Quote Originally Posted by RTJ214 View Post
If you are gonna do it without electronics...I'd make dang sure to troll slowly into the wind until you learn the area.That way,if you find a top/brush pile,you can let the wind push you back off it without hanging all your stuff up.First thing I do in a new lake or area I've never been is to scan it for stuff that will hold fish and/or tangle my poles up.I have 998SI...it really makes life much easier.
I do like trolling into the wind. Part of the fun of spider rigging is dealing with the hang ups. If you learn to do this right off, you won't be panicked in the future. Set your drag so that nothing breaks when the hang up happens and go get some fish. Six feet or less, single jig unless you are a real man. More than 6ft 2 hooks. With no gps, just move forward until the lines slightly angle backwards. This will get you to the right speed. Vary the depths and see if you can determine a pattern. Don't sweat the electronics. They are not a must have, but are pretty nice on the boat so you will have something to punch around on if the fishing is slow.