Cannon 10 STX TS, 5 ST Ten Good Trolling Tips, Consider different sizes , shapes, and colors

Trolling	1) Test your lures over the boat side before sending
	Ten Good Trolling Tips
Tips	them down and back. Do this to make sure the lure wig-
	gles and wobbles properly without going belly up or
	wandering off. Some lures can be adjusted, fine tuned
	actually, to impart maximum action. For example, a
	slight bend in the tail of a spoon or twist of the hook eye
	in the nose of a plug can make a noticeable difference
	in how the lure performs.
	Also, when running two or more lures, make sure the
	offerings are compatible. Lures that run out of harmony
	with each other are bound to tangle and that means
	wasted time to straighten out the mess. Testing them
	first will avoid the problem.
	2) Consider different sizes, shapes, and colors of
	lures. No one has ever figured out with precision what
	makes a fish strike or snub a lure. There is no doubt,
	that matching the forage (minnows, crayfish, etc.) in
	color, shape, action, and size can help trigger those
	strikes from hungry fish. On the other hand, if fish such
	as bluegills, small mouth bass or Coho salmon are pro-
	tecting spawning beds, they may attack whatever is
	threatening. So, bright colors in lures may out produce
	bland colors.
	3) Vary trolling speeds. Goosing the engine now and
	then or slowing to a crawl every so often will change the
	action of the lures and may get fish to strike them.
	4) Vary trolling patterns and lead lengths. The
	amount of line you let out often determines how deep
	the lure will run and, to some extent, what degree of
	action it will impart. For starters, consider running lures
	about ten feet behind downrigger weights. If flat line
	trolling, put them back about fifty feet, then experiment
	depending on what the fish do.
	Trolling patterns affect lure action too, that is why
	some anglers like to wheel a lazy S course. On turns,
	outside lures will speed up momentarily while inside
	lures hang for a moment or two. Some fish are attracted
	to lures that change speeds. Also, zigzag patterns allow
	for more water coverage, plus it keeps lures out of pro-
	peller boil, an important consideration for browns and
	other wary species.
	5) Locate fish on a vertical plane. Place lures in ar-
	eas where fish might be. Skilled fishermen call these
	areas the “strike zones”. They include the edges of the
	weed beds, structure along bottom, drop-offs, preferred
	temperature of the target species, and the thermocline.
	Remember that fish occupy certain areas for certain
	reasons (sources of food, protective cover, preferred
	temperatures, etc.).

22

www.cannondownriggers.com

6)Consider special knots and swivels. A good ball bearing swivel will all but eliminate line twist and will aid in getting maximum performance from a lure. Many an- glers add the tiny swivels to split rings already on the lure itself. On the other hand, a swivel may dampen the action of a sensitive lure, such as a Rapala. Some fish- erman tie tiny improved clinch or loop knots. Loop knots in particular may enhance up and down and side to side action of lures. Any good fishing manual will explain how to tie these and other knots.

7)Consider releases for flatline trolling. A good tip is to secure a piece of downrigger cable or heavy mono- filament to the water ski hook or handle below the tran- som of most boats. To the other end of the mono or ca- ble, add a pinch-r-release. After letting out your lure to the desire distance, put the rod in its holder, then bend the tip and secure the fishing line in the release.

8)Add a weed guard. Having trouble with weeds hanging up lures? Consider tying a three-inch piece of monofilament a foot above the lure. Leaves, smaller weeds and other debris may catch here momentarily then fall off to the side of the lure without tangling. Weedless lures are another smart consideration. Down- rigger cables are effective weed catchers when trolling for pike, muskies, or bass in weed-infested lakes.

9)Add a stinger hook. When fish short strike, slap at lures without becoming hooked, adding a stinger hook can solve the problem. Simply tie a treble hook to one end of a four inch piece of monofilament and then tie the extra hook to the last gang of hooks on your lure. The stinger hook, which trails the lure, provides extra insur- ance.

10)Keep hooks sharp. Some of the best fishermen sharpen all hooks after every fish caught. Hooks get dull through both use and misuse, and probably more fish are lost to dull points than anything else.