SHAKE, RATTLE AND TROLL.

[NO BONES]

Currently our back bays are stuffed with food. Just about everywhere you or a fish looks there will be a school of something swimming by. Mullet, peanuts, shiners, baby gamefish and don't forget the tons of grass shrimp. Problem this time of year is finding a big fish thats hungry.

Using fresh bait is always a good way to go but there is one problem. Your bait will be just one of thousands of targets for the fish to choose from. I have much more success by throwing or dragging something that predators don't see a lot of. RATTLETRAPS.

A few years ago I tried trolling one ounce saltwater rattletrap lures through the back channels. Was amazed at the way weakies crashed right through live bait to get to them. The shaking and rattle drew a lot of attention. Was able to find the fish quickly by covering a lot of water and stayed on the fish for an hour or more.

My setup are two spinning rods with ten pound test mono. My favorite colors are silver sides with either blue or pink tops. I have two adjustable rod holders that I set to hold the rods out away from the boat parallel to the water. Verticle holders put the lure too far behind the boat and are effected by the wind more than parallel holders.

I will start a very slow troll and cast one line out about a hundred feet. The other about seventy. Then by slowly bumping the motor in and out of gear I move the boat as slow as possible. I'm running a 21 foot cc with a 200 outboard.

I work areas where I have had decent catches of weakies in the past and I troll the edges of channels. Once I hit a fish I will just work my way back and forth through that area.

One thing I always do and this was after much aggrevation. I tie my line to a snap swivel and then to a three foot leader. Suspended weeds are always a problem in the back. If I see a lot of weeds I don't even bother trying. If it's minimal then I go for it. The weeds will collect on the line and slide right down to the rattletrap. When this happens the trap will no longer shake and rattle. By using the snap swivel it will intercept most of the weeds giving you more time on the troll.

Important. When you hit a weakie take the motor out of gear. You will have to set up againg but trying to land a weakie while moving the boat will almost always result in ripping the hook free.

This method has also boated me some nice stripers, flounder and blues. By trolling you cover a lot more water so you can locate schools faster. It seems that the rattle and shape of the lure just brings out the nasty in weakies. The only time I try this is in quiet waters just before and after the high tide. Cleaner water with fewer weeds.

Tired of throwing bait then do a little trolling. Back bay style.

[paul708]

As always,another GREAT post...thanks Fred

[TheChumStain]

Hey, they why do you always send me out front when I ask for a spot

Your a typin fool Fred now tell them where they can get the DVD for all this great action If you all don't know No Bones is the host of the Jersey Cape Fishin show on channel 40

[Admin]

Very nice read man thanks much for the posts

[AhiSlayer]

Aloha

Once the water cools a little try a simple twister tail with enough lead to get it to the depth the fish are holding. A very slow presentation over the holes will get some fish.

I used to use mirrolures. They worked great when the fish were up chasing peanuts on the shoals

I enjoyed yer post. Thanks
ahi

[matey8941]

thats great info i might have to try that