Trolling The Lochs of Scotland: Trolling - What do I need to go Trolling?

Boat:

There are many types of boats available for trolling the lochs of scotland. Some boats can be hired by the hour or by the day. However, if you own your own boat you should look for a boat that will handle some of the adverse weather that can develop. A boat of around 16 feet that can take a two meter wave side on is an ideal boat. Popular boats are the ORKNEY LONGLINER and ARRAN 16FT. Both these boats will be the perfect choice for trolling Scotland's lochs.

I would most certainly recommend the ARRAN 16FT as one of the best boats to use for trolling Scotlands Lochs.

If you are interested in finding out more about this boat visit http://www.arranboats.co.uk/ or give Dave a phone (contact details on website) To see the options available. Dave can supply the boat fully rigged and fitted with outboards etc ready for the water.

Main Engine:

I would recommend a 4 stroke engine either tiller steer or console (More comfortable trolling all day with the console) An engine from 4hp to 15hp is ideal. Some people prefer a bigger engine so that they can push the boat along not using the engine to its full power. The old 2 stroke engines used to oil up when slow trolling. The 4 strokes are cleaner to run, more economical to run and environmentally friendly.

Auxillary Engine:

I would not venture out on the lochs without one of these. This is the safety back up should the main engine fail for any reason. I would not recommend anyone trying to use oars into a head wind. You are only going to get in to trouble. A 4 stroke 2.5hp - 4hp is ideal to push the boat along.

Fishfinder:

Not an essential item, however can be a vital tool. Primarily the fish finder is used to find fish. However, if you are not sure of the lochs, the unit will show you what is below the surface, loch depth, drop offs and any hazard’s. The unit is also useful to give you an idea of where the fish are and how deep to fish your lure. These are now available with GPS. This is ideal for having an accurate record of your trolling speed.

Rod Holders :

There are many brands of rod holders on the market. Some that screw and clamp on to boats, ideal if you hire your baots for the day. There are also one thats bolt on if you own your own boat. One of the best rod holder available are the DOWN EAST HOLDERS, These are made from metal and will stand up to a 40lb fish hitting the lure.

Life Jacket :

A Life Jacket is a vital accessory to anyone planning to venture out on a boat. There should be a life jacket available for each member of the crew aboard the boat and they should be worn on top of the clothing. A life jacket of a minimum 150 newton is recommended.

Rods:

There are many rods that can be used for trolling. It is recommended a rod of around 11-12 feet should be used for the port and starboard sides. Some anglers use old salmon fly rods around 15 feet. The reason that you need a longer rod for the sides is that when you make turns with the boat, the lines do not cross and tangle. For the downrigger a rod of around 8 - 9 feet in length with a soft action is ideal. When using dipsey divers it is recommended to use a rod designed to withstand the pressure put on to the rod when trolling. A normal spinning rod may break under the pressure. There are many makes of rods available for this purpose including Daiwa, Okuma, Shimano, Shakesphere. When using leadcore it is recommended to use a soft action rod as the leadcore line has not a lot of stretch and if you used a stiff rod and you hook into a fish it might snap off

Reels:

There are many reels that are available for trolling from Mooching, multiplier and fixed spool. It is a matter of preference. I prefer the multiplier as it is great if you hook into a big fish. Multipliers come with level winds which help get an even lay of line when you wind in. Some multipliers are available with a line counter that shows the angler how much line is out, this can help the angler know how deep the lure is fishing or how far the line is from the back of the boat. If you see fish at a certain depth you can let out the exact length of line to get your lure to the fish. A line counter is also available for attaching to rods so it could be used on several rods if the reel does not have a line counter - could be used with fixed spool reels etc. The popular makes of reels are Abu, Okuma, Daiwa, Shimano.

Line:

It is up to the individual angler. A monofilament line with a breaking strain of around 15 - 20 lb’s should be ideal. I normally use 15 lb’s on my side rods and 20 lb’s for the downrigger. A lot of angler use braid. This line has little stretch so you you feel everything. I use braid when fishing with dipsey’s and divers as the little stretch helps to release the diver and make it easier to bring it back up to the boat. I always use a snubber (an elastic spring that acts as a shock absorber when the fish hits) when fishing with braid. With there being little stretch with braid, when a fish hits the lure it could snap off. The snubber takes the shock from the line and prevents break offs.

Downrigger:

A downrigger is a great accessory when trolling. The Canon Easy Troll is one of the most popular down riggers. There are many different makes and styles to choose from. Downriggers are available either manual control or electric.The rod sits in the down rigger holder (poker rod) and the line is set out 30-40yds. The line is clipped to an 8lb lead weight attached to the downrigger cable. The line is attached to a release clip which is set to allow the line to release when a fish is hooked. The tension needs to be enough to set the hook, but release the line once the fish is hooked. The downrigger weight is then lowered to the desired depth. When you are trolling and a fish hits the lure, ideally the fish will be hooked and the line released from the clip. All you have to do is wind up the downrigger weight and play the fish.

Divers:

A diver is a true-tracking, diving sinker/planer which has an adjustable positive trip mechanism. It sinks around 1ft for every 2ft of line that you have out. Once a fish hits the lure, the diver trips making it easier to reel the fish in. The diver makes it easier to fish depths unexplored before. You can use kynoch's, tomic lures, rapala's or any lure. I would not recommend using a deep diving lure with this diver. If you use a deep diving lure then it would be guess work to exactly what depth the lure is fishing. I like to use a floating rapala when fishing with a diver. I often set the depth of fishing to around 45 feet. The beauty of the diver is you can send it down to where the fish are - 10 feet, 20 feet or 60 feet. There are many different makes of divers available. The Dipsey diver is a plaining device that can be sent down to a desired depth, and can be set to fish from the side of a boat. When fishing with a diver a normal spinning rod is too soft and break. Due to the pressure on the rod when trolling a rod designed for dipsey’s is recommended. A multiplier reel loaded with around 200yds 15-20lb line is ideal. I prefer a line counter reel to show me the amount of line out. This helps with knowing what depth you are fishing with the diver. I use an Okuma 30DX with Power-pro 50lb braid loaded. This low stretch line make it easier to trip the diver and bring it back up to the boat.

Other accessories such as Leadcore Lines & Planer Boards can be used also.

Lures

One of my most successful type of lure that I use for trolling is the Tomic Lure.

I use Tomic lures in sizes from 2 inches to 5 Inches in length.

J Plugs or Kynochs are great trolling lures. These can be used as the main lure or fished on a downrigger, leadcore, planer board or diver.Various Rapala lure’s from Floating, jointed, countdown, shad rap and deep tail dancers. These can be used as the main lure or fished on a downrigger, leadcore , planer board or diver. I tend to use only the floating rapala lure when using the downrigger or diver.