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Author Topic: floating fly line and reel for trolling  (Read 3223 times)

NewportMe

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floating fly line and reel for trolling
« on: Oct 18, 2019, 07:29 AM »
Do you gents have any recommendations for floating fly line and a reel for said line. This will be used for trolling, my set up now is a saltrout reel and leadcore line. I would like to just be able to swap reels and use the floating fly line.

Thanks
Bruce

Steve H.

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Re: floating fly line and reel for trolling
« Reply #1 on: Oct 18, 2019, 07:36 AM »
My trolling reels are the Okuma Sierra.  Solid, budget friendly, and holds a ton of line/backing.
It is understood that fishing licenses, gas, bait, etc., all cost money, but try not to let a limit of trout be your only gauge for success. – Ben Nugent, (NH F&G) Regional Fisheries Biologist

seamonkey84

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Re: floating fly line and reel for trolling
« Reply #2 on: Oct 18, 2019, 07:38 AM »
My reels are anything cheap from Mardens lol. I’ve never had luck trolling with floating line, I use either 6in/sec sinking line or lead core.
"You know when they have a fishing show on TV? They catch the fish and then let it go. They don't want to eat the fish, they just want to make it late for something." - Mitch Hedberg

stguy

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Re: floating fly line and reel for trolling
« Reply #3 on: Oct 18, 2019, 09:08 AM »
Most anything with a large arbor, I like the small mooching reels for trolling with fly line, they aren't as delicate and can take more abuse.

Tie a color or 2 of lead core between the fly line and your backing and you'll have options.

TightLinesMaine

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Re: floating fly line and reel for trolling
« Reply #4 on: Oct 18, 2019, 10:28 AM »
people troll w/ floating fly line? didn't even know that...

fishlessman

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Re: floating fly line and reel for trolling
« Reply #5 on: Oct 18, 2019, 10:42 AM »
for trolling a scientific anglers L5F.  ITS AN INEXPENSIVE LEVEL LINE, NO TAPER. no reason to pay for tapered lines if you are not casting

lowaccord66

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Re: floating fly line and reel for trolling
« Reply #6 on: Oct 18, 2019, 11:44 AM »
people troll w/ floating fly line? didn't even know that...

X2 had no idea.  At the risk of sounding ignorant, why do people like trolling with fly rigs?  I fly fish a lot and enjoy fighting fish on those setups.  Is there more reason than that to use them trolling?

TightLinesMaine

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Re: floating fly line and reel for trolling
« Reply #7 on: Oct 18, 2019, 11:48 AM »
X2 had no idea.  At the risk of sounding ignorant, why do people like trolling with fly rigs?  I fly fish a lot and enjoy fighting fish on those setups.  Is there more reason than that to use them trolling?

I know people troll streamer flies often, but always assumed it was on a full sink (or maybe lead core?) setup.


zwiggles

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Re: floating fly line and reel for trolling
« Reply #8 on: Oct 18, 2019, 12:14 PM »
X2 had no idea.  At the risk of sounding ignorant, why do people like trolling with fly rigs?  I fly fish a lot and enjoy fighting fish on those setups.  Is there more reason than that to use them trolling?

I troll sink tip floating line a lot on the spring off fly rods. Full floating I have used but it always picks up some sort of debris being right on the surface when it’s out a long ways. I have had some sweet strikes with floating line in the prop wash and a steamer. I use full sink as well, but early not they seem to prefer sink tip.

For the fly rods while trolling, you are right on low, it’s just way more fun to fight a fish on a fly rod vs conventional set up. If I had rods that would work I would run them on my downriggers too unless I was down super deep. I always run two fly rods off planer board when there’s 3 of us in the boat with full sink/floating in the spring, and leadcore on the fly rods in the summer. It can be a pain to reel in lots of lead so I rarely load more than 5-6 colors on the fly rods. The conventional rods get 10 colors.

fishlessman

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Re: floating fly line and reel for trolling
« Reply #9 on: Oct 18, 2019, 12:47 PM »
we run flyrod setups on the downriggers off of downeast salty rod holders, sinking fly line and or 2 to 3 colors of lead on the flyrods attached to backing

NewportMe

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Re: floating fly line and reel for trolling
« Reply #10 on: Oct 18, 2019, 02:45 PM »
Thanks

We had a very special set of circumstances this spring. Very cold water temps and all I had was lead core. My cousin and nephew had floating fly line and were able to troll right on shore and were hammering the fish. I couldn't get there without getting hung up on bottom.


Can't have that nuts again

Bruce

stguy

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Re: floating fly line and reel for trolling
« Reply #11 on: Oct 18, 2019, 03:33 PM »
I have one rig set up with floating fly line just for that reason and I have 2 colors of lead core behind it, if I want to be on top of the water I just let out the fly line,  with sewn on bait, 1 color will get me down about a foot, 2 will get me down about 3 feet. I've also used a downrigger rod with a bobber hooked about a rod length back from the bait, the bobber seems to attract some fish.

Using planer boards you can keep the boat out in deeper water and fish in 2 feet of water.

seamonkey84

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Re: floating fly line and reel for trolling
« Reply #12 on: Oct 18, 2019, 03:47 PM »
It’s a lot of fun pulling fish in with a fly rod, and since I already had 8wt rod, I just bought a okuma reel from Mardens and got a spool of lead core. I also find that the long rods help get the lines away from the boat a little bit better. I don’t use planer boards with my little boat, but my friend has them set up in his boat with the conventional gear, and fly rods just out to the side.
During the spring I’ve used floating line, with about 15ft of leader. I didn’t have much luck behind the boat for salmon, but I can see how it can be very effective on the right day or location.  I may do it this fall, floating out one side, and sinking on the other.
"You know when they have a fishing show on TV? They catch the fish and then let it go. They don't want to eat the fish, they just want to make it late for something." - Mitch Hedberg

joefishmore

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Re: floating fly line and reel for trolling
« Reply #13 on: Oct 21, 2019, 06:42 AM »
If you want to fish on the surface why not use mono?

RRobert

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Re: floating fly line and reel for trolling
« Reply #14 on: Oct 22, 2019, 08:25 AM »
I'm pretty surprised that trolling a  fly line in the Spring time is an unknown thing for some folks, especially here in Maine.  The traditional rig is pretty simple; floating or sinking line (sinker will get you a couple feet down) with a 35-40 ft mono leader and a tandem trolling fly... That's it.  Total blast when a Salmon hits and rockets right out of the water and it doesn't require mucking around with leadcore or down riggers or planers....It's almost too simple. works well in both spring and fall.

I'm sure the older guys here know what I'm talking about.

Every rod has a story, and some of them are true.

 



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