PUBLICATION MAGAZINE VOLUME ONE final magazine siap | Page 27

Hazards of the Shallows
Many unseen obstacles such as
weed growth and fallen timber
can hamper trolling in the shal-
lows. But this is what the fish
like, so get your lures amongst it!
Weed can be the worst obstacle be-
cause your sounder might be show-
ing 3 meters of depth, and then all
of a sudden you are onto a clump of
weed stretching all the way to the
surface! Some times the first troll-
ing run around a lake or along a
new shore can be a bit frustrating
as far as stopping to remove weeds
or unsnag lures. Make a mental note
where these weed beds are and for
the next pass take it out a few me-
ters so your lures run as close to the
weeds as possible without fouling.
Some lakes are notorious for under-
water obstacles of the worst kind such
as rocks and logs. These can be par-
ticularly damaging to both boat and
wallet, so if you’re unsure, keep clear.
How Fast?
Trolling speeds are pretty much dic-
tated by the lures you are using. Run
the lure beside the boat with at least
2 meters of line out and watch how it
swims while varying the speed of the
motor. This is the best way to get an
idea of how fast you should be moving
while dragging along specific lures.
A lot of lures have a fairly broad speed
range at which they will work. Try
different speeds for the same lure.
For example, try trolling extra slow
so the lure is just wobbling or speed
up and move your rod tip erratically
so the lure looks like a baitfish that is
desperately trying to avoid capture.
Trolling different styles of lure can
narrow the effective spe