Fishing stores have a huge selection of lures and trolling gizmos made for trout fishing. There are so many colors, shapes, finishes and sizes it is hard to know what to buy. Making sense out of the hard baits, soft baits, spoons, spinners and flashers is hard. he process of selecting can be easy if you focus on the right things.
In this article I am going to outline the decision making process for choosing the right setup for the conditions. There are many variables, so trial and error is part of the process. If something is not working, don\’t stick with it – change it up. It is easy to get in a lazy mindset and just keep dragging the same setup all day. I give 30 minutes max. If it doesn\’t work by then, change one of the variables.
Depth, lure size, trolling speed and the color of the lure are all decided upon by external factors. These external factors are water temperature, water clarity and weather. You have to think like a trout and figure out where they will be in their comfort zone before you can get any success. Fish will be in different places depending on all theses factors. Just keep in mind they are seeking comfort and security.
Determine depth first. Wind and water temperature are the major factors in selecting depth, although a fish finder can be handy as well. Depth Finders often show the surface temperature which will vary greatly during the day based on weather conditions. A better method is to take a thermometer and attach it to a line with intervals marked off at 5\’ intervals. It will take a few minutes, but is well worth dropping down at 5\’ increments until you find the right zone.
Our goal is to find the water that is 55-65 degrees. Trout are most active and comfortable in this range. If it goes above or below this level they will act differently.
Downriggers, jet divers, planers and trolling weights are some of the ways to get our lure deep. Downriggers are the most accurate way to do this, but they are expensive and need a larger boat to mount. I try and stay away from 3 way swivels with dropper weights. I always seem to get these tangled. It is important to use a swivel at every connection.
Your speed will effect how the device behaves. Downriggers are the most accurate. The weight is heavy and on a separate line. Working with jet divers and trolling weights takes a little knowledge. Try and work with 100\’ of line out and a speed between 1.5 and 2.5 miles per hour. At this constant a jet diver is supposed to go to the depth they are rated for. Trolling weights will run as follows – 1 oz = 17\’; 2 oz = 25\’ and 6 oz = 60\’.
* The optimum water temperature is 55-65 degrees.
* Your lure needs to get to this depth. Use a combination of speed, weight and line out to get there
You will catch more fish following these two things.
I hope this improves your fishing success
Learn more about trout fishing. Stop by Steven Becker\’s site where you can find out all about Kayak fishing and what it can do for you.