Page 9 - Crappie NOW | September 2016

Open Water Power Trolling

immediate turn. Both power trolling
and longline trolling work together
if you want to do both.
“This technique works great into
the fall with ledges, humps and
drop-offs all being good spots to
fish. I like to look for tight contours
meaning sharper drops. I’m looking
for deep holes next to timber. When
you see the fish stacked up on
the graph you know you should be
getting a bite.”

More Power Trolling Tips from Les Smith
* “I use a No-Knot so I do not
tie directly to the jig. I find another
color is working I can remove a
head or setup and pop another one
on without tying. It’s bam-bam and
I’m going again.”
* “What you think should work
doesn’t always work. Stagger the
bait depths. Let the fish show the
depths where they are active. Also, Bait Modification
you might catch a lot of fish at 12 Smith likes the additional bulk
feet but catch bigger slabs at 18 and action offered by a Ziptailz skirt.
feet.”
* “Boat traffic varies day to day He modifies the skirt by clipping off
the three outer tabs on the rubber
b u t w h e n f i s h e r m e n s e e y o u r a i s i n g making it easier to get it on a jig and
t h e p o l e s t h e y w i l l c o m e o v e r t o so they don’t interfere with the spinner
fish your spot. Power trolling is an action. The skirt offers a bigger profile
advantage over longlining when and adds more color to a jig.
going around crowds of boats.
Pleasure boaters are more difficult
to deal with because they go all
over the lake. The best thing is to jigs out the front of the boat. Boat
have your fish caught and off the control for following channels and
lake by noon.” ledges, good bait depth control and
* “Smith says fish move a lot. active, large, bladed jigs are a few
Be prepared to try different areas of the primary advantages.

until you form a pattern.” Manufactures/Products Mentioned

Final Thoughts *Driftmaster driftmaster.com;
Power trolling requires a *Muddy Water Baits at grizzlyjig.
relatively expensive setup, requires com; *No-Knot at basspro.com;
a fisherman to be healthy and *Road Runner ttiblakemore.com;
strong, and is work. Longlining jigs *Seaguar Line seaguar.com; Lew’s
or crankbaits is easier. However, Wally Marshall Poles mrcrappie.
for those who make the choice to com; Ziptailz ziptailz.com.

power troll, there are advantages - Tim Huffman
and rewards of pushing large bladed

9 Crappie NOW September 2016