One of the most important factors to consider while manufacturing an effective trolling spread is to identify where the best locations are in a particular boat’s wake, to run your baits. Where are your trolling lanes and what are your options? These aren’t usually standard circumstances that are the same every time you leave the dock…and they are certainly specific to individual boats. There are many factors which may influence the fishable water in your boats wake. The most important of these are:

The later of these is probably the most significant factor combined with the current sea state, and as many anglers and captains know, outboard boats simply do not produce fish on the troll like a good ole, diesel inboard. Above the waterline exhaust (a characteristic of inboard motors) usually maintains nice clean lanes and provides much more opportunity to tune your spread of lures in a fashion that suits your specific conditions. Many captains also believe that just the hum and vibration of diesel motors simply attract more fish to the boat and likewise the baits…hence the age-old adage, “that boat just raises fish.” Frankly, its hard to argue with, since even as many proven tournament boats change hands, they seem to remain in the hunt, year after year in big tournaments regardless of the crew.

It also seems obvious after switching boats as many times as I have, that while fishing outboards, most of my strikes are happening on the long rigger and shotgun lines as opposed to the short flat lines that get most of the action on our large aluminum tournament boat. It happens with enough regularity to rule out coincidence.

This is not to say however, that you are completely out of business with your outboards, but you will have to learn to fish around the limitations created by outboard motor turbulence. 

The next problem to solve is to discover a spread of baits that is both practical in terms of your vessel’s equipment (i.e. down and outriggers, rod holders and fishing rods) and is also effective in relation to local sea and water conditions as well as effectively matched to your targeted species. This is achieved through trial and error and experience.

Basically, there are two types of trolling patterns. The “W” and “V” pattern.

 

              

 Obviously, like with most aspects of sportfishing, these are not rules, but rather guidelines from which to adapt your own favorite patterns and techniques. Important factors to remember while designing your own spreads are to try and cover a range of depths and probably most importantly, to make a tangle-proof pattern that runs free through turns and maneuvers. This is most simply achieved by one angler or deckhand running out all the baits while the captain maintains a strait course and constant speed. Mentally counting a cadence as the lures are dropped back is a handy trick to keep this foolproof while maximizing your fishing time and minimize tangle snafus. When possible, the spread should also be tweaked by the captain visually, from the flybridge or tuna tower, for maximum efficiency and exposure of your baits in the optimum places within your wake. Your spread should ultimately resemble a school or group of fish. The baits should be spaced enough so that not to confuse a fish when he comes up to take a bait, but also close enough to appear as a cohesive group. I also like to incorporate a long bait fished either form the shotgun position (center rigger) or from a long position from one of the outriggers. This is usually a small natural bait like a naked ballyhoo or islander jr.s  and is highly effective as it appears to the gamefish as a smaller member of the group struggling to keep up with the pack.

Lure Selection 

Absolutely there is a scientific backbone behind the selection of lures and their colors in relation to water color and light conditions as well as fish species and time of day. Like everything else in this sport, they seem to differ with geographic location and also between species. Futhermore, they are greatly effected by local forage species available at any particular time to gamefish in that area. Unfortunately, there are many more exceptions than actual rules themselves. The best you can hope for are local, identifiable patterns. 

Another important thing to consider during lure selection is the typical sportfishing cliché, “match the hatch.” For instance, if the area you are fishing is loaded with small flying fish, in clear blue water, the obvious choice is for a blue and white Islander Jr. tipped with either a small ballyhoo or a small bonita or other belly strip. Fish your baits tight from the ends of the riggers and rod tips so that they skim the top of the water every few seconds and closely resemble a fleeing flyer.

If the water is off color or there are low light conditions. My choice would be the same bait in a high vis color like pink or orange.

The gimme answers for color choice are the more clear the water and the more light…the more natural you want to baits to look. Especially for the more finicky species like tuna and big dolphin.

Off-color water and/or low light conditions usually require bright, contrasting colors.

Remember; don’t be afraid to go against the grain…especially if things aren’t working out. Trial and error is the key to continued long term success! 

Speed is a Factor 

Here’s another significant variable to consider during  your trial and error process searching for the right combination of hardware, tactics, and methods which will lead to bent rods and a successful outing. Here are some helpful guidelines to get you started:

Other variables to factor into the equation include:

The way your boat handles the sea in different conditions and at different speeds dictate your options in terms of trolling speed and tactics. This is completely subjective. In the morning you may be able to troll 6 knots with a combination of plastic and natural baits and with the direction of the swells in relation to the rip, you are able to ride comfortably and your prop wash is clean enough to still be productive. By the afternoon, conditions have changed slightly and you may have to adapt your tactics to the current environment. The species of fish which you are targeting also has an influence on trolling speeds as well. Typically, marlin and wahoo fishing are done at higher speeds than for tuna and dolphin. Obviously, lure selection plays a part in determining the most effective trolling speed as well. Natural baits cannot hold up to higher trolling speeds, especially in rough seas where the baits are leaving the water a lot.

Here are some tips to get you started. Naked natural baits and deep diving plugs with a front lip are the slowest and can be trolled together effectively.  Skirted natural baits like a ballyhoo/Islander combo (or any skirted natural bait), plugs with no lips such as Braid Maurauders and swimming plastic lures (usually skirted lures with a slanted face) are the mid-range lures in terms of speed and can be trolled effectively together from 5-8 knots. Jet and bullet head lures are typically the fastest baits and are pulled at speeds of up to 20 knots with the hopes of raising marlin and wahoo. We have been successful hooking blue marlin at up to 17 knots while traveling between destinations 

Find the Bait 

The Oceans and The Gulf of Mexico are extrememly vast areas, with really not much in them in relation to their size.You have a decent understanding of the basics, and you have an idea of what kinds of lures and tactics might work in your area and on the types of fish that you are libel to encounter offshore. You are eager to start the trial and error process. Now what? The offshore environment is vast open area and the gamefish can be really hard to find.

In this vast offshore environment, success at this point lies in your ability to put your baits out where the fish are…or at least where they are likely to be! The obvious constant in this case which is most easy to zero in on, is that all offshore gamefish are voracious feeders and they are constantly on the search for their next meal. What we are really looking for in that case, is their food supply…or again, where the bait is likely to be. Great places to start include:

Current lines are good place to start since gamefish frequently run up and down these breaks in search of food. Many times when the currents are sharp enough, baitfish or other smaller organisms get trapped in these confluences and provide a food source for larger fish. Temperature edges act in much the same way and often include a current break as well. Upwellings occur when an ocean or tidal current reflect upwards from a sharp piece of bottom structure causing nutrient rich water from near the bottom to be forced to the surface where it starts the food chain. Small marine animals come to feed on the tiny particles and organisms which are dislodged from their homes in the deep. In turn, larger predators arrive to dine on those animals and so on, and so forth. This scenario occurs around sharp contour breaks in the bottom (like the continental shelf) and over sea mounts like the Marathon Humps in the Florida Keys and Midnight Lump offshore of Louisiana.

Other great places to wet your lines include really any offshore structure or substrate that hold some life and provide a haven for baitfish to live and gather around. Weedlines can be very productive and great fun.Floating debris, offshore buoys and FADS are other good targets of opportunity, particularly ones that have been in the water for extended periods of time. They all provide shelter for baitfish and other small animals to orient to and use for shelter and safety against maurauding predators like the gamefish we are all after. Some keys to look for are bird activity and the presence of baitfish. Also, especially with floatsam, look for barnacles that indicate that the debris has spent some time in the water and probably has some resident baitfish. All of this in a nutshell…find a bunch of good bait…and you are usually in the right spot. 

Boat Handling and the Captain 

Now that you have a decent idea of what to do and hopefully, where to go, lets lastly touch on some pointers for the captains out there. As a captain, before I even put a bait in the water, I like to establish with my crew, exactly what is to happen once we hook up. Especially when you are trolling multiple lines (which is pretty much always), its great when the crew understands what to do when a fish is hooked and is mentally prepared to do their jobs and to react to possible situations as they arise. This doesn’t prevent cockpit chaos by any means, but it does make it much safer for the crew and it makes the boat as a whole much more prepared to capitalize on your opportunities. Establish who is to be the primary angler and who is to take the second fish or even the third (especially when there are a lot of dolphin or wahoo around). For the part of the crew which is further back in the rotation, explain that they will be expected to clear lines as it becomes necessary. They can be prearranged actions or have them ready to take orders as you direct traffic.

Have the anglers either wearing their belts if the bite is on, or at least fitted comfortably and ready to be put on in a timely fashion. Have the gaffs stowed where they are easily accessable but with the points safely covered or unexposed so that they are not a danger to the crew in the case of a triple hook-up and complete chaos in the cockpit. Also, always try to have the cockpit floor completely clear of equipment and debris. Finally, have the crew know where to stow the rods that are retrieved after a hookup. The lures can be dangling over the side either just in the water or between the top of the gunnel and the waterline or in another safe place, but NEVER on the deck of the cockpit.

Once you have the batting order figured out and the crew at least has an idea of what to expect, its time to deploy the baits and start fishing. As the captain you should have a strategy as to how you are going to fish a particular area and you should try to approach each potential fishy spot methodically. Try to identify where the strike zones are and where the gamefish are likely to be. Try to maneuver the boat so that you don’t pass directly through the fish with the boat but rather skirt the outside and drag just your baits through the strike zone. When approaching a piece of floatsam, debris, buoy or other area likely to be holding fish, make your first pass count as much as possible, since that is the money pass most likely to draw out the trophy fish. If you spot fish working on the surface, let a bait or two way out on one side of the boat and try to anticipate which way they are heading, and then pull the boat way out in front of them and work your one or two long baits in front of them being careful not to spook them with the boat. This works particularly well with billfish and feeding tunas.

If things don’t seem to be working out, but you feel that you are in the right area, start experimenting. Try substituting new lures into your spread amidst other lures that have proven themselves before. Try varying your speed. Many times an alteration in speed will draw strikes from curious fish that are inspecting your baits. Switch baits around in the spread and try running a small, natural bait way back, as much as 200 yards (of course make sure that you use outfit with plenty of line). As a fisherman and captain, I am much more persistent than patient. Keep at it, trying new things until something is successful. Remember, there are very few rules in sportfishing and each day is brand new. If you have never heard the saying, “what a difference a day makes,” then you haven’t been fishing long enough!