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Does Trolling Scare the Shad? #11065142 08/26/15 05:16 PM
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Fritz423 Offline OP
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Buddy of mine on Belton Lake this week was accosted by a small group of boats who loudly let him know his trolling was scaring the shad. He's a nice guy and left after they began yelling at him.

So what's the verdict? Does trolling scare the shad/whites/hybrids away? He's been catching a lot of fish with his set up and I don't see how he can catch fish for hours trolling if the fish are spooked.


Wishin' I was fishin', and dreaming of beer
Re: Does Trolling Scare the Shad? [Re: Fritz423] #11065229 08/26/15 06:04 PM
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tgravley aka lewisvillecatfish Offline
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Don't troll thru surfacing fish while there are people on them but that's just common courtesy. I don't see them spooking much cause I get a lot of fish on my center trolling rig which is in my prop wash.


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Re: Does Trolling Scare the Shad? [Re: Fritz423] #11065242 08/26/15 06:09 PM
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Just bad manners to troll too close to folks who are fishing. It will definitely scare off surfacing fish. Deeper fish, not so much.


Originally Posted by TexasBlonde
You are not a good or nice person.





Re: Does Trolling Scare the Shad? [Re: Fritz423] #11065572 08/26/15 08:40 PM
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fmclee Offline
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Manners in this case depends who was where first.....
If you trolled by them as they were on their spot 1st ... BAD ON YOU !!!!!!
If they set up in your trolling "LANE" ... BAD ON THEM !!!!!!!!

Re: Does Trolling Scare the Shad? [Re: fmclee] #11065806 08/26/15 10:49 PM
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GMB Offline
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Originally Posted By: fmclee
Manners in this case depends who was where first.....
If you trolled by them as they were on their spot 1st ... BAD ON YOU !!!!!!
If they set up in your trolling "LANE" ... BAD ON THEM !!!!!!!!


I have never understood the term trolling "LANE". How do you know if you are in someone's "LANE"? If someone is trolling several miles up and down the lake should you go to other side of lake?

GMB

Re: Does Trolling Scare the Shad? [Re: Fritz423] #11066214 08/27/15 01:53 AM
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jbobo Offline
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When you are approaching a spot to fish, and see a boat that has just idled through that area and looks like they are turning around to idle through it again with their rods sticking out, bent over, with lines in the water, you are probably in their 'trolling lane'. I don't know many people who troll for miles without turning. Especially if they are catching fish. I seldom troll more than 200 yd. to 300 yds. before I turn around and troll back over the same area. It only takes a few minutes to watch some one trolling to tell where their lane is. Usually it is on a hump, drop off, along a creek channel drop off or similar structure. The same reason you are wanting to 'set up' on that same spot. I respect other people's spot, and expect them to respect mine, even if my 'spot' is 300 yds. long. If I see someone trolling and they don't turn around for quite a ways (200 yds. or so) I presume they are continuing on and not turning around to troll that area again. No one can expect another fisherman to know that is their 'lane' if they are trolling a mile long area.I use my I-pilot to anchor on a spot when I am slabbing or using live bait. If someone is trolling in that area, I watch them for a few minutes to see their direction of travel, then set up in a spot that does not interfere with them trolling in their lane. I expect the same from courteous fellow fishermen. Don't worry, I will politely let you know if you are in my 'lane'. You can usually tell that you are in my lane by how close I am to you and how many different sides of your boat I troll around with my 90 lb. braided line. lol My 2cents


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Re: Does Trolling Scare the Shad? [Re: Fritz423] #11066246 08/27/15 02:03 AM
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jbobo Offline
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In answer to the OP. If fish are schooling on top, yes it will scare them into going somewhat deeper. If they are deep already, no it will not scare them. I've caught many stripers, hybrids, and sand bass trolling with only 25 to 30 ft. of line out right behind my idling 150 hp outboard. It is very bad manners to troll around other boats when they are chunking into schooling fish on top though.


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Re: Does Trolling Scare the Shad? [Re: jbobo] #11066310 08/27/15 02:29 AM
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fmclee Offline
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Originally Posted By: jbobo
I seldom troll more than 200 yd. to 300 yds. before I turn around and troll back over the same area. It only takes a few minutes to watch some one trolling to tell where their lane is.


THIS !!!!!

Re: Does Trolling Scare the Shad? [Re: Fritz423] #11066708 08/27/15 01:00 PM
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LipRip Offline
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So..... if you see that someone is trolling you should give them a 200 to 300 yard radius?
That would be great if the same courtesy was given to the people who don't like to troll.
Come on by and drive circles around me. See how that works out for ya.Courtesy is a two way street and common sense doesn't seem to be too common anymore.


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Re: Does Trolling Scare the Shad? [Re: Fritz423] #11066758 08/27/15 01:29 PM
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Love these threads......Trollers get no props? If there are 5 boats with trolling motors down and they are casting soft plastics or vertical jigging.............DO NOT TROLL NEXT TO THEM???? If a boat has markers set up to troll an area..................Casting Anglers.............Find another spot. If fish are schooling and u are the only boat on those fish......Troll Away. If you troll through schooling fish and other boats have stopped to catch.......U could hear this "#$%^ *&&" Trolling is great, and a good way to catch fish.

Re: Does Trolling Scare the Shad? [Re: Fritz423] #11066774 08/27/15 01:34 PM
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sandjohnny Offline
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I am going to answer a little different because I very seldom troll. The only trouble I have with trollers is I am catching fish on a hump and am spot locked. Troller will circle me with in 10 to 20 ft of where I am fishing . People will verify I tell them come over here and I will give you some slabs. Trollers will tell me on many occasions slabs don't work and continue to troll circles around me. I leave and let them have that spot and they don't catch any . I just remember them and make sure later I am not too helpful. Plenty of room for everybody but a lot of people refuse to look for fish.
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Re: Does Trolling Scare the Shad? [Re: Fritz423] #11066974 08/27/15 03:19 PM
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My experience has been that a lot of fisherman try to locate fish by
locating the fisherman that have already found them. It has really got
bad in the last few years. I have had fish chase shad on top in my prop
was in the years I have been fishing.

Re: Does Trolling Scare the Shad? [Re: Fritz423] #11067631 08/27/15 08:15 PM
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I'll weigh in on this. Since the 1970's I've witnessed the contention between "slabbers" and trollers. It was classic on Lake Livingston on the Old 190 roadbed. Trollers wanted to troll up and down the roadbed, while slabbers would locate fish and anchor on a spot on the roadbed. I observed both being guilty of bad manners: (1) innocent trollers would locate fish by trolling then use markers on each end of about a 100 yard section of roadbed only to have a guilty slabber wait til the troller passed by then move in and anchor on the roadbed between the troller's markers; (2) innocent slabbers would locate fish on the roadbed and anchor down at that spot only to have guilty trollers troll within 10 ft of the anchored boat (right where the slabbers were casting) because they saw the anchored boat was catching fish.

Like fmclee says it depends on who got there first.

My guidance would be (1) for trollers: don't try to stake out too large a trolling area for your exclusive use. Over 100 yards seems too long to me. AND, I encourage trollers to mark their trolling lane with a toss-over marker on each end. This is a courtesy so other boaters don't have to waste time sitting there trying to figure out where your trolling lane is. (2) for slabbers(or other non-trollers): if you come to your spot and see someone trolling it, be courteous and watch where he is trolling. If he has markers out, great - fish away from them. If not, make a good faith effort to see where he is trolling and then fish out of that lane.

Re trolling through surfacing fish, if you are there 1st, go ahead and troll - although it will usually cause the fish to stop surfacing or scatter them. Once others come to the schooling fish, then I recommend you stop trolling through them else you invite a lot of anger aimed in your direction.

Re: Does Trolling Scare the Shad? [Re: Fritz423] #11067660 08/27/15 08:29 PM
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Liprip, I did not say 300 yd. RADIUS. I said I never troll more than 200 to 300 yds. in a straight line. Then I turn around and troll the same lane back. I don't have a problem with some one anchoring or running a trolling motor 50 or so ft. from where I have trolled and am circling back to cover the same area. There have been numerous times I headed to a spot I know and when almost there see a person in a boat working their way along, casting, headed toward the spot I wanted. I turn around and go some where else. I don't get in front of them and set up or troll the area they are about to fish. I always am courteous to those who are courteous to me. You will never see me troll closer to another boat than 80 ft. if that person was there first. Everyone seems to have their own definition of what they think is appropriate for themselves, to heck with everyone else. Maybe they just can't judge distance that well.

Sandjohnny, I have 3 tackle boxes full of slabs in every shape, color, and size. I use them religiously. I also troll a lot. Ask Keith Bunch. I do not troll close to others who are fishing an area before me. I'm always looking for fish and hoping I can spotlock on them. I would rather slab or live bait than use all my fuel any day, if they are hitting slabs at that time. You will never see me approach your or any else's boat that close unless I want to talk to you/them. Usually there are plenty of spots on any given lake that will hold fish, I just don't believe it is right for someone to push another boat off a spot they were on first. Tight lines!

Superduck, I won't troll through a school of fish surfacing, especially if another boat is in the area. If no one else is around, I usually troll around them and try to get my lures to pull under the school of smaller fish to catch the big ones under them. If that doesn't work, I will stop and chunk a lure at them from a distance.


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Re: Does Trolling Scare the Shad? [Re: Fritz423] #11067877 08/27/15 10:06 PM
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jbobo sounds like I was not talking about you. But there a lot of people who do exactly as I said.
Johnny


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