Tru Trip help

[ghostly]

Fished Kelley's Island shoal today and only caught sheephead. It was the first time I tried TT 40's. I ran 4 poles btw 60-30 back at 2 mph. The problem I had was being able to read the boards. I use the off shore inline boards and the TT 40's were almost vertical in the water and the flags were fully retracted. The only way I accidentally caught the 1st sheephead was hearing the drag on the pole. After that I set all the poles just enough so the drag would hold and if something hit I could hear it. Still didn't help the walleye but ended up catching some big sh. I was fishing in 30-35' with worm harnesses and stinger spoons. I read on here several are using the inline boards with TT's. Am I doing something wrong with that set up?

[Hoytman86]

We run the TT40s with Church Walleye boards, the tension spring is on the last setting and it still lays the flags back a bit once we get up over 2.0 mph. I'm probably going to look around for some slightly stiffer springs to replace what we're currently using. Just don't want to go too far the other way or the flags won't work at all. The divers pull pretty hard, but they're still the best option I can find for trolling this end of the lake.

[wakina]

I have never used the OffShore boards for TT-40 divers but use them with the Church Walleye Boards and most often with the Church TX-22 Boards. If you were catching sheephead and the diver was not tripping then you must have the tension set to tight, the tension is much less than you would think it should be. I only added the part about the release tension because you did not state if they were releasing or not.

Once the diver trips, the board will level out some and will look entirely different than if the diver has not tripped. If the fish is just swimming along for the ride or has gotten off then the board will be more horizontal in the water than if the diver has not tripped since the divers ability to dive has been eliminated until it is reset. You stated that this was the first time you have used the TT-40 divers so it is my thought that you should remain patient and learn to read the boards better than what you are capable of just starting out and not rely as much on the TT flags. There is a learning curve in using the inline boards and experience will increase your ability to read them.

The TT-40 divers do pull hard and they make the boards squat in the back some, but you should still be able to see the board jerk back and recover and then jerk back again and recover when you have a larger fish on and sometimes with the smaller junk fish also. They are sort of like a big bobber and slide back in a jerking motion or completely sink.

[rick2752]

You need to put slack in between the front and back clips. It also sounds like your springs aren't strong enough. My flags only pull back a little. Another option is to switch to the trutrip 30. They don't pull quite as hard and still get plenty of depth.

[ghostly]

Not sure if the fish tripped the release but that make sense. I must have them set too tight. I see there are 3 positions the leader can hook to. Is one better than the other? Even after being tripped I notice there is still a fair amount of pull from the TT. I see you say the boards squat some but mine were almost vertical. The Offshore and Church look to be about the same size so I assume the Church's ride the same in the water? A few of the big sheephead made the board disappear so those were easy to read.

[ghostly]

I had slack in the clips but yes I can see I need stronger springs. The only time the flags were upright were on inside turns.

[BILLY JOE]

don't feel bad that's a hard set up to read extra hard the bigger the waves. if you were using harnesses switch to inline weights or 30 jets as said if using spoons

[rick2752]

To adjust the trutrips there is a Philips head screw where the clip is that you can tighten or loosen. We all went through these days. It's Lake Erie education.

[Old Wheezer]

I got my education about 6 weeks ago. I had the same problem, my boards looked almost horizontal they were pulling so hard. I couldn't tell when I had a fish on either. I adjusted the trip tension so that should help some. Like Wakina said, there is a learning curve for us rookie trollers.

[wakina]

I had slack in the clips but yes I can see I need stronger springs. The only time the flags were upright were on inside turns.

I am not sure but I think the Off Shore Boards have a hole in the front release clip arm, you can take a number 32 rubber band cinch it to the front clip using that hole and pull the rubber band around the front of the board and hook it to the wire that goes thru the flag on the tag end hook of the wire that sticks thru the flag. You can then adjust the amount of tension needed by adjusting the amount of rubber band that goes from the flag to the front of the board. More rubber band in that area gives less tension and less(stretched tighter) gives more tension. Believe me the rubber bands work. They are available at office supply stores for a few dollars for more than enough for a season as they normally last for a weekend of fishing before I change them. Just keep the spares out of the sun and you are good to go.

I have that setup on my Church boards for times when I have others on board that feel more comfortable with the TT Flags, I drilled holes in the release arm that the clip mounts to to accommodate the rubber band. If you try this you can you can remove the springs and keep them for backup using only the rubber bands. You may have to make the hole a little bigger in the front release arm to accommodate the # 32 rubber band size. the Rubber bands are cheap and easy to change and the have an almost infinite adjustment range.