Precision Trolling, M. Romanck & S. Holt

[jwl]

To: Mark Romanack and Stephen Holt

I found a reference to your book Precision Trolling, in Planing for Walleyes, by Dave Mull.

On your web site I found examples of the graphs, but do not see a reference to the trolling speeds.

Do the data include trolling speed and are they in the text, or are they in another part of the graph that is not visible on the examples given for the two lures on your web site.

thanks for the info...jwl

[eyewinder]

I don't have my book with me, but depths are calculated using a particular (common) trolling speed that is mentioned in the book's text. I'm sure that someone closer to their copy will help out.

[FreeByrd]

JWL,
Speed is addressed in the text of the book. I believe most of the testing was done at 2mph to hit the middle of the typical trolling speed range of 1-3mph. With the exception of negatively bouyant (sinking) cranks, snapweights, dipseys, etc. according to the text speed is not that major of a determining factor within the 1-3mph trolling range. I think they referenced some testing done at several speeds and the differences were not that much. There is a great discussion of the affect of speed and other factors on trolling at the front of the book.
If you are serious about trolling or just starting to troll - Precision Trolling is the best $25 you can spend.
Good Luck

[jwl]

Thanks a lot for the replies. I am interested to read that book.
I have tried to get hummingbird speed/temperature indicators to work on TWO different hummingbird monitors, and have gone through THREE new speed/temperature indicators they have sent me.

Each time I call them, they just want to replace them, just throwing away the ones I send back without testing them and without letting me talk to any of their technical people. Now they want me to send both my new consoles to have them inspected. I give up...i am afraid they will throw them away too, and just offer to sell me new ones. Other than the speed indicators, they have worked fine for year.

At any rate I am interested in trolling and know that speed does have an affect on the depth of some lures, as well as the lure itself, and the amount of line out. What is interesting, is that if the differences in depth are small, relative to speed within the 1 to 3 mph range, then I probably don't even NEED a speed indicator. Guessing that I am within the 1 to 3 range is a lot easier to do than guessing that I am at 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 or 5mph etc.

thanks again for the replies...jwl good fishing

[Hawgeye]

Your speed sensor on any depth finder is highly inaccurate even at trolling speeds. What size outboard on what boat do have? That should determine at idle what trolling speed it will run at. I think most outboards will troll around 2 to 3 MPH at idle and that should be a good guage. If you have a kicker, different story. GPS does not provide an accurate speed during trolling either. Most fisherman go by "feel". There is a slow speedometer on the market and I think it is made by Luhr-Jenson. Could be wrong. Good Luck

[Smitty]

While trolling speed may not have a big impact on lure depth (which I still somewhat question) and both sonar and gps are pretty inaccurate at trolling speeds, I think the ability to repeat a given speed is still important. As mentioned before, I go a lot by feel when trolling crankbaits, but then utilize my sonar paddle wheel speedo to reproduce that speed (whether accurate or not)that is found to work the best..