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To me the benefits of drifting (using your trolling motor to pull you) are many, but the best one is that you don't have to be an expert to do it.
Some of you have attended seminars and heard the speaker tell you about fishing humps, dropoffs, points, creek channels, etc. When you drift a lake or compound along the shore line or close to the creek channel, you are most likely going to cover the humps, dropoffs, points, etc. that the seminar fellow told you about whether you realize it or not.
When you are drifting a creek or whatever, use your GPS trail marker and when you catch a nice fish hit your waypoint button. Also, when you run across some bottom brush, hump, dropoff, etc., again hit your waypoint button. By doing this, you will be setting up a trail that you can follow time and time again and the more you gather this data with your electonics, the better fisherperson you will become. Did you know that you can retrive this data and it will give you the time, date and other important information that you can use later. See, you now have your own fishing record within your fishfinder/GPS unit.
I would suggest that you troll/drift at a speed of 0.50 MPH. If it is windy and you can not maintain this speed, then put out a couple of five gallon buckets behind the boat or a drift sock. Both will slow the drift or you could troll into the wind and maintain the desired speed.
For best results I would suggest you use a circle hook (sizes 3/0 to 8/0) will work. You would be surprised how small a cat will take a 8/0 hook. The advantage of the circle hook is that when you are moving 0.50 MPH, the fish strikes and thus, the speed of the boat and the rod do the hook set for you.
In most boat setups (rod holders) you can run six rods out the back. Also, you can use side planer boards and expand your coverage area. I would suggest that the two center rig location be 150' out, the next two locations 100' out and the last two 75' out. By doing this, you can cut down on the fish crossing the other lines when you are bringing it in. Also, with some pratice, you can make a wide turn and go the other direction without tangling your lines.
Now, if you have a pontoon boat and do a side drift with the wind, you can adapt the same techniques as mentioned above as it relates to electronics, pole (rigs) locations and etc.
I invite others to join in and discuss their techniques and why they like drifting.
Some of you have attended seminars and heard the speaker tell you about fishing humps, dropoffs, points, creek channels, etc. When you drift a lake or compound along the shore line or close to the creek channel, you are most likely going to cover the humps, dropoffs, points, etc. that the seminar fellow told you about whether you realize it or not.
When you are drifting a creek or whatever, use your GPS trail marker and when you catch a nice fish hit your waypoint button. Also, when you run across some bottom brush, hump, dropoff, etc., again hit your waypoint button. By doing this, you will be setting up a trail that you can follow time and time again and the more you gather this data with your electonics, the better fisherperson you will become. Did you know that you can retrive this data and it will give you the time, date and other important information that you can use later. See, you now have your own fishing record within your fishfinder/GPS unit.
I would suggest that you troll/drift at a speed of 0.50 MPH. If it is windy and you can not maintain this speed, then put out a couple of five gallon buckets behind the boat or a drift sock. Both will slow the drift or you could troll into the wind and maintain the desired speed.
For best results I would suggest you use a circle hook (sizes 3/0 to 8/0) will work. You would be surprised how small a cat will take a 8/0 hook. The advantage of the circle hook is that when you are moving 0.50 MPH, the fish strikes and thus, the speed of the boat and the rod do the hook set for you.
In most boat setups (rod holders) you can run six rods out the back. Also, you can use side planer boards and expand your coverage area. I would suggest that the two center rig location be 150' out, the next two locations 100' out and the last two 75' out. By doing this, you can cut down on the fish crossing the other lines when you are bringing it in. Also, with some pratice, you can make a wide turn and go the other direction without tangling your lines.
Now, if you have a pontoon boat and do a side drift with the wind, you can adapt the same techniques as mentioned above as it relates to electronics, pole (rigs) locations and etc.
I invite others to join in and discuss their techniques and why they like drifting.