? for you trollers. if you troll in a river, is there a difference in trolling up river or down river?
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? for you trollers. if you troll in a river, is there a difference in trolling up river or down river?
I :dono .... but I'd guess that there would be a difference, at times. And I say that because it "can" make a difference in which direction you troll in lakes ... from M R DUX's seminar teachings & personal experience.
It may be that current is a factor, the direction the baitfish are swimming, or other things .... ??
Never fished a full river flowage for crappie (only oxbows), but I have for bass and northern pike for many years. I was a student of the writings of Dan Gapan many, many years ago. He was of the notion that fish in a river system tend to stay in the eddy of the current facing upstream. Consequently, they attack their prey as is is coming downstream to them. Which kind of makes a lot of sense. He was/is an advocate of "slipping" a river - motoring upstream against the current, but not quite fast enough, so that your boat literally slips backwards, slowly. This way you can present your offerings deeper as you target those eddys.
Not sure how this would work for crappie fishing, but it might have some possibilities. :)
In the river here in Fl, ( St Johns .North) it is affected by tide. Always best to go with a falling tide, but always go with whatever current as the fish will face upstream
Y'all are correct, Fish face the current, if feeding!
That was my experience on the St Johns last winter, caught many more fish trolling with the current rather than against it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Orion_70
One factor of going with rather than against the current will be speed. Many baits run very differently according to speed. I always try to run WITH the current first, BUT if I see fish there that won't bite, I won't leave until I have trolled both with and against the current. Some days the crappie just throw us a curveball--low and away.
Last week we set up with a mild current from generation at the dam PLUS wind in the direction of the out-going current and the fish ignored our cranks. When I turned against both currents, we caught nearly all our crappie that day. You have to have faith to try things against the grain.
guess its both. lol I just wondered since I was catching a couple while moving tree top to tree top, up current, the other day. jigs dragging beside the boat.