trolling from a boat...legit fishing or not?

[fishreaper]

out of curiosity do you guys and gals consider trolling from a boat legit fishing? personally im fine with it from a float tube where you are the motor and can cover limited ground, but motoring all over a lake with a rapala just seems cheap to me especially for trout. just my opinion

[Sandman_Tracker]

Why wouldn't it be legit fishing? Still have to have the right setup, troll at the correct speed, use the correct bait, or discover what bait is the favorite of the day, find the fish at the depth they are at.....it's fishing. What's the difference when we bass fish and we are using a trolling motor to cover large amounts of area on the water. You still have to do all of the above.....Just my .02

[fishreaper]

Why wouldn't it be legit fishing? Still have to have the right setup, troll at the correct speed, use the correct bait, or discover what bait is the favorite of the day, find the fish at the depth they are at.....it's fishing. What's the difference when we bass fish and we are using a trolling motor to cover large amounts of area on the water. You still have to do all of the above.....Just my .02

and i respect your .2 you make some good points

[Armofisher818]

Trolling: real fishing<skunk relief

[fishreaper]

Trolling: real fishing<skunk relief

true

[marinate]

out of curiosity do you guys and gals consider trolling from a boat legit fishing? personally im fine with it from a float tube where you are the motor and can cover limited ground, but motoring all over a lake with a rapala just seems cheap to me especially for trout. just my opinion

I totally hear where your coming from. I use to think the same way and still do to an extent. I would be standing on shore watching boaters trolling while they sit back shootin the breeze with buddies, havin a beer, listening to the radio, etc...while pulling line. Didn't seem very sporting to me. I thought to my self, "How is that fishing?" On shore I'm casting, retrieving, feeling the weight/lure on the end of my line, and finally feeling the tug from a fish. To me that's fishing. Then I buy a kayak/float tube and now I'm beginning to like trolling as a method of fishing, but I don't feel disconnected to the "mechanics" of fishing because I'm pulling the line, varying the speed, changing the direction of the lure I'm pulling with my own arm power (not a motor/machine) and visual cues relative to my kayak. To do this effectively, you have to focus on what your doing while watching your rod/line/lure. So now I'm enjoying the benefits of trolling without getting too far away from the "connectedness" with my equipment and technique in the same way that I experience when fishing from shore or casting from a boat. Hope that makes sense.

More thoughts: But then again, how is bait and wait different than trolling? If you question the legitimacy of trolling, I guess you'd also have to question bait and wait...and this technique probably represents a majority of people who fish.

[Armofisher818]

I totally hear where your coming from. I use to think the same way and still do to an extent. I would be standing on shore watching boaters trolling while they sit back shootin the breeze with buddies, havin a beer, listening to the radio, etc...while pulling line. Didn't seem very sporting to me. I thought to my self, "How is that fishing?" On shore I'm casting, retrieving, feeling the weight/lure on the end of my line, and finally feeling the tug from a fish. To me that's fishing. Then I buy a kayak/float tube and now I'm beginning to like trolling as a method of fishing, but I don't feel disconnected to the "mechanics" of fishing because I'm pulling the line, varying the speed, changing the direction of the lure I'm pulling with my own arm power (not a motor/machine) and visual cues relative to my kayak. To do this effectively, you have to focus on what your doing while watching your rod/line/lure. So now I'm enjoying the benefits of trolling without getting too far away from the "connectedness" with my equipment and technique in the same way that I experience when fishing from shore or casting from a boat. Hope that makes sense.

More thoughts: But then again, how is bait and wait different than trolling? If you question the legitimacy of trolling, I guess you'd also have to question bait and wait...and this technique probably represents a majority of people who fish.

Well If your catching fish it's all good some just takes more skill than others

[goodguy]

Ever try trolling? It's NOT as easy as it looks... It's far from grabbing a rappala and driving around in the boat. There's a lot more envolved than you think.

[Which Way Out]

out of curiosity do you guys and gals consider trolling from a boat legit fishing? personally im fine with it from a float tube where you are the motor and can cover limited ground, but motoring all over a lake with a rapala just seems cheap to me especially for trout. just my opinion

Cheap! Have you seen the price of gas lately?

Kidding aside, on some lakes that may be the only real option. Consider Lake Tahoe, sure you can catch fish from the shore. But to get the fish out away from shore, its Troll and Troll Deep. Many lakes are that way.
JMHO


WWO

[TroutOnly]

trolling is one of the smartest ways to fish ,and its way more complicated than throw a lure out and drive.it gives you more chances at more big fish because you can cover a lake and find feeding schools as apposed to schools that are there in a area but not feeding.there are so many things to consider, right line ,lures,lure depth ,speed of boat ,right structure ,non-structure,are you flat lining ,using leadcore using downriggers my favorite,are you using dodgers,flashers,wedding rings,spoons ,what type of spoons ,crankbaits ,what size color,diving depth,or with stripers ,flies,spoons ,rapalas,u-rigs with a hundred different types,,,,,,its way more complicated the it looks but when you figure it out it is relaxing to get the gear set and relax until the lures get struck and the fight begins,,,,,,,,,,,T/O,,,,,,,,,i,m not trying to hate but being a trolling expert i do get insulted,because some folks dont like it but its usally because they dont know how to it or understand it,,,,,,,,,