Questions about Trolling for Bass

[FastFred]

This is my first season fishing for bass from a boat and outside of the inlet.

I'm interested in learning about trolling for bass. I have 4 Penn Senator 30# rod and reel combos spooled with 30# camo mono. I also have 2 20# level wind, lever drag trolling outfits spooled with 20# mono. In the past, I've been successful with trolling for Bonita, Blues and Bluefin using the set-ups. Trolling stripers is new to me, but I thought it would be a good way to get out and look for bunker schools and birds, while giving me a shot at blindly catching a bass.

I have an assortment of Rapala CD-18s. They say they dive to 18 feet, I believe. Does anyone use them for trolling bass? Is there a prefered color?

What does everyone else use for lures? What lure and what color?

Anyone use umbrella rigs? If so, tubes or shads?

Can bunker spoons be successfully used without wire line or lead core line?

I don't have down riggers, and I don't have any wire line or lead core line set ups. Are these nessasary to be successful at trolling bass?

My general area will be wherever I can get to from Great Egg Inlet.

Any tips, advice, etc. would be greatly appreciated.

[jmakvet]

This is my first season fishing for bass from a boat and outside of the inlet.

I'm interested in learning about trolling for bass. I have 4 Penn Senator 30# rod and reel combos spooled with 30# camo mono. I also have 2 20# level wind, lever drag trolling outfits spooled with 20# mono. In the past, I've been successful with trolling for Bonita, Blues and Bluefin using the set-ups. Trolling stripers is new to me, but I thought it would be a good way to get out and look for bunker schools and birds, while giving me a shot at blindly catching a bass.

I have an assortment of Rapala CD-18s. They say they dive to 18 feet, I believe. Does anyone use them for trolling bass? Is there a prefered color?

What does everyone else use for lures? What lure and what color?

Anyone use umbrella rigs? If so, tubes or shads?

Can bunker spoons be successfully used without wire line or lead core line?

I don't have down riggers, and I don't have any wire line or lead core line set ups. Are these nessasary to be successful at trolling bass?

My general area will be wherever I can get to from Great Egg Inlet.

Any tips, advice, etc. would be greatly appreciated.

I'm by no means an expert at trolling for stripers but have been catching them consistently every fall trolling, so here's my take on it:
A lot of guys like the wire line set up. They will pull mostly shad and umbrella rigs during the fall - trying to match the sandeels, rain-fish, other baitfish. In times like this (bunker schools all over) no harm in trying a bunker-spoon. Also think the bass are generally smaller in fall then spring so think sometimes big bunker spoons may intimidate, but others may feel differently. Lots of guys also swear by downriggers - trolling low and slow - is the usual ticket for stripers. If you're getting blues, try slowing down (2-4 knts)/add more weight.
I however don't use wire line/downriggers. I stick w/ plain old mono (30-50lb test) and use drail sinkers to get rigs low. Usually main line to drail then either clip on umbrella/shad, or 6-8 ft flurocarbon leader - if using a bunker spoon. Could also try trolling Stretch's, Mann's, tube lures, even good old diamond jigs will work. Try to find some structure/bait and work it from all angles. When you find the right combo, your arms will tire quickly!!!! Good luck, hope this helps

[eelball]

Fred,
I've only done a little bit. The stretches are the goto for me. chartruese, red/white are my 2 fave colors. I like to run them as close to the bottom as I can, and slow.Usually about 3knots.

[Re-Bait]

FF,

1. You have to find the bass to catch them trolling

2. Your rods and 4/0 reels with 30lb mono are idea for trolling, yes you can get by without leadcore or wire.

3. Rapala's will work, but most lure trollers use Mann strech lures, with colors of all shades. Black, silver gray, green, (gold)skin tone, they all work depends on the day/fish.

4. You can also troll bucktails with pork rinds, bunker spoons, parachute jigs with pork, eels, and umbrellas.

5. A few in line trolling sinkers say 3, 6, 8 ounce will help you get your rigs down

6. Umbrella shad rigs seem to catch more then tube rigs. Black, red, white, and varied all catch.

7. See number 1

[beber]

Here's a third vote for Strech 25's. Chartruse has been the best color for me. You can find the stretch lures most anywhere including stores like Dicks, Sports Authority ect. They are affordable (about $7-8 dollars), easy to troll (unlike an umbrella rig), and effective.

[Bob ECT]

Put a few hundred yards of spectra on the reel an use stretch 25's. Braid will get you much, much deeper. Go as slow as possible.

Stop and jig once you find big schools

[FastFred]

Thanks for the great info given so far.

As for these Mann's Stretch Lures, what size does everyone prefer? Does it mainly depend on the hatch you're trying to match? Or mainly the depth you're trying to fish? Or something else? Am I understanding this correctly that a Stretch 25 will dive to 25', and a Stretch 30 will dive to 30', and so on?

Re-Bait: As far as finding fish... Let's say I were to go out tomorrow. The latest reports are that the fish are there, (sometimes), and scattered. The fish are mainly found under the bunker schools, which are sporadic at best. I break the inlet, and I see no birds or bait. Other than blindly trolling up and down the beach in varying depths of water, what do you suggest about finding fish other than blindly trolling?

[Geno]

Solid red stacked arches on your sounder from mid depth to bottom. Not balls of bait in red.

[hammerhead10]

Your assumption is correct. Stretch 25s generally run about 25 feet, the 30s about 30 feet, depending on line diameter and boat speed. Adding a 3-5 foot leader with a drail will make 'em run a little deeper depending on the weight.

As for where to start, check your charts, and look for areas of structure or uneven bottom. Keep your eyes peeled for dark areas in the water which will probably be bait pods, and of course bird action.

[Forever Night]

Stretch 25 seems to work best. Add a teaser too.

[Re-Bait]

.......As far as finding fish... Let's say I were to go out tomorrow. The latest reports are that the fish are there, (sometimes), and scattered. The fish are mainly found under the bunker schools, which are sporadic at best. I break the inlet, and I see no birds or bait. Other than blindly trolling up and down the beach in varying depths of water, what do you suggest about finding fish other than blindly trolling?...


That's a very good question. Keep your ears (& eyes) open. Go to the local tackle shop(s) make friends, and ask where the fish have been. Listen on the VHF for any chatter regarding specific locations. Ask locals where you keep your boat of any success. A key answer is "when" ie sun up or sun down, or what tide.


Most fisherman are NOT going to tell you the big 3..... when, where, and how. But they aren't lying to you, the will only give you 1 or 2 of their secrets. Your job is to figure out the rest.

There are 10 different ways+ to catch stripers. You need to know what techniques they "deploy" at this time of year. They could be bunker snaging, trolling, jigging, dead baiting eyc.

In general the most you can get is a "maybe" or they were here yesterday. SOmetimes you get all you need to know when a boat has limited out and is headed in. Soooo, unless you know that some lumps are producing all you can do is put your time in and troll where it looks "fishy"

[seaprojoe]

Here's a link that describes a trolling technique and rig that is used alot below the Mason Dixon line. It's very good for getting and keeping your lures deep and close behind the boat, and it works above the MD line as well.
http://www.northcarolinasportsman.com/details.php?id=13

Pretty simple: a large heavy jig head w/ 4' leader from a three way swivel, with another , lighter swimming lure (your choice) on a 15-20' leader on the other eyelet of the three way swivel. Run properly, the large jig will "bounce" along the bottom, and the trailing swimming lure will stay in the strike zone. Again, slow speeds are best.

All that's been said above is true, especially re finding fish and that different approaches work at different times. If you can't find bait, look for structure.

[Davy Navy]

Unbrella rigs with downriggers and you avoid the wire line mess. Eels on the unbrella rigs will net more bluefish while shad will give more stripers. Anyway, it works for me. Good luck!:wave:

[take one]

i pull umbrella rigs, stretch 25's, but my stretch 30's out fish the 25's. and i have caught on bunker spoons with an 8oz drail , 15' of 40lb leader, then the spoon, on a penn power stick. just watch the bluefish they tear the hell out of those umbrella rigs, bring plenty of replacement swim shads, actually had to stop using my umbrella 1 day last fall, couldnt keep the bluefish off it. think i spent 50 bucks replacing all the swim shads.

and make sure you "tune" your stretchs to run as straight as possible.

[hungryfisher]

I have a question about trolling for bass that might fit into this thread. I have never done it, but was out with a lot of others doing it for big game. My question is, what rod length is best if you do not have out riggers. If you are only looking to get out three rods, one from each gunnel and one from the leaning post. I want to try to get away with a few rods I have for now and maybe invest a little over the winter for bass trolling next year. I hadn't realized it would be so successful this time of year. Most people I talked to about trolling in south jersey said it was a lot more productive up north. From recent reports I don't know if I believe them.

Take one, what do you mean by "tune" your stretches? How deep was it when your 30's worked best? What would be best for water 20' to 40' deep? I'm thinking about picking up a couple to try out this week. 25's or 30's, I'm not sure which to go with. Is it easier for now to get a few diamond jigs going with tubes on them? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

[take one]

"tune", see if they run straight if not, you can bend the lil eye that the split ring is hung on to the right or the left. sometimes in order to move that eyelet you have to dig/cut away some of the clear plastic lip around that eyelet, but just a little. i actually used an older solder iron and melted a little of the plastic. just try to get them to run as straight as possible. ive taken new ones out of the box and had them run clear across the transom.
actually i havent run the 30's yet this year. but i have 2 out-rodders. i put a 25 on 1, and a 30 on the other. and stick with which gets hit most. last fall i had a day in which that 30 out-fished the 25, 3-1 easy.
i run 1 umbrella rig with a 6 0z drail about 60' back. and i have an old tube style spreader bar w/ 3 tubes/hooks. i run that about 30' back with an 8oz drail
iam by no means an expert at this, still fine tuning myself. but this has worked for me so far.
and all my rigs are with 65# pp braid. 2-7' penn power sticks (lighter action ones) with shimano charter special 2000's, stretchs' on these, and 2-7' penn power sticks (next heavier) with penn 320's. for my umbrella rigs
and my boat with only 1 motor idling is right around 1.8 knts

[hungryfisher]

Thanks for the quick reply Take One. :)