How To Use Trolling Reel

Can you cast with a trolling reel?

Yes and no A walleye trolling reel is heavy, clumsy to hold and does not have a breaking system like a traditional casting reel (no magnetic brake)

How much line should I put on my trolling reel?

It’s not necessary to fill the entire reel with 12 pound line Instead top dress the reel using 150-200 yards of line that brings the reel to full capacity

How does trolling fishing work?

Trolling is a method of fishing where one or more fishing lines, baited with lures or bait fish, are drawn through the water This may be behind a moving boat, or by slowly winding the line in when fishing from a static position, or even sweeping the line from side-to-side, eg when fishing from a jetty

What’s the difference between a casting rod and a trolling rod?

Trolling Rods As a result, “trolling” rods can be anything from an extra-long, light action spinning rod to a very short, super-heavy casting rod All that really defines a trolling rod is its intended purpose: they’ll be designed more for sitting in a rod holder than casting

What’s better spinning reel or baitcaster?

Baitcast reels can handle heavier line and actually allow for longer casts than spinning gear in the same size range A small spinning reel has a smaller, more narrow spool, which has a hard time with large diameter lines Small baitcast reels can handle these lines and provide greater casting distance

Should you troll with or against the current?

When in an area with current, troll crosscurrent as opposed to with and/or against the current Going crosscurrent, you don’t have to worry about how the current is affecting your lure’s or bait’s speed through the water Plus, fish generally swim into the current

How full should you spool a spinning reel?

The optimum level is to fill the spool to within about a 1/8 of an inch from the outer edge of the lip of the spool This leaves enough lip to retain your line, but is full enough to launch long casts

What is the trolling method?

trolling, method of fishing in which a lure or a bait is pulled behind a boat at varying speeds and depths according to the nature, habitat, and size of the fish being sought

What do I need for trolling?

As with every fishing method, you’ll obviously need one or several sets of the three most basic pieces of fishing equipment: fishing rods, fishing lines, and saltwater reels For trolling (fishing), you might have to look for specific trolling rods as well as non-corrosive lines and reels

How do I start trolling?

Consider this a “beginners guide” to trolling – so if you want to learn how to troll, or troll more effectively, read on Get The Right Gear Have A Plan Use Your Electronics Start Small, Work Bigger Don’t Stop Try Multiple Presentations Change Speeds

Can you use a trolling rod with a spinning reel?

What do I need to know, to use them for trolling? Yes, trolling offshore for species like tuna and mahi can be done with a spinning reel—if you know a few basic facts Naturally, when offshore trolling you wouldn’t want to use a reel, even a high-quality reel, that’s sized for stripers—like a Shimano Stradic C3000

Can you use a spinning reel on a casting rod?

Can I Use a Spinning Reel on a Casting Rod? If you use a spinning reel on a casting rod you’ll sacrifice casting distance and could possibly compromise the rod This is also true in the reverse

What is the difference between a spinning reel and a casting reel?

Reel type – A casting rod requires a baitcasting reel, the kind that looks like a small winch mounted to the rod Spinning rods take an underslung, open-faced spinning reel that has a revolving bail to wind the line

What are the 4 types of reels?

Overall, there are 4 types of reels: spincast, baitcasting, spinning and fly reels To help you choose the right reel, we listed each type and their functional benefits for your fishing style and skill level

Why do bass pros use Baitcasters?

spinnerbaits, or fishing in heavy weeds where you need strong line, Nels recommends baitcasters because they have more torque and handle heavy line better Baitcaster’s are also more comfortable when pulling the rod tip down to side, as you would when fishing a jerkbait or Zara Spook

What is bait casting?

When using a baitcasting reel, the dominant hand holds the rod to cast, and then the angler switches hands to reel in the cast, so the dominant hand controls the reel as well When using a baitcaster reel, you release the line when you press the button This also immediately drops your bait

How long should a trolling rod be?

In general, trolling rods are longer than other rods Expect to find shorter rods starting at 55 feet and very long rods that measure a whopping 10 feet Most trolling rods land somewhere between 6 and 85 feet

How fast can you troll with a downrigger?

Most people troll at 15 to 35 mph How do you know if you are at the right speed? Sure, you can look at your GPS speed over ground readings, but you see your downrigger lines are almost straight at 2 mph

What is a good trolling speed?

So, what is the best trolling speed? The best trolling speed depends on several factors including the type of fish, water conditions and lure choice In general, trolling speeds between 15 and 25 mph, as measured by GPS, are a good starting place for most species like walleye, trout and salmon

How do you control trolling depth?

First, a disclaimer: As with everything in fishing this is not an exact science, but a rule of thumb you can used when setting your lines to help make a better judgment as to where those lures are running is the “Rule of Fives” When trolling at five mph, with 50 pound test line and five ounces of weight, set to 50