Tactics for successful spring trolling
MAINELY OUTDOORS
Around Mother’s Day each May, larger Aroostook lakes clear of ice one by one and some of the most exciting fishing of the year gets underway. A few small lakes and ponds open up earlier and a bunch of deep woods waterways lag a few days, but my mid-month terrific trolling may be enjoyed throughout the Crown of Maine.
While some anglers want to be on the water as soon as the ice clears, fishing actually is better a few days later after the lake “turns over.” Turning over is the process where the water at the bottom and the water on the surface change places, water temperature rises, clarity improves and surface debris dissipates. This process may take from two days up to a full week, but trolling results improve notably and action remains hot for at least a couple of weeks.
Experienced trolling anglers move from lake to lake as each clears of ice and not only do they enjoy a variety of locations, scenery and fish species, but they prolong the fast action clear into early June. Don’t limit yourself to just one or two locations or waterways close to home, explore and travel to take advantage of the best trolling.
If the lake you’re visiting has brook inlets or outlets, spring holes, thoroughfares and coves, troll these areas heavily. Smelt will often use the flowing water to travel and spawn so the larger gamefish will school up to feed near these spots. Coves warm up quicker due to shallower water so fish will group up there until the rest of the lake warms as well. I also like to troll points and peninsulas that jut out from the shoreline as fish tend to congregate near these in shallower water just after ice out.
Boat speed is crucial to consistent trolling success. When the water temperature remains in the 40s and especially when trolling flies for trout, it’s imperative to motor along very slowly. Salmon will chase a fly or lure and are likely to take baits trolled at faster speeds, but I still tend to favor slow speeds at this time of year. If a certain speed doesn’t produce strikes for at least half an hour, perhaps it’s time to bump it up a notch, and keep changing speeds until one works.
Try to avoid trolling in straight lines by zig-zagging in slow, wide paths to change the depth and speed of baits and to alter the movement of the flies and lures through the water. It never ceases to amaze me how many times I have hooked a fish while making a big turn to reverse direction. I know it’s because the fly sinks and then slowly rises during the turn and while I can’t pinpoint the attraction, it works. I think S-turns while trolling produce a similar effect and increase the possibility of strikes.
I use eight-pound monofilament on my spinning reel and select lures by size and weight and plugs by the manufacturer’s running depth that is on each package. I prefer my baits to troll between three and six feet deep for early spring trolling. Size 7 floating Rapalas in orange, black/silver, and blue/silver work well. Mirror minnows, Mooselook wobblers, and medium-size Sutton Spoons are sure fire bets for salmon and trout.
Often when trolling streamer flies I use a sinking tip line for the first 10 days, then switch a floating line and a 10- to 14-foot leader. When water is still a bit murky and debris is present, I opt for colorful tandem streamers, these attractor patterns show up well at longer distances. As water clears, and when smelt are running an imitator fly that resembles a bait fish works well. Sometimes I use a three-way swivel and one 10-foot leader and one four foot leader with a small splitshot sinker mid-length so I can troll two streamers at once — one attractor and one imitator.
Colorful flies should include a red and white, Mickey Finn, Colonel Bates, Ouananiche Sunset, red-gray ghost and a Herb Johnson Special. Bait fish patterns ought to include proven favorites like a gray ghost, nine-three, black nose dace, Magog smelt and a black and white. Most tandems are tied with both hooks down but I tie my own and put the trailer hook facing upward, I seem to lose less fish with this reverse hook combo.
Patience and perseverance are key to consistent trolling success. If one area proves fruitless for half an hour of back and forth passes, move to another region of the lake. If you spend a full morning on one waterway with disappointing results move to another nearby lake. If morning trolling isn’t very action filled, try a twilight troll the next day. Change is good! Flies, boat speed, waters, and fly lines should be altered regularly as far as I’m concerned.
Most importantly, get out often and be persistent. Spring trolling is a fairly short season, but often provides rewarding results in numbers and size of gamefish. See you on the water.
