Super bait vs wobbler

[YoungWig]

So the new craze is pro trolls with Brads Super Baits. I personally am a wobbler guy. I wanted to check in and see what others thought on the two? I really enjoy the easy of anchoring up and dropping a wobbler as opposed to trolling around but if youre catching fish thats the bottom line...

 

[Hookset]

We used Brads last year and they worked great. Our Brads out fished our wobblers 2 to 1 probably.

 

[BaldTexan]

Anchoring = waiting for fish to come to you. Great relaxing way to fish. Trolling puts your gear in front of more fish. I haven't put much time in with the Protroll flashers but I did well last 2 years with regular triangle flashers and Brads and/or spinners. I'm going to put the Protrolls to work some this fall sooner or later to target suspended fish.


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[DrTheopolis]

I'm far from an old pro, but I'm learning.

The two are different techniques (duh), and are for different situations. If you're on anchor (which is how me and mine fish the Columbia in the Portland/Troutdale area), it's about getting it down an putting it in front of fish that pass by. Typically, this time of year, in the warm water, the fish often run deep, 40-50 feet, depending on where you are in the river (which limits your spots to fish, since anchoring in the shipping channel = unsmart). Difficult to get trolling gear that deep, so anchor it is. The advantage of wobblers (I usually go for a spinner, my buddy drops a wobbler, they seem to get hit about equally), is that they swing back and forth, thus showing itself to a little wider swath of water. The spinner makes a little vibration, which is a different attractor. For me, the huge amount of weight it takes to get down past 40' kind of takes a bit of the fun out of it, but that's what it takes to get down in that kind of current (10oz gets down in 40-50 feet, 4-6 works at shallower depths).

I've heard great things about the Super Baits, but my friends trolling down at B10 all stick with the tried-and-true anchovy/herring, but they seem to be running them behind the Pro Trolls these days. I guess the Pro Troll makes a big circle, rather than spinning (flasher), or side-to-side (dodger). I don't imagine a Pro Troll would work well with a spinner (but I don't know for sure). I might have to make it down to some coastal bays soon, but probably not until the bulk of the Columbia fish go over Bonneville (just hitting prime time on the Big C).

I did see a guy using a flasher/herring on anchor recently, which is something I haven't seen a whole lot of.

And has anyone else been fishing the Columbia upstream lately (aka "The Dead Zone")? Been making a decent amount of fish, but getting them to bite in 70+ degree water hasn't been easy. Haven't seen too many people chucking the anchor very often. Hopefully I can get out again this week, and give a better report than "had another one come unbuttoned."

 

[Hooked Up]

I've been trying the Pro Troll with herring as well as the Super Bait. No luck to date. Did hear that I need to shorten my leader compared to a flasher behind the Pro Troll so you get the benefit of the circular action, will try that next time out.

 

[BaldTexan]

I'm far from an old pro, but I'm learning.

The two are different techniques (duh), and are for different situations. If you're on anchor (which is how me and mine fish the Columbia in the Portland/Troutdale area), it's about getting it down an putting it in front of fish that pass by. Typically, this time of year, in the warm water, the fish often run deep, 40-50 feet, depending on where you are in the river (which limits your spots to fish, since anchoring in the shipping channel = unsmart). Difficult to get trolling gear that deep, so anchor it is. The advantage of wobblers (I usually go for a spinner, my buddy drops a wobbler, they seem to get hit about equally), is that they swing back and forth, thus showing itself to a little wider swath of water. The spinner makes a little vibration, which is a different attractor. For me, the huge amount of weight it takes to get down past 40' kind of takes a bit of the fun out of it, but that's what it takes to get down in that kind of current (10oz gets down in 40-50 feet, 4-6 works at shallower depths).

I've heard great things about the Super Baits, but my friends trolling down at B10 all stick with the tried-and-true anchovy/herring, but they seem to be running them behind the Pro Trolls these days. I guess the Pro Troll makes a big circle, rather than spinning (flasher), or side-to-side (dodger). I don't imagine a Pro Troll would work well with a spinner (but I don't know for sure). I might have to make it down to some coastal bays soon, but probably not until the bulk of the Columbia fish go over Bonneville (just hitting prime time on the Big C).

I did see a guy using a flasher/herring on anchor recently, which is something I haven't seen a whole lot of.

And has anyone else been fishing the Columbia upstream lately (aka "The Dead Zone")? Been making a decent amount of fish, but getting them to bite in 70+ degree water hasn't been easy. Haven't seen too many people chucking the anchor very often. Hopefully I can get out again this week, and give a better report than "had another one come unbuttoned."

My issue with anchoring on the Columbia is that i have not spent enough time fishing and exploring it to learn the spots that are heavily traveled pathways for upstream bound salmon so I have no confidence in any particular area. I've only trolled and covering more water makes me feel like I have better odds. When I do anchor, my preference is wrapped plugs, but a friend of a friend that lives in the St. Helen area catches a lot of fish in the fall on wobblers. I also haven't caught many fish on anchovy or herring, which probably accounts for the lions share of salmon. I spend most of my time fishing spinners (casters AND trollers) and Brads because I have confidence in them. I may try a spinner behind a Protroll as well and having said all that....once I have enough confidence, experience and a more "big river" worthy boat, I look forward to anchoring and relaxing and letting the fish come to me.

 

[DrTheopolis]

once I have enough confidence, experience and a more "big river" worthy boat, I look forward to anchoring and relaxing and letting the fish come to me.

The friend I frequently fish with on the Columbia has far from a "big river worthy" boat. He wouldn't dream of taking it to B10, and probably not even the Longview/St Helens area. Those areas get choppy when it gets windy, and there's heavy commercial traffic. But once you get above I5, and better yet, 205, there's very little commercial traffic (some barges, and it varies day to day), and even when it gets windy, there's little chop. It just seems like a much safer place to fish. We generally stick to the Troutdale/Camas/Washougal area. And finding the lanes is definitely a learning experience, one that I'm still working on. The warmer the water, generally the deeper the fish run, as a general rule. But I've found that if you go out from the bank, and find a 25-30' shelf, it often has fish swimming through. We get by with 100' or so of anchor rope (just a small mushroom with a chain, not a proper Columbia River anchor), which holds in all but the strongest currents, and stays at a nice flat angle. Safety is definitely key on the Big River. Anchor fishing can be pretty fun -- sometimes it's just known as "drinking beer while bobbing up and down in a boat."

 

[BaldTexan]

But once you get above I5, and better yet, 205, there's very little commercial traffic (some barges, and it varies day to day), and even when it gets windy, there's little chop. It just seems like a much safer place to fish. We generally stick to the Troutdale/Camas/Washougal area.

I've trolled that area a few times and noticed the boats anchored in the same several spots below and above 205. Nice area and a good ramp with a lot of parking. I think a protroll and superbait on anchor would do pretty well in that 40' to 50' water but i would crank them up off the bottom a bit more than just a lead dropper. They make a pretty big loop. I did try trolling wobblers at B10 a couple of weeks ago on the outgoing when the fish weren't biting anything else. i got some weird looks! LOL.... but I figured it was time to experiment since nobody could get a bite on bait or spinners.

Some day. I'm definitely not opposed to a few cold ones and bobbing up and down!

 

[DrTheopolis]

Fish counts at Bonneville are ramping up -- now is the time. Hoping to get out there again, very soon (but weekends can suck).