Trolling Swim Baits?
- Thread starter Skins88
- Start date
Gong Show
Well-Known Member
Yes, trolling swimbaits is not so great at a pinnacle.
Better to do this along ledges.
We have trolled swimbaits in weather that would not be very fun to be stationary trying to jig.
Different horses for different courses, is what makes this sport exciting.
Rain City
Crew Member
That's what I've found. More often than not you're fighting wind or current. This gives you a productive option. If course its nice to sit still and jig up a boat full of rockfish on a pile when the weather allows. I do still prefer to have rod in hand while doing the trolling game either way.
PEETZcanada
Well-Known Member
It is not a nessesary action to take into concideration. It's easy limits when the fish are in the area that you are working. You can also heat and flatten plastic small flashers and add a big hook on the bottom of it so it is like a giant spoon. Works well too. You can also use a chunk of white PVC 2" at about 12 to 18 inches. Cut angles on each end, drill holes on each end, add a swivel and split ring on one end and a big hook and split ring on the other. It all works.
Squire
Well-Known Member
Thanks for sharing this. I can see how trolling a longer ledge or wall works with down riggers but the spreader bar method would work for that as well as tighter spaces with more varied bottom structure.
How long of a leader do you run off the spreader bar? I made up a couple of 4-footers with 100 lb mono and crimps to try this method.
I’m sure I’ll be trying both methods at some point starting this afternoon
EstevanPoint
Active Member
I prefer naked. In some areas I feel they shy away from flashers, so many of them buzzing by their heads they get numb to the stimulus. Then a naked swim bait comes by and they can't resist.
I've never tried a live bait on a rigger, but have to imagine it's a blast if you're fishing deep.
Srthomas75
Active Member
I'd like to see samples of these if you have photos.You can also heat and flatten plastic small flashers and add a big hook on the bottom of it so it is like a giant spoon. Works well too. You can also use a chunk of white PVC 2" at about 12 to 18 inches. Cut angles on each end, drill holes on each end, add a swivel and split ring on one end and a big hook and split ring on the other. It all works.
Rain City
Crew Member
Lings go after hoochies on blades all the time. They ain't shy. Especially where you're not allowed to keep them
.I run a 2'-3' shot of 40lb mono off the ball so that it breaks off in the event of a snag. That way you don't lose your gear. Then I'll run a 60lb-80lb 3' leader on the swim bait. You have to be mindful of both the diving of the swim bait (don't want it to dive into a hole and snag) as well as trying to net or gaff the fish once you're at the surface. If you're trying to net the fish you don't want a huge leader making things difficult. I do like them as long as possible though so if you have a good gaffer with you who can grab your mainline and deal with things it helps. I also started running a top shot of 60lb mono on my talicas because it's easier to grab in that situation and handles the rocks better when you do get a snagged up a bit. It's a lot of fun just reeling and dropping while the boats on a steady course like that. You really do cover way more ground and can feel the gear working all the structure.Thanks for sharing this. I can see how trolling a longer ledge or wall works with down riggers but the spreader bar method would work for that as well as tighter spaces with more varied bottom structure.
How long of a leader do you run off the spreader bar? I made up a couple of 4-footers with 100 lb mono and crimps to try this method.
I’m sure I’ll be trying both methods at some point starting this afternoon
PEETZcanada
Well-Known Member
Not trying to be a smart azz dick, but the idea I have spelled out is pretty clear. Let your imagination create something by taking action. I don't fish this way anymore, my stepdad did. It worked way back then when I was a kid fishing with him and it will work now. Gear that worked to catch fish over 200 years ago will still catch fish today. My kid makes his own lures out of wood and he is one of the top ling anglers that i know. Put your mind to it, make it happen. Cheers.
Srthomas75
Active Member
I was more curious of what I’m picturing in my head is what you are describing in yours. All good though as you say, Almost anything will work for lures.
adanac
Well-Known Member
It is not a nessesary action to take into concideration. It's easy limits when the fish are in the area that you are working. You can also heat and flatten plastic small flashers and add a big hook on the bottom of it so it is like a giant spoon. Works well too. You can also use a chunk of white PVC 2" at about 12 to 18 inches. Cut angles on each end, drill holes on each end, add a swivel and split ring on one end and a big hook and split ring on the other. It all works.
Thrasher about 4 yers ago , made an outside turn off the reef and was fishing in about 400’ , rigger at 120’ . Big thump and dead weight , ended up being a 30ish pound ling hooked in the arse . Inspected gear after and all tape on flasher was torn to shreds . Lots of coho around that day so I guess he was up off bottom hunting them .
Squire
Well-Known Member
Well, I got out yesterday afternoon and tried the spreader bar method for a couple of hours around the North end of Valdez. Although we didn’t catch any keeper lings I’d still call it a successful trial. We did manage to catch 7 or 8 undersized lings with three of them at 63-64cm and 7 or 8 rockfish with two of them big enough to be worth filleting but we only had a short time so we descended all of them. I’ll just have to try some different ridges next time to find the bigger guys.
One rod had the line counter on the reel which makes it much easier to keep it in the zone without hanging up; we just matched the number on the sounder and the angle of the line kept it off the bottom. It was also much easier to make adjustments as the bottom changed. I had to bounce bottom and reel up a bit on the other rod which was the side that got snagged a couple of times. With such a calm day it was easy to back up past it and free it but I can see how different conditions could make it quite a bit more of a challenge.
Much appreciation for putting me on to this way of bottom fishing.
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the fog ducker
Well-Known Member
standard westcoast guide setupThanks for sharing this. I can see how trolling a longer ledge or wall works with down riggers but the spreader bar method would work for that as well as tighter spaces with more varied bottom structure.
How long of a leader do you run off the spreader bar? I made up a couple of 4-footers with 100 lb mono and crimps to try this method.
I’m sure I’ll be trying both methods at some point starting this afternoon
Rain City
Crew Member
Sounds successful to me! That's awesome to hear. My theory is that in this first couple weeks the big guys get hammered pretty quickly. Now it's a waiting game to let the new Alphas move in and bulk up. But what do I know?
That is a good theory. Certain well known reefs and rock piles get lots of traffic in the first week of May.
Regarding the new fish moving in, I remember reading an old report from silver blue charters, that he thought the bigger fish moved off into deeper water as the summer went on, returning to the shallower reefs late summer/early fall.
Squire
Well-Known Member
I think I might have figured out this ling cod fishing thing. The wife and I went out at the crack of noon and caught these two in less than two hours fishing with just one rod.
We lost one sized between these two first thing because I didn’t have the net ready and knocked it off beside the boat trying to gaff it.
We also had some hits that didn’t stick and released one undersized. 74 cm and 96 cm; no scale on board but I’m thinking high teens at least.
The wife and I went out at the crack of noon and caught these two in less than two hours fishing with just one rod. We lost one sized between these two first thing because I didn’t have the net ready and knocked it off beside the boat trying to gaff it.
We also had some hits that didn’t stick and released one undersized. 74 cm and 96 cm; no scale on board but I’m thinking high teens at least.
