Been doing SOME research on high vs low speed trolling. Is there a difference in your trolling spread when your running high speed and vice versa? Is it species based or the area you are fishing that dictates which to do?
And no Im not a troll, trolling this forum!! I was told by JSTRANGE this is common.
Sorry but if you been doing alot of research on this then you know there is a massive difference in your spread! Many variables dictate what you do. What research have you done on this?
It’s been hard to find good articles on actually comparing the two. Google, YouTube, other forums . I have found some good reads. Just trying to get it out there to the people that have been doing this for years. I posted this with the intent to find MORE information/research and not blindly ask a question with the purpose of not learning something from it.
If you don’t ask, you don’t learn. Thanks for the insight.
You can’t use your normal 6 - 8 mph trolling spread. The lures would just flop around on top. High speed lures are very heavy (like 2lbs) and even then you sometimes have to use a trolling weight (2-5lbs) to keep it below the surface. HST requires a heavy bent butt rod, a 50 class or more reel and 80lb test at a minimum. Everything has to be beefed up to withstand the drag of the lure. High speed trolling is normally around the 15-18 mph mark.
“BlueWater Fishing Team”
2004 Cape Horn 31
twin yamaha F300’s
Cape Horn 24OS Sold
twin 150 Optimax
Its tough on your gear, tough on your fuel bill and not extremely practical when you have to run 70 miles to your fishing grounds. The only time I would use it here would be when moving between fishing spots or if fishing a wahoo tourney looking for a big fish but even then, we’ve put some (**() nice fish in the boat this year and years past with 80lb fluoro wind-ons trolling 6-8knts. Walk down to the weigh-in at Megadock and watch those sportys unload 50-80lb wahoo with 60lb fluoro-snelled circle hooks in the corner of their jaws
Now down in S. Fla and the Bahamas where you are only running 2-6 miles to reach your fishing grounds, its a lot less of a fuel burn. Also, in the Bahamas, the barras are so (**() thick that about the only way to isolate a wahoo bite is to run 18 knts.
Do not tell fish stories where the people know you; but particularly, don’t tell them where they know the fish.
31’ Contender
“Touche”
250 HPDIs
I do it some here when running between two spots. I use 80lb line on heavy bent gear and in line trolling weights. As others have said, it’s bad on your fuel bill since 12-18knots is often the in-between speed where you aren’t yet on plane and drag ass through the water pushing maximum wake. It does help you to target bigger wahoo though.
26 Seahunt
Angler’s Dream
You need heavier gear and heavier line with heavier drags to deal with the drag that the water puts on the equipment. Usually a high speed lure takes about 3 lbs of weight to get it to stay under. Also, on most boats, you aren’t going to get more than 3-4 lines out in a high speed spread. You will likely not be using your riggers for something like that. And as mentioned before, fuel. If you burn 15-20 GPH high speeding, how much money do you want to burn doing it?