Trolling rod setup

[HuntFishDude]

Having just received a trolling reel (w/ line counter) I was wondering if there is a preference for line type that is different from usual casting setups? Normally, I'd put some power pro or something on a new reel, but was wondering if there is a downside to that for trolling purposes ( other than the cost)? I was also thinking of getting a 7' rod to match, any reccomendations? Thanks in advance!

[DinkADunk]

My trolling setups for walleye's use 10lb mono (Trilene XT). Another popular option is 10/4 fireline . As for rods the Shimano Talora rods are great trolling rods (ML or M for walleye)

[Philydog]

I use both fireline and mono ,fireline will get your lure deeper but you lose strech which causes some missed hookups.

[Fish&Fowl]

What are you going to be trolling for and at what depths? For open-water walleyes I'd recommend putting 10/2 PowerPro on your reel with a 6.5-8" med. action rod that is soft enough to make up for the lack of stretch in the line. Going with a superline like powerpro or fireline increases the depth a crank is able to dive.

Cost? A 100 yd. spool of powerpro is only 11 bucks!

[PerchJerker]

Line really depends on the application. I have several line counters with a variety of lines on them, and even so I still change the line during the year to match the application.

If you're trolling open water and/or using planer boards, it's hard to be 10 lb Trilene XT. Another nice benefit of using 10 lb XT is the dive curves in the Precision Trolling book were done with XT.

If you need more depth, or if you're contour trolling over or near weeds and rocks, a superline is a better way to go. You can use planer boards on superlines but I prefer mono with boards if possible. For superlines on my trolling reels I go all the way from the super-skinny 8 lb test lines to the 12 lb diameter / 50 lb test superlines --- it all depends on how deep I want to run, how far away from the boat I want to get, and how much action I want o the lure.

My favorite rod for trolling is a 7 foot St. Croix, ML action. Lots of other good options out there too.

[HuntFishDude]

Wow, Thanks guys for the info! You are making me realize how much I need to learn... I haven't really done much trolling at all so I'm starting at square one. Primarily I'd be trolling for walleye but other than that, I'm stumped. Perhaps I'll try to get one of the in fisherman series DVD's on it to gain more info. Any other good sources where a newbie can get an A-Z boot camp on it? Thanks again!

[Fish&Fowl]

HFD,

I am in the same boat as you are with this trolling and have just started experimenting. I plan to mainly troll reefs this summer for walleyes in 25-35 fow. I just bought the Precision Trolling 8th Edition book, and it's not only the (Contact Us Please)'s guide to trolling, but a useful tool for experienced trollers as well. It has a ton of depth curves for all different brands of cranks and shows the difference in "divability" of mono vs. fireline. For about $25-30 it is a priceless trolling tool.

[Kyle Sandberg]

I'd have to agree. The trolling book is a must in my world. I don't know how many fish I wouldn't have without that thing.

[Tony Holland]

I would give this recommendation. Find some cheap 10lb XL or XT Trilene to fill your spool 3/4 of the way. Then blood knot the Trilene and the 10/4 fireline or Power Pro. Fill the spool completely. This will help with your accuracy on the line counter. Plus you can do a couple of trolling rods this way with only one spool of power pro/fireleine.

[PerchJerker]

Cajun Red makes great backing and is cheap.

And you make a great point, line counters are most accurate when they are filled to capacity. But don't sweat it too much if your line counter isn't super accurate (some aren't), the key is being able to repeat what works.

[HuntFishDude]

Great ideas all, good info, thanks! As for the rods, I looked at the St. Croix and while I know they are quality, its a little more than I want to spend. I also looked online at a Shimano Talora, 7.0' Medium power, medium fast action for around $60.00. Says it uses are for planer and downrigger...if I am just trolling lures (no down rigger or planer) behind the boat, sound like a decent choice? Thanks again... Was thinking on getting out tonight but the wind is making think twice!

[DinkADunk]

When you run downriggers it's the downrigger that gets your lure down and the line goes for a ride, so your line can be a bit lighter. If you use resistance to get your lure down (i.e. dipsy divers) then you need heavier line. If you're letting the lure control your depth (like shad raps, DT16's, and such) then you can go with a lighter line - hence the choice of the Talora downrigger rod if you're long lining without dipsey divers or running lead core. The 8', 2pc, Medium power rod is very nice for pulling shad raps, DT16's and the like. You might even go with the Medium-light rod. I run both the M and ML and prefer the ML for as the tip is a bit more sensitive to how the lure is running.

[HuntFishDude]

I ended up with the Shimano Talora 8', ML( I got 2, 1 doesn't come apart, see my other post..and another reel). When you guys are talking about fireline and say "10/4" also Power pro "10/2" is the second number the lb of an equivalent diameter in mono, right? I also got the Precision Trolling book. I did get 10 lb Power Pro line so the chart is slightly different than waht I need exactly but I figure I should be able to use the fireline 6/2 conversion numbers, right?

[DinkADunk]

It will probably work fine, but unless you go scuba diving to see you won't know for sure I use 10lb Trilene XT. You may notice that the line counter isn't accurate with the 10/2 PP or 10/4 fireline as line counters are designed for a specific diameter of mono. IIRC, the small Diawa LC's are designed for 10lb mono. You can check your linecounter by pulling out a known length of line (say you mark off 100') and then see what your linecounter says. You'll then know what, if any, adjustments you need to make

[eyewinder]

I (and many other trollers) use PowerPro 30/8: 30 lb. test/8 lb. diameter. You can amortize price by using for years, then swap ends so that the end that was buried on your spool becomes your terminal end.

I've had the same line on spools for 7 or 8 years -- heat and light don't degrade superline as they do mono, but the PowerPro will lose its "out-of-the-box color" and turn a lighter (white) color. That doesn't seem to discourage fish, though, including trout in extremely clear water lakes. . .I do use a 10 lb. flourocarbon leader that's the length of the rod, however.