How Fast Are You Going

[GLF]

I started fishing Lake Michigan for salmon in 1975 with my father. We may have caught one or two fish in the dozen or so times we went out that year. It only takes one salmon peeling line off your reel and you are hooked for life. The next year my father put a trolling speed gauge on the boat. There was nothing fancy about it. It was a sinker on the end of a cable that we dropped in once we started trolling. There was 5 or 6 colors that a needle pointed to. Depending on how fast we was going, was what color it was pointing to. Sorry I do not remember the name of it, but I am sure some of you old timers may remember the set up. That year it seemed like we always caught fish each time we went out. Obviously knowing how fast we was traveling was a huge improvement.

I am not sure when the first paddle wheel speed sensor came out. When it did, this was a blessing to the salmon fisherman. Everyone that could afford one at the time, had a digital read out, that broke down to tenths of a mile per hour.

Somewheres around this time is when someone came up with the idea of putting a speed and temp sensor on a down rigger cable. Now we know how fast and what the water temperature is at lure depths. With underwater currents, your baits may actually be moving faster or slower than the boat.

After all of these fancy gadgets, they came out with gps. With gps you can track your speed over land or water. If you are using a gps for speed you need to pay attention to if you are traveling with the waves or traveling into them. If you are traveling with the water current, you are traveling faster than if you was traveling into the water current.

ie...if you are traveling 2.1mph with the waves and you try to travel 2.1mph into the waves, you will not be trolling at the same speed. You have to compensate for the water current, and may have to slow down some traveling into the waves.

Which ever one you use for fishing is your choice. Each one has its perks and disadvantages. The point I am trying to drive across is you must know how fast you are trolling. Knowing how fast you are going is a very important part to repeatability.

How do you control the boat speed?

There are several ways you can slow your boat down. In the beginning, we use to tie a rope to a bucket, and tie the other end to a cleat. On my fathers second boat, he installed a home made "beaver troll". This was hooked to a hydraulic cylinder and lowered down behind the propeller. There are manual ones that you can purchase for doing this. Most people now are using drift socks. Drift socks come in various sizes for different size boats. Having a drift sock in the water also helps stabilize the boat in rougher water. This works best with one on each side of the boat. The most expensive way to control the speed is to change the pitch of the propeller. This means you have to shell out some $$$ for a new propeller.

The speed you are traveling is very critical to the baits you are fishing. Some baits fish better at slow speeds and some baits fish better at higher speeds. Learning which baits work at which speed is a learning experience. The easiest way to find out is to attach a bait to a line and hold it over the side at a known speed. See how the bait reacts at different speeds. As a general rule, the lighter spoons troll better at slower speeds and the heavier ones at higher speeds. Knowing what bait to use at what trolling speed is an important key to successful fishing on the Great Lakes.

See you on the water

GLF

[SUPERTRAMP]

Mike:

I remember the unit you described in fact there was one on the first boat that I fished Lake Michigan in. It was a 21 foot Starcraft Holiday and we tore it up in Manistee. The year was 1970, and the first electric Downriggers were just coming out. Bill Walker knew my friend Nick Lubovich and Nick became a field tester for Walker Down riggers. By the end of 1972 there were 5guys at the Paper Mill that had boats, and I fished nearly every weekend or day off. Nick kept the Fish-n-Tramp at whispering willows marina in St Joe and we could get of an 11-7 shift run over and fish until 1:00 and then go home and get some sleep before going back in at 11:00. In 1979 Nick and I bought a 24' Sea eagle and christened it the SUPERTRAMP. My son Joe got his first Salmon on that boat and he took the helm for the first time when he was 12 years old and did a great job. On the new boat we had a Pelican troll speed indicator, it was similar to any of the impeller type units used today but it attached to the transom of the boat instead of being on a transducer and sent down on a cable. Speed has always been a very important part of the game and with the new systems it is easier to see your speed and to control it.

Mike Chamberlin

Supertramp

[Sixshooter]

Before GPS and Subtrolls we used the whine of the rigger cables as our speed control. If the cables were singin, we were probably in the zone. If the cables were not, then speed up a bit.

Now I use several tell tales. I still use the whine of the rigger cables and I also use the bend in the dipsy rods....and I use the speed over ground of the GPS.

I havn't gotten a subtroll yet. I think I need to get Autopilot for the boat before subtroll.

But the Paddle wheels on most fishfinders are worthless...ESPECIALLY if there is current on the surface.

[Severus]

I havn't gotten a subtroll yet. I think I need to get Autopilot for the boat before subtroll.

Doesn't Bev perform that function?

[Sixshooter]

I've seen her kill for less than that Kenny...hehe....beware...

[Mrs. Sixshooter]

Doesn't Bev perform that function?

Now how can I be setting lines, driving the boat, and be a trousertrouttracker at the same time?

[Steve Arend]

Now how can I be setting lines, driving the boat, and be a trousertrouttracker at the same time?

Now that's funny:eek:

[GLF]

Now how can I be setting lines, driving the boat, and be a trousertrouttracker at the same time?

Whats a trousertrouttracker? Ummmmm....care to explain this one Jim?

[Severus]

Now how can I be setting lines, driving the boat, and be a trousertrouttracker at the same time?

It's called multi-tasking, Bev.

(GLF - Trousertrouttracker is her handle, or at least it used to be)

[Sixshooter]

Whats a trousertrouttracker? Ummmmm....care to explain this one Jim?

I would Mike...then I would get banned for compromising the decency of this family oriented fishing website.

Perhaps someday I can tell the story in person...actually it is funnier when Bev tells the story.

[DangerDan]

Hopefully fast enough to catch a fish but slow enough to catch a buzzzzzzz