04-18-2009, 08:44 PM
[cool][#0000ff]Thanks. I appreciate your appreciation.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]A couple of points of elaboration. First, it is not the prop wash that creates a problem with trolling close to the boat. It is noise and vibration. Fish tend to scoot out from beneath a boat, even one with a relatively quiet motor...even on deeper lakes. That's why using planer boards or "longlining" and making S turns will sometimes put more fish on your line. You will put your lures in front of fish that have either moved away from the boat or which were already out there.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Flatfish are excellent lures for trolling slow. They have a good wiggle (vibration) even at "paint drying" speed. But, don't overlook the "lipless crankbaits" (Rat-L-Traps) and other lures with built in rattles. Most of the predators in Utah Lake have well developed lateral line sensory systems that detect vibrations, and they are used to having to find their food this way. So, noisy lures can produce even in murky water...and at night.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]One of the trolling techniques I neglected to mention was "dragging plastic". A tandem rig, with two plastic jigs...twisters, swim baits, tubes, etc....has long been a proven system for both whitebass and walleyes. You can experiement with different sizes, colors and weights of heads on the two jigs until the rig runs at the right depth (without snagging) at the speed you are trolling...with the amount of line you are fishing behind the boat. Too heavy heads and/or too much line out and you will drag bottom and get snagged more often. It is best to rig very light and to troll very slow.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]There are times during a light breeze (on Utah Lake?) when you can just toss out a couple of light head jigs and let he boat drift...lifting and dropping the jigs as you go. Just don't try that off the ledges of Lincoln Beach or you will constantly own "a piece of the rock".[/#0000ff]
[signature]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]A couple of points of elaboration. First, it is not the prop wash that creates a problem with trolling close to the boat. It is noise and vibration. Fish tend to scoot out from beneath a boat, even one with a relatively quiet motor...even on deeper lakes. That's why using planer boards or "longlining" and making S turns will sometimes put more fish on your line. You will put your lures in front of fish that have either moved away from the boat or which were already out there.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Flatfish are excellent lures for trolling slow. They have a good wiggle (vibration) even at "paint drying" speed. But, don't overlook the "lipless crankbaits" (Rat-L-Traps) and other lures with built in rattles. Most of the predators in Utah Lake have well developed lateral line sensory systems that detect vibrations, and they are used to having to find their food this way. So, noisy lures can produce even in murky water...and at night.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]One of the trolling techniques I neglected to mention was "dragging plastic". A tandem rig, with two plastic jigs...twisters, swim baits, tubes, etc....has long been a proven system for both whitebass and walleyes. You can experiement with different sizes, colors and weights of heads on the two jigs until the rig runs at the right depth (without snagging) at the speed you are trolling...with the amount of line you are fishing behind the boat. Too heavy heads and/or too much line out and you will drag bottom and get snagged more often. It is best to rig very light and to troll very slow.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]There are times during a light breeze (on Utah Lake?) when you can just toss out a couple of light head jigs and let he boat drift...lifting and dropping the jigs as you go. Just don't try that off the ledges of Lincoln Beach or you will constantly own "a piece of the rock".[/#0000ff]
[signature]