trolling question

[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