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i've always used bucktails on my tandem rigs for spring trolling. couple years ago switched to 'chutes. this year i rigged one tandem with white mojos and one tandem with chartreuse mojos...9" shad on all of them.
anyone seen a big difference in the bite on bucktails vs. chutes vs. mojos?
more generally what are you planning to run in your spread this year?
i'm going with 4 umbrellas (2 white and 2 chartreuse), a tandem white chute, a tandem chartreuse chute, a tandem white mojo, and a tandem chartreuse mojo.
no one is trying anything different in their spring trolling spread? i've also rigged up some hoses, spoons and huge mister twisters to run on the top half of my tandems...
or maybe you just don't want to give up any secrets until all the tournaments are done???
I usually just go out and wing it. I coach a little league Baseball Team so my Trophy Season fishing is usually sporadic at best. Last year I had a white Daisy Chain that was doing well but mostly caught shorts. I will be happy if I can get my Planers to track better.
I'm no expert, but what I've learned is that running baits at different depths is most key. My buddy ran a twister tail last year, it did nothing. Without boards, stick to the umbrellas. Maybe try and run a spoon in the mix. Again, I just fish with other people, so I'm no expert.
I don't like pulling umbrellas but I do. I have had alot of luck running a tandem set up with a three way swivel with a leader leading to a mojo and another leader to a smaller mojo or a bucktail. This set up produces well and you don't have to feel like you are pulling a refrigerator. Also, I like to take a three way and attached a 12 inch leader to a drop weight, and then run a leader to a bucktail or small mojo. This allows the weight to drag and bounce of the bottom and gives the bait nice movement. I agree with Schmidty, filling the water column is key. I caught one of my biggest Stripers using a huge mojo that I drop straigth down off the transom. A buddy of mine runs at least one dumby line and it is surprising that it normally does quite well too.
I think parachutes make for a slightly larger presentation in the water over a standard bucktail. I pull both though. It is all about running the 9" shads though. I have had the ugliest lure and put a 9" shad on it and caught fish. Cover the water column, fiddle with speed, and troll e/w....
i'm pretty confident in being able to run a "standard" spread. although this is the first time in 6 years that i'll be running my own boat for trophy season. and i only ran a 4 rod, tandem-only spread on my old 21-footer 6 years ago.
i guess more than anything i was asking about anything different you might try to improve your catch...especially if the bite slows down.
do you ever get creative? i'm gonna rig up some extra leaders with crazy colors, twisters...that kind of thing.
now that i got twice the number of rods...i'm just looking for the best way to use them!
I fish both tandems and umbrellas in white and chartruese, mostly chutes and a few bucktails. I troll ten lines with planners. Four baits have 12" shads the balance 9 inchers. Cover all depths, deep rods off the boat. Sometimes I'll put out a spoon way back up top.
I went to all chuets about five years ago and seem to have more strikes than when I was mixed...however, as stated above cover the water column and you will catch fish...good luck.
i'm pretty confident in being able to run a "standard" spread. although this is the first time in 6 years that i'll be running my own boat for trophy season. and i only ran a 4 rod, tandem-only spread on my old 21-footer 6 years ago.
i guess more than anything i was asking about anything different you might try to improve your catch...especially if the bite slows down.
do you ever get creative? i'm gonna rig up some extra leaders with crazy colors, twisters...that kind of thing.
now that i got twice the number of rods...i'm just looking for the best way to use them!
actually i will have 9 to start. in my original post i didnt include my WWB rod. i'll run 4 boat rod deep with umbrellas and 4 rods from my leaning post out on the planer boards...first time i'll be running my own planers, but have run them off friends' boats for a few years. then i'm only planning to run 1 rod (wwb) from the rocket launchers. i might be able to run more eventually, but figure i'll get the 9 rod spread dialed in first.
how long is your planner line? can you get 3 rods out on each side? If so, I would run them you will have a higher catch rate on those rods vs deep boat rods...send a 21 tony with 2 oz inline 15-20bars for your wwb if you hook up on that tends to be a nice one. I would also invest in some out rodders for you deep boat rods...
i do have a pair of those "outrigger rodholders" that will get a couple of my umbrellas out away from the boat a bit.
here ya go...give it to me straight...how will this do for starters?
one of issues is that i have a radar arch vs a t-top. that puts my rocket launchers out over my gunnels instead of down the center. so my plan is to us the outrigger rodholders in the corners to give me a lttle more of a spread on the longer lines.
Planning on running both chutes and tandem's. As far as colors I use black, white, chartreuse, pink, and I tried some purple ones. It seems like I am reeling the tandems in more than the chutes but the more "bait fish" swimming seems to trigger the bite and the tandems look like the weaker bait fish separated from the group. That's just my thought process. Both catch fish.
My guess is that if you wanted, you'd be able to run the board rods off the arch. I've fished with guys that run their board rods off the side posts of hard-tops and don't really have problems.
My guess is that if you wanted, you'd be able to run the board rods off the arch. I've fished with guys that run their board rods off the side posts of hard-tops and don't really have problems.
yeah...i was definitely thinking about that option as well.
but i would need to get some type of rodholder extension to get my wwb elevated out of the leaning post...almost like a center rigger...but just a rod holder...maybe one of those trident extensions from birdsall marine?
If you bought a bolt on rod holder for the middle of the arch, I don't think you'd need a center rigger - however, a center rigger for the wwb line would be nice. Buy two bolt on holders, put the rod in one and bungee in an outrigger pole bought at a flea market in the other. Instant center rigger. Good luck.
bucktails and parachutes and mojos...oh my! 
i've also rigged up some hoses, spoons and huge mister twisters to run on the top half of my tandems...
