SPEED
Speed is the final factor in long-line trolling. A variable speed trolling motor is essential to making minor adjustments in trolling speed. Trolling speeds can vary from 2.5 mph on the high end to as slow as .5 mph. Most GPS units now accurately determine speed in 1/10s of a mph. A good rule of thumb is to troll at 1.0 mph and vary the speed according to where you mark fish on your sonar unit. As mentioned previously, trolling speed, jig weight, line diameter and the amount of line out are all major variables that will affect your depth of presentation. Generally speaking, a 1/16th-ounce jighead trolled 40 feet behind the boat (what I consider to be a standard cast length) on 6-pound-test at 1.0 mph will run about 8 feet deep. Consider this the equivalent of bore sighting a riflescope: It'll get you "on the paper," but to zero in you're going to need to spend some time at the range.

The final piece of the trolling puzzle is to avoid trolling in long, straight lines. While this provides a consistent presentation, it doesn't allow for any variation in depth. Making zigzagging arcs while trolling will cause inside baits to sink and outside baits to rise. Pay attention to which side gets bites and adjust your speed, jig weight or line out to present at that level.

I ended my first day with 102 fish. Ninety-two were returned to the water and 10, all good fish over 10 inches long, were invited home for dinner.