Suggest a bass setup for trolling behind a canoe

[daveh_cdn]

Hey everyone,

Part two of Dave Learns Tackle. I'm looking for suggestions on how to improve on my current setups.

The Situation: We often take the canoe out in the Rideau River in Vanier / New Edinburgh. There's usually lots of long weeds in the current, water changing from deep to shallow (deep meaning something like 8ft plus, I can't tell really, and shallow only maybe three feet).

While I paddle along the shallow / medium shallow sections it's nice for my wife to cast a line out and troll it behind the boat. This is easy, she just sits there and hollers when she gets a fish. It ends up pulling through weeds sometimes, some false alarms, and sometimes gets weeds stuck to it. Usually we do this through the depths of about three to five feet. If we try do this in the deeper water we never get any action.

The current setup: I use a 2/0 Gamakatsu Extra Wide Gap hook and I put a 7" Berkley PowerWorm on it weedless Texas style. Then, in order to take it down into the weeds and not skim across the surface I usually pinch on a couple sinkers to the line about 20inches up the line. It's pretty weedless but sometimes she'll get some grass hanging onto the sinkers up the line. Despite the problems it's still successful. There's too many weeds to use anything with a treble hook surely. Even trolling a spinnerbait gets hung up too often I think.

We've tried this setup with a 5" Senko too but senkos are so fragile and expensive that they kind of fall apart after not long rigged this way through weeds and a few fish. These Power Worms I have from years ago are more plastic like and I can re-rig them a few times.

What does everyone suggest for improvements for this terrain / method?
Bullet sinkers (what size)? New plastics?

[Paul Shibata]

I would definitely try a texas rigged swimbait. The knob tail will create the vibration required for fish to "find" the bait in the noise of the current. Furthermore the swimbaits will "keel" and resist rolling which will certainly reduce line twist which you are probably experiencing with your power worm setup. Lastly I would use a bullet sinker instead of pinch-grips, a selection ranging from 1/4oz - 3/4oz will enable you to add depth control to your presentation. X-Zone Swammers, Havoc Grass Pigs and Berkley Hollow Belly swimbaits are always in my boat after the success which I continue to have with them.

Good Luck

-P

[daveh_cdn]

X-Zone Swammers, Havoc Grass Pigs and Berkley Hollow Belly swimbaits are always in my boat after the success which I continue to have with them.

Thanks a lot Paul. I looked up the Havoc Grass Pigs and I see they come in 5" and 3.5" sizes. What size do you recommend? Any colour you can't live without?

[Paul Shibata]

I try and keep my color selection really simple for just about every bait. This eliminates the uncertainty of the "right" color which of course negatively impacts confidence. Any 3 colors which falls into the categories of light, dark and natural will always work irrespective of the lure as long as you fish them sincerely believing that you'll catch fish.

Specifically;

4" Swammer; Lime Shad (natural), Cisco (light), Black Blue (dark)

5" Grass Pig; Pearl (light), Swamp Gas (natural), Black (dark)

6" Hollow Belley; Tennessee Shad (only color I use)

At this time of the year always beef up the size of your lure especially trolling. In most trolling situations, the bait profile or silhouette is seen from below which certainly diminishes the perceived size of the lure. Furthermore who doesn't want to catch bigger fish and larger lures at this time of the year will accomplish that goal.

Good Luck,

[campnfish]

Thanks Paul - I fish the same stretch and appreciate the advice on the bait and presentation.

Tight lines,

C&F

[daveh_cdn]

Hey Paul, I picked up the Grass Pigs. I assume I should rig these without a swivel to produce the most action?

[BradGuenette]

Hey Paul, I picked up the Grass Pigs. I assume I should rig these without a swivel to produce the most action?

Always tie direct, unless your using something that needs the swivel due to line twist i.e inline spinners/spoons.