DRAGING WORMS ,IS IT TROLLING?

[ONTHETHING !!!]

SO YOU TOSS OUT A WACKY RIGGED SENKO LET IT SINK FEED OUT SOME LINE AND HIT THE TROLLING MOTOR. LET OUT SOME MORE LINE AND YOUR STILL ON THE MOTOR ,GET OFF THE MOTOR AND LEAVE IT OUT THERE.DRIFT A BIT THEN REPEAT. TROLLING OR JUST FISHING, DO YOU HAVE TO STAY ON THE MOTOR TO BE CONSIDERED TROLLING ON THE THING!!!!!!!

[crawdaddy]

Technically it is trolling, but in tournaments they call it "dragging". Trolling is prohibited in tourneys but dragging is accepted. I call it twelve you call it a dozen? It can be a good technique, especially on log sloping points. I just don't like doing it and I probably never will.

[bahlzar]

i thought trolling was if you had the big motor runnin.

after all calling that electric motor a trolling motor is the farthest thing from the truth there is.

[TomAtkeson]

It is trolling. For it to be conscidered draging you must be puting some action into what ever it is you are draging such as, poping the worm off the bottom pulling it forward and letting it fall back reeling it in slowly etc. This is my understanding of the rule as it was explained to me a couple years ago.

Hope it helps.

[bryanmc]

It's trolling in my book. If your using ANY kind of propulsion device to move the bait it's trolling. This comes up every year or so. Soon the defenders will come in to say it depends on what kind of bait it is re. "if it's a worm or jig it's dragging". Well is if it's ok to do it with a worm or jig, it should be ok with any bait. Why not chuck out a mission fish or a hudd and "drag" it all over the point with the trolling motor? How about a dd22 or a staysee? Then there's the "you must be putting some action into the bait reasoning that makes dragging legal. Ok... so I can throw a staycee out, get it to depth rip it once or twice, drag it ahead with the trolling motor (hmmm "trolling motor", what a unique name for the dragging motor LOL) then stop rip it once or twice, move ahead with the trolling motor stop, rip rip, never taking in any line, never having to worry about my bait leaving max depth etc.

Sorry guys.... The trolling motor is for controlling the boat, not the bait. Any use to move the bait is trolling.

[JT-Madera]

When BASS first came West they were asked to make a determination as to the legality of this type of fishing...They actually went out with Mike Fokstaad and others and watched what we do out here and " THEY " said it is legal and they call it "STROLLING " so you take that for what it is worth...If they approved it then what is wrong with it..And if some of you don't like it and won't use it I will be glad to take your money just like everyone else who uses the technique...

If you haven't tried this with a Hudd then its your loss...because it works..I have used it for years with suspending cranks and it kills fish...But please don't use it...Just send me your money...

The only condition BASS made was you couldn't stay on your trolling motor all the time...it had to be used intermittently

JT-Madera

[Andy Giannini]

You mentioned drifting, and thats different than trolling. You can use the troller to correct your drift and that really is not trolling. Casting and drifting, to impart action to the bait is one thing, trolling is another. Drop the bait down, say its a jig, take off at a slow speed on the troller to cover water is trolling. People do it and get away with it, all the time. They call it different things like dragging, or strolling. If the boat is being used to move the bait, and not the angler moving the bait, I think its trolling.

Have I done it? Heck ya.

Funny thing happened in a tournament to me. Partner is dragging a worm, or jig. I have a spinnerbait tied on, and bored hunked it out behind us and drug it too. He goes,

"Hey man, you are trolling."

I shrugged my shoulders and said,

"So are you."

He looks off into the water at the two lines on the same boat and realizes the only difference between us is mine has a teeny round blade on my bait. We were both trolling, with different baits. I quit dragging the spinnerbait, and went on to something else.

Its a tough question, my fishing club allows it, probably because some of the guys are older, and like fishing that way. I don't think they can make 700 casts, pitch/flips a day.

Need to mount some rod holders on my boat! HAR!

A.G.

[bryanmc]

I didn't see anything in the rules against downriggers or rod holders. Maybe it's time to get some! LOL

JT... I was wondering if Mike was dragging a crankbait when BASS said it was ok. Personally I couldn't care less what BASS says, let the boys back east worry about that. Be interesting to see how that holds up when the elite series comes to Clear Lake and somebody is "dragging" a LV 500 all over the state park.

[macinckirk]

Here is my 2 cents on this, I say its trolling from what I have seen.I fished my 1st club trny( in the club I'm in now ) last yr at havasu with the clubs weight master. Now not only did I get back seated when we were running jerk baits down the bank ( the fish were with 5 ft from the shore and thats were the boat run down the bank) but then this person starts hiting the flats and points trolling a D/S so them I would have no water.

I looked at him after sometime and said what are you doing you put out a worm and you have been on the trolling motor for 15mins and never move the worm or casted again and He said he was Draging If I were doing this back in my trnys in Indiana I would get DQ. Well I think it B/S There is no diff in my eyes to that or trolling

Needless to say when I join this club I was thinking I would go as a non boater for a 1 -1.5 yrs to get to know the lakes back here again, Well after the next trny and some more stuff came up I just said h-ll with it and started going as a boater.

Just my 2 cents but I would never do it

[ONTHETHING !!!]

*NM*

[swimbait]

http://www.westernbass.com/forum/viewto ... ling+legal

new day, same topic. dragging worms is cheeze.

[Farres]

Who is the better fisherman:

1. The guy who drags lizards at Folsom and weighs five 3 lb. clones for a 15 lb. sack...

or

2. The guy who catches one 7 lb. fish on a swimbait and four 2 lb. fish on a darterhead...

The answer is obvious.

[Slippy]

wow a buddy of mine and I just had this conversation today......

[davet.]

The way I see it, if your bait remains in contact with the bottom it's dragging, if it's free swimming above the bottom, it's trolling. I use it and have made money at it.

$.02

[ONTHETHING !!!]

SO THE WAY YOU SEE IT DAVET IF SOMEONE WAS USEING A SWIMBAIT OR CRANKBAIT AND IT WAS MAKEING CONTACT WITH THE BOTTOM THATS STILL DRAGGING?

[Marty]

Question – is there a reason why tournament don’t allow TROLLING?

[Blue_R70]

Question – is there a reason why tournament don’t allow TROLLING?

Probably just to disassociate themselves from trolling in general, to show that it takes angling prowess by the fisherman to catch bass (instead of letting the boat pull a bait around like other trollers). And when they do troll, they euphemistically call it "strolling"...

[davet.]

ONTHETHING, to answer your question, don't matter what the bait is, if it's remains in contact with the bottom it's draggin, if it's free swimming it's trolling. It's pretty clear what I meant. If somebody grabs your legs and DRAGS you across the rocks it's dragging, as long as your but remains in contact with the rocks, hence the name DRAGGING. Pretty cut and dry. (And can you please turn you caps lock off?)

[Blue_R70]

ONTHETHING, to answer your question, don't matter what the bait is, if it's remains in contact with the bottom it's draggin, if it's free swimming it's trolling. It's pretty clear what I meant.

davet,

Just wondering if your above description is a tournaments org's definition or your own personal distinction?

The reason I'm asking is that in some trolling applications such as striper trolling and "speed trolling" for bass, your plug is in contact with the bottom as well ("bottom bumping")...

[Marc]

This subject illustrates the variety of personal views.

Those who condone "dragging" think that "trolling" is defined by the location of the lure with relation to the bottom.

Those who don't condone dragging define trolling by the use of a motor to provide lure propulsion.

There is only one opinion that matters, and that is the opinion of that particular Tournament Director.

This thread comes up every year, and each time I see people throwing out statements that circuit X allows it or circuit X doesn't. Don't take anyone's word for it other than the Tournament Director, or you are likely to get burned.

Trolling as a fishing method has not been allowed by some circuits because tournament bass fishing wanted to be viewed as a "sport" which required cast and retrieve methods. This is not to say that trolling doesn't take skill (because a skillful troller will outfish an unskilled troller), it just wasn't considered good for the sport of competitive bass fishing. Back then, electric motors couldn't sustain trolling methods, so the rule didn't need to specify that trolling refers to both gas and electric motors.

Then drifting with splitshot worms became a popular technique on highly pressured clear reservoirs, and it wasn't against the rules because it wasn't trolling.

Next people started correcting their drifts with electric motors, and that was acceptable. Then electrics and batteries became capable of sustaining constant use, and "dragging" became possible and effective.

I ask each Director of their intent when it isn't clearly stated in the rules or during the driver's meeting. If I can't get a clear answer I won't fish that circuit because I don't want to worry about getting DQ'd (so I won't drag), while I see others drag their way to victory.

I don't care whether dragging is allowed or disallowed (well, maybe a little), as long as the intent is clear and it is enforced and equal for all. If dragging is allowed then expect guys to drag swimbaits and crankbaits using 3-way swivels and droppers, and expect your butt to get kicked in many of our clear deep reservoirs. Also expect to see more unsportsmanlike conduct as you get 100 boats dragging back and forth in each other's way.

Tournament Directors need to each address this issue and make their intent known to all anglers so the playing field is level. It would eliminate a lot of hard feelings and unsportsmanlike conduct, and be good for business and the sport.

[Jim Conlow Sr.]

It is not trolling if you periodically impart action to the bait with the rod, and that you should keep the rod in your hands rather than in a rod holder.
Why do we call it the trolling motor?
If we use the wind or current to accomplish the movement the same as the trolling motor is that not basically the same thing?

I have always followed the advice given to me by Don Iovino, but I guess I had better read the rules very carefully.

If moving your bait while under the power of your trolling motor is trolling, is there a maximum distance that you can do this before it actully becomes trolling?

Lots of questions, very few answers.

[Jim Conlow Sr.]

As long as you are holfing the rod in your hand and imparting some action to the lure it is not considered trolling. However the tournament org always has the last word

[Jim Conlow Sr.]

*NM*