Shallow Trolling Baits

[erope]

I'm wondering if anyone can recommend good lures for trolling in 5-6ft. of water? Trolling speed will be about 2mph. Any other tips or tricks would be helpful. I'm new to trolling, so could use any advice you might have. Thanks!

[fishinmachine2]

I fished this last weekend in 4 to 6 fow and did really good. My program was pulling harnesses 50' back then put on a 1/4 to 1/2 oz snap wieght then go 4 more ft then hook on the board. its just enough to hold the spinner down.

Last year i did really good in shallow pulling small minnow baits 20 to 25 ft behind the board. I love fishing shallow water!!

Scott

[cjbrown...]

SSR5'S AND SSR7'S. These are Rapala Shallow Shad Raps. Tough bait to beat in my box in that water depth you are talking.

[Koldfront Kraig]

You might want to try X Raps too.


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I work hard at underachieving….. but not too hard


Koldfront Kraig

[ETT]

Reef Runner Little Ripper. Bare Naked & Purple Wildthing. Get the skillet hot!!!

[Rod Holder]

A 9 cm original floating Rapala with a #5 split shot about 3' ahead on the line works well. My brother caught a nice walleye Saturday evening on a local lake trolling in 5-6' of water. I like this presentation fairly well as it has been productive. An option is to pump the rod some back and forth, allows the shot to pull the Rapala down a little. Same night we also had an SS7 in purpledescent color behind a board which didn't catch a walleye but did have a 3# channel cat put the flag down. Till we got sight of the fish, we mistakenly thought he had a larger walleye on but that was not to be. We also like Lil Rippers. We put Ripshads on a short leash behind a board to keep them from diving too far.

[Southern eyes]

Shallow water baits that work well in my neck of the woods include the Rapala's mentioned above .. as well as :

1.smallest size Hellbender .
2.Bomber model-A .
3.Rebel Fastrack shad.
4.Cordell Big-O .
5.Norman's Baby-N.
6.Producer's Barramundi .

I typically verify the running depth by trolling over a flat with each lure type/size & then try to run lures so I am regularly "ticking" cover .
At night with clear water (dawn/dusk), a Rapala floater on a flat line often fills the bill.

[fshrman-r72]

The baits mentioned by the others will work. My advice if your new to trolling would be to get one or two reference books. Precision Trolling is one that will give you baits used for trolling and different depths and another that I just purchased is the "Rapala Tackle Box Guide. The Precision Trolling book cost $20 something and the Rapala Tackle Box Guide was around $2. The Precision Trolling gives excellent advice and great detail. I just purchased a video by In Fisherman "Advanced Trolling Tactics" that has some great information. You might also do a search on this website on trolling and get some great information also.

Welcome to the wonderful world of trolling, you are in for some great fishing. Good Luck

My Dad always said
"When everything fails read the directions"

[fishinator]

yup, no. 5 rapala. perch color works for me. 150' of line behind the boat. let the plug dig, hammer, or bounce off anything it can. The unnatural action fixes there fancy. This is a cleaner way to fish also. No worm bedding ground into the boat carpet. Ahh, fishing nothing better....... Fish

[SCHawk]

What is your approach in mid summer when in 5 - 6 ft and weeds topping out at 4'? I have had success in this situation early overcast mornings and good sized rollers when casting rattlin raps and bringing them in over the top of the weeds. I guess I am curious as to a trolling approach at night over the tops of the weeds, without snagging a lot of salad.

[ifishmn]

I often fish the same structure, 4 -7 feet, with emergent weeds, often trolling at night.

I use my planer boards, with the drag set just so the line plays out, and run short leads (20-30 ft) back to a stick bait. I use 30lb powerpro, the heavier line keeps the bait higher, and is not an issue in the low light.

I've had the best luck where there is somewhat of an inside weed line, running on board near shore or inside weedline, and the other over the top of the weeds. Often there isn't a concentration of fish, but scattered over a wide flat, and its just a matter of covering the area effectively.

just my .02

JPalmer

[Schnauzer]

I fish a lot of shallow flats in that same depth range. It is indeed tough to beat SSR #7's. The shallow shad raps have a different, crooked diving bill. They are deadly for catching walleyes at 2 mph in shallow water like that. I use them all summer.

Toward fall, I gradually phase out the shad raps in favor of suspending lures like husky jerks. I like to work in pauses in the fall and keeping the lure at depth is important for those pauses.