Thread: argument against trolling

I always ask can you tell a difference in the taste!

I used to think the same thing and then I started getting into spider rigging and it changed my mind I love spider rigging now as well as pulling crankbaits. Its just another method of fishing, and also allows you to catch crappie year around.

as long as it is legal nay sayers need to keep their yap shut!!!

It's really just all about what constitutes sport fishing versus commercial fishing among the "sport fishing" purist. To some trolling was considered too effective a method to be considered sporting. Just like any other sport...if you remove some of the handicaps that are considered necessary to keep it sporting, than it is no longer a sport.

Now that is a brief history of how that came about. It stems mostly from a sector of people who wanted to change people's thinking from using crank telephones ,dynamite,and wood slate fish traps and harvesting fish with no consideration for the sporting aspect of it.It just sort of expanded to include other methods in a more grey area shall we say Not my opinion of whether is right or not.

Much came from the outdoor writers of the big magazines. Sort of like some people think it's not sporting to shoot a turkey with a rifle from a 100 yards.

trolling is just a much more effective way to cover water...also I might add that as I get older I don't want to hold a pole the whole time....trolling is more relaxing any way.

I don't like snagging, but it is legal and I have no problem with anyone who does it. As long as a person is legal, he should fish any way that he desires.

Well if you can't beat um you better join them! Unless you like watching other people burn them up.

Originally Posted by ragencage

I'm sure this isn't a new topic, but a post in another forum has brought it to my attention. I live in Grenada, and I jig fish and spider rig Grenada lake. A lot of my buddies think trolling 'isn't fishing' I used to be guilty of that assumption until I started to get into spider rigging. Boy was I wrong. It taught me way more about locating crappie, their habits, and patterns than I could've ever hoped for. My question is what would you say to the nay sayers who think that trolling isn't fishing?

The same things that opened your eyes would likely open the naysayers mind as well if they would give it a chance. I, like you, was an opponent of spider rigging until I had a friend take me along on a few of his early "learning" trips. Much to my surprise, it required knowledge and skill to catch fish. I think "most" naysayers are under the impression that its easy and anyone can do and it requires zero knowledge or skill. They would be wrong.

With that said, I am not equipped to spider rig from my boat nor do I currently have any interest in getting equipped for it. I enjoy an occasional spider rigging trip with a friend (5 or so trips per year), but it is not my preferred method to fish. I prefer to vertical jig or cast.

The one thing that has changed for me is my appreciation and respect for the spider riggers efforts and results of their catch. I used to discount any catch if the angler was spider rigging. Now I know that those guys are indeed fishermen as much so or more so as I.