Trolling Help Pls

[Robofish]

Hi Raiders,

I have been enjoying my trolling lately, have caught plenty of bonito and my first king all on hardbodies but want to try a few new things - can anyone advise me i) what speed to troll the following and ii) how far behind the boat to set them -

Hardbodies

Skirts

Metals

Live/Deadbait - I can't fit a downrigger on my boat but was going to set up a 'poor mans' downrigger using a heavy lead on a running rig at about half depth

Thanks Raiders, any info would be appreciated.

[Robofish]

And the other one that I forgot - does anyone troll plastics?

Thanks

[MOE^MOE]

it depends wat your trolling 4 we troll anywer from 6 '8 or even 10 knots we usaully have the lures not far from the white wash i dnt troll plastics i jst use hardbodys and skirts

[Robofish]

Cheers squidin. I usually troll for kings, bonito, salmon etc

[Geoff-]

I picked up a bonito school with the old man on Christmas day - we were trolling with hard plastics that dive about a metre under, every trip through the school I hooked up. That was doing about 5kts. It depends on the lure you're using, could see by watching the rod tip that these were good around that speed any faster and they stopped swimming and just skipped along the surface.

Depending on the fish some like it close to the boat (the wash attracts them) others will want to bite if it's further back. Just gotta try a few things and when you find a combination that works start reeling them in

[Robofish]

Thanks Geoff - I will keep mixing it up. I went out yesterday and had a few more bonnies off barrenjoey - its a type of fishing I have't done much of before but I am definately hooked now!