More dumb questions from the newbie.

[shkbilly]

In my never ending quest for a striper, I'd like to be able to troll out and between the locations we want to fish to maximize our chances of getting somehting.

My friend has a set of the gunwale outrigger rod holders and they seem to work OK. Cheap enough for me. Next question, can I troll with a spinning reel? Have only used conventional with my friend, don't want to make a dumb mistake.

I have a bunch of shads that I know are good for trolling. Can I troll a diamond jig? Krocodile? Crippled Herring?

How can I move the shads into different water colums and how can I tell where they are actually trolling? Obviously speed has an effect as well as current, etc. Is there a ballpark answer? I know for stripers you want to be ultra slow. (so I've heard)

Any other tips??

[Skolmann]

I wouldn't recommend trolling with spinning gear. Too much line twist.

I'd place a Drone or Clark Spoon in place of a Diamond jig/Krocodile spoon/Crippled Herring down the center of a shad/umbrella rig.

To change the depth at which your rigs are at add/subtract weight.

[Capt Craig]

I think your better off with conventional gear also. When I troll I use umbrella rigs just off the bottom, and I do mean just off the bottom. I have also had good results using stretches. As far as the speed, Slow. I just bump it in and out of gear. Bump it in just to get you moving and right back to neutral and coast a bit, bump it in and out so you are just moving. The bass will hit an easy target before one that will take effort. Good Luck

[blynch]

In my never ending quest for a striper, I'd like to be able to troll out and between the locations we want to fish to maximize our chances of getting somehting.

My friend has a set of the gunwale outrigger rod holders and they seem to work OK. Cheap enough for me. Next question, can I troll with a spinning reel? Have only used conventional with my friend, don't want to make a dumb mistake.

I have a bunch of shads that I know are good for trolling. Can I troll a diamond jig? Krocodile? Crippled Herring?

How can I move the shads into different water colums and how can I tell where they are actually trolling? Obviously speed has an effect as well as current, etc. Is there a ballpark answer? I know for stripers you want to be ultra slow. (so I've heard)

Any other tips??

\
Spend 20 bucks on a pair of Stretch 25 or 30 plugs. they are great because you simply put them in the water and let out a pretty good amount of line, and they swim at the depth indicated in their name.2-3 mph seems good.  Conventional reels definitely better.

[shkbilly]

Ok, so against your advice I'm gonna try it tomorrow. I'm gonna put out 2 rods. One with a Stretch 25 and one with a shad umbrealla rig. Hoping for the best here. If it really doesn't work I guess I'll hafta bite the bullet.

BTW, what exactly is line twist?

[ped579]

Line twist is like putting your line into a electric drill and pulling the trigger for full speed and waiting for the next cast for one wicked wind knot that will cause you to cut half your line off the reel.

Just be ready for it to happen, as there is not enough tension on the line to stop it from twisting even with a swivel tied on.

Good Luck...

Paul

[shkbilly]

So trolling seemed to work out OK today. I am going to pick up the rod riggers so I can troll 4 lines. Today we trolled a stretch 25 and an umbrealla shad rig. They both had hookups.

I think I may be pulling it to high though. I've been reading on using drail weights with umbrellas to get them down. Can someone explain where to tie them on? The stretch did fine on its own.

I also tried to troll some crippled herrings as well as some clark style spoons. Again, I don't feel they were deep enough to do any good.

I am using 30 lb braid on both. Then I used a 2 ft wire leader to protect against blues, then the lure. On the umbrella, I clipped it right to the swivel on the main line.

Right/wrong? Tips? It seemed to work OK but I feel I can improve.

[IrishAyes]

On my shad umbrella I usually run a clark spoon down the middle about 3-4 feet back. Use a 60-80# mono leader and you should be fine with any blue that takes it. The length of the spoon will typically keep the blue's teeth from the line. I also use the same leader ahead of the umbrella, about 8-10 feet.

Put your weight ahead of your leader. Use a long enough leader so the weigh does not hinder the action of the rig you are dragging behind it.

Works for me anyway. 

For stripers you want to be CLOSE to the bottom. For blues...they can be anywhere in the water column.

[Hunter 2]

Be carefull trolling 4 lines, your lines will cross more often and when you have a fish on, clearing the other lines will take longer.

So trolling seemed to work out OK today. I am going to pick up the rod riggers so I can troll 4 lines. Today we trolled a stretch 25 and an umbrealla shad rig. They both had hookups.

I think I may be pulling it to high though. I've been reading on using drail weights with umbrellas to get them down. Can someone explain where to tie them on? The stretch did fine on its own.

I also tried to troll some crippled herrings as well as some clark style spoons. Again, I don't feel they were deep enough to do any good.

I am using 30 lb braid on both. Then I used a 2 ft wire leader to protect against blues, then the lure. On the umbrella, I clipped it right to the swivel on the main line.

Right/wrong? Tips? It seemed to work OK but I feel I can improve.