Trolling Set-ups

It has been a busy week for me getting prepared to leave for Red Wing.  From getting the boat ready, rods rigged and netting bait.  I am very particular about my live bait so I choose to net my own.  That way I know what I am getting for size of minnows and I know that they are fresh.  After 3 nights of scooping bait I now have my willow cats and other assorted minnows for the tournament.  Luckily I used a couple rainy days last week to get the boat ready so I am ready to hit the road Friday.  But, before I get into the Red Wing Tournament I wanted to take a little more time to talk about trolling.

Apparently I spurred some interest in trolling because I continue to get emails about the specific trolling set-ups I use as far a line, rod length, etc.  So, before I head down to Red Wing I thought I would do a little piece on the specifics of the rods, reels and line I use for open water trolling. Again, these set-ups are fairly simple but there are a few specifics you will want to make sure are included when choosing a rod and reel.

When choosing a trolling rod you want to make sure the rod has enough backbone to handle the weight of the planer board.  The rod should be strong at the base but should have a fairly soft tip.  Most people make the mistake of buying rods that are way to stiff for most trolling applications.  The soft tip allows the rod to absorb the pull of the board and is also a great indicator of a bite.  When a fish hooks up the rod will load up and stay back.  If your trolling rod is to stiff, you will not be able to see this.  As for length of trolling rods, I prefer to have telescoping rods in both 8.6 ft and 9 ft.  Having telescoping rods allows for easier storage in most boats.   I run the longer 9ft rods out farther and use the shorter 8.6ft rods for my inside boards.

When choosing a trolling reel you obviously want it to be a line-counter.  The brand really does not matter as long as the reel has a couple important features.  First, the reel should have a good drag system that is easily adjustable while fighting a fish.  Second, the line-counter should have a clicker system.  By this I mean a button that allows you free spool line out with a "clicker" activated.  This puts tension on the line and lets you know your line is still going out.  The clicker system also can be set so that if there is any additional pull on the board a little line will go out and the clicker will go off, kind of a bite indicator if you will.  Lastly, the reel needs to be big enough to hold the right amount of line for the type of trolling you are doing.  If you plan to pull Lead Core line you will need a much larger reel than if you are spooling up with Fireline.  It is important you spool your line-counter so that it is full of line, so pick one that fits the type of trolling you will be doing best.

That brings me to the line.  I mainly use 3 different types of line for trolling.  First I have some set-ups with Berkley Crystal Fireline.  I prefer 14/6 for trolling rivers or in stained water.  Fireline has virtually no stretch and allows you to read your rod tip very easily and is very strong.  The second type of line I use is Berkley Vanish Fluorocarbon.  I prefer 12 or 14 pound test.  Fluorocarbon works well in very clean lakes and has a lot less stretch than monofilament and is much more abrasion resistant so you don't get wear spots from your planer boards.  The last line I use is Lead Core line.  Lead Core is exactly what the name says, line with a lead core.  Lead core allows you to get small baits down very deep.  No matter what type of trolling I am doing, I will be using one or several of these 3 types of line.

Hopefully that clears up some of the questions people had in regards to trolling set-ups.  This equipment does not have to be expensive and will make your trolling experience much more enjoyable.  After all, when you do catch that fish of a lifetime trolling, you want to be able to duplicate the exact pattern that just caught that fish so you can get back down there and get another one.  Good luck and don't be afraid to email me if I forgot anything or you want something else covered on trolling.  Time to rig the last few rods for my Red Wing Tournament.