Determining the exact pace of a vessel is a fundamental skill for any angler who has decided to master the method of fishing on the go. Many beginners mistakenly believe that it is enough to simply turn on the small gas and swim where your eyes look, ignoring the readings of the instruments. boat speed It is often the decisive factor between a full cage and an empty cook.
Other predators prefer different bait dynamics, and there is no universal meaning of "for everyone" in nature. Pike can attack a wobler that barely walks, while an active pike prefers more frisky wiring. Understanding these nuances allows the angler not just to drag tackles through the water, but to purposefully search for fish, controlling the horizon and play of each particular model.
In this article, we will look at how to get the right mode, what factors affect the actual speed of water passage, and why GPS readings may differ from the sensations, and learn to feel the boat and understand when to add gas and when, on the contrary, to slow down to a minimum.
Basic speed modes for different predators
To begin the development of trolling is necessary to study the preferences of the target fish, since it depends on the choice of the starting point of reference. Optimal speed of trolling This is the range in which the bait demonstrates its most attractive game for the predator without breaking into a tailspin and without hanging.
The pike, which is a classic trolling object, is characterized by a deep-seated hunt, which often responds to monotonous but confident movement, and too slow wiring can make the wobler invisible, and too fast can scare the fish or knock out the game of the snatcher.
Use the sonar to control the depth of immersion: with increasing speed, the deepening of the bait decreases, which requires adjusting the release of the line.
Pike, unlike pike, can be active in a much wider range. Large trophy fish are often lazy and prefer to attack slow-moving objects that are easy to catch, but during periods of jostling toothy will not refuse to quickly swim past prey.
- 🐟 Sudak: prefers a range of 2.5 to 4.5 km/h, especially at night or at depth brows.
- 🦈 Pike: A wide range of 1.5 to 6.0 km/h depends on the size of the wobbler and the activity of the predator.
- 🐡 Perch: It is often caught at speeds of 2.0-3.5 km / h, especially on shallow water wobbler-creaks.
- 🐟 Trout and salmon: They require faster wiring, often between 4.0 and 7.0 km/h, to simulate running fish.
It is important to understand that these values are averaged. speed It's done experimentally at the beginning of every fishing trip, and if you don't bite for 30 to 40 minutes, it makes sense to change the pace of the trip dramatically, even if you're swimming in the tested area.
Influence of the type of outboard motor on the accuracy of the course
The technical specifications of your boat directly dictate the ability to control the situation on the water. boat-engineIt depends on how accurately you can keep the chosen course.
Two-stroke engines, despite their popularity and ease, have one significant drawback for trolling - instability of operation at low speeds. Keep exactly 2 km / h on the "two-stroke" can be difficult due to the peculiarities of the carburetor and ignition system at low crankshaft speeds.
⚠️ Warning: When using two-stroke engines, avoid holding the gas handle in the boundary between the "idle" and the "worker" position, which can lead to contamination of candles and unstable engine operation, which will cause boat jerks and frighten the fish.
Four-stroke units in this regard benefit from a smoother torque and the possibility of long-term operation at low speeds. electric motors GPS anchor and even allow you to set the speed with an accuracy of tenths of a kilometer, which is ideal for delicate fishing.
If your motor doesn't keep the minimum gas steady, the solution may be to install an extra throttle or use a smaller-diameter propeller, and many anglers are switching to electric propulsion as their main motor for quiet driving.
Environmental Factors: Wind, Current and Boat Load
Nature makes adjustments to the angler's plans, and you can't ignore them. The real speed of the movement relative to the bottom (SOG - Speed Over Ground) is always different from the speed relative to water (STW - Speed Through Water), which your lag shows or the motor senses.
When you're going against the current or the wind, the boat will be going slower than the speedometer that's tuned to calm water, and vice versa, you'll be carrying faster as you go, even if you're resetting to a minimum. wiring.
Boat loading also plays a role: full gear, crew and fuel increase displacement, which changes the hull's diffuserent and resistance. A heavy boat with low gas can go slower than a light one, or, conversely, it is easier to keep inertia.
| The environment factor | Impact on boat speed | Adjustment recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Headwind (strong) | Decrease in real speed, increase in excitement | Add to the turnover, shorten the tackle holiday |
| The passing current | A sharp increase in speed relative to the bottom | Reduce gas to a minimum, use anchor-frame |
| Full loading of the boat | Increased precipitation, increased resistance | Adjust the speed, check the different |
| High wave. | Instability of course, jerking baits | Slow down, move to larger wobblers |
Experienced trollers are always looking at the GPS screen, not the motor tachometer, and it is the GPS speed reading (SOG) that is the ultimate truth for calculating wiring.
Relationship between speed and Wobler games
Each model of the wobbler has its own passport range of operating speeds, the exit from which turns an expensive bait into a useless piece of plastic. Wobble's game It is a complex hydrodynamic process that depends on the flow of water flowing around the blades.
If you swim too slowly, the Wobler can stop scouring from side to side and just drag along the bottom or hang in the water column without hesitation.
The secret to the dead spot
Every wobbler has a minimum speed at which he starts playing, and if you're below that speed, don't wait for a bite.
If you go above the threshold, you're going to break the jet off the shovel of the slug, and Wobler is going to vibrate at a high frequency, but no amplitude, or it's going to come to the surface, losing its working horizon, which is especially critical for deep-sea models with a large shovel.
And also, speed affects the depth of the dive, and the faster you go, the more water resistance pushes the wobler to the bottom (up to a certain limit), but at very high speed, it can start to float because of hydrodynamic forces, and you have to find a balance where the bait goes at the right depth and plays right.
- 🎣 Minnow: require active spinning or a certain speed for the manifestation of jerky play.
- 🎣 Crank: start with half a turn and work perfectly on constant movement, creating powerful vibrations.
- 🎣 Shad: They have a wide amplitude, but are afraid of high speeds, often falling to one side.
Speed selection technique in real conditions
The process of finding the perfect tempo on a pond looks like a scientific pumpkin method, but it is systematic. Start with the lowest possible speed at which the Wobbleers still retain their game, usually about 2 km / h.
Having passed the promising area at a minimum and not getting a result, add 0.5-1 km / h. A change in pace can provoke an attack of passive fish, which needs to "bring" prey right under the nose, or, conversely, to cheer up an active predator.
☑️ Algorithm of speed selection
Use different gears with different Woblers, tuned to the same speed, but with different game. If you peck consistently on one particular Wobler, analyze how fast he was going, and try to put other baits with similar specifications.
⚠️ Attention: A sudden change in speed (gassing or throwing gas) causes a splash and rotor noise, which can scare fish off in shallow water.
Beginners’ mistakes and their consequences
One of the most common mistakes is trying to catch at the maximum speed that a pull-out motor can go at. The boat cuts the wave, thunders, and the Wobbleers fly somewhere in the side, having nothing to do with natural prey.
The second mistake is ignoring the side wind, and when the sidewall is strong, the boat starts to tear down, and in order to keep its course, the angler has to put the vessel in drift or work with the engine in jerks. wiring It's completely lost.
And many people forget about the length of the vacation, and at high speed, you have to let go of more fishing line to sink, but if you let go of too much, the Wobler will run to the bottom at the slightest change in terrain, and the balance between speed, length of the vacation and depth is the key to success.
The main mistake is monotony. If you've walked five times at the same speed without a result, the sixth pass must be very different from the previous one.
Don't be afraid to experiment and go beyond the "right" speeds. Sometimes the pike takes a wobler, which drags along the bottom at 1 km / h, and sometimes the pike attacks the bait flying by by 8 km / h.
Can you troll on a fun boat or inflatable boat without a motor?
Yes, it's possible, but technically it's not really classic trolling anymore, but rather a track or wiring from anchored position, speed will depend on the current and wind, and in these conditions, you often use an anchor parachute to stabilize or row at a rhythm that mimics the desired speed.
Do I need a special screw for trolling?
Preferably, trolling screws have a larger pitch and diameter, allowing the motor to run at lower rpm without losing traction or vibration, which is especially true for two-stroke engines that choke on standard propellers when trying to slow down.
How to measure speed without GPS?
Without GPS, the accuracy is low. You can use mechanical lag, but it shows speed relative to water, ignoring the current. The most primitive method is to detect the time between two known points on the shore, but it's inconvenient when fishing.
Does the color of the wobbler affect the choice of speed?
Bright, acidic colors are often more visible at high speeds and in murky waters, and natural, transparent colors work better at low speeds and in clear water, where detail and natural movement are important.