Thread: Speed

A handheld GPS is the cheapest way to go to determine speed. Some Depth Finders have GPS that tell speed. There are other Depth Finders that you can add speed sensors too, but I've heard they are not very accurate.

Troll your jigs over shallow spots or points to determine the depth you are running (The rod tip will bounce when your hitting bottom)

Also if your trolling curly tails, you can drop one down in the water beside your boat and speed up until it starts turning, so atleast you know your going fast enough to get action from you bait.

Another cheap way to determine speed is your car's Tom-Tom or other such device if you don't have GPS speed on your depth finder. It's what I use and it is very accurate.
Snakeyes is right on target too, you can just pull over a 3,4, or 5 foot bottom at various trolling motor settings and see when the jigs bump bottom. The fish will usually tell you how they want to bite best.

use a gps, start at .07 mph with a 1/16 jig.

I usually start at .8-.9mph. Slower, I get alot of bites but less hookups. Sometimes I'll speed up to about 1.0 or 1.1 and see if the fish want it faster. Every day can be different, but usually around .8 is good.

Not sure why but I push jigs at .5 - .8 mph and pull jigs at 1 -1.2 but both work, it's just what I was taught. I have found that at Greenwood I catch more perch when I get faster than .8

On Clark Hill you have to be careful running fast (1.1 or 1.2mph) cause the small hybrids and stripers will wreck your longlining setup.:o

thanks everyone for the tips