Trolling for Bass

Trolling can be a very effective way to find and catch bass. While looked down upon in some bass fishing circles, trolling is a fishing technique with several positive aspects. Trolling is the best way to locate active open water bass in the shortest period of time. You can rapidly cover a lot of water when trying to locate fish. When schools have broken into loners and small groups it is a technique which will allow you to catch a number fish in a short time period. Another positive to consider regarding trolling is the control of lure depth and speed it permits. It has been said that in order to catch fish no matter when or where you are fishing you must be able to predictably control the depth and speed of your bait. Trolling will permit you to best control these two factors.

While at first glance trolling can appear to be a less precise method of bass fishing, it require just as much attention to detail as any other fishing technique. When trolling large areas of water you should start in shallower depths of water closer to the shore line and work you way progressively into deeper water taking care to follow the drops and ledges along the submerged river channels.

When considering the equipment which is best for trolling there is a divergence in what is considered to be best. Some anglers make the case that a short stiff rod is best for trolling because it will permit better control of the bait permitting a more consistent speed as the lure passes through the water. Those favoring a softer rod do so claiming that the softer rod will increase the action of the lure due to changes in tension the increased flexibility of the rod transfers to the lure. Those favoring the stiff rod also maintain that stiffer rod will result in fewer snagged lures while advocates of the softer rod claim that fewer hooks are “torn out” when it is used. You will need to make your own decision in this area.

The choice of lure is also important when trolling. Unless you are fishing in very shallow water it will be necessary to use a diving crank bait. When fishing in areas where minnow or shad are the primary forage a long thin crank bait should be used to mimic the favored food of the fish. When fishing waters where the bass favor crayfish a shorter fatter bait should be the first choice. When the water is clear with good visibility lighter colored baits should be your first choice. In darker water you should switch to more brightly colored lures such as oranges, bright reds and chartreuse.

While reading information such as that included in this article will improve your success while trolling for bass, the best teacher is getting on the water and testing to find what works best for you.

This post has only touched the surface of the vast amount of information available to improve your bass fishing. The Complete Bass Fishing Course shares the bassfishing knowledge of the legendary Bill Dance on 12 DVDs along with 12 CDs. Click below to learn how to receive a free lesson DVD.