STILLWATER: Gang Troll Fishing

[John Pierce]

JOHN PIERCE @ 2018-06-20
Following compiled from non-GRR Forum posts and discussion with GRR Dale Sheel on 2016-6-18 and Ryan Arsenych on 2016-6-18.

WHY GANG TROLLS
Tends to attract more and bigger fish vs lure or fly trolling.

CONFIGURATION
Most common is Gang Troll then leader then lure optionally with bait.
Used to use gang trolls a lot but have switched to plugs and spoons as seem to produce larger fish if not as many. Try using a #5 or 7 rapala floating or countdown in perch or rainbow trout pattern. I have also found that the x-rap works quite well, try olive green or white pearl.
Don't use gang trolls, just Wedding Bands and snell hooks that come in a package with 6-8" leader, a spoon maybe a little more.

LINE
1) Ryan Arsenych uses Maxima brand 12# line or Maxima Brown line then size 3 ball bearing swivel with snap.

TROLL SIZE
Two-blade (willows + rudder) troll for trout.
Prefer cowichan single blade troll, when run that and a willow leaf, find the cowichan out fishes the willowleaf everytime.
Big-water lakes you need to use the absolute biggest gang-troll you can find.
Use the ford fender with the large blade in the back, a snell hook with half a worm threaded on.

TROLL COLOUR
1) Dale Scheel uses willow blade gang troll that looks like "Panther Martin High Lake Troll".
2) Ryan Arsenich says uses larger gang troll on lakes with 50 brass/50 silver leaves
3) For trout Gibbs brand 1" willow leaves with the prism tape on it
4) Red is over-rated for trout trolls, better is green or green and chartreuse on the blades (I use willow blades about 2 to 2 1/2" long mostly). Also U/V tape works in conjunction with the green. Brass/gold blades on dull overcast. Chrome/nickel if bright sunny. 50/50 Chrome/Brass if water murky and /or day is "iffy" sun/cloud. Study the color of the water closely.
20180620 JP buys Gibbs brand middle size 67 25" wire Willow Leaf Troll with swivel, red 1.5" plastic rudder, and 4x1.75" silver with metal leaves with holographic stickers for $9.97 at Wallyworld.

LEADER
1) 12-24" leader
2) Never run the bait/lure close to the troll as spooks a lot of fish. I go minimum 42 inches no matter what the bait, often 4-6ft.
Length depends on:
a) Length of gang troll, small willow leaf needs less leader than a giant beer can or ford fender.
b) Lure Type: If lure has a lot of action then you can usually use a longer leader, and vice versa.
c) Water Clarity & Temperature: Colder water, shorten the troll.

LURE
1) Dale Sheel uses a wedding band.
2) Ryan Arsenych uses silver-red wedding band retied to larger #2 hook.
3) Red/glow or red Wedding Band with hook #8 or smaller to hide inside the bait, chartreuse wedding bands for trout and pink for kokanee both with smelled hook and worms threaded on.
20180620 JP buys Gibbs brand Wedding Band #0175S-8RGB with #8 hook and alternating red and chartreuse beads for $3.97 at Wallyworld.

BAIT - LIVE WORMS
1) Dale Sheel uses a short live worm section, buy boxes with smaller worms vs pinching larger in two.
2) Ryan Arsenich uses short 1-2" worm section on hook.

BAIT - ARTIFICIAL WORMS
DESCRIPTION: Mimic shape, action, scent, and taste of real worms so buy in sealed container. Floating so rise up off bottom is using sinker weight.
BRANDS: PowerBait, Gibbs and no name brand.
COLOURS: Most popular colour on Amazon.com are natural/brown, pink shad, bubblegum, chartreuse.
SIZES: 3" & 4".
20180620 JP buys PowerBait pack of 15 x 3" Floating Trout Worms for $6.97 at Wallyworld.

BAIT - ARTICFICIAL LEECHES
In Wallyworld?

TROLLING
1) Dale Sheel trolls ~1.3 MPH with 100ft line, if more line and slower then rig goes deeper where bigger fish are.
2) Ryan Arsenych trolls slowly from a boat at speed such that rod bends a little, line length of 96 pulls (have depth sounder to find fish).
3) I like to put the troll and lure at least 100 feet behind the boat.
4) For me, rowing outproduces an electric trolling motor.
5) As lots of tackle, sometimes hard to tell if fish biting, so if no bite after 15 min, pull and check if worm gone.

STRIKE
When trout strikes let it eat the worm for a few seconds before you sweep and start to retrieve.

RESULTS
1) Dale Scheel says good results on murkier Langford Lake, have not tried clearer Prospect Lake.

OTHER
I like running Apex trout Killers 1.5" or Flatfish in size f-5 to f-7.