Why Do You Troll?

[dbaken]

I have a hard time sitting still when fishing. I like to move around and check out different areas of the lake. I'll usually troll for a bit then when I see something interesting that might hold fish, will do some targeted casting and stripping. For me, I have a hard time staring at a bobber, and a lack belief that I will catch something when blindly casting and stripping without a target of some sort, whether its a rising fish, or weed bed, or a drop off, etc.

As others have mentioned, trolling is also a good way to figure out where the fish are hanging out in a new lake, or where they are concentrated that particular day on a lake I'm familiar with.

I generally do pretty well trolling, usually as well or better than the bobber folks. Though it varies by lake. And by day.

 

[Matt B]

It’s funny, I find trolling more boring than indicator fishing. I troll when moving from spot to spot, when I can’t get any other kind of bite going, on my very first time at a lake for sure (have to take a tour), or when I have the kids in the boat—that’s a troll game for sure.

 

[Mossback]

One thing about trolling, you can check out the scenery, watch the birds, look for rises, or just stare at the sky...
Can't do that indicator fishing, unless you want the bobber to go under.

 

[Bambooflyguy]

One thing about trolling, you can check out the scenery, watch the birds, look for rises, or just stare at the sky...
Can't do that indicator fishing, unless you want the bobber to go under.

That’s how you get the bobber to go down!

 

[Shad]

Unless fish are showing themselves readily, I troll to find them. I usually troll two flies in a zig-zag pattern to vary the angle, depth, and speed and figure out what the fish seem to be looking for.

I definitely get bored when it's slow, no matter what I'm doing.

 

[SteelHeadDave]

I enjoy the best of both worlds. Slow wind drifting with the bobber on. Works well with a balanced leech when I’m searching on a new to me lake.

If I had to pick between trolling and bobber watching I’m going with bobber for sure. Trolling is reserved for travel purposes most of the time.

 

[Porter2]

I troll to get the trout that are gullible

 

[albula]

Boredom.

 

[BigSplashTom]

I met a guy named Hardwood Phil last summer on Teal lake. He trolled so fast his pontoon boat was on a plane. He was catching fish though. Guy was a hoot but it looked like a lot of work to me and I was catching just as many fish on the indicator. I will use cast and stripping type III and micro leeches when moving to next indicator location but almost never troll. Trolling reminds me too much of my childhood with stinking 2 cycle outboards and 6feet of pop gear aka: recycled beer cans hardly knew we had fish on with all that crap dragging through the water column.

 

[clarkman]

That’s how you get the bobber to go down!

I thought it was taking a sip on your beer....that usually does it for me!

 

[Bambooflyguy]

I thought it was taking a sip on your beer....that usually does it for me!

Beer…..Crown….lunch….bs’n……they all work! The pee trick always works! I swear the fish have scouts watching for the right moment then tell their buddies to yank the bobber down!!

 

[RCF]

In my limited experience, I feel the hookup rate is better with trolling than indicator/bobber fishing. Someone said earlier that set the hook on the first 'tick'. If you feel a second 'tick", the fish just spit out the fly.

I rarely feel a second 'tick' when trolling.

Thoughts?

 

[Para_Adams]

I've noticed that lakes often have a mysterious tendency to "turn off" and "turn on." You can look around on a crowded lake and see nothing being caught, then later you look around and see bent rods all over, including yours. So, I used to troll, thinking I was finding where the fish were. But now I'm not so sure it just isn't the bite turning on, regardless of where I'm at, anchored with bobber or moving with a leech. So lately I've been happy to join the bobber gang, enjoy a snack and sip of coffee, giving my legs a rest, and enjoy that thrill of an indicator suddenly vanishing before my eyes. Bobber down!

 

[RCF]

I've noticed that lakes often have a mysterious tendency to "turn off" and "turn on." You can look around on a crowded lake and see nothing being caught, then later you look around and see bent rods all over, including yours. So, I used to troll, thinking I was finding where the fish were. But now I'm not so sure it just isn't the bite turning on, regardless of where I'm at, anchored with bobber or moving with a leech. So lately I've been happy to join the bobber gang, enjoy a snack and sip of coffee, giving my legs a rest, and enjoy that thrill of an indicator suddenly vanishing before my eyes. Bobber down!

View attachment 145963

I agree with lakes turning off for sure. Between 2 and 4 pm, fishing definitely turns off. @Northern and @FishingGirl have confirmed this on the lake I live on.

Nap time , potty break, or time to tie up some flies.

 

[Matt B]

In my limited experience, I feel the hookup rate is better with trolling than indicator/bobber fishing. Someone said earlier that set the hook on the first 'tick'. If you feel a second 'tick", the fish just spit out the fly.

I rarely feel a second 'tick' when trolling.

Thoughts?

“Limited experience” lol. How many years of fly fishing do you have under your belt, Chris?

For me, it’s the opposite. I feel like I miss way more fish trolling. Maybe I haven’t mastered the art of the “comeback” after the initial whack, like @Northern has. Maybe I need better flies like @RCF has.

I used to miss a lot of bobber takedowns. Then I took the swivel off.

 

[RCF]

“Limited experience” lol. How many years of fly fishing do you have under your belt, Chris?

For me, it’s the opposite. I feel like I miss way more fish trolling. Maybe I haven’t mastered the art of the “comeback” after the initial whack, like @Northern has. Maybe I need better flies like @RCF has.

I used to miss a lot of bobber takedowns. Then I took the swivel off.

50+ years of flyfishing and 25+ years living on this lake...

 

[Para_Adams]

I think some days the bobber rules, other days my trolling buddies out fish me, by lots. Regardless, the gray-er my hair gets, the more I enjoy fishing the bobber, in one spot. Probably partly due to laziness, partly due to increasingly finicky hamstring muscles, but I think mostly due to having loved watching a bobber (with worm) being dragged under by bluegill as a kid. It's a deeply ingrained joy for me.

 

[RCF]

I have seen a pattern with slow periods of fishing. Bright sun seems slower. Cloudy days, less slow times. I try to fish when the shadows of tall trees are on the water. Seems to make a difference. Not sure, haven't proved it yet.

 

[kmudgn]

So...I take it that there's no fishing from a moving craft?

On fly fishing waters in Maine, you can fish from a boat that is drifting with the wind, or anchored, but if the boat is under any kind of power (engine/motor/human) it is considered trolling and can get you into trouble with a Warden if he/she believes that you are using the power to pull the fly along as a fishing method rather than just moving spots. Very subjective, but that is what can happen.

 

[GAT]

I'm another fan of trolling stillwaters.... for the same reasons mentioned by others.

Besides.... for me it works quite well.