch. Modern electric downriggers are equipped with depth meters that show the exact position of the cargo relative to the bottom.
| Type of device | Max. Depth. | Principle of action | What fish? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gliderboard | 1.5 - 3 m | Sideways by water pressure | Superficial predator |
| Downrigger (hand-held) | 40m | Lowering of the load on the cable | Sudak, pike, bass. |
| Downrigger (electro) | up to 100 m+ | Automatic ascent/descent | Salmon, palia, deep sea sig |
When using a downrigger, it is important to consider the angle of deviation of the cable from the vertical. The higher the speed of the boat, the more the cable deviates, and the less the real depth of the load. Proper downrigger setting requires calibrating the meter for a specific speed and weight of the cargo.
☑️ Checking before getting on the water
Tactics of searching for fish and wiring baits
The success of trolling depends on the ability to read a body of water, and the movement must occur along the brows, dumps, current boundaries and local seafloor elevations. GPS tracksThe fisherman can go through the same perspective multiple times, each time changing the depth of the bait release or its type. An effective tactic is "fan" catching: first, the top layer is checked, then the middle one and finally the bottom one.
The wiring speed is a variable parameter that needs to be constantly changed. If the fish is active, they can attack the bait at a speed of 4-5 km / h. During periods of passivity ("deaf-time" in summer), the speed often has to be reduced to 1.5-2 km / h.
Use S-shaped wiring, periodically make small deviations from the course (by 10-15 degrees) and come back, which changes the game of the wobbler and the speed of wiring relative to the bottom, which often provokes the predator to attack.
The morning and evening hours often have better results, but at greater depths, the predator can feed throughout the day. Watching the sounder screen in real time allows you to see how the fish reacts to the bait that swims: whether it rises, moves away or stays in place.
⚠️ Warning: When passing over sharp drops in depths (dumps, pits), always slow down and lift loads of downriggers in advance. Inertia of the boat and cargo can lead to a hook and break of expensive equipment.
Selection of baits: vobblers, splashes and silicone
The main weapon of the troller is wobblerFor motorboat fishing, the best models are those with their own active play that do not require jerking wiring. Cranks, sheds and minnows with a wide range of vibrations are favorites of this method. It is important that the Wobler keeps the jet and does not lose the game even when speed increases to 6-7 km / h.
In addition to wobbles, oscillating glitters and silicone baits (especially on deep-sea downrigger scales) are successfully used. Devon Or large Swedish pimple fish do a great job of salmon and predatory fish on the current, and silicone mounted on large-paddle jig heads or leash rigs is good for stepwiring at the bottom, which is simulated by slow trolling.
- 🐟 Rapala Deep Tail Dancer: Legendary Wobler for deep-sea trolling, with a powerful vibration.
- 🐟 Salmo Perch: A well-proven crack for catching pike and pike at medium depths.
- 🐟 Bomber Long A: A trolling classic with a noise camera and a stable game.
The color of the bait also plays a role, though secondary to the wiring horizon: in clear water and in bright sun, natural tones (silver, perch, firetiger) work better. In murky water or deep water, bright, acid-coated colors and baits that are visible from afar become more effective.
Safety and ethics of trolling
Motor trolling imposes increased safety requirements, with multiple hooks on each tackle scattered across different sides, creating a risk of entanglement and injury when catching or reeling tackles, and all fishing line manipulations must be done with the motor shut down. Bitters And extractors should be on hand for every fisherman to quickly release the fish.
Shipping rules and fishing ethics must be respected. A trolling boat occupies a large area and can interfere with other anglers, especially those who catch plumb or spinning from an anchored boat. You should not go close to other people's boats or nets. It is also important to monitor the number of hooks per angler, since there are restrictions on the use of multi-hooked tackle in different regions.
The main secret of trolling is not the speed of movement, but the constant control of depth and the ability to make the bait work in the narrow horizon where the fish is right now.
Compliance with these simple rules will allow you not only to enjoy the process, but also to maintain good relationships with other participants in the water movement, as well as to protect nature.
What is the optimal speed for trolling a pike?
The optimal speed for catching a perch is usually from 2.5 to 4 km / h However, in cold water or with passive glue, the speed can be reduced to 1.5-2 km / h. It is important to experiment: if there are no bites for 20-30 minutes at one speed, try to change the speed by 0.5 km / h.
Do you need a Kevlar leash for trolling?
Yes, if you're a pike, you need to use a leash. String leashes or multi-core titanium/nickel string leashes are best suited for trolling, as they are less susceptible to "memory" (twisting) and more durable when constantly in contact with aggressive toothy mouth.
How to avoid cross-sections of the line when using several rods?
To avoid overlap, use outriggers to spread rods to the sides, and staggered trolling helps to release baits for different lengths (the forest of the rear rod is released longer than the front one), which creates a diagonal arrangement of baits, minimizing the risk of entanglement.
Can trolling be used in shallow water?
Absolutely. There is no need for downriggers for shallow water, just use low-deep wobblers (up to 1.5-2 meters) and, if necessary, glider boards to spread gear to the sides, speed in shallow water is often increased to raise the bait higher.