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Picture Of The Month



Swede P's first AOTY fish is a bruiser!

Topic: Rigging a Kayak for Trout and Kokanee Trolling  (Read 4243 times)

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uplandsandpiper

  • Guest


One of the most stressful and exciting parts about getting a new fishing kayak is customizing it to the fisheries you plan on participating in. For those just beginning its a challenging process. My first iterations took many cues from Rawkfish's kayaks primarily because he fishes from a Revo like myself, but over the years I've tweeked my kayaks in different ways. Additionally, I spend more of my time chasing smaller species like trout and kokanee than larger sport and game fish. I hope this video helps aid new and experienced kayak anglers alike on my last day of chasing kokanee at my local lake before it closes for the winter.


pmmpete

  • Sturgeon
  • *******
  • Location: Missoula, Montana
  • Date Registered: Jul 2013
  • Posts: 1989
Another great video, Uplandsandpiper!  I also base the trolling setup for my Revolution on gear tracks mounted on the gunwales in front of the mesh pockets.  I prefer track based systems to fixed mount systems, because track based systems allow me to use different setups for different kinds of fishing, and because they allow me to try out different setups as I learn good ideas from other kayakers.

However, I have taken a somewhat different approach to how I mount my rod holders for trolling.  I prefer to mount my rod holders as close to the gunwale of my kayak as possible, because I think that extensions which raise a rod holder put too much stress on the hull of a kayak.  And I like to mount my rod holder on the left gunwale of my kayak, with the rod pointing to the right (i.e. crossing the cockpit) and at right angles to the keel of my kayak.  I position my rod holder so my rod is a couple of inches behind my left toe when my left foot is all of the way back.  For my height (6'0"), this positions the rod holder at the rear end  of my gear tracks, right in front of the mesh pockets.  The rod and its holder don't interfere with pedaling at all in this position, and there is plenty of room behind the rod holder for me to re-enter my kayak if I get dumped out.  An advantage of setting up a trolling rod holder with the rod crossing the cockpit is that with most kinds of rod holders you will move the rod towards the centerline of the kayak when removing it from the rod holder, which keeps your weight centered in the kayak.  But another way to avoid unbalancing your kayak when removing your rod from its holder is by using a clamshell style rod holder such as the Scotty Orca or Folbe Advantage which release the rod straight up.

I described how I made the base for my rod holder, which holds my trolling rod at right angles to the keel of my kayak, at http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=13167.msg144750#msg144750

I suspect that one reason that Uplandsandpiper sets up his kayak the way he does is because he likes to troll two poles at the same time, and the extensions get the butts of his rods away from his legs when pedaling.  I usually stick with just one pole.  But sometimes I will downrigger troll off the right side of my kayak with one pole, and run a planer board off the left side of my kayak.  When I do that, I mount the second rod on the right gunwale of my kayak, behind my fish finder, with the rod pointing to the left.  Thus the two rods are crossing above the cockpit of my kayak.  I have to mount the second (right gunwale) rod far enough in front of the first (left gunwale) rod so I don't hook the reel of the second rod on the first rod when pulling the second rod out of its holder.
« Last Edit: October 24, 2017, 07:43:06 AM by pmmpete »


bb2fish

  • Sturgeon
  • *******
  • Location: Oregon
  • Date Registered: Feb 2013
  • Posts: 1499
Nice video Tyler!!
Are you exclusively long-lining for your Kokanee pursuits?  Could you share a little more detail about the rods/reels you use and how you have those rigged?  What speed are you typically trolling this time of year?

I notice Pete  has one configuration of a downrigger and I also use a downrigger in a different way for Kokanee.  This summer I caught a limit of 25 Kokanee on my kayak and probably could not have had that much success without having the downrigger.  Do you ever use one?

Thanks!


uplandsandpiper

  • Guest
I tried downriggers but prefer sliding lead cannonballs "dropper" rigs. When kokanee are <30' deep I typically run no weight up to a 2 oz cannonball 18" in front a dodger on 7 to 8' glass kokanee rods from Santiam Rod Company, Eagle Claw, Lamiglas, or TICA (yes I have all those lol!). When fish are deeper than 30' I run 3-4 oz cannonballs on steelhead plug rods or heavier glass trolling rods. I can easily target fish down to 80'.

Personally I prefer dropper rigs over downriggers because I can redeploy faster, I cover more of the water column as my gear swings up and down as I make turns or accelerate/decelerate, and a downrigger is a liability in self rescue (I fish alone a lot).

My terminal tackle is usually a Paulina Peak Big I dodger paired with a microhoochies trailing 6-8" behind tipped with corn. Most of the year I keep my speeds between 1.3 and 1.5 mph but will occasionally bump up to 1.7 mph in summer and down to 1.0 mph in winter.


pmmpete

  • Sturgeon
  • *******
  • Location: Missoula, Montana
  • Date Registered: Jul 2013
  • Posts: 1989
I prefer downrigger trolling to long line trolling and leaded line trolling, because I like to know the exact depth at which my lure is running, and I like to be able to change that depth quickly and accurately.  If I see a school of kokanee 35 feet down, I like to be able to go back through the school with my downrigger weight at 35 feet, 33 feet, or whatever depth I choose. If I see lake trout on the bottom in 80 feet of water, I like to be able to run my lure past them as close to the bottom as possible.  I don't enjoy long line and leaded line trolling as much, because I have only a general idea of the depth at which my lure is running, and changing that depth is slow and speculative.  However, people certainly catch plenty of fish while long line and leaded line trolling.