Following A Boat Trolling

[itsbob]

There are times when things get pretty crowded in the western basin.Especially in the early season.Its not a good idea to try and troll through a pack of boats trolling and even more so if they are casting.We try to stay away from other boats if at all possible.We will not follow directly behind another boat because I feel its not productive catching active fish after another boat and their lures have cleared out catchable fish.Their lures can also be running pretty far behind their boards too.Now if a group of boats are all heading in the same direction,its a good idea to not try and go against the grain,but try to head over clean water and off to the side of the boats ahead of you.If trying to cross behind another boat I would try and stay at least 100yds behind their boards.Sometimes the other boats around you have slow up,speed up or make a quick turn to avoid others too.Also note that most boats are on auto pilot and are not as alert to others around them as they should be.

[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!

[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.

[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.