TrouTracker
10-25-2011, 01:01 AM
Took the wife out this past Sunday for just a nice quiet day on the water. Little did I know, the day wasn't going to be a quiet one. As we're checking the shad swimming beneath us at the dock, the fireworks were just about to start. I get my Promar shad net ready and we're pretty excited with the anticipation of netting nice 3-4" shad. As my nets in the water, LMB and Mr. Stripey are starting to boil right next to us and we haven't even launched! The shad were seeking shelter any where they could find to hide from the massacre. To add more to the bad day for the shad, birds were literally flying under water seeking them as well. The fresh stocked trout were also there only as interested observers, probably wondering what the heck was going on! I almost caught a couple birds with my net. What a start to the day.
Just getting started in the morning, I'm always thinking of creative trolling techniques. Especially, with the recent trout stockings, this adds a new dimension into the "mad trolling chemists" plans. The trolling rods were set-up with the Sebile Magic Swimmer and a Seps Pro Dodger in front of Bluewater trolling flies. The Sebile lure was in the Natural Sea Trout pattern, which after much checking out on the internet, looks more like a natural trout. The Bluewater trolling flies are a David "special" pattern that he showed me at the Striper King Classic. This trolling set-up was really unique with the dodger and (2) trolling flies behind it at 12" and 20".
The fun thing about trolling is always trying new stuff and being successful. At times, you shoot blanks, but at least you're not doing the same thing every time out. During the holdover trout trolling years, TO has always preached about changing lures all the time until you find what they're looking for. Others such as Gregg Silks suggest "matching the hatch". It's always good to listen to other pros on the water.
Here's one of the stripers caught with the Sebile Magic Swimmer. For trolling, this lure has fantastic action, but the most important thing is that it looks realistic.............
http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm210/DVL_SmackDown/DVL%20Stripers/photo_20111023_001.jpg
Trolling with the dodger and flies was a real success. Some guys troll with u-rigs, but it's not an ultra-light type set-up. I've always preferred lighter stuff when trolling, as it's a fantastic experience fighting holdover trout and stripers. We start trolling and my wife's rod gets slammed, and the rod never gets a chance to pop-up out of the release. I knew she had something pretty big. The Daiwa Luna's clicker is going off the charts. She then feels the pressure lessen, and I'm thinking Mr. Stripey spit the fly. But, she ends up netting a nice 7lber caught on the longer leader line. As I'm inspecting the lines, I notice that the first fly on the shorter leader line was gone. In fact, the leader line was missing about 10" of leader and the line was cut clean. What my wife had was a nice double hook-up, with something huge that totally engulfed the fly (and swallowed it), and chomped the line. It would have been awesome to land both of them!
Here's the stripers that we caught on our fun day of dock fireworks and trolling new stuff. Can't wait for the pea soup to clear up and go for the big boys............
http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm210/DVL_SmackDown/DVL%20Stripers/photo_20111023_007.jpg
Just getting started in the morning, I'm always thinking of creative trolling techniques. Especially, with the recent trout stockings, this adds a new dimension into the "mad trolling chemists" plans. The trolling rods were set-up with the Sebile Magic Swimmer and a Seps Pro Dodger in front of Bluewater trolling flies. The Sebile lure was in the Natural Sea Trout pattern, which after much checking out on the internet, looks more like a natural trout. The Bluewater trolling flies are a David "special" pattern that he showed me at the Striper King Classic. This trolling set-up was really unique with the dodger and (2) trolling flies behind it at 12" and 20".
The fun thing about trolling is always trying new stuff and being successful. At times, you shoot blanks, but at least you're not doing the same thing every time out. During the holdover trout trolling years, TO has always preached about changing lures all the time until you find what they're looking for. Others such as Gregg Silks suggest "matching the hatch". It's always good to listen to other pros on the water.
Here's one of the stripers caught with the Sebile Magic Swimmer. For trolling, this lure has fantastic action, but the most important thing is that it looks realistic.............
http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm210/DVL_SmackDown/DVL%20Stripers/photo_20111023_001.jpg
Trolling with the dodger and flies was a real success. Some guys troll with u-rigs, but it's not an ultra-light type set-up. I've always preferred lighter stuff when trolling, as it's a fantastic experience fighting holdover trout and stripers. We start trolling and my wife's rod gets slammed, and the rod never gets a chance to pop-up out of the release. I knew she had something pretty big. The Daiwa Luna's clicker is going off the charts. She then feels the pressure lessen, and I'm thinking Mr. Stripey spit the fly. But, she ends up netting a nice 7lber caught on the longer leader line. As I'm inspecting the lines, I notice that the first fly on the shorter leader line was gone. In fact, the leader line was missing about 10" of leader and the line was cut clean. What my wife had was a nice double hook-up, with something huge that totally engulfed the fly (and swallowed it), and chomped the line. It would have been awesome to land both of them!
Here's the stripers that we caught on our fun day of dock fireworks and trolling new stuff. Can't wait for the pea soup to clear up and go for the big boys............
http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm210/DVL_SmackDown/DVL%20Stripers/photo_20111023_007.jpg