Great Lakes Trolling

[zephyr4]

Anyone have a suggestion for a good lure to pull behind my sailboat when traveling 3-5 knots? I will be fishing in the great lakes, but I would certainly welcome any suggestions.

Here is one hint: describe the lure for those unfamiliar with the name.

Thanks,

Mike

[jdoe71]

If you're going to troll out in the open lakes you'll need a downrigger, don't think there's much to catch at the depths any lure travels at unless you're in fairly shallow water. Except maybe if you're out there first thing in the spring before a thermocline has developed. That's been my experience anyway. You can get downriggers that are removable and mount in a variety of ways. For lures it depends on species, time of year, water clarity and temperature and what kind of bait fish they are eating, local knowledge type of thing.

We never troll, only dunk a line after the hook's down and in our area we usually get success with just a worm, success in this case being a nice walleye. I bet you would get better luck with this question on a fishing forum.

[easterly]

5/8 oz spinner with a rubber worm, spoons, Rapala deep diver minnow 3" long. Down riggers would be best.

[zephyr4]

Thanks for the thought. Most great lakes fisherman troll at substantially slower speeds.

I was hoping for ideas about lures that will work (attrack fish, not twist the line, etc...) at the speeds my mono-hull travels under sail.

[Jentine]

Very few fishermen have any idea of fishing from a sailboat. In my marina, there is a fishing shack. The owner has created rigs for sailors that actually work in the open ocean without all the trappings a fisherman would have. I went to his shop last summer and he understood exactly what was needed. He also understood that I was not interested in the sport of fishing, only catching fish. The rig he put together has 200 lb. test line so I don't have to play with the thing, just haul it aboard.

[irwinsailor]

Where are you located?
I know a few sailors that have good luck fishing under sail on lake Michigan.
They use the same equipment that power boaters use.
You will need down riggers, weights, poles, and lures like northport nailers and J-plugs.

[GordMay]

The salmon and trout of the Great Lakes have certain temperature preferences, which helps determine your trolling depth.

[zephyr4]

Catching fish with the same equipment used by powerboaters is good advice, but my question was slightly different: what lures have other sailors found work well at high trolling speeds.

[Connemara]

Gord:

Chart puzzled me for a moment, until I realized the minus sign (- 12C ) was actually a dash. Couldn't figure out how those Coho were swimming in -12C water.


Connemara