Trolling for smallmouth

[Pyramid]

Me and my bud were on a slough off the willamette today. I am new to bass fishing so I just used a floating/diving crawdad plug. After catching maybe 7 or 8 (biggest 2 and 1/2 lbs) we decided to eat lunch. He came up with the idea of just trolling the plugs while we ate. We ended up catching 4 more just while trolling and eating.

Seems very odd to me. Does anybody ever do this? :shrug:

[BuKuBass]

I do it alot during the early spring. Learn the depths that various plugs run(Luhrjensen is one source) to reach where you mark fish or to lighly tick the bottom.
Occasionally sweep your rod forward and then let it drop back so that the lure pauses; they often hit it then. When you feel a strike without hooking the fish, immediately use this tactic. Altho I've never seen it(I usually run the lure 120 feet back), I believe that some strikes are meant to stun the prey and then the bass circles back for the kill.
Most crankbaits work well. My favorites are Husky Jerks, Fat Raps, Team Diawa Minnows and Cordell Wally Divers.
Use a braided line; with a 120 feet of mono out, you'll rarely feel the hit.

[snowball]

this will work all season long---

[Pyramid]

Appreciate the info guys :smile: After a slow day today, my bud caught a 4 lber trolling a crawfish plug. We had a few landed before that, but nothing that big.