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From: Nick Von Robison <n.v.rob_at_deltanet.com> subject: [Paddlewise] Trolling for dinner? Date: Fri, 21 Apr 2000 18:53:51 -0700 · This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Thu Aug 21 2025 - 16:33:12 PDT

Just curious if anyone trolls when they are paddeling and what their
setup is?

After a season or two of thinking and experimenting, this is what I've
come up with.

1.  I've found window sash cord to be the best line as it has some
stretch in it, and coils nicely on the spray skirt when not deployed.
Very supple and doesn't tangle easily.  Even with the stretch, I've
found that a small length of bungie (3" by 3/16") tied somewhere in the
middle of the line takes enough of the shock of a striking fish not to
broach me.  (You can substitute for this with a low tech slip knot tied
somewhere between the cleat and fairlead for shock and strike
detection). You may lose fish, but this is a safety consideration for me

if something bigger than a barn door hits my lure.  These lines are from

30-50 ft. and have 15 lb. monofiliment leaders of 10 ft. or more, with a

foot of wire leader ender attached to the mono leader by a  swivel.
Terminal tackle varies, but is usually the bright, shiny, "candy bar"
type of lure with treble hooks.

2.  I originally used a fastex buckle system as a quick release (when
something hits bigger than you want and starts towing you backwards) but

found it didn't release easily under pressure.  A cam cleat works better

(one of the reasons for using sash cord though it may take some
searching to find a cam cleat this small: sash cord is arond 1/8"
diamater).

3.  The problem with a cam cleat is that a running fish may veer off at
an angle, pop the angle of the cam cleat, and your fish and rig are
gone.  So, I have a fairlead system about 2 ft. back of the cockpit, on
the back deck, consisting of a fastex buckle pair to which a sailmakers
brass ring has been spliced into with marlin.  This fairlead keeps the
angle to the cam cleat constant, keeps the line as I'm trolling fairly
much on the back deck and not under the stern, and if I do snag onto a
tasty prize, once it's played out, I swivel back, grab the line with my
right hand, transfer to left, then swivel back and release the buckle.
Haul in!  This is not perfected yet as the ring tends to droop a bit and

when an emergency release of gear is needed, the line goes through with
a "ping" as it struggles to exit (I tie an S knot in the boat end of the

line to get a grip on it).  Something more rigid is certainly called
for.  But, it works.  Sorta.

I don't notice any more drag with the sash cord  and lure than with a
slightly mis-trimmed rudder, and the benefits of having, occasionally,
fresh bass on the barbie, just by paddlewing on, outweigh the drag and
the snagging of kelp.  Any trollers out there?!

-Nick

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