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Random Quote: I fish better with a lit cigar; some people fish better with talent.
Storm lures are reported to be working on rockfish in my area (OBX). For trolling, do you guys simply drag the lure or do you use a three way swivel with a small drop down weight and attach the Storm on a trailing leader? Most of my fishing will be in the sound where depths rarely exceed 15 feet.Many thanks.
We use them in the Chesapeake and in order to get them down we use the 3-way swivel method. The weight will vary depending on the current, depth and speed. I'd start with about 3 feet from the swivel to the weight and 10 to 15 feet from the swivel to the lure.
I use em in the Chesapeake with a bottom bouncer rig. 3-way swivel with a 10' leader to the Storm... After that, it depends on how far off the bottom you want it to determine how long the line to the weight should be. It all depends on what you see on your sounder... If the sounder shows the fish 15' off the bottom, make your bottom bouncer lead 15' long.
Tip: To make sure you won't loose everything to a snag, make the leader to the bottom bouncer weight something less than the rating of the leader or the trolling line. I troll with 30# Fireline and use a 30# fluro leader. My bottom bouncer hangs from a 15# mono line... As the contour of the bottom changes, your bottom bouncer changes with it!
Good luck!
__________________ .
Capt. Kevin ~~~~~~~~~~><((((*>
How much weight is suggested for this type of trolling with the 3-way swivel?
Because it is a bottom bouncer... enough weight to get to the bottom at your given speed. Whatever it takes!
Let it out until you can feel it bouncing across the botton, and you're set!
__________________ .
Capt. Kevin ~~~~~~~~~~><((((*>
I also fish storms on the lower Chesapeake and I normally will free line one wwb with great success. You can also troll them with in line sinkers (similar to spoons). As stated above working them on a 3 way with 20 to 30 oz of lead (depends on boat speed and current) works very well.
Which Storm? The Deep Thunder 15 will go 20-30 ft. without assistance. The Shallow Thunder 15 will go 2-5 ft. and can be used for a more controlled depth with 3-way or down rigger.
There's all good info on th previous posts. Rigging changes as conditions change. I've had the best luck at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel on 6" Blue Wild Eye Storm shads. I troll at barely above idle but that changes with current and wind conditions.
Just a tip.
If you guys are having good luck with these on rockfish and strippers, I think you will find that the 6" black and silver Rebel Spoonbill minows and the articulated Fast Trac from "Pradco" will work even better.
Thet are solid plastic and will also hold up better than the storms. Everything hits them. The spoonbill dives deeper. The are available with internal rattlers which help in cloudy water.
Just a tip.
If you guys are having good luck with these on rockfish and strippers, I think you will find that the 6" black and silver Rebel Spoonbill minows and the articulated Fast Trac from "Pradco" will work even better.
Thet are solid plastic and will also hold up better than the storms. Everything hits them. The spoonbill dives deeper. The are available with internal rattlers which help in cloudy water.
At 2 kt's, how deep will they dive? Or are trolling weights required as well?
The spoonbill will go about 20' on her own at that speed with 30 lb test, and will attract strikes at up to 6 mph. The fast trac will do about 8' a 6 mph, and is a better producer overall IMO. It can be trolled up to 8 mph.
Now that I remember, I think the overall world record striper was caught in the surf on a fast trac, but I could be wrong. They're deadly inshore in Mexico. Take extra 3x hooks for replacements.
Drifter I use downriggers with the storms and other lures I want to go deep with. I run in-line sinkers on the shallow rods. I don't like having more than 3 oz or so permanently attached to my line (prefer light tackle).
Storms sure work though - I'll have to check out that fast trac thing.
Guy's try a bomber long a 26 heavy duty, don't now why but overhere my bombers work best on seabass, they dive well and track well, switch the trebles for stronger ones.
How longer the line out how deeper they dive, go faster with the boat and they also dive deeper, go to fast and they come up!!!, on braid you can get them real deep(how thinner the line the deeper they dive.
With some practice you can fish them a feet above every bump in the bottom upto 25 to 30 foot deep.
We rigged the Storm 9" shads with leader only last season and had great sucess in the ocean. Chesapeake Lures also makes a lure similar to the Storm that we had better luck with. Both these lures have a weighted head that should "sink" the rig deep enough slow trolled.
Trolling with Storm lures 
