Drift with the wind?

[Mikeps326]

What do you guys prefer drifting or anchoring using herring and live lining, or trolling? I have trolled couple times and really get bored and more tired lol. Would I still be able to catch as much fish drifting if I mark them while they are chasing bait?

[The Birdman]

I would say it depends on how strong the wind is blowing.

On saturday I was drifting over a spot that was about a football field big. had 2 lines out. One with liveline and one with a 1/2oz weight to bring it down. I put both poles in rod holders and threw my jig until i got a hit.
Got 4 smallies in the same area over about 5 drifts. I like drifting over varying depths. for smallies i start at 15 and end at 40ft, with the best action being around 22ft.
I also just got 2 downriggers and got 1 smallie on a very slowly trolled spoon at 40ft water. its boring, and battery draining, but very cool to get a hit on a down rigger. you can cover lots of ground and fish through bait schools with fish feeding.
So if the winds blowing pretty good- i drift. when the wind is slow- i troll. but still do both the same day. i never anchor.

[GetANet]

All three ways will catch fish. I do all three at different times and situations.
The key to all of them is to find the fish! And then stay with them!
Trolling and drifting cover more water. Anchoring works when fish are relating to some type of structure such as a point, hump, or creek channel.
When you anchor remember your in one spot and if they move you need to as well or wait till hopefully the next school passes by ........

[GetANet]

I ABSOLUTLEY LOVE the fact that most of you don't like DRAGGIN BAIT and think trolling is BORING!!!!!

[jimmythegreek]

depends on what your fishing for. If you watch the pro bass guys, they all cast and work spots, thats how bass behave and live. If you watch the pro walleye guys, they all troll 90% of the time, unless they are stacked in a channel or on some structure. Personally if you wanna be a multi species guy learn to troll and move. I can catch just as many bass trolling if not more than u guys casting, sitting in one spot is a rare thing for me unless Im working stripers/eyeballs in deep water or downlining herring, otherwise Im on the move. Drifting works well to get upwind of fish u KNOW are there, and working past them over and over. Remember the 2 biggest keys to fish is presentation and depth. Everything else is secondary. If your bait is at the right depth and ur offering is the right food for the body of water you are on, u will be successful unless crazy weather or some other issue is against you, its a fact of fishing

[flatcreek]

I love drifting, it's my favorite way to fish, sit back and watch my slip bobber. Only problem is a lot of the time the wind won't take you where you want to go. (over productive water) Anyway lately I've been trying a new technique. I drift with small planers as my bobbers and when the wind doesn't move me the way I want or I want to reset my drift. I just pass the two right planers to the right side or starboard side of the boat and troll away to where I want to be. The small planer act like bobbers and maintain good separation of my lines and keep them away from the path the boat just traveled either drifting or trolling.

[GetANet]

That's technically TROLLING isn't it??? HAHAHAHAHA!!!! You have a very efficient system there Phil. It's the best of both worlds and NO TANGLES too.
I must admit I will have a set of em' soon!!!!! Hey, by the way didn't I happen to notice a downrigger hangin of the back of that sea nymph???

Learning from each other makes us all better fishermen!!!!

[flatcreek]

Yea I keep that small one in the boat, got a couple larger ones a home. I use them for shad fishing. I was going to put it down sat but I was busy managing the 4 lines on the boards and I don't know how they would get along. HAHAHAHAHA!!!!

[jimmythegreek]

you guys dont wanna troll, u cant catch any fish that way! go back to casting the shallows :rolleyes:

[Bicey]

I have trolled since I started fishing, mostly at the "Valley" and SR. Its not for everyone, but if you learn to do it well its an efficient way to CONSISTENTLY catch a targeted species. Consistency is my goal at this point. Some fish at certain seasons are not trollable. So you have to switch it up .......IMO. I can go to lakes I have never fished and get'm, because I'm covering water and locating fish constantly.
I guarantee that if you learn to do it well and catch fish......you'll be hooked. Some people just need to have a rod in their hand and I get it. Thats why I am hesitant to take people fishin who have never trolled before. When you're the guy controlling the boat and the line depth its not boring. You have to constantly watch your electronics, line depth, and course. That said, the people fishing with you need to catch fish to be involved. I spent tons of time being the person who watches the rods.....but thats just it I watched and I learned!

[Michael82929]

I power drift or what I call pulse troll...

IE - I fish this ledge that literally the tip of the boat is in 8ft and the back is in 13ft and they move in / out...

I will so "S" technique in my drift fishing the baits over the 8ft column and 13ft column and pulse my trolling motor to give me a couple knots in movement and then stop and let the wind take me and it brings the baits up and down in the column.

Once I target a pattern I tend to drift it repeatly until it stops working and try something else.

Like consistently stay in the middle (say 10ft) and go straight thru or stay in the middle and hold in that water column and have the baits sink..

Sometimes I will change weights / spiltshots or no weight.

Need to be open to trying new things and seeing what is the strike zone for the fish and use it to your advantage..

Also time of day plays into my picture - these fish tend to feed harder between 9 - 12 vs first light in this specific area. Dont know why, but they do.

[yumdinger]

Drifting with the wind covers allot of water.Its a great way to fish.One of my favourite tools is the Drift sock.You can controll the drift speed so you don't get blown down the Lake too fast.