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07-17-2017, 09:31 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Yellowknife
Posts: 213
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Trolling for Rainbow Trout
Hello. I have a few questions about trolling for rainbow trout. I've done a fair bit of trolling for other species and caught a fair amount of rainbows from the shore, but have never trolled for them. I'm thinking of heading up to Carson Pegasus with my kids in August and giving it a shot. From what I've been able to read, I have a few questions. What setups typically work the best for trolling for rainbows? Do the cowbell trolls work well? If you find an area where they are biting, do you stop and cast there or continue to troll? What sort of areas should I look for to even start trolling - I know water temp is often more important than structure in this case so should I even be looking for specific structure? Any other tips and tricks you could provide would be greatly appreciated. Usually the kids are pretty happy just being on the water but if we can actually catch some fish in the process they'll be even more excited.
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07-17-2017, 10:55 AM
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Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 3,114
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I don’t spend a lot of time trolling for trout, for me small plugs work the best, but that is mostly because I find spinners and spoon invariably twist your line. The stock lake were I mostly fish for trout can grow real bruisers so a 3-4” plug is not an issue.
I have one set of cow bells but they are probably too big they are a major pain to toll. And I think you need some sort of depth control (down rigger or dipsy) to fish them effectively.
No luck with walleye bottom bouncers either.
I have used a spoon with a fly dropper(leach or minnow imitation) but that was casting
Probably the biggest thing is depth control, I typically hit that stock lake May Long or October long so the fish are shallow other than that they will be down in the water column somewhere.
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07-17-2017, 11:12 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 580
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Ah trolling for trout.... Works for me. Fish finder is a very useful tool with this procedure. When in areas of fish concentrations change lures often- as you will know very quickly if you have the right one. Key to preventing twisted line is the use of "ball bearing" swivels. My 10# braided line has a small bb clasp swivel with no issues. Many people use "willow leaf" of similar hardware before their lure/fly. My choice is a single blade flasher( about 2") behind which a green leech fly is placed-18-24 inches. Keep changing either lure or fly and soon you shall have fish. tight lines.
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07-17-2017, 11:53 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Southern Alberta
Posts: 7,350
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Smaller Flatfish F5-F7 In Natural colors(silver, gold, RBT, frog) etc
Split shot to help get them down if needed. You can usually tell when you have weeds on the line cuz the pulsing stops.
Panther martins with split shot too.
I usually just troll the above.
However.
Instead of cowbells try:
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Macks...%26CQ_page%3D0
Also come in a short 2 blade model which I also like.
Walleye fishermen will know of them because of the smile blades from the same company..
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eat a snickers
made in Alberta__ born n raised.
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Last edited by huntsfurfish; 07-17-2017 at 11:58 AM.
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07-17-2017, 12:05 PM
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Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 3,114
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Quote:
Originally Posted by huntsfurfish
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OK that is what I thought is commonly called as a cowbell, or is it a cowbell if it has colorado blades and something else if it has willow leaf blades.
Small salmon flashers look interesting too.
I have been thinking about slip float and flies and sitting of points and other sorts of bottle necks counting on trout to be moving around lots. Drop shoting is on the to try list as well.
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07-17-2017, 12:19 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: McBride/Prince George
Posts: 14,663
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Willow leaf. Amazing.
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07-17-2017, 12:21 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: McBride/Prince George
Posts: 14,663
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07-17-2017, 12:23 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: McBride/Prince George
Posts: 14,663
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Ford fender work well too.
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07-17-2017, 12:43 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Southern Alberta
Posts: 7,350
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Quote:
Originally Posted by aulrich
OK that is what I thought is commonly called as a cowbell, or is it a cowbell if it has colorado blades and something else if it has willow leaf blades.
Small salmon flashers look interesting too.
I have been thinking about slip float and flies and sitting of points and other sorts of bottle necks counting on trout to be moving around lots. Drop shoting is on the to try list as well.
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The advantage of the Macks is lite weight and less water resistance though.
There are flashers and dodgers, both cowbells and the Mack I posted are members of the flasher category.
Flashers fully rotate, while dodgers swing side to side.
Ford Fender:
http://www.cabelas.ca/product/31446/...der-lake-troll
Willow Leaf:
http://www.cabelas.ca/product/8596/l...af-lake-trolls
Cow Bells:
http://www.wholesalesports.com/store...Troll/p/36955B
All these are just name brand flashers with different shaped blades.
__________________
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eat a snickers
made in Alberta__ born n raised.
FS-Tinfool hats by the roll.
Last edited by huntsfurfish; 07-17-2017 at 12:50 PM.
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07-17-2017, 12:47 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Yellowknife
Posts: 213
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Thanks for all the feedback. I'll have to try a few of those out when I go. One more question, what speed should I be trolling these at? I read that trolling for trout usually works better a little faster than for other local fish species. Is that what you have found?
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07-17-2017, 12:51 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 306
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Pick up some flies, green montanas, idaho nymph, hares ear nymph, and some leech and chironimid imitations(midges), last two you can put below a slip bobber, try around the narrows trolling slowly, maybe a couple split shot for weight, should do fine
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07-17-2017, 12:54 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Southern Alberta
Posts: 7,350
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Quote:
Originally Posted by New2Elk
Thanks for all the feedback. I'll have to try a few of those out when I go. One more question, what speed should I be trolling these at? I read that trolling for trout usually works better a little faster than for other local fish species. Is that what you have found?
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Vary your speed the fish will tell you what speed they want. And dont always troll in straight lines unless you are following a weed line. Use S shapes or a variation of an s shape.
__________________
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eat a snickers
made in Alberta__ born n raised.
FS-Tinfool hats by the roll.
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07-17-2017, 01:54 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: AB
Posts: 6,646
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Interesting timing....
Was out 3 days ago with the wife in a row boat to a new to me lake....no power allowed trout lake....we toured every foot of water on that lake...threw everything at them I had.....Nothing...wife's says let's try trolling around with a small spoon and a rapala on her rod...I laughed...until BANG....We just started hammering them...brook and rainbows hammered both kinds.
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07-17-2017, 05:03 PM
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Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 3,994
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Williams Wobbler as a "flasher"
Long ago when I could fit in 34" waist jeans (a Very Long Ago!!) Curries' in Jasper used to sell just the Williams Wobbler with NO HOOK!! The idea was to put 3 feet of 6# test behind and pull a fly, Flatfish, Rooster Tail spinner, behind.
Still use it today, especially with 6 # fluorocarbon, and an F5 Black and silver Flatfish, or Frog or Crocodile finish Flatfish.
Very effective on Carson, Maligne, etc.
Start stripping out line by hand and count the pulls on a steady troll until you hit weeds. Reel in, clean the weeds off, and this time strip out 5 pulls less line at the same speed. Much less drag than a Ford Fender. Much less line twist, and a much better fight when you hook a trout.
The Wobbler does not "spin", it just goes side to side. However, still use a ball bearing swivel snap behind so the lure does not twist the line up badly.
Drewski
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07-17-2017, 06:52 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 4
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Gang Troll bad
Yes, don't use gang troll!
Fishing is about the fight, feeling the fish hit, letting them run, feeling the head bobs. Put a heavy ford fender on the line and you'll just drag in fish like a log.
Put a swivel and lure or fly on and troll, thats all you need, you'll still catch fish and you'll have way more fun playing it and reeling it in!
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07-18-2017, 07:57 AM
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 373
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Trolling for rainbow trout
I always use a gang troll with a wedding band with a worm or power bait. We usually catch lots of fish and the rainbows usually put up a great fight and still jump out of the water. It is all I use when trolling for trout and rarely get skunked.
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07-18-2017, 10:25 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 580
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Drewski- the less you have pulling on your line the better. I too have used the "gang troll" willow leaf and other heavier equipment. A single Williams warbler "flasher" works very well and only gives a minimal resistance when using a 2ft fluorocarbon leader and a small clip to attach various flies and lures.
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07-18-2017, 10:42 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Secret Creek. BC
Posts: 981
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The biggest rainbow I ever caught was by trolling. I was on Quesnel Lake and I must have had at least 200 feet out with a flasher of some kind. It was just shy of 11 pounds. I released it. Took a lot of ribbing from my buds on that move. 😃
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07-18-2017, 11:13 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Sherwood Park
Posts: 302
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trout trolling
Got a personal best at carson this year. Just above 5lbs. Picture and released for another fisherman to catch. Trolled with an electric motor small sinkers and a green nymph. Change your speed and zig zag your boat.
Lots of good info here. I used to troll with heavy gang trolls, but when bringing it in, all I could feel is the weight of the gang troll. I will never use another gang troll. Love to see them jump out of the water.
Try trolling some flies with some weights, also caught a 4lb rainbow at VEG res. using small floating rapala.
Keep trying. Once you have the right lure and method, it is a ton of fun.
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Good luck and good fishing
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07-18-2017, 11:42 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Yellowknife
Posts: 213
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Thanks for all the great info. Sounds like I'll just throw the whole tackle box at them and see what sticks so to speak. I'm even more excited now just to try the different approaches and see what works.
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07-18-2017, 11:48 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 236
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Lots of good tips posted. I learned a few new things myself.
One question is where will you be fishing? and at what time of year?
Summer time in lakes that are 100 ft deep or more you will need to go deep, small downrigger deep for example.
In the spring/fall you could be trolling near the surface.
It can be as simple as or 3/8 ounce Gibbs Croc spoon (or any spoon) with no weight or a downrigger with a flasher or dodger and a hockey stick or small hoochie.
A 7 weight fly rod with a full sink line is also a fun way to troll for trout
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07-20-2017, 08:23 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 11,870
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There's also, worth mentioning, that there is a huge difference between trolling Gerhard Rainbows on Kootenay, Shuswap, Arrow (or another big deep lake in BC) versus trolling pothole prairie rainbows.
Sizing your presentation to the fish (and what they are likely eating) is the ticket.
My go to are ussually ....
Big BC lakes for big deep rainbows = flasher, apex, lymans, hoochies, larger spoons, etc.. off a downrigger often 40'-70' down at 2.5-3.5 mph. Pulling a fly on surface, sometimes you are 4 mph.
Prairie rainbows = a small willow leaf and little spoon/spinner like a panther or tiny flatfish/kwikfish lure. Most of the time you are only down 20' or so and a 2-3 oz mooching sinker in front of the willow leaf will get you down there, and you are 2 mph (slow compared to BC).
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07-20-2017, 09:29 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Turner Valley, AB
Posts: 317
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I like to use a spoon of any kind, take the treble hook off and replace with a wedding ring (band, what every you call it). I think I'm currently using a luhr jensen crocodile spoon a couple inches long (maybe ounce or ounce and a half). You will probably want to add a barrel swivel in the front if the spoon doesn't already have one.
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Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after - Henry David Thoreau
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07-21-2017, 05:26 AM
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Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: At the end of the Thirsty Beaver Trail, Pinsky lake, Alberta.
Posts: 24,781
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Red Snapper
Yes, don't use gang troll!
Fishing is about the fight, feeling the fish hit, letting them run, feeling the head bobs. Put a heavy ford fender on the line and you'll just drag in fish like a log.
Put a swivel and lure or fly on and troll, thats all you need, you'll still catch fish and you'll have way more fun playing it and reeling it in!
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So eliminate a possible way of catching fish
I say attempt to keep all options open on this thread, stay at it until something sparks thier fancy and then your catching not fishing!
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07-21-2017, 09:47 AM
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: Uh, guess? :)
Posts: 26,739
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Strangely, my most productive method on a trout lake has been to troll with my fly rod. Sinking tip line and a streamer.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DevilsAdvocate
In this case Oki has cut to to the exact heart of the matter!
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07-21-2017, 10:28 AM
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Banned
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Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 182
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Talking moose
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Awesome!
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07-21-2017, 12:38 PM
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: The elbow of Alberta
Posts: 1,363
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I like trolling with flies with the barbs pinched. You can slay them with a willowleaf and worm or just a straight worm but they like to swallow the bait deep , so I'm guessing mortality rates are petty high when releasing this years stock.
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07-22-2017, 02:46 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 883
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Talking moose
Ford fender work well too.
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Lol. We trolled one night...two guy with truck bumpers aka willow leafs and me with a doc spratley. I didn't get the most fish but I got by and far the biggest.
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07-22-2017, 02:52 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: McBride/Prince George
Posts: 14,663
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Deo101
Lol. We trolled one night...two guy with truck bumpers aka willow leafs and me with a doc spratley. I didn't get the most fish but I got by and far the biggest.
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That's awsome!!
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07-22-2017, 11:11 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,031
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mikebossy
Pick up some flies, green montanas, idaho nymph, hares ear nymph, and some leech and chironimid imitations(midges), last two you can put below a slip bobber, try around the narrows trolling slowly, maybe a couple split shot for weight, should do fine
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X2 if you fish these patterns, guaranteed, you will catch fish!
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