Night fish and a little morning trolling.

[wuteversbitin424]

Use the app to get a speed then take not of where the RPMs are on the boat. Then you won't have to worry about draining your phone.

Thats what i ment and do but i didnt explain it real well. Thanks lowe

[LoweSTX175]

There are several other trolling methods I've tried to include trolling in reverse. I didn't care for that method. It seemed akward. I have also hooked up a drift sock while to get even slower when using the main motor.

[Kdub]

I have a Lowrance Elite 7. It has a chartplotter with sonar and downscan. I had mine mounted onto a "ram mount" onto the console. I troll with my main motor. The chartplotter will tell you exactly where you are and been on the water. It comes in handy when making exact passes or in some cases moving simply 3 feet farther out. As far as getting the exact speed the Lowrance gets you pretty close. I can run as low as 1 mph if i tweak with my trim. Typically I run at 1.5-2 mph when using cranks. I personally don't like using the "trolling motor" on my boat. It's too much work and I like my cup holder by my steering wheel.

I do love the cup holder!!

[Ketchup]

Thank you everyone! Ketchup, I wondered if people were using trolling motor or gas motor. I'm new to all of this. I've only had a boat about 2 months. I'm learning and have gathered almost everything I know from this forum. I really do appreciate all the info. Dutch, I've got a friend that can get some good deals on Lowrance electronics but have to wait until July. Ketchup, I've got the dive curve for 7cm Flickers. How deep should I run them? Just above bottom or should I try different depths with several. Right now my wife and I are using two rods a piece.

Hey, we all start somewhere. Good to see your wife wanting to get in on the action.

I would start with shallower water if your fishing early or late, in the 8' range. Follow a productive looking shoreline for a few hundred yards, and if get bit a few times, then stay with that depth until you arent.

If that depth doesnt produce, move out to 10' or 12' deep. The #7 are going to run in that 10 to 12 foot range, depending on speed, line but will work for those depths. I like for it to either tickle the bottom, especially on a sand like shoreline, or be very close to bottom. Most of your fish will be at the bottom this time of year.

Let me know when your on the lake next. We will hook up.

[Ketchup]

Oh yea, always use the gas motor. I have a 50 HP Yamaha 4 Stroke that is very quiet and sips gas. I can go weeks trolling all day.

[oodlesiggy]

I have a 60hp mercury 4 stroke on my 16ft Aluminum boat. In idle trolling forward in light wind 0-10mph my speed is 2.3-2.5 mph, back trolling (trolling in reverse) my speed is 1.5-1.7 mph. If there is a strong wind 15-20 mph I can troll into the wind and achieve a speed of 1.5-2 mph If you have a large hp motor my guess would be your idle speed would be too fast and you should throw out a drift sock or two, to slow you down or use your trolling motor. Also most trolling curves are set at speeds between 1.5 and 2 mph. The faster you go the more the bait will rise, so for example if you are wanting to troll at 15ft and the dive curve says let out 100ft of line but you're trolling at 3 mph instead of the 1.5-2 mph the curve was set at you would have to let out more line to reach the 15ft depth.

[wtr dogs]

I normally follow the shoreline and try to keep the crankbait just off the bottom as ketchup suggested.

The last Three trips I have found them right up the gut toward the back of coves. My boat trolls at 2.5 mph +or- depending on the wind.

PM me we share a common location.

[Kdub]

Ketchup, thank you! I would love to hook up. I was hoping to come up tomorrow night but not sure the weather is going to be good. I will for sure be up this weekend. Oodlesiggy, I did not know that trolling curves were set at 1.5 to 2 mph. I am definitely going to get an app so I know my speed. I bought line counters so i know how much line I have out. Thank you everyone for the advice, I can't wait to try it out! So much fishing to do so little time.

[slab slinger]

Kdub...sorry so late replying. Looks like the guys already answered your questions. I'll just add a little more. Your speed sounds fine in warm water temps on active fish. I usually am in between 1.9 and 2.3 mph depending on wind and such. I have Lowrance Elite 7 HDI in console and The 5 up front both have chart plotter and GPS.

The biggest thing is depth and finding fish suspended in the zone you can reach. Trolling post spawn crappie I look for fish suspended in middle of coves in 10 to 15 FD in 20 to 40 FOW. With my set up I know I can reach these fish and put a bait in the zone. I use 6lb mono and #7 flicker shad most days. Have done well with pulling a #5 and a #7 off each side if fish are vertically scattered on screen.

In summer months when fish go deeper I down size My line to 4lb mono and Bomber 6As and let out 100Ft of line thistoo get down deeper. Summer time trolling for crappie isn't as good as late spring post spawn but can be good in right locations. I troll flats early and late in the day close to deep water. You'll find feeding fish at these times in shallower water hunting the flats. Mid day I troll channel ledges and channel swings. Points are good at times but my second would be bridges. I troll down the outside of bridges and then between pillars.

Summers not my fav time to troll but can still be effective. I mainly vertical fish structures and run bottom bouncers for walleye. Keep an eye out for surfacing whites in summer also can fill the boat with them and have some great top water fun.

[Aggressor1988long]

Good luck on that one