Generally 1.8 mph creates the best action for most crankbaits and 2.4 mph creates the best action jerk baits, you will need to test different speeds to determine the correct speed to create the best action for the pike lure you are trolling.
What is the perfect trolling speed?
The best trolling speed depends on several factors including the type of fish, water conditions and lure choice. In general, trolling speeds between 1.5 and 2.5 mph, as measured by GPS, are a good starting place for most species like walleye, trout and salmon.
What are the best trolling lures for pike?
If the weed growth is isolated, a jerkbait is a good candidate. But in areas where the weeds are denser, other baits like weedless spoons, spinnerbaits and weedless jigs are the ideal casting lures for targeting pike. Weedless spoons work best when the hook is dressed with a 5-inch twister tail or a pork rind trailer.
What is the best depth to catch pike?
Most of these fish are caught in shallow water. Big pike, however, go deep. Many times they are in water 15 feet deep or deeper. At these times, a big deep running lure is needed.
How much line should I let out when trolling?
Let out 50 feet of line and clip into the release. If that’s not enough distance to prevent your lake’s wary walleyes from seeing the ball…then let out 150 feet of line! Just remember, the flat-line diving depth of your crankbait still applies behind the ball!
How far behind a boat should you troll?
At least 50 yds out to 100 yds. for the main lines and a couple of shorter sets closer to the boat.
Should you troll with or against the current?
When in an area with current, troll crosscurrent as opposed to with and/or against the current. Going crosscurrent, you don’t have to worry about how the current is affecting your lure’s or bait’s speed through the water. Plus, fish generally swim into the current.
What color do pike see best?
Black or ghost patterns of lure baits are a great start. Pike will see a black lure against the skylight near the surface of the water more than other colours.
What color looks best on pike?
The ability of slower retrieve along with a softer underwater tone gives you the injured fish action northern pike prey upon. Best pike lure colors: Red/Black or White (sunny days), Chartreuse/Blue (cloudy days).
What attracts pike most?
Pike are visual feeders, and tend to be attracted to bright colors. Use high-visibility colors like white, chartreuse, and bright orange. They also respond well to baits that put off lots of vibration or sound.
What month is best for pike fishing?
Regardless of where you fish, late May and early June is a prime time to target big pike. The majority of pike will spawn around the full moon cycle in April whether under ice or open water. By mid-May the spawn is over and the big fish look to regain all the weight they lost during the spawn process.
What time of day is best for pike fishing?
Pike in the morning are more active than usual. Early morning right before the sun rises is an excellent time to target hungry pike. You can either find them in open or shallow water hunting down their first meal of the day.
What size lures for pike?
Go for lures in the 6-inch / 16cm range as these will be easy to cast and will catch pike of all sizes.
Do you use weight when trolling?
If you want to get the most out of this technique, remember that snap weight trolling is highly speed dependant. The slower you go, the deeper the lure will run. This also applies to the amount of weight you use, heavier weights are also going to take your lure deeper.
How do you troll deeper?
If you need to go deeper, just let out some backing until your target depth is reached. On the lure end of the line, remove a short section of lead as before and tie on a size 18, or smaller, barrel swivel. Now use a 10 to 15 foot mono or fluorocarbon leader to tie on the lure.
Is braid or mono better for trolling?
Mono holds knots better and costs less than braid. It also works better on smaller bait-casting reels because light braid can dig into itself. Florida sailfish and dolphin anglers still use a lot of mono on the troll, and some use it for kite lines because it runs through the clips better.
Should you troll with or against the wind?
Trolling with the wind is the most important. You are able to maintain your speed better when motoring downwind than if you were bucking waves head on. Also, when heading into the wind, gusts of wind will grab the nose of your boat, whether it’s aluminum or fiberglass, and spin you off course.
What are the disadvantages of trolling fishing?
It found that many troll-caught fish become hooked in locations other than the mouth. The study found that this increases the likelihood of fatal wounding, especially if the gills are damaged. For fish hooked through the gills, 85% died.
Do you troll upstream or downstream?
For all those reasons, trolling downstream is the best way to get at them. By going downhill, you can crank up the trolling speed — which allows you to cover more water and, thus, find the fish more quickly.
Do you troll up river or down river?
For all those reasons, trolling downstream is the best way to get at them. First off, by going downhill, you can crank up the trolling speed — which allows you to cover the water (and find fish) more quickly.
Do you troll with the tide?
Troll with the Tide: Always. It will allow you the most control and the ability to drop on bottom dwellers. It also looks the most natural in strong current since most baitfish have no option but to ride the tide. Your lures, therefore, will look the most natural.