Following A Boat Trolling

[[email protected]]

Pretty sure we were all dealing with the same boat. Big boards out WIDE, probably making a sweep at least 75 - 85 feet on each side. Boards were riding VERY low in the water and at times were hardly visible. They were wood boards unpainted and acted like they were waterlogged. We nearly got caught in the board line and it just missed us ....barely. No flags. Trolled right through the pack with complete disregard for other boats. People were scrambling to get out of his way. Everyone was yelling at them and they just smiled and waved back. There is no place for that kind of behavior on the lake. There are plenty of fish and lots of space for everyone. We try to stay away from big packs of boats and find our own fish, be safe and have fun.

[Kingfisher2025]

The big board guys take up an awful lot of room. I think its more than 80'. I've seen them out close to 80yds each side. I don't follow any boats trolling due to the fish scattering after their boat goes through.

[slimshady]

I tend to stay on the edges of the pack anyway, however, there may be times when you have to turn to avoid someone else and the only viable path is behind another boat. When that happens, I tend to give them plenty of space. At least 100 yards, if not more. They may have to slow down to fight a fish or whatever, so I don't want to be in a situation where I am "breathing down their necks".

Funny story last fall when I was out trolling off of Luna Pier. I was trolling down-wind and trying to stay on the my previous path that was very productive for us. There was only one other boat in the area and he was a few hundred yards in front of us and appeared to be trolling against the wind, "headed" right in our direction. I looked up one time and it appeared that he would cross in front of us and end up on our starboard side, so I turned a bit to port to give extra clearance. A few moments later, I looked up again and it now appeared that he would cross us and end up on our port side, so I turned back starboard to make sure we cleared him. The 3rd time I looked up, he had "changed paths again", so I steered back towards our port side. I said to my buddy "what's up with this guy, he can't make up his mind on which direction he wants to go and he keeps messing me up". As we got a bit closer, I could see there was an anchor rope attached to his bow and he was simply swaying back and forth with the wind. Doh! That explains it. Sorry buddy, my bad!

[fisherman 2]

when a boat is coming towards you doing S turns to slow and speed up the lures it look's like they can't make up their mind which way to go...last fall i know boats were thinking that about me cause i was doing it but that's what was triggering the bites.

[Capt Juls]

Juls, need change that tag line for your boat to the Vexus!

I will when it arrives. The build date is 5/30, so I'll be starting out the season in the Ranger.

[fishfinder]

That is funny slimshady but I know how you felt lol. When I first started fishing lake Erie I thought my anchor was failing me because I kept drifting close to other boats, I bought a different anchor more rope and still kept drifting. I found out that everyone was using drift socks and they were drifting close to me.

[[email protected]]

[QUOTE=Kingfisher2025;74336]The big board guys take up an awful lot of room. I think its more than 80'. I've seen them out close to 80yds each side. I don't follow any boats trolling due to the fish scattering after their boat goes through.[/QUOTE

Kngfisher. I have no problem with big boats, big boards and wide passes. Like I said, it’s a big lake and there is room for everyone. My primary concern is safety. Secondary is having a good time and catching a few fish. It takes only ONE bad apple to spoil the fishing for a whole lot of people when the bite is on and the traffic picks up. I’m out there to relax not “combat fish”. Even a small boat that is careless can present some danger in a crowd. Be safe! Have fun!

[slimshady]

That is funny slimshady but I know how you felt lol. When I first started fishing lake Erie I thought my anchor was failing me because I kept drifting close to other boats, I bought a different anchor more rope and still kept drifting. I found out that everyone was using drift socks and they were drifting close to me.

[fishhawk2700]

The big board guys take up an awful lot of room. I think its more than 80'. I've seen them out close to 80yds each side. I don't follow any boats trolling due to the fish scattering after their boat goes through.

Your statement about seeing big boards out 80 YARDS is not possible. The distance you can let your boards out IMO is determined by two things. First, the height above the water of the source of your main line, and second is the efficiency of your boards. Once your main line to your boards starts to hang in the water you WILL have major issues. With that being said, on most days I will run five rods a side and I will only need about 60'. I can run seven a side but even at that I only run about 75'. Much more than that and the main line starts to drag. Five inline boards will take about the same width as my big boards with five lines.

[slimshady]

Your statement about seeing big boards out 80 YARDS is not possible. The distance you can let your boards out IMO is determined by two things. First, the height above the water of the source of your main line, and second is the efficiency of your boards. Once your main line to your boards starts to hang in the water you WILL have major issues. With that being said, on most days I will run five rods a side and I will only need about 60'. I can run seven a side but even at that I only run about 75'. Much more than that and the main line starts to drag. Five inline boards will take about the same width as my big boards with five lines.

80 yards might be pushing it a bit, however, I used to run my big boards out 150-200 feet when trolling for Steelhead out of Wheatley and Erieau. I used a 6 foot mast at the front of my boat that kept the line nice and high. There was rarely ever a boat within 1/4 mile of us, so having enough room to troll was almost never ever an issue. Years ago I switched to mostly dipseys & riggers, but when we do put out boards, we now use in-lines. We will sometimes run those out 200-250 feet from the boat. We set the clickers to "on" and set the drag very light so that we can hear them click when a fish hits. I wouldn't run them out that far when trolling in traffic, but that's the beauty of fishing in Canada. Not much traffic, eh?...