Anchoring, Drifting And Trolling.

[Mark Stroeber]

My friends and I take a trip to Northern Minnesota every September. There are differing opinions and fishing styles. What are the opinions on here as when to anchor, when to drift and when to troll? The resort we go to doesn't have trolling motors on the boats, so when we troll, we troll at the lowest speed on the motor. So the bigger question then is anchoring or trolling. In the weeds, or along the edge of the weeds, shallower or deeper?

[Tom Sawyer]

Great question Mark, but there really is no right answer, you'll need to let the fish tell you each time out. I'd like to start by first saying, when and where, and trolling vs throwing the hook, comes down to fishing "edicit". Not always a perfect world, but try to avoid trolling through a group of boats anchored on a specific piece of structure, or achoring along a nice straight stretch of productive weed edge, that boats are trolling. Generally if your visiting a new lake, the boats out there are doing what they're doing for good reason. I don't want to make it sound like follow the leader, but if they are cating fish, don't over think it. Once you have established a pattern of what the fish want, strike out on your own to other likely areas on the lake, that have less fishing pressure.

Time of year, and what species I'm targeting, greatly effects how and where I decide to fish. Since you did mention September, I have to say that can sometimes be tough early in the month as far as location goes, since fish are transitioning to the cold wayer period. My next question to you would be, "what species are you after"?

Edited November 28, 2019 by Tom Sawyer

[Mark Stroeber]

We fish for anything we can catch. Mostly go for Pike, Walleye, Bass, Blue Gill. Using mostly Daredevles, Johnson Silver Minnows, Mepps Spinners, Jigs and Jig Heads, hooks and worms. Sometimes differences arise in whether to stay shallow and in the weeds or go a little deeper. Differences arise in drifting and having the supposed fish finder showing fish all over a certain area, as to whether to keep drifting through, or drop anchor and stay in that area for a while................. I know the more time you spend on the water, the better your chances. Won't get into it, but that is a whole other situation. Usually there mid to late September. We are there for a week, and an average of 8 of us there. We will pull in 1 - 7 of anything on a pontoon carrying 5 of us, late in the morning and about the same late in the afternoon. That's not per person, that's the boatload.