Circle Back Around?

[muskybob]

Just curious, How many marks do you like to see that will cause you to turn around and circle back through them again? Even if you don't get a hit the first time. I tend to just troll straight thru if I don't get a hit. I'm probably wrong.

[ray koziatek]

yup directoin of troll is real important on lake onterio diff angle ,speed and if its a slow day mark the spot and change size ,color and leader length

[Erbyjoe]

Muskybob,

I hit WPT when I come across a bunch of fish then I troll back thru.I used to do just what you did I would troll in one direction for ever then turn around and troll the other way.But I read Dan Keatings book last winter(about a 100 times )and one thing he said over and over again is you don't leave fish to find fish because they will turn on sometime or another and I did just what he said and had my best year ever.Every time the dipsey would fire I hit WPT then we kept going back thru that area and did good,when it died down we would go on the hunt then go back to those spots later.That is one of the best thing I did and it paid off.I am by far not a expert but I will never troll in a strait line again

[muskybob]

I do hit WPT when I go thru them, but I don't come back till much later. Looks like I should adjust my thinking. Thanks

[Erbyjoe]

Muskybob You should get keatings book It's a great read while your waiting for open water.Just a thought.

[muskybob]

I read it last winter, just didn't apply what I read. I'll have to reread it and put it to use this year. I can't get the musky trolling techniques out of my head. This old dog has to learn new tricks. Thanks

[Finders Keepers]

We do the same - never leave fish to find fish. Sometimes (usually) there is a magical combination of speed, direction, depth, leader length, lure color, lure size, etc. that is affected by the ever changing weather conditions and down currents. Changing one of the above can give you the combo that turns the silvers on. One of the easiest can be direction, pending wind & waves.

Typically when we find fish we try to create a flower-pattern with a series of figure-8's until we find the magic direction (and combo of the other parameters).

[Guest ReelDiel]

like everyone else said if u mark a good group going west with nothing turn around try east, north, south, se, nw, sw, ne and start over. we have worked fish for like 5 hours then all of a sudden bam no matter were u are its on!!!!!!!!

[woody 184]

Last Spring during the derby me and a buddy were out in front Sodus Bay and we had nothing but were marking some great fish and bait that made the rods jump......We worked that area hard for 2-3 hours and then they turned on fast and had multiple doubles.....Then my favorite part happened.....A call must have been made from one of the 4-5 boats working the area and we had like 5-6 more boats motor right in and set-up around us and in the middle of us and the fish just shut right off......I have a real problem when guys motor right in to a pack of boats ans set-up....These fish were in the top 40 foot of the water column..The boards were flying with Steelies...The riggers were flying......I like to use my head and troll my way into a pack, so you don't spook the fish........It hurt everybody's fishing after that........Oh yeah they were hitting green echips with green HOWIES baby..Junior Thunders off the boards...That is fun when you are fighting a double and trying to drive the boat and net your buddies fish when it is just two guys.........Serious fun.........Woody.