[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 :?

 

[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.

 

[hairymick]

Oh yeah,

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

 

[Davey G]

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

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

 

[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:

 

[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:

 

[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.

 

[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

 

[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.

 

[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.

 

[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

 

[Dodge]

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

 

[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?

 

[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?

 

[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.

 

[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

 

[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 it’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 (don’t ask me how it’s magic). Just keep plugging away.

 

[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. :?

 

[Guest]

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. :?

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

 

[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