bass fishing tips

The success of hunting techniques, which include fishing are all based on deception and element of surprise. Fishing is all about patience, right technique and setting up the right bait. For most of the fishing techniques, including trolling to work, the fish must take the bait offered to them. A normal gas powered motor makes too much noise that can scare away fish and make catching them impossible. Ergo, one needs a low noise motor, called a trolling motor to drive the boat silently and gently over the water surface, without scaring the fish. So if you are planning to start a trolling business, the first item on your shopping list should be the trolling motor. This Buzzle article is a short guide explaining how to choose a trolling motor effectively to catch pelagic fish like Mackerel, Salmon, Bass and Tuna.

What is a Trolling Motor?

A trolling motor is an outboard electric motor fitted on a boat. The reason why they are exclusively preferred over gasoline based motors, when it comes to trolling, is the comparatively low noise they make. These motors are used by boats engaged in freshwater as well as saltwater fishing. Powered by rechargeable batteries, like the ones used in cars, the thrust provided by these motors is low compared to conventional gasoline powered motors, but they are ideal to maintain the element of surprise while angling for fish using hook lines. They are sold as a self contained unit consisting of the electric motor mechanism, propellers, battery units and control mechanism. These motors are used as subsidiary driving mechanisms installed on either bow or stern side of the boat.

Batteries used on such boats range from 12 V, 24 V to 36 V systems. The motor may come with hand or foot control mechanism and stays submerged, as it's installed behind the propeller, in a watertight enclosure. This helps keep the motor cool. Besides the low noise during operation, another advantage of a trolling motor is that it's emission free. Other than fishing applications, trolling motors also find application in powering canoes and kayaks. Let us see what are the factors that need to be taken into consideration while choosing trolling motors.

How to Choose a Trolling Motor?

Before you go shopping for a trolling motor, you need to study your boat's dimensions and measure its weight when fully loaded with equipment and personnel. This will help you decide what size of trolling motor will be appropriate for your boat.

Thrust Specification

The most vital specification of a trolling motor is the thrust (in lbs) that it provides. It defines the maximum driving force that the motor can provide, to propel the boat in a desired direction. A general rule that is followed while choosing the thrust specification is as follows.

Measure the total weight of the boat in pounds, when it's loaded with all equipment and divide the figure by 70. The figure you arrive at, after division is roughly the thrust value that you should be looking for, in your trolling motor. For example, if the total weight of the boat is 4200 pounds, the right thrust value for the boat will be around 4200 lbs / 70 = 60 lbs.

Battery Power Specification

The second most important specification is the battery power value of the boat. According to the thrust value required by the motor, the battery specification must be determined. Generally, a 12 V battery is enough for small size boats, but longer boats might require more than 24 V of power. It is better to go for a battery with higher voltage rating.

Trolling Motor Shaft Length

The motor shaft, which has the motor attached, has to be submerged under the water line. Hence it's essential that you measure the maximum length between the bow or stern and the water line. Choosing the right shaft length will ensure that the propeller is submerged at the right depth to power the boat forward.

Hand Control or Foot Control

You may choose from among a hand controlled or foot controlled trolling motor, according to your convenience. Remote-controlled motors are also available nowadays, making it easier to navigate the boat.

Thrust and battery power are the two most important factors, that need to be taken into consideration while choosing a trolling motor. Know your boat length and weight to estimate the propulsion power it requires. This will help you choose the right size trolling motor. Decide whether a foot controlled or hand controlled mechanism will be more convenient for you and calculate the battery power you will need, for the operation, before choosing a trolling motor. Happy trolling!

Fishing the Tube and Worm in a Spot that is not Holding any Bass

This particular one might appear to be a no-brainer, nevertheless it occurs quite often. Just because you are fishing a reputable -hot spot- for instance , Scorton Ledge, the Fingers, Race Point, or the Elizabeth Islands, it doesn't indicate that you're in a hot spot for this certain fishing excursion.

Look around the next occasion you happen to be on the H2O. Around Cape Cod Bay in particular, the striped bass could be nearly anywhere. There's a TON of water all around to check out! I rarely place a line in the drink until I mark a minimum of one fish on my sonar unit. Seeing even just one bass, within all of this open ocean, is a big accomplishment. Possibilities are that specific bass underneath your transducer is but one of a lot of striped bass in the immediate area.

The very next time you head out fishing, have a shot at searching in a planned pattern thru the hot spots in your area until you start observing striped bass or bait. Then place the tube and worm rigs within the water and troll around for a bit. If nothing else shows, carry on searching around. Using a couple of extra gallons of fuel exploring around is really worth it-believe me!

2) Experimenting with various tube colors first, in lieu of depth and tube size

There's more than likely a boat load of people that will differ with me on this (that's A-OK) but I really do not see a reason to have tube and worm colors aside from black, red and perhaps orange. I believe pink tubes, green, purple and various other colorations are crafted to hook fishermen-and certainly a few fish here and there. I used to carry orange yet I do not anymore.

In the event that you are not getting much action, but folks all around you are taking fish, try paying closer attention to the depth and tube length they are using instead of color.

This happened to me not too long ago. The bass fishing was hot, but then it curiously ceased. I initially thought the fishing had shut off, but I saw that my friend was still reeling them in. I first tried changing the amount of colors I had been fishing and then also adjusting the color of the tube. I proceeded landing no fish.

It took me a while to realize that my buddy was trolling a tube and worm of 18 inches, rather than the 24 inch red tubes I had been catching them on all morning. Regretably I only had 18 inch black tubes on the boat. It didn't matter much to the striped bass, and as soon as the fish came across that 18 inch black Tube and Worm they were all over it and we started hooking up once more. Striped bass can be very fickle fish.

I've also enjoyed countless times in which I had been hooking bass fishing with 3 1/2 colors all day. Then quickly, for some reason, we stop catching but carry on marking fish on the sonar. A simple depth switch to 4 colors was all we needed and we continued hooking up for a second time. I may perhaps never ever fully grasp the difference a half of a color makes to the striped bass-yet I will never ever ignore the importance.

If I find myself not getting any action, but I'm still seeing fish on my sonar I will typically:

1) First vary with number of colors (depth) 2) Fiddle with tube length 3) Made adjustments with tube color

3) Using only 2 tube and worm rigs instead of 3

A couple of seasons ago I would to troll 4 tubes off my 21 foot boat. Today when I bring clients out on a fishing trip, I've noticed that trolling 3 tubes, each one on lead core fishing line, works even smoother.

Always having that extra tube in the water is beneficial for a couple of good reasons.

1) It is an additional hook in the water for striped bass to bite, which quickly improves your fish catching ability. All additional parameters held constant, the fishermen employing 3 lines will at all times catch more fish than the crew utilizing solely 2.

2) It allows you to play around much more with tube color, length an depth. In this way you might be able to rapidly ascertain what the striped bass really want.

3) For some bizarre reason, most striped bass come on that tube and worm placed down the center of the boat.

Frequently once I uncover a productive color (depth) and a successful Tube and Worm color and length, I will troll all three tube and worms in the identical way. Quite simply, all three rigs will be fished at the identical depth, are going to be the same exact color, and will be the same length. Because of how my rod holders are placed on my boat, the third line is positioned exactly in the middle of the Miss Loretta and is set slightly more towards the stern of the Miss Loretta than the other lines.

What this makes in the water is a bit of a -trolling spread.- All three tube rigs are fishing at the same depth, but the single tube that is being fished off the third line (which is fished right in the middle of the spread) is positioned marginally behind the two other tubes. This is because that center rod holder is positioned a little bit closer to the back of the Miss Loretta than my other two rod holders. The middle tube and worm trails just a few feet behind the other two tubes.

It is the same principle that is incorporated into umbrella rigs and squid bars. The rule is that you always position one lure or bait that trails at the rear of the school. With 3 tubes at the same time, you really are putting together a -school of worms- wiggling through the ocean. The middle tube (worm) has fallen just a little behind the other two tube rigs (worms). Stripers commonly focus in on the prey item that trails behind its buddies. I imagine this is the reason why my middle line outfishes the other two rigs when trolling the Tube and Worm

In my opinion, September is the best month for tube and worm fishing on Cape Cod. For starters, striped bass show up in greater numbers. They are also usually much more aggressive. The air is cooler, giant tuna are around, and summer crows have dissapated.

September weather is also usually pretty nice for tube and worm trolling. Again for starters, the humidity and the predominant southwest wind have eased a bit. Often times the waters around Cape Cod are as flat as a pond. Its days like this that make you forget that you are fishing on the ocean. And then there will be those breezy days and nights. However in September, a big wind is not always a bad thing. This rings especially true in Cape Cod Bay. A strong onshore wind will often light the fishing up in nearshore areas. Places like Scorton Ledge and Sandy Neck are two such places.

The best aspect of fishing during September is that the behavior of bass in Cape Cod Bay begins to change. Many of the stripers that you could not entice a single bite from during July will now hop all over a tossed offering. The bass become noticeably more aggressive as October approaches. During September, there is a good chance that if you find the bass, you will be able to catch them. "Lockjaw" does not seem to be as much as a problem during this month.

Finding the fish in the first place also becomes easier as September inches its way towards October. Large schools of big stipers tend to hang a bit closer to the beach during this month. Long trips spent fishing out deep in 60 plus feet of water are often times no longer necessary. Finding bass in these deeper areas is always more difficult than locating bass in shallow water. Spending time fishing and searching in 15-40 feet of water is the protocol during this time of the year.

Towards the end of the month, the bass will really put the feedbag on as they prepare for their southerly migration. The fishing during September of 2010 was on absolute fire. We caught a ton of big bass in tight to the beach, and even managed a 673 pound giant tuna. Of course, who knows what will happen in 2011. However the odds are in our favor that we will be able to at least put a few seriously large bass and giant tuna in the boat.

During September of 2010, a few giant tuna were seen crashing on the surface in the deeper water off Scorton Ledge.

Large bluefish, as well as Snappers, will invade the near shore haunts throughout this month. If 10 plus pound bluefish are your target, than look no further than Cape Cod Bay. Race Point, Sandy Neck and Billingsgate Shoal all produce big bluefish during September.

For smaller bluefish and snappers, concentrate on the south side of the Cape. The many bays and estuaries that litter the Cape's southside, including Buzzards Bay, are home to these baby bluefish. Ultra light tackle is the way to go. Small lures or minnows fished on micro sized spinning reels is a blast. This is great fishing for the under 10 years of age crowd. These small bluefish taste great and also make good live bait for tuna.

Aside from giant tuna, bluefish and bass, many other species are also infiltrate the waters around Cape Cod during September. Bonito, false ablacore and school bluefin tuna, for example, can all be found swarming around Cape Cod throughout the month. Even more exotic fish like Spanish Mackerel are caught off the southside of the Cape. These fish are usually taken by anglers fishing for bonito and false albies. So far this season I have heard some very positive reports of mahi-mahi being caught with regularity around the high flyers south of the Vineyard.

Fishing on Cape Cod is just an awesome experience. The opportunities are virtually endless. All of these opportunities only get better as September turns into October. Now is the time to go fishing before the cold, windy days of November arrive!

By: Daniel Eggertsen

You may have heard of some bass fishing techniques that will help you to be flexible when you are out on the lake. If you have then the likelihood is that trolling is one of them. Trolling is an incredibly popular method you can use in freshwater and saltwater bass fishing but has been reported to offer greater benefits for bass fishing enthusiasts that use it when fishing for striped bass.

It also works when fishing for largemouth, smallmouth, white and sea bass as well but tends to work better for stripers for a number of reasons, which we will go into shortly.

Trolling is effectively fishing by dragging a lure or bait of your choice behind a boat, which should of course be moving. You do not have to troll just one bait or lure behind the boat but can choose a wide variety of baits and have them at various depths as well.

This is the beauty of trolling. It actually spoils the bass for choice and increases the chance of you getting a bite. Of course, you cannot troll for bass when in limited water areas so it has to be on larger lakes and seas. When trolling for stripers, you of course have to also be aware of the nature of stripers. For example, you have to be aware of the fact that they are incredibly lively and will bite relatively easily if the baits and lures you use are correct. They will also put a lot of energy into escaping as well so be aware that you must be vigilant and reel your catch in as soon as possible after it bites.

However, one of the elements of trolling for stripers that bass fishing enthusiasts often get wrong is the speed of the boat itself. Trolling speed need not be difficult at all providing that you do your homework. Make sure you know what to do by following all of the tips below and you will definitely have a measure of success with this method of bass fishing!

The optimum speed when trolling for stripers is between 1 and 2 knots. As such, it is quite a brisk speed but not too fast. Going this speed will not scare the stripers off or disturb the natural environment, which is why many people going that speed will indeed attract the stripers. Start off at this speed every single time to make sure that you can get a good idea of how the fishing action is going to go that day. Only then should you make the decision to slow the boat or speed it up a touchNever go above 3 knots when trolling for stripers no matter how much you might want to. A speed that is any higher than that will disturb the natural habitat, which will not earn you popularity from others on a lake! It will scare off the bass and really hinder your chances of getting a decent catch rate.

Author Resource:-> Dan Eggertsen is a fishing researcher and enthusiast who is committed to providing the best bass fishing information possible. Get more information on trolling for stripers here: http://www.askbassfishing.com/

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