Trolling vs Casting

[Ivan]

I've seen this type of post on other "national" type boards and thought it was more of a WI opinion, but I've read some comments here that got me thinking about it.

How does everybody feel about trolling vs casting for muskies? Which do you prefer? Is one more rewarding than the other? How often do you do one vs the other, etc?

I realize many of the guys that use this board fish rivers which seem to lend themselves more to a casting presentation. I personally troll much more than I cast but that is partially due to the bodies of water I fish and what puts the most and biggest muskies in my boat. I would probably prefer to catch all my fish casting...I think it's a better fight and its cool to see fish, but for some reason I loose interest in casting pretty quickly if i don't at least have follows.

Obviously, there is no wrong answer here. I am just curious what everybody thinks.

[Anzomcik]

Like i have said in other posts, i am 80% caster for musky. But 100% troller for walleye.

For me i get alot of enjoyment just throwing baits, even if i do not see a fish. With all the baits i have been making this past season it is even cooler to me to have fish eat something i made.

I personally feel trolling like casting is just a presentation tool, both must be done with some degree of know how in order to be succesful. But from talking to other people, i get the vibe that people look down on trollers, while i do not because i know what all is involved.

[ttabaleulb]

I'm probably a bit of an "oddity" here since I spend quite a bit of time chasin these beasts with the Flyrod so there is no chance for trolling there. LOL

For me, I am all about the casting aspect. My biggest thrill in fishing is getting that fish (whatever species) to strike my presentation. Not only do I want that to happen (as we all do), I want to be able to see and/or feel that happen. I know this might sound kind of whacked out, but the fight of the fish is almost secondary for me. Sure I love that part of it but the highlight was that I was able to fool that fish for at least a split second using a bait that I was imparting the action on.

I know that trolling is as technical and complex a technique as anything else that we use, and in some situations the most effective. I just really miss feeling the strike when I have done it.

Thats one of the many wonderful things about this sport. There are a lot of different ways to get a fish in the net and we can each find which thrills us the most. I know I'm gonna miss and lose a lot of fish by throwin flies at em, but I won't trade seeing a Musky blast my fly from out of nowhere 10 ft from the boat for anything. For me, it just doesn't get any better. Damn, are the lakes thawed yet!?!?! :P

[Pescatore]

I'm casting 98% of the time. I go crazy driving around in circles all day trolling. You'll definately catch more fish trolling, but I love to see the follows and outsmart the fish with my hands.

[ThreeRiversEsox]

I have no preference really, I love to do both. I love to learn, so I've been trolling alot more and spending more time casting different types of water. I try to get away from having a routine, and do what the conditions tell me instead...

That being said, to me, the anticipation of hearing the clicker go off when you pass through a prime spot is just as good as making a perfect cast to a prime spot and looking for that fish to be there.

[Colonel K]

My Dad used to fish the Upper Allegheny in the late 40's and early 50's. He and a buddy who lived on French Creek would cast live (temporarily) suckers with good success. I remember Dad taking me to his buddies home where he had Musky heads from years-gone-by nailed to his barn doors and fences; they kept every legal musky they caught. I, on the other hand, have only caught one Musky... and it was by accident. Iwas fishing the Shenango River under the Jamestown Bridge (old one) for crappie. I through a minnow under a bobber into an eddy and started rigging another pole. I noticed the minnow jumping out of the water several times before the bobber took off upstream. I was using my trout rod with 4lb test but brought the fish in... not legal at 32" but surprised the heck out of me.

[Stinky Finger]

I like to mix it up just like my deer hunting. I can't sit for eight hours like a statue in a tree so I'll be on stand for prime times morning and evening but in between I'm still hunting, creepin' & peepin'.
I like to cast my favorite spots on Chautauqua like bars, points and some of the bigger dock systems with the largest moored boats adjacent to the break or weedline. I'll work one spot like that casting and then troll to the next one which might be a mile or more away. If the wind is favorable I'll also do a fair amount of drifting/ jigging with black bucktail jigs, sometimes plain or sometimes with a stoneroller on it.
Sticking with one technique all day gets monotonous so I like to mix it up. :)

[toothyfishman]

Well I was 100% a caster until a good friend turned me on to the trolling:)

While casting in the weeds and not having any luck I would always look over my shoulder knowing there was more to it that I was missing. I always thought trolling was kind of cheating and just blind fishing dragging stuff around. Boy did that change once I started trolling. I'm to the point to where I think that there is way more to trolling than casting ever thought of being.
So much to learn! There is a lot of area out there past the weed edge.
For sure the best way to catch more fish and seems like bigger ones too.

The more and more I troll now the more and more I like it and want to explore bigger waters and new places. Putting together a pattern for the day and catching multi fish is very rewarding. A great way to get a youth into catching big fish too!

But on the other hand.....about once and month I am ready for a casting day because I still do like the excitement of following and having the rod in hand for the hit. Love figure 8 fish.
At the end of the casting day and my body is hurting I remember why I like to troll again too!!! HE HE

Each appoarch has it's time, place, body of water where one or the other is the best bet.

[Red Childress]

I enjoy casting the most. I do enjoy trolling but really get bored if I have no input on the spread, speed, location. The only "guided" trolling trip I ever took (with friends to Georgian Bay) resulted in me not even touching a rod for 3 straight days. Just picked the guide's brain and looked over his shoulder the entire time.

If the trolling boat is working as a "team", then I can get fired up about it. I always lay 4-5 good baits on the console of the boat and ask my clients to pick 3 of them to use. Then they feel like they are part of the equation if their bait gets eaten.