Open Water Fishing and Trolling: Fishing Tips, Tactics, Techniques, Articles and
General Information for Great Lakes Salmon, Steelhead, Trout and other species
The water clarity of the Great Lakes has changed dramatically in the past decade. When as a child you could stand in the water on the beach ankle deep and barely see your toes. Now water visibility is up to 20-30 feet deep. This increase in water clarity has spawned a growth in stealth trolling techniques and tactics for salmon and trout fishing in the Great Lakes.
The different types of fishing tips, articles and techniques related to open water fishing and trolling are logically separated into several major topic categories:
- General Information
- Species Tactics and Techniques
- Open Water Boat Fishing and Trolling Tips and Techniques
Specific techniques and tips related to each type of fishing can be found in the different categories. Salmon, trout, steelhead and other species of fish fishing articles are also included.
General Information
- Boating Safety Information General information about boating safety on the Great Lakes with course information and checklists.
- Online Boating Safety Course The Online Boating Course is approved to meet the basic boater education requirements in certain states.
- Boating Safety, Tips and Information This online course is approved by NASBLA and recognized by the U.S. Coast Guard. Successful completion of this course may qualify you for marine insurance discounts and meets many states mandatory boating education requirements.
- US Coast Guard Information from the US Coast Gaurd for boating safely in the Great Lakes.
- Boating Checklist A general checklist of items for boating on the Great Lakes.
- Are you insured? A general insurance question that needs to be answered before venturing out fishing on the Great Lakes.
- Boat Setup Information Information about general boat setup.
- Lowrance Electronics Tutorial A tutorial about electronic sonar and its use.
Species Tactics and Techniques
- How to troll Peanut Flies for Spring Coho Salmon:
- How to rig Peanut Flies Trolling with Downriggers
- How to rig Peanut Flies Trolling with Planner Boards
- How to rig Peanut Flies Trolling with Dipsy Divers
- Bucktailing for Salmon:
- Bucktailing for Salmon An article that describes the fishing technique of surface bucktailing for salmon using trolling flies.
- Luhr Jensen Technical Reports: (requires Adobe reader)
- Click to download the Adobe Reader
- Lake Trolling for Trout A technical overview of trolling techniques for Trout.
- Spoon Jigging for Trout in Lakes A technical overview of jigging spoon techniques for Trout in lakes.
- Drift Jigging Techniques A technical overview of drift jigging spoon techniques.
- Kwikfish for Chinook A Technical review of using Kwikfish for Chinook Salmon, uncluding tactics, techniques, and how to bait wrap a kwikfish using herring or bait strips.
Open Water Boat Fishing and Trolling Tips and Techniques
- Making Trolling Flies How to make trollling flies for trout and salmon fishing.
- Dodgers and Flashers
- Dodger and Flasher Usage
- Baits for Dodgers and Flashers
- Storage for Trolling Flies and Hoochies
- Recommended Leader Lengths
- Changing baits on downriggers
- Modifying the action of Trolling Flies
- Modifying the action of Hoochies or Squids
- Modifying the action of Dodgers and Metal Flashers
- Preventing Line Twist
- Trolling with Bait and Cut Bait Herring
- Bait: Alewife and Smelt
- Bait: Anchovy and Herring
- Bait: Other Bait Options
- Bait: Where to get it?
- Bait Usage
- The Correct Bait Action
- Bait Rigs: Cut Plug
- Bait Rigs: Whole Bait
- Bait Rigs: Bechhold Bullet Bait Holder
- Bait Rigs: Krippled Herring
- Bait Rigs: Luhr Jensen Herring Aid
- Bait Rigs: Other Rigs
- Bait Rigs: Rhys Davis
- Bait Rigs: Salmon Angler
- Bait Rigs: Scotty / Pro-Troll Rotary Salmon Killer
- Luhr Jensen Technical Reports: (requires Adobe reader)
- Click to download the Adobe Reader
- J-Plug Trolling
- Trolling Spoons for Freshwater
- Trolling Spoons for Saltwater
- Dipsy Diver
- Dodgers and Flashers
- Great Lakes Flashers
- Information on Trolling Spoons
- Trolling with Downriggers