Thread: Longlining Questions?

Which rods do you catch more fish from, rods straight out back or off the sides? I stagger rods off each side, 10, 7, 5 foot. Occasionally Ill run a rod straight out the back but can never see it. I have a 1436 jon boat and cant see how to effectively run rods out the back off boat and be able to watch them and still be able to see where Im going. Am I missing much be leaving the area under the boat without a hook?

Originally Posted by sccamper

Which rods do you catch more fish from, rods straight out back or off the sides? I stagger rods off each side, 10, 7, 5 foot. Occasionally Ill run a rod straight out the back but can never see it. I have a 1436 jon boat and cant see how to effectively run rods out the back off boat and be able to watch them and still be able to see where Im going. Am I missing much be leaving the area under the boat without a hook?

You need an I-pilot to work rods off the back of the boat or a Auto-pilot. Seems like the setup you are using should be fine for your boat.

Originally Posted by mik1947

Is the loop knot the same as a Rapala knot?

It isn't the same, I'll get a video posted of how to tie it.

Loop knot video.

How to tie a Loop Knot - YouTube

Originally Posted by sccamper

Which rods do you catch more fish from, rods straight out back or off the sides? I stagger rods off each side, 10, 7, 5 foot. Occasionally Ill run a rod straight out the back but can never see it. I have a 1436 jon boat and cant see how to effectively run rods out the back off boat and be able to watch them and still be able to see where Im going. Am I missing much be leaving the area under the boat without a hook?

Strangely enough, the two rods next to my motor sticking straight out the back catches ALOT of fish, maybe more than any 2 of the others on most days. Dont ask me why though.

The rods that produce the most fish mainly depends on how deep the water your fishing is, and how deep the fish are positioned in the water column. If trolling deeper water, for deeper fish any rod will be as good as any other. If trolling a specific contour, using your depth finder as a guide. The back rods will produce best, as the jigs being pulled will travel over the same water the depth finder went over. If fishing shallow water, or fish that are way up in the water column. The outside rods will be best, as the boat will spook the fish, causing them to scatter.

Originally Posted by Inkdabber

The rods that produce the most fish mainly depends on how deep the water your fishing is, and how deep the fish are positioned in the water column. If trolling deeper water, for deeper fish any rod will be as good as any other. If trolling a specific contour, using your depth finder as a guide. The back rods will produce best, as the jigs being pulled will travel over the same water the depth finder went over. If fishing shallow water, or fish that are way up in the water column. The outside rods will be best, as the boat will spook the fish, causing them to scatter.

Ink, hit the nail on the head....I will add that I catch a lot of fish on my outside rods (12') due to what Ink was saying and also due to the fact when I make my turns they are affected most (inside/long rods are going deeper and outside/long rods are going shallower---in the turns) This is especially true when going over creek channels/ledge drop-offs....I have also noticed when fish are shallower or higher in the water column that rods placed off the rear of the boat will catch more than rods off the front, which I think is due to fish moving away from boat temporarily. Gabowman did teach me one thing, though....you can catch 'em in 3'fow...so it don't spook 'em too bad.

I have read a lot of this post on this subject but not all. So forgive me if this has been asked. My boat has a foot control trolling motor so I operate off of the front. I do mostly tightlining. Two questions. It seems you would go a little slower pushing versus pulling due to rods in front of trolling motor. I have 6 long poles. Two 14 foot poles, two 12 foot poles and two 10 foot poles. Is it best for my setup to push or would it be ok for me to pull off of the sides. It would seem if I pull of of the front sides I can have issues with when I turn the boat lines going under boat. I also thought I could tightline off of front with four poles and flatline two poles in the back. What do you say?