# trolling for bass



## Jyphotography (Apr 7, 2009)

I was reading a site that said it was looked down upon by bass fisherman.. is this true? If so why? When I was a kid all we did was trolled for salmon and trout.. what is different about bass?

Also does it work?

thanks guys!


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## Captain Ahab (Apr 8, 2009)

If you mean LM bass - since they are more wait and ambush fish it does not work all that well.


If you mean striped bass - well all we do in the Chessie is troll, usually umbrella rigs or mojo rigs


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## Andy (Apr 8, 2009)

Where I fish in the river I float down fishing for bass, or whatever is hitting then on the way back up I'll throw on a lure that I can troll with on the way back up for another float back down. Trolling back up has produced some bass, redeyes, and perch, so I guess it does work... As far as trolling in a lake for bass I have no idea.


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## Nickk (Apr 8, 2009)

I think it's pretty effective and not allowed in tournaments. I remember being a kid and catching tons of bass in my grandmothers farm pond trolling with a rowboat with my cousins, we were dragging Rapalas. I'll bet the jerking action of the rowboat help alot too! Personally I want to feel the strike, subtle or violent I want to feel it so trolling isn't my bag.


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## Captain Ahab (Apr 8, 2009)

Andy said:


> Where I fish in the river I float down fishing for bass, or whatever is hitting then on the way back up I'll throw on a lure that I can troll with on the way back up for another float back down. Trolling back up has produced some bass, redeyes, and perch, so I guess it does work... As far as trolling in a lake for bass I have no idea.





Yeah, I have seen that done on rivers and it will land some fish


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## Zum (Apr 8, 2009)

Like Nickk said,it's not aloud in tournaments but as long as your not in one,go for it.Years ago(20+-) when we would troll for trout we started catching bass(never even really knew what they were,my grandfather called them white perch).Mepps spinners,any inline spinner,with or without a worm,rapalas,even slowly a topwater popper,they hit anything at times.
As far as looked down upon,who cares.
Your there with your kids,sometimes they would rather move around then cast.Enjoy your time on the water.
Ever fishing group has their "traditions"Flyfisherman,carp fisherman...etc.Don't let them spoil it for you.


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## FishinsMyLife (Apr 8, 2009)

Sometimes I'll take a cycle around a pond in the heat of the day in the summer or in the winter trolling a deep crankbait in the deep water. It will catch fish at times from my experience.


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## shizzy77 (Apr 9, 2009)

FishinsMyLife said:


> Sometimes I'll take a cycle around a pond in the heat of the day in the summer or in the winter trolling a deep crankbait in the deep water. It will catch fish at times from my experience.


Ill do the same if its hot or im bored. I usually hook a Pike, but once or twice I have caught a largemouth. With the larger mouth it was only if I happened to snag it in a big weed bed.


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## Quackrstackr (Apr 9, 2009)

You will figure out soon enough that most bass fishing purists are snobs. :lol: 

(flame suit on)

It works. There isn't a lot of local trollers on KY or Barkley lakes (my local lakes) but the guys from the north that come down and employ their technique in the summer for white bass catch some whopper largemouths in the process. Seeing those guys pull in and put a knife to a couple of limits of 5 lb+ largemouths causes mass convulsions in the parking lots full of $50k bass boats around here.

I personally do not see anything wrong with it. I worked the tournament circuit in the late 80's and early 90's when the FLW was then the Red Man Tournament trail. Mainly the grunt work of setting up the stages and tanks and running the check in and release boat. The number of dead bass floating around at the end of a tournament on any given day is somewhat shocking, especially during the summer. Most people don't stick around long enough to see that.


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## poolie (Apr 9, 2009)

I have no intention of flaming Quackrstackr because (1) we're a civil bunch of guys on this site... even if we are snobs  and (2) there's some truth to his comment about bass purist being snobs.

To me fishing is about acquiring the skill and know how to 'trick' a fish into consistently biting these man-made little objects we throw in the water with hooks in them. Working on and achieving this skill is where I get my satisfaction from fishing. So for me trolling doesn't offer any satisfaction other than reeling in a fish. Now that said, for all of you guys that like trolling... short of throwing sticks of dynamite in the water, I don't care how you fish as long as you enjoy it. I'm not going to look down my nose and say, 'hmmm... my way takes more skill, therefore I'm somehow better than you', which is what I think Quackrstackr was implying with his comment. But like I said, I've known guys that do look down on trolling, so his comment has truth.


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## russ010 (Apr 9, 2009)

poolie said:


> short of throwing sticks of dynamite in the water



well shoot poolie - how do you expect me to show you how I catch so many fish?!?!?!

just kidding - but I'm with ya. I don't care for trolling because I have no enjoyment for it - unless it's for crappie. I like to use my brain and try to think like a fish. I only throw lures that I would bite (funny I know) but it works for me. And I made myself learn how to read the fish finder by throwing weighted lures on the bottom so I could feel what I was seeing, and then remembering what that contour looked like on the graph when I caught a fish. It does pay off in the long run.


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## poolie (Apr 9, 2009)

russ010 said:


> I only throw lures that I would bite (funny I know) but it works for me.



Can't tell you how many times I've tied something on, looked at it and said, "yup... if I was fish I'd eat it" I think it helps with your confidence in the bait.


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## bassboy1 (Apr 9, 2009)

russ010 said:


> I only throw lures that I would bite (funny I know)


First time Russ and I fished together, he pulled out this goshawful Gulp worm, and made some comment on how he only throws what he would bite, and that he would probably bite that. I wasn't really sure that I should take him seriously from there.....


I hear ya on the bass purists being snobs. When you fish numerous tournaments on the big lakes, you will see what I mean. You don't mess with "their" fish. Although, I personally can't see why you would want to eat a bass. They ain't exactly the tastiest fish in the pond. 

I don't think I would spend much time trolling for largemouth, just due to the nature of the fish. But, these spotted bass are a totally different story. The 100% striper guys catch good size spotted bass all the time on the local lakes pulling Umbrella rigs. Spots tend to school up in open water, and chase shad, a bit more than largies do.


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## Fish Monger (Apr 14, 2009)

I catch my largest Bass trolling. I guess you could say that I am now a trolling snob and am too lazy to cast much anymore :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## fish devil (Apr 14, 2009)

:twisted: My brother trolls for bass and does real well here in South Jersey. I know a few other guys that kill em trolling....they use spinners, cranks, and even 10" worms.


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