Question: How many lines do you troll?

[J.A. Veil]

I saw in Shady's post today that he tried trolling 3 lines for the first time. I am curious about other MKF members. Here are a few questions relating to trolling lines.

1) How many lines do you typically troll?
2) Do you change the number based on whether you are trolling heavy, medium, or light rods?
3) Do you change the number based on the type of lure you are trolling?
4) What other factors might cause you to change the number of rods?

Here are my answers.

1) I usually troll 3, but on occasion I have trolled 4.
2) Not really -- I troll either 3 or 4 of medium spinning rods, med-light spinning rods, and ultralight spinning rods.
3) Yes. If I troll a plug, I expect it will move around more than a bucktail or jighead with soft plastic or Gulp. When I troll a plug (not often) I troll either 2 or 3 rods. I would not troll more than 1 plug at a time.
4) The size of the seas and winds. Last week I trolled 4 rods at Pt Lookout until the wind built up steady 1.5 ft waves with a brisk wind in my face. I could not control the kayak well enough under those conditions to keep 4 rods going. My choice was to stay out and drop to 2 or 3 rods, or to return to a more sheltered area. I chose the latter. Another condition would be if a hooked fish twists the kayak around such that the other lines all get tangled, I would troll with fewer rods as long as the bite was hot. Once the bite dropped off, I would put the extra rod back out.

[Pinch]

Most I have trolled was 5 rods (Had all 5 go down at the same time, there were witnesses, puppy drum and specs). I normally troll 2 rods any more than that is asking for a tangle with crossed lines.

[sparky1423]

I troll two rods and if I am feeling ambitious I will jig a third rod on the fly. Honestly, I don't think I could handle trolling three rods....especially if a fish is on. Youda man Pinch!

[DOGFISH]

I generally troll two rods, regardless of type of lure or anything else. Otherwise, there is a great chance of crossed lines. Also, with more than two, when a fish is hooked, there is even a greater chance of crossed lines. One other reason for two is after I hook and reel in a fish, I can then immediately turn hard in the direction of the side with the remaining rod out and come back across the area where I had hooked the fish. With the remaining rod still in the holder, quickly following the turn, I can then put out the other rod. That way both lines will come in behind the kayak without chance of crossing, so that I can quickly troll over the same area where the original fish had been hooked. In many situations, there is more than just a lone fish in the same area. I tend to follow the old adage, "never leave fish, to go find other fish."

[chimo]

2 rods is all I will troll with. Partly because I don't really have enough rod holders situated in good locations to troll more and partly because of tangled lines or whatever when a fish does bite.

[Goody]

I normally troll 2 to the sides and one in hand.

[dsiekman]

Typically two, occasionally three.

No

Sort of. If I am trolling something heavy - small umbrella or tandem - I'll drag a plug on the other line. That way I can put the plug out first and let it float while the deep rig goes out. I find the deep rig gets fouled less often that way. Sometimes if I'm feeling extra confident I will start with the two above, get the boat moving, and then add a BA or another plug.

Wind and location. I like to troll around structure. When you hook up you want as few lines as possible to deal with getting tangled in other lines, piers, boats, deck hardware, body piercings, etc. if I'm fishing open water I'm not as concerned.