How Deep For Trolling...?

by George

How deep would a 1 oz. lead weight take a trolling rig of plastic or wood, Pikie or diving fish lure?

Is there any way to tell without a down rigger??

Thanks. I want to get to 45ft. to 50 ft. for suspended large fish.

Answer in reply for trolling depth of 1 ounce lead weight:

Well George, there are a few variables that come into play when trolling...

The slower the boat speed, then the deeper you'll be able to get your lures and presentations down. And the faster you troll, then the higher the water dispersion pushes the fishing line up, especially if it's a lead core line.

I would have to estimate that with a 1 ounce weight, you'll probably be anywhere around 15 to 30 feet deep in the water column.

If you really want to get down to your desired depth of around 45 to 50 feet, then I would recommend using a 3 ounce weight with a down rigger.

Trolling with downriggers should be an investment that will prove to be well worth it, as you'll see when you start getting into those fish that you're after. The high end downrigging set-ups can be a bit costly, especially if you're not planning on trolling on a regular basis, then maybe a "poor man's downrigger planer" could be the way to go.

The best way to tell how deep you're presentations are running would obviously be with your electronics. You may be asking for an alternative way to tell and figure out what depth your running at, however, using downriggers and gauging them on your electronics will save you a whole lot of time and head aches in the long run, and you'll have much more fun "catching" fish, rather than just "fishing" for them.

Although I myself don't spend a whole lot of time trolling as opposed to other fishing techniques and tactics, I still use downriggers to get down to those deeper fish in the lakes and reservoirs near my hometown.

Well, I hope this helps you out. If you have any other questions about trolling, then feel free to post them here.

Good luck freshwater fishing!

Jason