Trolling:
There are many things to consider when trolling to make your fishing experience positive. The aren't many rules when it comes to trolling, but following some basic rules and being respectful of other fisherman can go a long way. When you arrive to your fishing location, the general rule is that everyone should be trolling in the same pattern (clockwise or counter-clockwise). This way everyone has the opportunity to fish both the shoreline and further out. When fisherman hug the shoreline and quickly turn back to run the shoreline again in the opposite direction, it can cause confusion and tangle-ups.

When you hook into a fish!

When you're playing a fish, you should turn your boat into a non-trolling position (side ways) and come to a complete stop. This makes other fisherman aware that you have a fish on and you require additional space. Anyone else on board should wave or yell at boaters who are coming towards your boat to get their attention. Do not hold your fishing net until the fish is getting ready to come in. Holding your net often indicates that you will be netting your fish soon and fisherman will turn towards you. It is recommended to turn your engine off if it is safe to do so, when you're sure you won't need to chase the fish. It is also recommended to pull up any additional gear to avoid tangle-ups.

When someone near you has hooked a fish!

When you're trolling, you need to be aware of other rods almost as much as your own. If and when another fisherman is playing a fish, it is important for you to stay clear of the boat, regardless of what direction their fishing rod is facing. People often make the mistake and believe its fine to troll near them when the fishing rod is facing another direction. In Nootka Sound, you can hook into some of the largest salmon in the world. Many times a rod will indicate that a fish is running in one direction, but in fact the fish has turned and is running to another direction, possibly towards you. When fishing a busy location and someone near you has hooked into a fish, sometimes you can't turn away because there is no room (other boats or land). The best thing you can do in this situation is to slow down and bring up your gear. It might seem like a difficult decision to make when the bites on, but imagine if you were playing the fish. Would you want someone to tangle with you? or worse, have your line get cut off by someones downrigger wire? Who knows, maybe you'll catch a fish when bring up your gear!

When to clip your gear to your downrigger!

When clipping your line to the downrigger, you should be aware of your surroundings and of any voltage problems that your boat may have. If there are a lot of fisherman in the area, you will want to keep your gear closer to your boat to prevent tangle ups. If you have a lot of room, you should consider sending your gear back approximately 60-90+ feet to limit any electrical currents affecting your gear. If your boat is known for sending off high voltage, you may want to consider purchasing a Black Box to control how much voltage is released.

Where to troll?

If you haven't looked at our list of Hot Spots, you might want to take a quick look. If you're looking for more information, you should pay attention to the ocean surface for bait balls and watch your sounder or the shoreline for any indication of reefs and dropoffs. Salmon like to hang around areas that have a strong tidal flow because salmon know bait fish are often swept along with the current. Salmon also like to find areas that have lower temperatures and usually reefs or dropoffs have that.