The May/June issue of BOATU.S. magazine has a story titled "Successful Trolling From a Cruiser". It has some very good advice and I recommend that you read it if you are a subscriber. However, there are a few words of wisdom in that story that need a little "tweaking".

#1.  Rod Holders: I really would not advise you to start cutting holes in your gunwales for rod holders. Even a professional can screw up doing that. There are a wide variety of attachable rod holders on the market that don't require that degree of fiberglass surgery. Check out West Marine or places like Bass Pro Shops to find the best alternative. Back when I was sailing I used rod holders that clamped on to the 1 ½" stainless tubing that arched over the top of the binnacle/wheel post...which I used when motoring. I could steer and keep an eye on the fishing rod at the same time. When sailing I had a holder clamped on to the lowest rung on the aft boarding ladder to keep the rod tip below the boom. Wherever you find it convenient to mount the rod holder you need to (1) attach a quick release bungee to hold the rod and (2) attach a clip to the line to allow for some slack.

There is nothing more dreadful that to have a good fish hit your troll and see your rod and reel go overboard. Hence, the bungee.

When a fish grabs your lure it will immediately jerk its head to the side. If the line is tight the hook will often pull out and the fish is lost. You need to come up with a way to allow for slack in the line. So, when the fish grabs the lure he can turn away and get a good mouthful of hooks before the line goes tight. The least expensive solution is to take a common office supply binder clip, tie a light 2' line to it and attach the other end to one of your stern cleats. Then, pull a few feet off of your fishing reel and let it go slack behind the boat with the line being clamped in the clip. Basically, you have the same rig that the big sport fishing boats use in their outriggers. When the fish strikes the line is pulled out of the clip and the slack permits the fish to get hooked. It is also a good idea to loosen the drag on your reel so that it will give some line to the fish as well.

#2.  Lures and Trolling distance: The BoatU.S. story is correct in recommending gold or silver spoons for trolling inshore. I would use the largest spoon you can find. However offshore you need something larger. An 8" to 12" trolling lure with a bright metal head and feathers or plastic streamers behind is what you want. Again, these are readily available at West Marine or a place like Bass Pro Shops.

How far behind the boat do you drag these things? The BoatU.S. story recommends 150 to 250 feet. That is too far back...especially if you are cruising the inland waterway. You could make a turn at a navigation mark and have your lure get hung up on a shoal or a day marker. I have seen fish come right up into the prop wash of a motor boat. I think that probably 100 ft is a good number.

#3.  Boat Speed: The BoatU.S. story recommends a boat speed of 4 to 5 knots. That is ok if that is the speed you want to go. However, most cruisers want to move a bit faster than that...and that should not prevent you from trolling. I have caught a lot of fish trolling at over 10 knots. Sometimes the troll is going so fast that the lure is bouncing out of the water and a tuna will jump up and grab it. Most saltwater fish are really fast. No matter what your desired speed...keep a line out. A few years back I was cruising down in the Bahamas at about 14 knots. Had two lines out attached to outriggers. One of the crew happened to see a big Marlin jumping almost abeam of our boat. As we watched we suddenly realized that it had a fishing line attached...and it was one of ours! That old Marlin had grabbed our lure and kept up with the boat so that the line never pulled out of the outrigger!

The important thing is to always troll when you and your boat are on the move. For years I raced offshore with CORA...the Charleston (SC) Offshore Racing Association. Every race I would show up with my rod and reel. The crew complained that dragging a lure behind our boat would slow us down. I am here to tell you that once you got that 9 ton sailboat rolling, an 8 ounce lure and 100 feet of mono line are not about to slow you down. LET'S GO FISH'N!!