# New to trolling...



## Ratherbeefishin (May 17, 2012)

I just bought my first boat a couple of weeks ago (22' pro master) and I'm interested doing some trolling. The problem is... I'm not even sure where to start? I've been fishing most of my life but this is something completely new to me. I've done a little research online but would really like some input from real people that are out there catching fish. I'll be doing most of my fishing at Lake Livingston. Best equipment? rod/reels? line? Bait? Trolling methods? Depth? Area's on the lake to try? I hear the Striped bass will be coming up soon, would like to give it a try. I know I'm asking a lot of questions here but like I said it's completely new to me. Thanks for any info..:texasflag


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## Reel Time (Oct 6, 2009)

My advice would be to spend a few bucks and line up a trip with Shadslinger, a guide and sponsor on this board. He'll put you on the fish and teach you the basics and more.


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## Eagle180 (Oct 24, 2009)

Reel Time said:


> My advice would be to spend a few bucks and line up a trip with Shadslinger, a guide and sponsor on this board. He'll put you on the fish and teach you the basics and more.


X2

He will provide you with great information for fishing Lake Livingston!!


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## Ducktracker (Aug 1, 2011)

X2 on Shadslinger just went with him this weekend and he taught me a lot really enjoyed the trip.


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## berger1b (May 6, 2012)

Reel Time said:


> My advice would be to spend a few bucks and line up a trip with Shadslinger, a guide and sponsor on this board. He'll put you on the fish and teach you the basics and more.


This is good advise and will be money well spent. With all the different opinions in what gear, where to fish, and how to do it, Shadslinger can save you time and money in the long run. I have not had the opportunity to meet him personally, but I have gained a respect for his knowledge after reading his numerous post on this site. Good luck.


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## fishinganimal (Mar 30, 2006)

I would suggest Conroe. Livingston is getting way too crowded. As soon as you launch you will be considered a potlicker!!!!!!!!!! LOL Just thought I would wake everybody up.


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## Ratherbeefishin (May 17, 2012)

Thanks for the replies. I'll plan a trip with one of the guides to show me the basics. Shadslinger seems to have the popular vote. Anyone ever use Lone Eagle fishing guide?


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## Sunbeam (Feb 24, 2009)

Does the new boat have a fish finder/GPS?
If not the first step in the get a finder. A minimum unit like the Lowrance DX 50 series. A hand held GPS will do BUT you must learn how to use it. All of this can be updated later.
Buy a good Livingston map with the GPS locations on it.
Now you can get around the lake.
Trolling is as simple way to fish as there can be found.
A medium action 7 to 8 foot rod. A level wind reel with 20 pound mono is adequate.
No.10 and No.20 jet divers and some No.13 Pet spoons make up the basic baits.
Use the GPS to find the 190 road bed or other humps. Use the fish finder to follow the contours. 
Troll the divers with a pet spoon 36" behind it. About fifty feet astern of the boat running at a idle. Read the directions on the diver package. 
Just stay in line with the other boats and try not to run over others lines. Swing out of line DOWN WIND when you hook a fish. Resume a place in the parade when you are ready to drop in your bait again.
If you watch the finder screen it won't be long before you can learn what targets are actually fish since you will see them about 30 seconds before your bait enters the target area and you get a strike.
My experience has been if you are willing to spend thousands of dollars and hours upon hours on the lake you will be proficient in about ten years. LOL


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## Whitebassfisher (May 4, 2007)

X 5 on hiring ShadSlinger. You will have fun and really shorten your learning curve.:doowapsta


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## chucktx (Sep 12, 2011)

great advise sunbeam!!!!!!! thanks for your input!! simple enough i might even be able to do it!!!


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## Ratherbeefishin (May 17, 2012)

*Thanks*

Thanks for the advise sunbeam. I do have a fish/depth finder that came with the boat, tho it is very basic and will be upgraded soon to a Humminbird 587 that I've had my eye on. That's just the info I was looking for to get me started. I still may try one of the lake guides also to learn a few tips and tricks. It seems a lot of people posting on these forums don't want another boat on the lake. We'll just be doing some good family fishing, I'll try to stay out of everyones way.


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## Sunbeam (Feb 24, 2009)

Go for it Ratherbee, The figure normally banter around for surface area of Livingston is 63,000 acres. There are about 40,800 sq feet in an acre. The average fishing boat only covers about 120 sq feet. Plenty of room for every one regardless of what you might hear to the contrary.
Tight lines.


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

*Here is a post from a while back*

from 5-27-2009








*white bass 101 on Lake Livingston* 
I have been getting many requests from 2coolers wanting some help with white bass fishing. So many I wrote this to cut down on typing time. I posted it as a reply recently but the thread has dropped down low so I thought I would bump it up for those who are interested. I wrote some similar info last year summer, but can't find that thread.
It is just MHBO, and I hope it helps those who are just learning the white bass ropes on the board. It is mainly Livingston specific

I have fished for white bass on the South end of Livingston for 10 years now. I have about 80 payoff white bass waypoints on my GPS. Some are places that everyone knows about, the Hump, the Lump, the Southwest end of the Pine Island, and the State Park jetty, others I keep to myself. The sweet spots I have were developed by always marking waypoints when I catch white bass or stripers, over time they cluster around certain areas with structure that hold fish most of the time. I also try to make myself try spots that I have never fished before to keep developing new spots. I fish mostly from Pine Island South on the lake because it is such a big lake that I was overwhelmed at first from the all of the reports from the 190 roadbed all the way to the dam. So I made a decision to concentrate on the South end and learn it well.
There is a screen on my GPS unit that will show all of the waypoints I have and the clustering around certain places is very evident. For some of those I edit the points that cluster tight around one point, and use it as starting place. When I go there I cruise around looking for the school that hangs around that spot. Knowing what white bass look like on my screen is a big help. I stare at the sonar screen all most every moment I'm fishing and since I always use my unit set on manual and 80% sensitivity and set to show pixels ( I never use fish symbols) I have learned to "read" it well. It gives me allot of information.
One of the best things to do to help to learn good spots is to take time to look at the screen when you are directly over and catching white bass. That way you develop an idea of what they look like on your screen, and how they appear when they are active and feeding hard.
It is especially helpful to know the area that you fish well enough to know that when a signal that appears as a rock/stump in a place where you know there are none, then it might be a school of white bass. 
It is very helpful to know what shad look like on your screen and what schools of shad look like. Big "balls" of shad are great indicators of white bass or stripers nearby, because shad shape themselves into a ball when they are being chased by predator fish. If you see a ball of shad and some elliptical signals around the ball and above and below it, drop a bait, you're in bass.
There are a couple of common denominators for white bass spots on the lake, one is a drop that goes from 9' to 20' quickly usually close to the bank, another is a rise that tops at 25' with 40'+ water around it in open water.
Lake Livingston has a tremendous population of both shad and white bass. The trick to catching whites is to find where they ambush shad, like the places I mentioned above. These spots are great because the whites will hang around them and wait for a school of shad to swim over the rise or off the drop off and then they can ambush them.
I only troll when I can't find a school on my usual spots and I troll at least 2 rods with jet divers and trailing pet spoons or crappie jigs. If I have them I troll one with a 10' diver and another with a 20' diver.
One of the best things to have in your boat is a couple of marker buoys that you can toss over when you find a school.
There are allot of finer points to white bass fishing, but these are pretty good white bass 101 tools.
SS


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## jamesgreeson (Jan 31, 2006)

Use 2mph as a guide ,even small pet spoons catch big strippers,but big ones won't be hit by whitebass.hint hint


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## Fishin' Soldier (Dec 25, 2007)

Nice post Mr. Loy.


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## fishinganimal (Mar 30, 2006)

RBF don't take anything personal on this site. Get out there with some binocs and it won't take you long to figure out where the hotspots are. Get your feet wet at the island until you get some good techniques down. Have fun and let us know how you do. Get there early as in daylight and keep your eyes peeled. You never know what could be splashin!!!


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## GeauxGet'Er (Jul 15, 2011)

Glad you got some tips. I went to Livingston twice within the past month and got skunked because i didn't know how to "troll." Still don't, but glad I read the tip, Livingston, here I come...lol.


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## lost-in-salt (Aug 12, 2005)

Maybe this will help you catch white bass. You can troll the 190 road bed or find them stacked up on your graph and jig slab spoons for them.


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## markbrumbaugh (Jul 13, 2010)

Maybe somewhat already covered, but...try to stay in line with the boat parade. A lot of boats can troll the same area if they maintain a follow the leader course and break out downwind when they hook up. On the other hand, if other boats cross the flow of traffic to try to stay on the "sweet spot", tempers will flare, lines will cross, and fish will be lost. Best thing is to troll the roadbed by yourself until you find fish and then you can retroll that area, marked on your gps or though out a bouy. If you head off to an established parade, if there are several boats, you can usually join in if you come in the end. If it is just one or two boats following their marker buoys, you may make them mad. If they are stationary on a marker or anchored, you will make them mad if you join up on them within casting distance. At least that's the way I read it, etiquette wise.


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## Lone Eagle (Aug 20, 2009)

Great Advice....



fishinganimal said:


> RBF don't take anything personal on this site. Get out there with some binocs and it won't take you long to figure out where the hotspots are. Get your feet wet at the island until you get some good techniques down. Have fun and let us know how you do. Get there early as in daylight and keep your eyes peeled. You never know what could be splashin!!!


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## Ragecajun (Oct 31, 2011)

*I also advise to get a guide*

My siblings and myself bought my father a guided fishing trip for his birthday. We fished with Roger, (Lone Eagle), and he taught us alot about the lake...And we caught a nice mess of fish...


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

Don't get me wrong I will troll, I just try to hide when I do, lol! It is the way to put a limit of white bass in the cooler quick at this time/conditions of the year.
The white bass suspend and get weird from the thermocline rarely staying in place where you can hammer them with slabs and staying put long enough to catch a bunch.
They rove very hard and fast this time of year which makes trolling the most consistent way to intercept them and catch fish.
Fish that will hit slabs can be found however, even in these poor conditions for doing that kind of fishing.
And we pretty much exhaust that before starting to troll.
By then time is not on our side for putting limits in the boat, but that's okay, the hunt is much more rewarding when you connect with slabs than by trolling IMHO.
I just get bored after too much trolling, that is what led me to learning how to slab for them.
!troll!:cheers:


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## RAYSOR (Apr 26, 2007)

shadslinger said:


> Don't get me wrong I will troll, I just try to hide when I do, lol! It is the way to put a limit of white bass in the cooler quick at this time/conditions of the year.
> The white bass suspend and get weird from the thermocline rarely staying in place where you can hammer them with slabs and staying put long enough to catch a bunch.
> They rove very hard and fast this time of year which makes trolling the most consistent way to intercept them and catch fish.
> Fish that will hit slabs can be found however, even in these poor conditions for doing that kind of fishing.
> ...


Great post!


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## Mattsfishin (Aug 23, 2009)

Trolling will put limits of fish in the boat. I like to look for a place to cast a lure to catch whites and then troll when it starts to get hot but I troll different than most people. As it gets hot it sure feels good when the boat is moving about 3.4 to 3.8 mph with the top up and maybe a fan on.


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## Ratherbeefishin (May 17, 2012)

Thanks again everyone. I got some excellent advise. I'm off all week next week and plan on spending a lot of time on the water... I feel like I have a fighting chance now and I'll post some results one way or the other sometime next week....


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## Lone Eagle (Aug 20, 2009)

Well now, Loy, I am happy to read this. ...
See you on the water....



shadslinger said:


> Don't get me wrong I will troll, I just try to hide when I do, lol! It is the way to put a limit of white bass in the cooler quick at this time/conditions of the year.
> The white bass suspend and get weird from the thermocline rarely staying in place where you can hammer them with slabs and staying put long enough to catch a bunch.
> They rove very hard and fast this time of year which makes trolling the most consistent way to intercept them and catch fish.
> Fish that will hit slabs can be found however, even in these poor conditions for doing that kind of fishing.
> ...


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## RATLTRAP (Sep 16, 2009)

Try these spots. Troll around the humps and if you see fish on the graph, stop and jig for them. Try any humps that are close to the river channel.


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## chucktx (Sep 12, 2011)

thanks ratltrap!!!!!!!!!!


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## markbrumbaugh (Jul 13, 2010)

RATLTRAP said:


> Try these spots. Troll around the humps and if you see fish on the graph, stop and jig for them. Try any humps that are close to the river channel.


That was a nice post RT.


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## Jasmillertime (Mar 23, 2010)

Why does everyone recommend paying for help on here with a guide, when I read all the time about how much help everyone gives. All the help I always see offered is pay and go with SS. Isn't it more fun to get out there and learn it yourself?


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## lost-in-salt (Aug 12, 2005)

Its good to see someone post up some real information like that Ratltrap. I posted up the biggest community hole, but I am glad to see someone post up useful information about where to fish for once on this board. Everyone seems to talk about how much they want to help others on this site, but when someone is really wanting to get started and learn the activity we love so much no one really wants to help. Let's see who else would really like to help someone get started by showing them where Striper City is.


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## Ratherbeefishin (May 17, 2012)

I agree... I didn't really know what to expect when I posted all the questions. I can't tell y'all how much I appreciate it. I will definitely pass it on if I ever learn the lake and get the chance.


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## RATLTRAP (Sep 16, 2009)

There's more where that came from. Just trying to help out a fellow angler. I will be in my boat later. I will try to get some more coordinates for you of some good spots. I have plenty marked.


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## SetDaHook (Oct 21, 2010)

RATLTRAP said:


> Try these spots. Troll around the humps and if you see fish on the graph, stop and jig for them. Try any humps that are close to the river channel.


Those are nice maps RT. Is that a software map and if so, what brand is it? Much more detailed than the ones I have.


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## RATLTRAP (Sep 16, 2009)

Navionics. You can get it on your smart phone also. $10 will get you on your location on the water if you don't have a nice graph.


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

Wait, lets go back to going out with me! LOL!
J/K
The 2cool freshwater forum is truly unique. Full of excellent anglers who will share the good stuff with others. It has a rich history of that kind of culture.
It's great to see posts from RATTLE TRAP and others that really help a novice on Livingston.
If you are more of a novice fisherman to white and striped bass, and new to the lake the helpful things you will learn from us more important.
I paid my dues as a novice poster here and was very forthcoming with specific information and methods to catch white and striped bass.
Since our guide service has been a great success, in a big part due to 2cool, I have had top be more conservative about what information I post.
Both for business reasons and for reasons concerning the environment, as the internet has a huge impact on both.

Almost to the person our customers tell us that they learned a lot about fishing from their trip with us regardless of their skill level.

Go fishing, take some pictures and post a report, the 2cool freshwater credo!
Even if you troll !troll!:walkingsm


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## markbrumbaugh (Jul 13, 2010)

SetDaHook said:


> Those are nice maps RT. Is that a software map and if so, what brand is it? Much more detailed than the ones I have.


Navionics chip.


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## Jasmillertime (Mar 23, 2010)

Well of course you love the free referrals. That's money in your pocket lol So what does a trip with a pro such as yourself cost?


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## lost-in-salt (Aug 12, 2005)

Here is another hump/ridge by the river channel you can try.


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

Two people 5:45AM to 11:30AM fishing, then we clean your catch and bag it.
Everything is included, tackle/lures/etc..
You just bring a cooler with drinks and snacks and something to take bagged fillets home in.


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## Jasmillertime (Mar 23, 2010)

shadslinger said:


> Two people 5:45AM to 11:30AM fishing, then we clean your catch and bag it.
> Everything is included, tackle/lures/etc..
> You just bring a cooler with drinks and snacks and something to take bagged fillets home in.


is the price varied by the species? wb vs strippers


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## Davoh (Mar 5, 2010)

I got the navionics $10 smart phone app... and it's really handy... gave me a HUGE advantage in looking for spots to fish, and MAN does it help to know some of the spots I picked out to fish are similar to what you guys have shown... Unfortunately, as my dad says, I must not hold my mouth right... every time I go, everyone else in the boat catches fish but me... >.<


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## coogerpop (Sep 3, 2009)

When trolling you might try using a deep diving plug such as a Hellbender with the hooks removed and a spec rig tied to the place where the front hook was....and sometimes the same rig with the back jig replaced by a Tony Pet Spoon....I've FILLED many ice chests this way...on Livingston.....all over the lake...


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## Lone Eagle (Aug 20, 2009)

coogerpop said:


> When trolling you might try using a deep diving plug such as a Hellbender with the hooks removed and a spec rig tied to the place where the front hook was....and sometimes the same rig with the back jig replaced by a Tony Pet Spoon....I've FILLED many ice chests this way...on Livingston.....all over the lake...


The advantage of using hell benders that I have learned to like is that with practice, you can vary your trolling depths a little more than with the jet divers. The fish do stage at different depths. I have line counters on all of my trolling rigs.


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## Davoh (Mar 5, 2010)

Lone Eagle said:


> I have line counters on all of my trolling rigs.


Forgive my ignorance on this subject, but what is this "line counter" you speak of? How much line to put out has always been guesswork for me :/


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## Whitebassfisher (May 4, 2007)

Jasmillertime said:


> Why does everyone recommend paying for help on here with a guide, when I read all the time about how much help everyone gives. All the help I always see offered is pay and go with SS. Isn't it more fun to get out there and learn it yourself?


I agree that there are a lot of helpful people on here. But seeing something in person (from a guide) helps a lot more than reading posts. That applies to so many facets of the sport of fishing. Some people don't go real often, so they don't own a boat. Others may be new to a specific type of fishing, or a new place. Taking your own boat out cost money. Hiring a guide does cost more than one trip in your own boat, but the difference is how much you will learn. A good guide will teach you more in one trip than you could learn in several trips on your own, so you save time and money. Look at a guide fee as tuition for school on a species and area.

Also, every guide I have been with had a good personality, so they were fun to be with. Those without the gift of gab don't make it as guides, lol.


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## Whitebassfisher (May 4, 2007)

Jasmillertime said:


> is the price varied by the species? wb vs strippers


You live in Houston and you're 31, don't you know by now that strippers cost a lost more than practically any other person you could deal with? LOL

The fishing guides may or may not have experience with stippers!


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## markbrumbaugh (Jul 13, 2010)

Whitebassfisher said:


> I agree that there are a lot of helpful people on here. But seeing something in person (from a guide) helps a lot more than reading posts. That applies to so many facets of the sport of fishing. Some people don't go real often, so they don't own a boat. Others may be new to a specific type of fishing, or a new place. Taking your own boat out cost money. Hiring a guide does cost more than one trip in your own boat, but the difference is how much you will learn. A good guide will teach you more in one trip than you could learn in several trips on your own, so you save time and money. Look at a guide fee as tuition for school on a species and area.
> 
> Also, every guide I have been with had a good personality, so they were fun to be with. Those without the gift of gab don't make it as guides, lol.


X2


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## Jasmillertime (Mar 23, 2010)

Whitebassfisher said:


> I agree that there are a lot of helpful people on here. But seeing something in person (from a guide) helps a lot more than reading posts. That applies to so many facets of the sport of fishing. Some people don't go real often, so they don't own a boat. Others may be new to a specific type of fishing, or a new place. Taking your own boat out cost money. Hiring a guide does cost more than one trip in your own boat, but the difference is how much you will learn. A good guide will teach you more in one trip than you could learn in several trips on your own, so you save time and money. Look at a guide fee as tuition for school on a species and area.
> 
> Also, every guide I have been with had a good personality, so they were fun to be with. Those without the gift of gab don't make it as guides, lol.


That makes sense to use a guide if u don't have a boat. But if u have one go give it a try a few times and have fun learning and figuring out what to do. If u still can't get them then call in a pro.

Yeah didn't realize autocorrect got me on the stripers. It just tried to do it again while typing this lol.


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

Jasmillertime said:


> is the price varied by the species? wb vs strippers


No all fishing trips are the same.


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## Ratherbeefishin (May 17, 2012)

Well.. I got my hummingbird 587 HD di installed, picked up some trolling tackle and finally headed out to Livingston tomorrow. Can't wait to start try all the places/tips/techniques that y'all helped me out with. Thanks again 2 coolers I'll let you know how it goes.


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## Ratherbeefishin (May 17, 2012)

Didn't get on the lake til 10:00 this morning cuz the family came along. Fishfinder worked great...until I got over 10 miles an hour.... uhhggg... guess the transducer needs some adjusting? Anyway we tried a couple of spots that some of you 2 coolers recommended. The one closer to 190 had about 5 boats in the area so we trolled around a while staying out of the way. No luck so we headed towards pine island. Caught one striper around noon with a 20' diver and a yellow pet spoon. By that time I'd had enough of the "can we go tubing now"... lol So we packed it up and got the toys out. I didn't get skunked my first trip out but its a far cry from what I was hoping for. My Dad and brothers are going out early wed... may've we'll have better luck. I definitely see a guided trip in my near future ...


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