trolling question

[wnyguy]

So I am curious how others handle what happens when you get a fish on. For example you are trolling along at 1.8 mph, have X lines out, and one gets a fish on.

Do you drop it into neutral, pull up all lines and bring in the fish? Or keep right on trolling and maybe reel a line or two that is close to the one fighting?

What about when there is a lot of traffic out there, ie a line of boats working a hole?

Generally I tend to stay away from crowds, but sometimes they can find you if you are onto fish, and I'm wondering if there is some sort of etiquette, so to speak.

By the way last year while I was fighting my musky I had a guy troll right over my line and catch it with his lure, amazingly the fish was still on even after all the BS of untangling, etc.

[sherman51]

to start with you just run into a jerk for running over your line. but i just keep trolling and wofk the fish in. i just run divers and 2 riggers so i have the whole back of the boat open for landing fish. sometimes we will kick the boat in and out of gear to help get a big fish to the back of the boat.
sherman

[ebijack]

I only drop into neutral if there is a wall hanger on. When you do, unless your running jets or cranks, everything sinks. I take it your running small boards. As I do. I prefer my front release to release when a fish takes the board under as you will not be fighting the board at all, just the fish. Or I can pop the line out of the release and the board will go back. If the fish does not take the board back, there are a few things you can do. Go to the opposite back corner of the boat, point the rod 180 deg away ( towards the other boards on the other side of the boat) and reel slow and steady... Keep tension on board, hold the rod high and slowly let it drift back behind the other boards, then bring it in when it's far enough back.... Turn the boat so the side with the fish brings all the boards behind the boat thus you will have a straight shot at bringing the fish... Bring in the inside board to within 10ft of the boat. Put that rod in a rod holder on the other side of the boats corner ( that's why I have holder back there) the board will run directly behind the engine ( caught alot of fish on that board back there).... If you have rod holders up front, take the rods without the fish and move them up front, changing the formation... Lots of things you can do, but there will be those day's where your just going to have to deal with tangles lines. Another reason I don't run braid anymore.
Another trick for those windy days, ( just try it..it works!) Make your outside board/rod the back rod and highest rod, upto your inside board/lowest rod the most front rod. ( we can run 3 rods/person here in mich). This will keep your lines from getting snagged under the other boards flags in heavy waves. You can either go under ( or have your partner left the other rods so you can get a fish to the back of the boat) or just bring that fish up to the side of the boat and net that fish on the side without even touching those other rods.
Off the top of my head that's all I can think of right now. I don't even think about it much as i've done it for so long and so many different conditions to deal with. Just do it on the fly.
Hope that helps

[ShortHanded]

generally speaking, keep trolling... keep tension on the line with the fish until it swings clear of other lines and is behind the boat centerline, then start retrieving and net directly behind the boat

[captainjoe]

I keep trolling forward. I leave all the the other lines in. Sometimes I will back off the speed to get the fish in. My belief is if you just got a hit there are more around. Maintain your course and speed for a while. Keep an eye on the other poles you may get hit on one of the others. If you do then plug in the numbers on the GPS. I now have a Trollmaster 3. If I have a fish on i can hit the idle button. This will slow you down. I'm still learning that unit. I've been out with it only three times.

[wnyguy]

Thanks guys lot of good info there! You are saving me from learning some things the hard way, aka experience, LOL. I am not running boards yet but I have some just haven't had a chance yet but soon. Just jetdivers so far, they are pretty easy.

And yes a laws rocket would have come in handy and been a lot of fun, but then with my luck there would have been a body found.

[orangediablo]

Keep the lines in. Many times salmon fishing, the action of a fighiting fish will trigger another hit, especially if they are active/aggressive. Plus, why take out lines if you just got into one? if you hae to bring lines in, we bring the lines in on the side of the boat where there are the least number of lines, giving more room to net the fish. Then again, I don't think this is as big as issue with 'eyes compared to salmon/steelies.

[Bowhuntnsteve]

generally speaking, keep trolling... keep tension on the line with the fish until it swings clear of other lines and is behind the boat centerline, then start retrieving and net directly behind the boat

exactly. I will run my boards and say on average 3 on each side, then 2 dispeys on each side and the 2 riggers. So 12 lines I run max so far this year but average 10-12 and once a fish is on, give it a few seconds to come around and reel it in straight up the back to be netted.

[Mark Komo]

You got all that freeboard on, if I remember correctly, that big ass starcraft.

Yeah, thats pretty much it. You can hit port or starboard and give the fish a bit of help in getting back there.