What does everyone feel is the best trolling speed using artificial for hybrids?

The speed that it takes to keep your bait in the strike zone.


Time of year, water temp, water clarity, what you're pulling, etc. are just a few things that make your trolling speed change.

Around 2.5 mph for me. I slow down a bit when the water is cooler. I troll with my trolling motor, big motor is too fast at idle.

Agreed. 2.5-2.8 mph which is what idle speed is for my big motor. Cooler the water the slower you have to go.
But achieving target depth is critical too which is why I love downriggers over crankbaits. But if you find the right setup (rod, line, line out distance, right crank bait) then I assume you can make do really well like timmychanga typically does but I have had a difficult time finding that perfect match versus using a downrigger.

Does your target depth change at certain times?

Absolutely!! Target depth is simply the depth you are marking fish on your graph at that day which typically will be the same as long as they have established a strong summer pattern and stable summer weather. Usually they are hugging the floor of the lake on top of humps in the 20 foot range when they are active so target depth would be 18 feet or so which would be just above their head. Timmychanga says he typically targets these fish by getting an even deeper diving crank bait and "banging the bottom" or floor of the lake to entice these fish with his crank baits which seems to be a very effective method for him. So there is some experimentation to do on your lake.

My biggest encouragement to any fisherman is to invest in a good fish finder and learn how to use it. No guessing what the target depth is or if the fish are there or not, but find them with your graph first and then fish with confidence 2nd. It definitely takes some time to develop a method or "groove" as I like to say but with time you find it. Took me 2-3 years of constantly fishing to get it.

2.8 - 3.2 summer
.4 - 1.4 fall winter

I try to adjust to the bite. It varies 1.6 to 3.2 mph.

My boat idles at 3.5 mph, so that's how fast I troll.