TROLLING IN THE DEEP DROP ZONE

edward34 · 08-25-2006, 09:06 PM

I have recently gotten interested in deep drop fishing and have read just about everthing i can find on the subject on the internet.I have yet to come across a story that somebody has tried trolling with lures at over 300 ft to the 1500 foot range where these fish are being caught by deep droppers. IF anybody has tried this or now of anybody let me know. THANKS

Boboe · 08-27-2006, 10:20 PM

I've slow trolled with bait on my downrigger down at 3-400' for wahoos with some great success.

edward34 · 08-28-2006, 12:54 AM

Again thanks for the response.I was really tring to find out if anybopdy has been able to get hooked into those deep water bottom fish like the snowy or mistic grouper, tile fish etc. I dont really have a lot of expieriance with trolling with down riggers but seems to me that if you could troll around 1000 ft deep around some srurcture it might be easier since when deep drooping you have to keep theengine engaged to fight the current and pretty much directly on the spot your fishing. :?:

dropsalot · 08-28-2006, 08:17 AM

Other than a little difference in speed, what would be the difference between slow trolling and drifting when deep dropping on bottom?

Boboe · 08-30-2006, 10:25 PM

I wouldn't troll for bottom fish in the "deep drop zone" of 600+ feet. It has always seemed like you need to soak in these locations a bit more, unless you're just slam on top of the fish. Remember, IT'S DARK DOWN THERE! Whenever I fish 300+ it seems like we'll sit there for a few minutes, then the fish will find our bait and get fired up for a few minutes. We'll catch some fish (and miss some :/ ), and then it's all over. There don't seem to be nearly the numbers of fish like there are in 100-200' depths, where you can wage war on the fish for a half hour or more.

If you do give the deep troll a shot, tell us how it goes!

edward34 · 08-30-2006, 11:14 PM

Yes it is dark down there but you could use lights on what your trolling and i am sure that trolling a squid with a light inside of it that changes color similar to real squid would work excellant.

Boboe · 09-05-2006, 12:48 AM

Well...tell us how it goes.

ian cameron · 09-05-2006, 06:35 AM

I think it is a mistake to say " it is dark down there " until much greater depths are reached. On this forum a while ago there were pics of a huge warsaw of 400lb+ that a guy spearfished and he said that he could clearly see the wreck and the fish around it at that depth, from memory over 400ft. If you compare our eyes to a cat, then we are blind after nightfall whereas the cat can see clearly. Those fish live down there and are going to have eyes at least as sensitive as a cat. I have caught wreckfish in 1200ft on big soft plastic shads so they were hunting by sight not smell at that depth.
If there was no light they would not have eyes and wreckfish don't come much shallower than 800ft around here. The weirdo fish with lights don't appear till at least 3000ft.

Boboe · 09-05-2006, 11:39 PM

A gag is a gag. Gags are found in shallow water as well as "deep" water (400'). The gag in 400' isn't going to have that much better eyesight than the gag in 50', is he? They aren't a 'deep water species,' and they always seem to take a while to find your baits in deep water. Dead, smelly baits always have worked better for me in such situations as well. Livies will sit and sit and sit, while the dead garbage gets hoovered. The same can be said for nighttime snapper fishing, when your live herring or cigar minnow won't even get scared, while your cut boston mackerel 4' away is getting loaded up.

cogzwell · 09-13-2006, 09:21 AM

Soooo, sight, smell...... how about vibrations and movement? this could also play into the feeding habits down deep. I think all three are important. I have fished without lights in 800 ft and have had a few bites, but most bites accure with a light on and dead bait.

The trolling thing at 300ft is interesting. can someone explain in detail how it is done? Better yet, i have a boat and a new 12vlp out of boca if anyone wants to try it out.

edward34 · 09-14-2006, 12:24 AM

Would love to take you up on that offer but unforunatly i live in north mississippi and not in florida anymore.I brought up this topic because i know trolling for grouper in 50+ foot of water can be effective.I all so believe that trolling in 600+ ft could be effective at the right speed and light combination.I sure do hope somebody tries it.

08-25-2006, 09:06 PM	#1 (permalink)
edward34 Grunt Join Date: Aug 2006 Boat: fishing Occupation: quality control of aircraft maint. Posts: 8	TROLLING IN THE DEEP DROP ZONE I have recently gotten interested in deep drop fishing and have read just about everthing i can find on the subject on the internet.I have yet to come across a story that somebody has tried trolling with lures at over 300 ft to the 1500 foot range where these fish are being caught by deep droppers. IF anybody has tried this or now of anybody let me know. THANKS

08-28-2006, 12:54 AM	#3 (permalink)
edward34 Grunt Join Date: Aug 2006 Boat: fishing Occupation: quality control of aircraft maint. Posts: 8	Thanks for the response Again thanks for the response.I was really tring to find out if anybopdy has been able to get hooked into those deep water bottom fish like the snowy or mistic grouper, tile fish etc. I dont really have a lot of expieriance with trolling with down riggers but seems to me that if you could troll around 1000 ft deep around some srurcture it might be easier since when deep drooping you have to keep theengine engaged to fight the current and pretty much directly on the spot your fishing. :?:

09-13-2006, 09:21 AM	#10 (permalink)
cogzwell Hooked Up Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Boca Raton / Jackson Hole Boat: 2003 34 Venture Best Catch: crabs -- but well worth it Occupation: debt collector Posts: 261	Soooo, sight, smell...... how about vibrations and movement? this could also play into the feeding habits down deep. I think all three are important. I have fished without lights in 800 ft and have had a few bites, but most bites accure with a light on and dead bait. The trolling thing at 300ft is interesting. can someone explain in detail how it is done? Better yet, i have a boat and a new 12vlp out of boca if anyone wants to try it out. __________________ The Hailey Ryan

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08-27-2006, 10:20 PM	#2 (permalink)
Boboe Hooked Up Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Austin, TX Occupation: Alaskan Fishing Guide, Gulf of Mexico Offshore Crew Boat Captain Posts: 805	I've slow trolled with bait on my downrigger down at 3-400' for wahoos with some great success.

08-28-2006, 08:17 AM	#4 (permalink)
dropsalot Lines In Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Great Guana Cay, Bahamas Posts: 20	Other than a little difference in speed, what would be the difference between slow trolling and drifting when deep dropping on bottom?

08-30-2006, 10:25 PM	#5 (permalink)
Boboe Hooked Up Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Austin, TX Occupation: Alaskan Fishing Guide, Gulf of Mexico Offshore Crew Boat Captain Posts: 805	I wouldn't troll for bottom fish in the "deep drop zone" of 600+ feet. It has always seemed like you need to soak in these locations a bit more, unless you're just slam on top of the fish. Remember, IT'S DARK DOWN THERE! Whenever I fish 300+ it seems like we'll sit there for a few minutes, then the fish will find our bait and get fired up for a few minutes. We'll catch some fish (and miss some :/ ), and then it's all over. There don't seem to be nearly the numbers of fish like there are in 100-200' depths, where you can wage war on the fish for a half hour or more. If you do give the deep troll a shot, tell us how it goes!

08-30-2006, 11:14 PM	#6 (permalink)
edward34 Grunt Join Date: Aug 2006 Boat: fishing Occupation: quality control of aircraft maint. Posts: 8	Yes it is dark down there but you could use lights on what your trolling and i am sure that trolling a squid with a light inside of it that changes color similar to real squid would work excellant.

09-05-2006, 12:48 AM	#7 (permalink)
Boboe Hooked Up Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Austin, TX Occupation: Alaskan Fishing Guide, Gulf of Mexico Offshore Crew Boat Captain Posts: 805	Well...tell us how it goes.

09-05-2006, 06:35 AM	#8 (permalink)
ian cameron Lines In Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 43	I think it is a mistake to say " it is dark down there " until much greater depths are reached. On this forum a while ago there were pics of a huge warsaw of 400lb+ that a guy spearfished and he said that he could clearly see the wreck and the fish around it at that depth, from memory over 400ft. If you compare our eyes to a cat, then we are blind after nightfall whereas the cat can see clearly. Those fish live down there and are going to have eyes at least as sensitive as a cat. I have caught wreckfish in 1200ft on big soft plastic shads so they were hunting by sight not smell at that depth. If there was no light they would not have eyes and wreckfish don't come much shallower than 800ft around here. The weirdo fish with lights don't appear till at least 3000ft.

09-05-2006, 11:39 PM	#9 (permalink)
Boboe Hooked Up Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Austin, TX Occupation: Alaskan Fishing Guide, Gulf of Mexico Offshore Crew Boat Captain Posts: 805	A gag is a gag. Gags are found in shallow water as well as "deep" water (400'). The gag in 400' isn't going to have that much better eyesight than the gag in 50', is he? They aren't a 'deep water species,' and they always seem to take a while to find your baits in deep water. Dead, smelly baits always have worked better for me in such situations as well. Livies will sit and sit and sit, while the dead garbage gets hoovered. The same can be said for nighttime snapper fishing, when your live herring or cigar minnow won't even get scared, while your cut boston mackerel 4' away is getting loaded up.

09-14-2006, 12:24 AM	#11 (permalink)
edward34 Grunt Join Date: Aug 2006 Boat: fishing Occupation: quality control of aircraft maint. Posts: 8	Would love to take you up on that offer but unforunatly i live in north mississippi and not in florida anymore.I brought up this topic because i know trolling for grouper in 50+ foot of water can be effective.I all so believe that trolling in 600+ ft could be effective at the right speed and light combination.I sure do hope somebody tries it.

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