6 rod trolling setup?

[Traxion]

Looking to see how folks run a 6 rod trolling setup with cranks. I generally run 2-12’ and 2-5’. I have 8’ and 9’ too. Flatlining cranks I don’t have a good solution to running the extra two lines other than boards. If running snap weights, I can run 6 or 8 oz weights on two rods up front, pretty straight down, and then the regular setup out the back. I know some guys run their 2-3 oz snap weight rids and then run Salmo freedivers way back to get deep.

Boards are fine with shorter leads and shallower depths. But I don’t love them with lots of line behind them or in rough conditions.

How do others do it?

 

[KDM]

When I troll cranks, my 6 rod trolling setup consists of one 7 ft rod off the right side, one 7 ft rod off the left side, and the other 4 rods in their storage compartments. I might be doing it wrong though.

 

[Traxion]

When I troll cranks, my 6 rod trolling setup consists of one 7 ft rod off the right side, one 7 ft rod off the left side, and the other 4 rods in their storage compartments. I might be doing it wrong though.

Less tangles that way lol!

 

[Retired-Guy]

I'm with you KDM!

 

[NDSportsman]

2 shorties out the back, 2 medium angled outside and 2 long ones straight out the sides. I have 5' rods for behind the boat, 6-7 footers that I angle out the sides about 2-3 feet and then 10-12 footers straight out. 6 rods is about the most you can do without boards. I generally run the rears deeper and the wider ones shallower that seems to work best turning.

I hardly ever use 6 though as it's usually only 2 of us in the boat.

 

[Bauer]

2 shorties out the back, 2 medium angled outside and 2 long ones straight out the sides. I have 5' rods for behind the boat, 6-7 footers that I angle out the sides about 2-3 feet and then 10-12 footers straight out. 6 rods is about the most you can do without boards. I generally run the rears deeper and the wider ones shallower that seems to work best turning.

I hardly ever use 6 though as it's usually only 2 of us in the boat.

This!

 

[Weekender]

For me it is 2 5' out the back corners, 2 8.5 out the sides, the other rods are on planer boards.

 

[LBrandt]

Thats 2 to 4 more rods I can use legally. LB

 

[Rowdie]

The only time I'll ever use 6 again is in a tournament. I won't run 6 even then if trying over fish over 18 feet. When I have run 6 it was in a tournament or practicing for one. I use 2 boards. One on the inside and one on the outside, and both are in rod holders up front in the bow, where one guy (me usually) is steering with the electric. The other two guys are in the back are running 2 out the sides and two shorties out the back. It takes good teamwork to have guys helping with the boards and paying attention to which lines need adjusting or weeds taken off. Snags SUCK! If the fishing is hot so does catching dink after dink.

I usually start with 4 and then add a board on the inside and go with 5. If the shoreline is such that the outside line isn't too deep then I'll that one out too, but the outside board is the first one to go if its a hassle. That inside board can be your big fish rod for sure. We slammed a 6.7 lber for 2nd biggest fish in the Denny years ago and got 2nd overall that day. My theory for tournaments is plan A...Crank.....There is no plan B. In June anyway. It's all math really. The more lures you can keep in the zone for as much time as possible will produce more fish, and since cranks usually catch bigger fish, run em. Now if I'm just fishing with family and kids, I'll never run 6.

 

[Bacon]

When I used to do that I ran two 14’, two 7’ and two 5’ out the back.

 

[Rowdie]

When I used to do that I ran two 14’, two 7’ and two 5’ out the back.

I thought about getting some Texas Rods as we called them in the 80's, they were all homemade back then, but boards are easier to store and I just don't troll 6 enough. Plus with boards you can really get them away from the boat.

 

[Weekender]

If anyone has an extra 5' Scheels Pro Angler trolling rod that they aren't using I'll buy it off of you. Broke one and they don't make that model anymore, they had a nice action for pulling weights.

 

[Rowdie]

I know it's really hard trolling 6 if the conditions aren't favorable. If you're trolling a shoreline with a lot of contours and in and outs it's a pain, and the outside one will be pretty deep. But pay close attention to detail in the inside one! Get him in about 3-6 fow and keep him clean. That year we got 2nd our big fish came on the inside board. My buddy had a 19" fish on the other inside rod and while fighting it that planner board just sunk with a loud flush. The board popped out of the water without the line attached but the rod stayed bent hard. Since I'm in front I have the two board rods and got to fight the big mamma in. So that double was our biggest 2 fish of the day and took us from the middle of the pack with a average basket of 15"-17" to the top of the pack. We caught 1 more 17" after that but needed another nicer one instead than the 14" we had to weigh.