A Newbie's First Day of Trolling

Saltwater Offshore Reports
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Okay all, here it goes.

Today a buddy and I decided we were going to give trolling a try all on our own for the first time. We were after close in stuff. Anything that would bite really, but ya know the usual suspects; Kings, Spanish, Bonita, etc.

We set out of Dewey’s Inlet at about 7:30 a.m. to the Capers Trolling area as depicted on the Top Spot Chart. Basically, you go about three miles out from Deweys Inlet and then head about 4 miles on a 135 heading, then turn left to a 040 heading and go over the Capers Reef area.

We trolled lures. I had two Yozuri (http://www.yo-zuri.com/Products/ProdMinnow/CrysMinDeepDive.htm) lures on my lines, and my buddy had two Rapala deep divers. Sorry, no link for them. I figure they only got about 5 feet, maybe more under the surface. We trolled at 4 to 5 knots steady. We had 98.5 blaring on the radio as per the “Music while trolling” thread.:smiley::sunglasses:

When we hit the Capers reef, we trolled over the reef structure between the two buoys.

After this, we trolled in an area about 60 to 70 feet deep, at 32 34’ 30" and 79 27’ 48".

We did this because we figured that the fish in that close would be suspended over structure, good bottom, etc.

Now, we didn’t catch a thing. So, I’m wondering if anyone would be willing to share their expertise with me here to tell me what we did wrong, or what we could do better.

This was a great learning experience for me, and I can’t wait to get out and try this again. I’m just so wanting to learn this part of fishing and see an ocean going fish on the end of my line.

I’m sorry for posting this here, but it was suggested that I also post this question here to get some answers. Thanks for your help.

2003 Sea Pro 220
“Reelly Blessed”</font id=“blue”>
2001 Yamaha 250 OX66

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help should be here in about 8 to 9 hours…

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Try some live bait or ballyhoo. Get some lehi skirts they work well and are cheap. Were you marking any bait on your sounder? Watch for breaks and birds.

Behind this helm stands a sickness that not even a women can cure.

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we fished capers reef today on the way in and caught the world record oyster toad. trolled for a bit then anchored up and let out the rest of the chum then TOADY! I swear he was six pounds and the guys were scrambling for the camera but I let him go before it was permanent damage… we did troll MUCH further out, in 120-180 feet and caught 2 kings, 2 mahi in the early 130’s. kings caught on plugs (rapala, yo-zuri yellow and green) mahi on feathers (boone’s pink and yellow n green) and a 10lb little tunny on purple cedar plug all w/ 100lb flouro leader. current was 3+ knots incoming at capers reef 430pm.

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Thanks guys.

@Scoutin’, my friends GPS/Sounder combo doesn’t have a high speed scan feature. So, when we were in motion, the sonar would just go dead and flash at us. My sounder, however, does have a high speed scan feature so I can look for stuff like that on my boat.

@Miller, yeah we were done at Capers at around 10:30 in the morning. Being this was our first time doing this by ourselves, we weren’t brave enough to go out as deep as you were. Thanks for the tips on what you were pulling behind ya. That’s good to know.

2003 Sea Pro 220
“Reelly Blessed”</font id=“blue”>
2001 Yamaha 250 OX66

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Slow troll live menhadden over the reefs, you’ll catch kings. Or troll ballyhoo with skirts over live bottom.

quote:
Originally posted by Hoppy

i love pics of interesting things and those pics were fantastic. i typically thank people for sharing good fishing pics. a picture of the inside of bessingers with 23 eating some mustard q does nothing for me.

congratz

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sirecks, are you saying his sonar is only working when the boat is at a stand still? If so, you may want to look at the placement/angle of the transducer and make sure there is nothing on the bottom of the boat forward of the transducer that may be causing turbulance when you are in motion.

'07 198 DLX Carolina Skiff
FS90 Suzuki

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@Sails, thanks man. We were kicking ourselves for not stopping on the way out to net some. We figured that the lures would be just fine, and left the 'hadens behind. Next time, I’ll be sure to try and get some. Thanks for the help.

@striperskiff, yeah basically. I mean, moving slow it works. When you are underway it won’t. He has a Pioneer 197. The transom is a bit weird on the back, as it “juts” out. The transducer, if I saw it right, was mounted kind of under that, against the bottom “V” part of the transom. I guess it’s possible that some turbulence messes it up. Like I said, my boat has never had an issue, even running at 40 mph.

2003 Sea Pro 220
“Reelly Blessed”</font id=“blue”>
2001 Yamaha 250 OX66

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Sirecks,
Use that cast net and live well. When you going out again? I’m no expert but can usally catch somthing. We need to hook up. I’ll be tryng to go out once a week for he rest of the season as long as gas stays under 3 bucks.

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@Old Bull - I’d be honored to go out. It is a GUARANTEE you know more than I do, as this was my first time!! HA HA HA!!

Um, I’m leaving on a trip in the next couple of days, then I’m home, then I’m off to Ocean Isle, NC in the middle of July. Yes, I’m bringing the boat!! I hope to find some NC fish up there. After that, my orders are up, so I’ll be around for quite a bit. Maybe we can sneak a day imbetween all this, because I really want to get back out. I tell you what, just PM me when you are going out, and I’ll see what I can do on my end.

2003 Sea Pro 220
“Reelly Blessed”</font id=“blue”>
2001 Yamaha 250 OX66

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Okay, the ballyhoo message has been heard loud and clear. I’ve even heard that for us beginners, Wally World sells pre-rigged ballyhoo. Of course I will learn how to tie/rig them

My only question I have left is how do you set up the bait? Do you run some/all on top, some/all on planers, etc. I’m worried that I need them deep, and I don’t know to do it. Or, that they need to be dragged across the top and I will have them all on planers.

2003 Sea Pro 220
“Reelly Blessed”</font id=“blue”>
2001 Yamaha 250 OX66