Spring Brown/Steelhead Trolling

[Jose]

So this will be the first year of my father and me trying our hand at trolling for Browns. My question is, when you are in the real shallow water will our outboard motor spook the fish? Should we get a trolling motor? We will be using a planer mast so we'll be able to spread it all out. Thanks!

[spoonfed]

We run our big planer boards out around 75 feet from the boat, basically in the beach. I dont have an outboard but you should be alright. run your leads back 75 to 100 ft

[Paulywood]

The only brown I caught last year was on a rigger 20' down with a 30' lead but we have caught them off boards with both outboards and i/o's. I'm no expert but most guys use the main motor. Charters use their big boats. Should be no problem.

[Adam Bomb]

Your outboard will work fine. Your running baits out away from the boat on boards with fairly lengthy leads. That gives you plenty of stealth. Have fun out there.

[Jose]

Thanks so much for the info guys! Can't wait to get out on the water!

[bluedevil]

I am sure it does spook them some but not enough to send them out to the shelf.

A few years ago we were brown fishing and I was untangling lines and one still had the rapala about 10' behind the motor and had a fish hit it. Needless to say, I am glad it was not a big one. Boated that fish too.

Good luck Jose.

[Yankee Troller]

I honestly watched a guy this weekend take a nice BT on a turn in < 8' of water on his rigger. I watched the fish splash 10' behind his boat when he hooked him. However, I think this is the exception and not the rule.

That is why we run planer boards this time of year with flat lines off them. The concept is that they will catch them after the fish spook outside the boats path. We like our baits back a little further. Generally no less than 100'.