How Far Do You Go???

[eastcoasttransplant]

Well, I'm doing my research, trying to become a better troller for next season, my second on Lake Michigan.

Most trips out this past summer, we didn't mark a lot of bait or large groups of salmon on the fishfinder. We'd mark a fish here or there, a smaller bait pod here or there, but nothing that blacken the fishfinder screen so to speak. Most times, running my usual spread (2 leadcores, 2 dispys and 2 downriggers) we'd hook up on a fish or two, then keep trolling "s" turns at a similar depth. After 1/2 hour to 40 minutes with no action, we'd go shallower or deeper searching for new pods.

Which finally leads me to my question.....when trolling how often will you guys turn around and run back through the area you just got hit? How far do you normally travel before turning around and trying to run back through?

Sad to admit, but because I usually run a wide spread, with the leadcores and dipsys far back and out to the sides, making a sharp turn without reeling in lines in not really feasible. Do to tht fact, I usually keep trolling in the direction I was headed, trying to search the same depths as those which drew hits. If I do decide to make a turn and run back through where I just got hit, it normally takes anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes to complete the turn and run the opposite way.

When do you guys decide to turn around and run through areas you already caught fish?

Thanks all.

[1mainiac]

If I like my troll I will keep it going I sometimes reverse it on the way back. Very seldom do we refish a spot however that would change if I had seen something in a zone I was not covering correctly like say we marked a bunch of fish on the bottom we might go back and see if we can get one and what they are but I seldom bottom fish.

[BenLubbs]

In the past I have run a similar tack as you. However, in August I was fishing with an acquaintance of mine who used a GPS when fishing. We were not marking anything in 50fow but got a fish on and marked the way point. After getting the fish in, we did a sweeping loop back to the way point. We got in the area again and picked up another fish. Of the 5 fish we caught on that trip, 4 came from the same area where we caught that first fish. That's why I bought a GPS for my new boat because I think it will help me put a lot more fish in the boat by knowing where exactly I caught fish already.

[Turfwrench]

The ole saying "don't leave fish to find fish" has proven itself to me many times. As I fish mostly southern Lk Huron, once I hit upon fish I mark it on my chartplotter and continue to work the area. I will work large circles around the area and try to follow the direction they are heading usually trying to keep it within 1/4 mile radius.

[mattmishler]

i spin on fish alot that one some days can make it or break it for ya. I mean last aug i fished two wave points for 4 days and pulled 42 fish out of them. The two wave points were less than 1/4 a part. But i could also spin really fast on them due to having two SWR on riggers. That all i ran because that was two much some of the time with fish going all the time. It was the best week of fish i have ever had.

[killerbe20]

Generally, there was a reason that fish was there and they don't typically travel solo. You have to think about why he was there. Was the water temp good? was there bait there? was there any type of structure? and did you see any other fish there?

I always pay attention to where a fish was caught. If its not marked on my gps, I know exactly where on my track it was. If i am not catching fish or seeing much, i will typically turn back and try that spot at least once more. If I am on a productive straight troll an it dies, i can go back through the same spots i caught fish. Some days I feel dizzy from going in circles, others I can make 3-4 straight line trolls through the same track and be done.

If I am searching for fish i like to troll across depth contours using what ever angle i can troll best at. Pay attention to where the fish bite. Troll E and W from 60-120 fow. If you are getting your hits in 80 fow, maybe switch your troll to N and S in 80 fow. Some days its just going to be that one spot.

the more you are out there, the more you are going to be more comfortable with your decisions

[Priority1]

Ya can't catch what isn't there. If your screen goes dry go back to where you marked and caught fish.

[Nailer]

On our side of the pond we/I like to run a straight line troll. If the fish are snapping in 90 fow going south, than we keep going in that water. Some times rater than turning the troll around, we will pull every thing in and go back to start over.

Phil, are you aware of the current direction for you area? Generally the best troll is into the current.

[Line Dancin]

I agree with Nailer on the current. First thing we do is drop a prob and find the temps we want 54 down to 44. then we find the current and go right into it. We change depths to find where the fish are and sometime we never change course if we are hitting fish. If not we turn around and go back through where we got fish on the same troll into the current. I good site to get an idea of the current direction is

http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/res/glcfs/

Check it before you go out and you can get in the general direction and then fine tune it when you get things in the water.

[eastcoasttransplant]

A lot of times out there the current seemed to be running from north to south, and we did do better running into the current (S to N).

I found depths that I felt comfortable with, temp wise, and caught fish but was always left wondering how far do I go before turning around and trying to run through those areas again.

As I stated before, very rarely did we mark a good number of fish or bait on the fish finder (I did install a dual beam unit with greater pixel quality before wrapping the boat up at the end of this year). We caught most of our fish out to the sides off of our dipsys and leadcores.....only a few fish on the riggers. So if we found 40ft down over 80ft offered a perferred temp and we were catching fish, we tried to stay over 80 ft traveling northward. We'd get a fish here and a fish there and after a couple mile troll we'd turn around and troll back towards the marina. Sometimes we get fish trolling back and other times it wasn't that productive. Hence my question.

[ChampionShip]

6 lines is a breeze to turn with......if you have 12 or 16 then turns should be spaced wayyyy out. Just don't try to make a 180 and you will be fine.....multiple boards/side is kind of an art when turning, but is VERY doable. If I'm catching consistantly over a few waypoints, I'm not leaving to go look for other fish- unless what I'm catching is shakers.