Please Help a Newbie Troller Out!

Check with Grizzly Jig Co. on their Silstar Limit rods. They come in 8', 10', and 12' and are relatively cheap and do a great job. Also, Academy sports has the Shimano reels for $10 each and I suggest hi vis line in 4# or 6# test so you can watch the lines to keep from tangling so much. Not knowing your set up with your boat, I dont know if different lengths of rods makes that much difference, but a narrow boat like mine makes all the difference. You want your rods spaced out as much as possible, and leave room to expand with more holders and rods if your laws allow it. I fish 10 rods longlining and there are plenty others out there that fishes WAY MORE rods than I do.;):)

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Originally Posted by MEATGETTER

get two hi-tek rodholders (4poles each) 12ft. rods ever how many you want, with spinning reels cheap ones will work fine put some 12lb hi-vis line on them with some jigs or minnows and start fishin, as you learn more you can all was upgrade.grizzly jig company has all the stuff you need and their as cheap as anybody. i have a cabin at lake washington at southern star camp ground . if your down their stop by i will be glad to help you all i can. from the middle of feb on i will be their most of the time.

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There you go! That's all you need to know. You can't go wrong with hi-tek, super nice folks to deal with.:D

Like everyone else had said the Hi-Tek are great.

I've got a bunch of telescoping 16' rods with reels that I'd give you if you could pick them up. Got 10 or 12 of them.

I sure like my driftmaster rod holders. I have both 10' and 12' rods, different brands, Walley Marshall signature series and B&M. Mostly fish minnows on them but keep a 6' ultra lite with a jig on it always ready. Have not mastered using over 4 long poles and my ultra lite. When by yourself, you have all these poles out, then get a big LMB or White Bass or Chain Pickeral, they can really make a mess of your lines in a hurry. A couple things I did not see mentioned: Useing marking bouys to mark creek channel edges for making consecutive trolling passes once you locate fish, a quality long handled dip net, for those larger fish as you will most likely be using light lines. One thing I will adding to my set up this year are some type of holder for holding the rods upright while motoring from one area to another. Driftmaster makes one to go with their conventional rod holder, I have also seen some made from PVC. If anyone wants to post pictures of theirs I would like to see them.

Thanks again for the replies. I had some rewards points saved up from BPS and Cabelas. I bought a few 14 ft BnM rods, line, spincast reels, Driftmaster rod holder, and some odds and ends. Looking forward to getting it set up and going out to have some fun.

Vetrock,
BPS has an inexpensive trolling pole that comes in 10', 12' & 13' models for about $20.00. They also stock a Shimano spinning reel that I use for less than $ 15.00. So $35.00 x 6 = $ 210.00 and you are ready. I spool Mr. Crappie 10# camo line and it works quite well. As for pole holders, I have made my own out of black iron pipe or my latest ones I made from 1" square aluminum tubing. I bought the wire bank fishing pole holders and cut them off about 5" and threaded them to use lock nuts. It's a simple T bar with the pole holders across the top. Driftmaster makes a very nice setup that I would like to have in the future and it holds 4 poles.

Hey rockmike, Where do you stays? I might be interested in those poles. I have a son just getting started to crappie fish.

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Originally Posted by Vetrock

Thanks again for the replies. I had some rewards points saved up from BPS and Cabelas. I bought a few 14 ft BnM rods, line, spincast reels, Driftmaster rod holder, and some odds and ends. Looking forward to getting it set up and going out to have some fun.

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If you don't like the 14ft BnM's I will trade you my 12ft BnM's. I have 10, 12 BnM's and I would like to see if it helps to get away from the boat a little more when I'm trolling. My wife said I needed another fishing pole like she needed another husband:confused:

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Originally Posted by arkdrakehunter

If you don't like the 14ft BnM's I will trade you my 12ft BnM's. I have 10, 12 BnM's and I would like to see if it helps to get away from the boat a little more when I'm trolling. My wife said I needed another fishing pole like she needed another husband:confused:

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LOL, deal.