Trolling vs. drifting - why?

I have a question before we get into the season. We all know how trolling has boomed over the last 10 years. It seems it’s all Lake Erie walleye fishing folks talk about, except for the spring jig fishing. My question to all is why has trolling become the “catch all” (pun intended) method for Lake Erie walleye fishing? My question isn’t about why or how trolling works, so comments and lectures from experienced trollers about why trolling works aren’t what I’m looking for here. I want to know why so many people ignore drift fishing and go immediately to trolling.
We all know why trolling works. You can keep the bait (lure) in the fish zone. You can control the lure speed. You can cover more area (mostly because you have a wider swath of baits out). Etc. Put two people with equal experience out fishing, one trolling and one drift fishing, and yes the troller generally will be more successful. But is trolling necessary all the time, or most of the time?

We’re hearing more and more about problems arising because there are too many trollers in an area. Trolling requires a lot more room to fish and when you have a lot of boats moving around with restrictions on maneuverability and often distracted, it’s bound to cause some problems, especially when we’re getting more of them and they are fishing the same area as folks drift fishing.

I talked with two experienced Lake fishermen who almost exclusively drift fish. One doesn’t even have trolling equipment. They told me about 75% of the time they do as well or nearly as well as trollers. On some days it may take them longer to get a limit. But overall they are nearly as successful in putting fish in the cooler. It’s only on those ‘tough days’ that the trollers get significantly more fish. I’m talking about people with equal fishing talent / ability.

My major question is why go thru all the trolling setup and operation if at least 50-75% of the time it’s not really necessary? Drift fishing is a lot easier and, I’m sure most would agree more fun. Again, not talking about those days were fishing is tough and no question trolling catches more walleye.

Thoughts?

For me it was natural to troll as I spend an ungodly amount of time trolling the west side of Lake Michigan. I first came to the west basin about 4 or 5 years ago and the guy I came with jigged and trolled but we hit fish right away trolling and never picked the jogging rods up that trip. Now I bring the 25’ Bayliner Trophy over and have yet to have a bad day trolling. I also love dragging 6-12 lines. I’m not really sure what it is but I’m not going to stop anytime soon. I’ll also add, to each it’s own as long as everyone is having a great time, do what makes you happy.

see you on the water!

Crooked Hook

Trolling you cover more water with boards .. That is why you can get done faster and catch more fish .. There are all kinds of technics you can use or do too.. That my opinion on trolling vs drift fishing plus it’s easier on your backs too!!

Great question West Basin I love the comments so far, and I think I will add a thoughts on this.

As some of you have read my recent this Old Boat thread I have made the investment into trolling gear in fact while reeding this post I just filled a new tackle box with about 2 dozen bandits and still have a few to be delivered next week 'Amazon'
I have also purchased new rods and line counter reels , offshore planer boards right and left , new line to fill the reels , correct snap swivels to tie on the correct line, down loaded the precision trolling app to keep the lure running at the correct depth, a panther adjustable trolling motor bracket , and trolling motor and controls to operate it , I have been considering a new gps and fish finders, that will autopilot the new trolling motor, looked at tree style rod holders so I can put more lines out , which will require I buy a few more rods and reels .

I could go on but I believe the point is made .Trolling has caught on because it requires we buy more stuff some one told me recently " ITSBOB " fishing lures don't catch fish they catch fishermen . so now I am caught but I have been caught a long time because I love to fish I enjoyed looking for the gear and filling the reels with the new line and hopefully this spring will get to try it all out .

That being said I am first a caster and drifter and can't wait to get this old boat off the trailer and do some Jigging , bottom bouncing , throwing weight forward spinners, and dragging worm harnesses , but now when needed there is another option to fill the cooler .

That reminds me I need to order some purple hair jigs.

I have not given up drifting and casting at all. I just added trolling to my game to help on slow days, and if I have new fisher people on the boat who struggle with casting, it is easier to just have them reel in fish that have been caught trolling. When the wind kicks up and there are two foot waves or more, I switch to casting as it easier for me than running the boards. I think casting and trolling are both fun to do.

I think it's simple, people catch more fish constantly. There is something to be said about the feel of the fish striking the lure though.
Let's look at the costs. You need poles either way, so no difference there. In line boards can be very expensive, but it's basically a one time cost. Lures: now here is where you can spend some money. You don't have to, but it's a slippery slope. I don't have a ton of lures, but I do have a few. The thing is a guy doesn't need a ton of them. There are about ten different ones that I use to catch all the walleyes I get and like most I get quite a few. So you already have a boat, so money isn't an issue. If people spend just a little more, they can catch fish like the pros, or they can go around looking for fish, wishing they were catching them.

I am strictly a drifter/caster on Erie. I fish because I find it relaxing and entertaining. Over the last 5-6 years I have caught my limit 85% of my trips out. Sure it may take a little longer to get them but what better way to waste my days!! I have nothing against trollers as I occasionally do so on my trips to Canada. After 50 plus years of fishing I still get a rush with every fish I catch. Big or small. It makes it even more exciting when I have that rod in my hands when the fish strikes.

Let me preface my reply,that i spent the first 25yrs of fishing on erie casting with weight forward or harnesses west of bass islands in boats my father owned.I bought some trolling rods and inline boards because was interested in fishing another way.Back then,there was no internet or fishing sites to learn about trolling techniques.Unfortunately,my dad never let me try out the trolling gear except for a couple hours a season.A buddy of mine bought a lakehouse on Johnson island about 15yrs ago,so took my trolling gear over to his place and tried trolling off his boat.Needless to say,we didnt really know what we were doing at first.Luckily i had a new patient show up around then that was a big troller.He pointed us in the right direction at the beginning.From there,experience and reading fishing websites have taught us a great deal.
Now,why troll instead of cast.When it comes to gear,all you need is a few spinning rods and harnesses to cast.To troll,it's probably a couple thousand bucks to get gear to troll.Big difference there.I don't own a boat,so i rely on my buddies to take me with them.Now, i help them set up their boats to troll and be able to catch fish without me.I feel it's easier to catch fish trolling when first starting out than it is to catch casting as long as you have the proper gear.And,if my buddies wanted to cast instead of troll,i would do whatever they want.But the guys i fish with want to troll and expect a good cooler of fish for the time and expense they put in to fish that day.
Now,if i had my own boat,and had two other good casters with me,we would be able to catch a limit,or close to it at certain times of the year.During the prime walleye casting months of late May thru July,you could do very well casting with harnesses.Especially if there are alot of younger legal fish that you can find.But there are times where even good casters can find it difficult to catch fish.When that happens,the trollers will usually outfish the casters.Those conditions are after a prolong blow and low pressure system that affect water clarity.Casters are also limited by the amount of wind.Not enough or too much wind and casters will struggle.I have also found it much more difficult to catch casting if the water was deeper than 30ft.So when the fish move east into deeper water, as the water warms,the trollers have a huge advantage.To top it off,the trollers will almost always catch bigger fish than the casters.
Have seen the fishing evolve from those huge packs of casters in the 80s to most of the boats trolling now.I know there are a few charters that still exclusively cast and they do quite well and have alot of repeat customers that only want to cast.Ideally,would be best to be set up to both cast or troll.Based on the success and conditions.Got a trip set up in June to do just that.Buddy wants to start out casting.But bringing the trolling gear just in case need to switch over to fill the cooler.

Drift fishing can be very productive with all of the walleye in the western basin today. I enjoy the process and feel that comes with drift fishing. If your goal is to get on and off the lake as quickly as possible trolling is probably the ticket. That's why so many charters troll today. It will put a limit of fish in the cooler for their customers regardless of the fishing experience of the crew. When it comes to private fishing vessels it is personal preference. I prefer casting and teaching new Lake Erie fisherman casting techniques. I have friends that prefer trolling, it all comes down to what you enjoy. Either way get on the lake and enjoy the great resource we are blessed to be able to fish on.

Ditto on erie son reply

There is nothing like having the rod in your hand and setting the hook. It takes more skill to drift and cast that to troll, it's boring to me. I dont care about my "fish count" because bragging is like whatever. It's all about the fun and enjoyment for me, not so much competing to see who caught the most for the day. If you want numbers then troll. JMO

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Originally Posted by West Basin

I have a question before we get into the season. We all know how trolling has boomed over the last 10 years. It seems it’s all Lake Erie walleye fishing folks talk about, except for the spring jig fishing. My question to all is why has trolling become the “catch all” (pun intended) method for Lake Erie walleye fishing? My question isn’t about why or how trolling works, so comments and lectures from experienced trollers about why trolling works aren’t what I’m looking for here. I want to know why so many people ignore drift fishing and go immediately to trolling.
We all know why trolling works. You can keep the bait (lure) in the fish zone. You can control the lure speed. You can cover more area (mostly because you have a wider swath of baits out). Etc. Put two people with equal experience out fishing, one trolling and one drift fishing, and yes the troller generally will be more successful. But is trolling necessary all the time, or most of the time?

We’re hearing more and more about problems arising because there are too many trollers in an area. Trolling requires a lot more room to fish and when you have a lot of boats moving around with restrictions on maneuverability and often distracted, it’s bound to cause some problems, especially when we’re getting more of them and they are fishing the same area as folks drift fishing.

I talked with two experienced Lake fishermen who almost exclusively drift fish. One doesn’t even have trolling equipment. They told me about 75% of the time they do as well or nearly as well as trollers. On some days it may take them longer to get a limit. But overall they are nearly as successful in putting fish in the cooler. It’s only on those ‘tough days’ that the trollers get significantly more fish. I’m talking about people with equal fishing talent / ability.

My major question is why go thru all the trolling setup and operation if at least 50-75% of the time it’s not really necessary? Drift fishing is a lot easier and, I’m sure most would agree more fun. Again, not talking about those days were fishing is tough and no question trolling catches more walleye.

Thoughts?

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I have nothing against trolling but to me, it's not as fun to catch fish while trolling compared to traditional fishing. I go on a couple of striper fishing trips a year and sometimes we troll vs traditional methods and the trolling tends to be more effective but I enjoy catching the stripers while holding the rod so you can get that great feeling of the hook up from the fish. It's like bass fishing, when I was a kid, I used to catch fish using live shiners or worms but once I caught a bass with a crankbait or any other artificial bait, there is no comparison of the feeling.

I have been fishing the lake since the early 70's. I jigged and cast for most of those, but the last 6 to 8 I have trolled.
My reason is my shoulders. When you get into your 70's you don't have the level of strength and I would have issues with them for hours sometimes days.
When I troll I can fish 3, 4 or 5 days in a row. I love to fish like most on this board and I will try to continue as long as I am above ground.
I enjoyed jigging, now but now enjoy trolling.
Just saying!!

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Originally Posted by Skists

I have been fishing the lake since the early 70's. I jigged and cast for most of those, but the last 6 to 8 I have trolled.
My reason is my shoulders. When you get into your 70's you don't have the level of strength and I would have issues with them for hours sometimes days.
When I troll I can fish 3, 4 or 5 days in a row. I love to fish like most on this board and I will try to continue as long as I am above ground.
I enjoyed jigging, now but now enjoy trolling.
Just saying!!

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Yep, this makes sense and I certainly don't dislike trolling as I still take part in it, when needed. It's great that you still get to enjoy fishing.

Well said!

Great question. My buddy and I have Have been coming over to Erie for many we years. Here lately we troll most of the time. When we first started out we would drift. We end up eventually shifting to trolling. I like trolling a lot and we catch our share of fish but, I really like drifting. I posed this exact same question as in the original post to my partner a while back and now our first trip will start with drifting. As what was said in the original post you just have to stay out a little longer to catch you fish. I feel when you are trolling the fish catches you, when drifting you feel the fish and you catch the fish. A way better feeling!

Trolling is technique. Drifting is more art.

Capt. Tony (Mega Bites Charters) here, I've built a clientele over the years that simply won't troll, even if the fishing gets slow. When I ask why, they all say the same thing: "I like the contest between me and the fish." That's it. They will grumble something like "I want to catch the fish. With trolling, the boat catches the fish and by the time you get it to the net it's wore out." Now, I have customers who don't mind trolling because I let them work the rods and they love that part. We get tangles once in a while and it's frustrating but why spoil their fun? Ten years ago I invested in the best trolling gear money can buy. The equipment went mostly unused and I sold all of it. I am now reoutfitting because more customers are asking to troll while they talk and drink beer. LOL, Not sure what to make of that. Anyhow, I'll still drift and cast but troll, too. Best of both worlds I guess. On the question of what method catches fish faster. I personally have limited out casting in under two hours but most days it takes four hours. Two years ago I went 22 straight days with limits by noon all in the same area northwest of Lorain. I dock in Vermilion, so it's a seven mile jaunt for me. No trollers in sight. As the captain, I also like the challenge o find fish. With trolling you just point the boat and keep going, catching one here and there. It's a pain to haul in the gear to move. I'm looking forward to trolling this spring early instead of jigging (yes, there is good jigging action off Vermilion). So basically, its the time on the water, the feel of the strike, the satisfaction of choosing the right Bandit and fishing a fish to the net. I've been doing that since I was six. It never gets old, except with the wife.

I like both. I will usually troll to find them, then switch. But when it’s really cold, I can only troll, because I can keep my hands in my pockets with hand warmers. As the Captain and custom bait maker, I get more satisfaction from finding the fish and making them bite. Especially when they bite something I created. I wouldn’t get that if I was just riding and someone said to grab the rod and reel it in. On my boat, I always like to have designated rods and I have each person pick their own baits and set their own lines ( after I show them how). That way they get more satisfaction when they catch fish. We also get “bragging rights” for first/most/biggest, etc.

That is fun Slimshady. I’ll usually set the first lines if they are newer to trolling based off of my unwritten rules like water clarity and such then if they don’t get bit, I’ll start having them pick lures. Newbies love to see lures they picked catch fish. Works on Erie and MI. It’s really cool to watch a 20 + king come over the rail on some crappy spoon that someone said “thing looks pretty”. I swear it happens every time. I can put them out and nothing… I love it! I love watching people reel in fish I put them on, big or small, it’s awesome.

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Originally Posted by cohoho

That is fun Slimshady. I’ll usually set the first lines if they are newer to trolling based off of my unwritten rules like water clarity and such then if they don’t get bit, I’ll start having them pick lures. Newbies love to see lures they picked catch fish. Works on Erie and MI. It’s really cool to watch a 20 + king come over the rail on some crappy spoon that someone said “thing looks pretty”. I swear it happens every time. I can put them out and nothing… I love it! I love watching people reel in fish I put them on, big or small, it’s awesome.

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So true. I will never forget the time I had a newbie on my boat jigging in the D-River. It was a tough bite, muddy water, etc. Next thing I know he tied on a 4" tube jig, like we would use on St. Clair for smallies. I said "I wouldn't use that, you will have trouble feeling the bottom". He proved me wrong as I was netting his 7 lb'er about 5 mins later. I was like "you have any more of those with you?"......you never know what is going to work on any given day.

For us Fishing over 60 Years seeing many changes always Jigging in Spring - Casting in Summer - if not producing drop anchor try Perch if have shiners - it that not work Troll . always in that order !