Anyone Ever trolled crank baits for bass?
 

I finally bought a new boat (Riverhawk B60 with 20HP Honda) and will be able to do some trolling for bass with this one. I have watched some people up at Centerhill do it and have had very good luck. Any suggestions or tips would be appreciated. I am not interested in trolling with down riggers just throwing some crankbaits out and relaxing.

Thanks,
Roy

Yep ... Let's see .. It was 1956, I was 11 years old ... My Dad had a 14 foot Alumacraft with a 15 HP Rue ... We trolled Series 300 Xmas Tree or Frog Bombers with a treble hook trailer (similar to a Rooster tail) ... Fishing Center Hill and the Dale ...(now remember these lakes were only 10 years old then ) Trolling for bass is very productive ... The reason you do not hear of it anymore is because of all the Bass Tourneys ... Which trolling is illegal plus the mindset over the past 30 years .. thought of someone actually trolling for bass, to maybe EAT it !!!! :eek:
<'TK>< :)

I want to say Buck Perry and his spoon plugs were pioneers in trolling for bass. He had a selection of lures that trolled a specific depth. He basically followed the contour of the lake. I am sure you can find something on him with a google search. I know several people that troll JPP and catch everything from bass, crappie , catfish, white bass and hybrids. A method of trolling developed up north for walleye is backtrolling. A small outboard is used in reverse with a depth finder, to stay tight at a certain depth. they say you can have tight turns following the contour with this method. It is good for jigging the bottom too.

I've caught some very nice (5 LB and up) bass trolling crankbaits.

I have caught 100's of white bass trolling a 1/2 silver blue or silver black rattletrap below dams. I have not done it for years. use to wear them out trolling the fast water. I have a 225 motor and I find that it will load up if trolling very long and trolls to fast for most lures.

Congrats on the new boat. Did you get the B60 tunnel? Jet?

If I remember right, wasn't there a spoonplugger club out at Percy?

Travis,
I got the regular B-60 with a 20 HP Honda on it. It is actually a 2008 model. I got an AWESOME deal on it and I just couldnt pass it up. I was leaning toward the Towee if I bought new but I got this whole set up for what just the Towee boat would have cost not counting motor and trailer. It is just like brand new. I took it out yesterday on Centerhill and ran it all day. I am amazed at the 4 stroke engines vs. the 2 stroke engines. This boat with just me in it on flat water will do about 35mph. It also idles down real low and thus I want to do some trolling for smallmouths when other tactics wont catch them. There was a few times this spring when I would go smallmouth fishing at Centerhill and I couldnt buy a bite but I watched this old guy out trolling and he would wear them out. So I have always said if you cant beat them, join them. Just thought it would be another way of fishing in the bag of tricks. I was probably going to use some of the deep running bandits and try to hang on a contour break. As I watched that guy do it that appears to be what he was doing. It would make sense since I wasnt catching any they had moved out to much deeper water. If I remember correctly most of the time it was the back side of a cold front coming in.

I really cant wait till they start running the generators on the Caney so I can chase the big browns in my boat. It is an awesome set up for that.

Roy

Nice to have a nephew who can afford a boat and also take me fishing with him....LOL.

Yes, Travis my son and I were members of the Tennessee Spoonplugers(I think it was called), back in the 90's. There were several older men that were fishing guru's to me back then(and still are). I see there names on the top of the local leader boards on these local tournament trails still today. Some of these men have to be pushing late 70's early 80's.

I've been trolling for bass for twenty plus years. Trolling produces more small mouth on Dale than any other method..

Dude I have watched your videos and have seen the pictures that you post and no doubt you are the trolling guru. I would like to book a trip with you sometime just to pick your brain. Do you always use the down riggers? What are your favorite lures to troll? Thanks for any tips.

Roy