I need some help regarding the setup for my trolling rods.My boat is 7 feet wide.I have 2 rod holders on the outer sides of the boat and 2 more near the main engine(outbord)I never tried trolling with 4 rods.The most i use is 2 rods on the side and 1 handline in the middle.But i am trying to use all 4 rod holders now.I need some help regarding what type of lure or rix i use and what weights so i dont get entangled on different rods.Like say on the outer one i use a lure with weght and the other one rixa without weight,and how far from the boat.Once jonathan told me a setup but i forgot it.Tks guys........Gaffer and skip any help?????
Kev, looks like you're really hooked now! Ideally your two outer rod holders should be angled out a bit to help create some spacing between the rod tips.
The next thing you need to look at is how you space your lures when running 4 rods, but you can run something like your two outer rods with surface lures dropped back, and then you have some choices with your inner two rods. On trick to avoid tangles and also keeps lures running better when they are closed to the boat is to flatline your lures. Basically use a rubber band and attach the line somewhere low at the back of your boat. This causes those lines to be out flat near the water, as opposed to pulling up from the rod tip. When you turn the lines from your outer rods can happily cross over the flat-lines one without so many tangles.
Flatlining lets you run the same time of surface/semi surface lures when you don't want to use things like rapala's etc, though either way when using rapala's you need to see how they are running. I don't really use in line weights anymore as I didn't think much of them.....they're fine for smaller fish where you can afford to reel in up to the weight and then remove the securing plugs to have it slide down to the lure/fish, but on bigger fish you can't do that.
Instead I use lures which have nose weights in them. But it isn't easy on smaller boats Kev as I found out this year on mine. Currently I have two rod holders on the outside angled out and a trip holder/rack in the middle but as the holders are closely spaced, it's really only a 1 or max 2 for actual fishing use.
What I intend to do is buy two clamp on rod holders and install them so that they are almost sticking straight out the side, which with the right rods will allow me to push two rods out. The only issue with this is that standard stand up trolling rods are very short, 5ft6 or so which won't make them very effective, instead I/you would need to use trolling rods usually designed for chairs which are like 6ft6-7 feet long to get the reach out, but then when it comes to fighting the fish you have a very long rod which with canopies etc is not so good! Everything is a compromise.
Who know why he's asking to use 4 rods while he uses 2 normally :P
2nd November rings a bell ?? :D ;)
Chris 8)
loooooll chris xD
Till 2nd nov i will have the outriggers as well chris ;) :D
Ara tikrix tal gaffer al naqa ::) :P ;D
Chris 8)
Might aswell rent The Gaffer's boat ::) :P ;)
Chris 8)
did you forget the downriggers aswell kev?
Tant qed ihabbel mohhu biex jamel s setup li flok downriggers kiteb outriggers dak ta tista ma tara xej :D ;D :P
Chris 8)
He is so mixed up on how he is going to set the rods up that he wrote outriggers instead of downrigers :D ;D :P
Chris (8)
No no the downriggers are ready now we'll also have outrigerss he did not make any mistakes :P
We are fully geared up boys ;)
8)
OUTRIGGERS i meant my friend....no mistakes :D ;)
Kev! Will elaborate further once I'm back in Malta on Friday. However, there is some good theory how to rig up a small boat with multiple rods. I will PM you the link on friday. Alternatively, the Gaffer is available for hire as its my birthday on the 2nd, so won't be using her!!!!
Tks gaffer...rajta qalbek,maybe gazzetta will hire it..forsi jerbah ;D ;)
Here's a link camkev.
Figure 16 looks more realistic to me but you might wish to try for one of the others....
http://www.pakula.com.au/BTL/Docs/1004_SmallBoatSetup.html
Well done Benri. That's the same link I was about to send to Kevin.
Benri if u want to u can have all those as flatline lures and add another one in the middle with a weight. its better to have the spread in a V shape with the outer lures having the most line. say on the 10th wake. the rod holder for the outer rods is a bent one. ifu want to u can buy bent butt rods and use ur normal rod holder.
One advice for all when fishing with a number of rods make sure that u can handle them as it will be a mess if u have a multiple strike and u are alone.
Tks guys,will have a look at the link. ;)
better u wait for the_gaffer kev as he will explain and solve the nitty gritty things.
Kev tha gaffer is the man ;) i gave you some ideas aswell though :P
Ok guys,will wait for the king of trolling THE GAFFER 8) ;)