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Trolling and controlled drift fishing is most always done in the close proximity of deep water. Also, along a specific break-line or major structure feature. Please remember to take note of any adjacent structure and the possible movement routes "from the deeper water" to the shallows. Favorites for bass fisherman are drops and ledges associated with the submerged river and feeder creek channels as well as flats with submerged weed cover any where from 5-20 foot deep.

Smallmouth bass love open water with small structure or holes on sandy bottoms as well as a weed line submerged in deeper water
Largemouth bass thrive from within or hide at the edges in submerged weeds. They also prefer larger structure than smallmouth bass.

More Bass fishing locations which have proven good are
any water of 10 to 25 feet, which connects the channel areas to the shallow flats.
long sloping points from the deep water which terminate in a large flat or major cover area.

**A tip to remember ~ and burn into the brain ~ be sure to note your leader (line) length from your mini planer board / planer bobber to your bait / lure! we will say it again later in this article. Its that important while trolling!

Warning warning. Ever wounder why Trolling is not allowed during B.A.S.S. tournament competition? (<<< which should be changed!),
It is the best way to find schools of bass , feeding around structure or holes. Trolling methods described will help you find the fish quickly and easily. Period.

Trolling for bass with planer bobbers / mini side planer boards has five primary advantages:

it allows a stealth approach! side planer action puts the line and lure out away from your boat; it allows you to cover a lot of water in a rapid manner and locate fish; it is effective for catching bass at depths where most of us are uncomfortable with normal cast-and-retrieve techniques; it provides very precise depth and speed control; and, the accuracy of lure presentation in relation to structure is maximized.
it is an acceptable method for locating bass during the practice days. This can be extremely valuable when on new waters.
The reader should understand, at this point, that trolling is not a matter of simply dunking a lure in the water and dragging it around the lake or river in a haphazard manner. It is a very defined and exacting technique, just like precision casting and a good touch with a worm. The basics of trolling can be marginally taught through the written word, as we will attempt to do in this article. Trolling proficiency is an acquired skill, gained through experience and application.

Once the trolling locations are chosen, trolling becomes a matter of proper equipment selection and lure presentation.

While the reel is of little significant importance, the type rod used in trolling is very much so. It should be short and stiff for two distinct reasons. First, the short rod is easier to handle (and we really have no use for a long one). Second, and most important, is the control factor. Trolling / drifting a lure or live bait places a constant tension on the rod, planer board and line, and a long, whippy rod will give the angler a soft, mushy feel of the bait or lure. Because that lure or wieght will be encountering bottom objects occasionally, it is important that the angler be able to immediately distinguish between a strike and the bottom. He should actually be in what we might term 'direct contact' with his lure at all times. This means to be able to feel, quite clearly, the vibration or tick running pattern.

Using a stiff rod while trolling will 'give' very little when a snag, say a stump or log, is encountered. The lure or wieght will be quickly jerked away from the snag, rather than given the opportunity to become entangled with it. Use of a stiff, strong rod will allow the angler to apply pressure and quickly move the bass out of the school. Please note that a hooked fish often will spook the rest of group if allowed to remain in their midst too long.

Monofilament line is ok for trolling but a line with little or no stretch is better!

Trolling or controlled drift fishing dictates that you use lipped, diving crank plugs or live bait with sinkers. Only in the very shallow zones can this be excepted.
In Shallow zones Trolling and controlled drift fishing with planer bobbers in 10 feet or less ~ ~ Plastics / worms Texas rigged can be used as well as shallow divers, suspending minnows live bait, smaller sinkers etc.

As in all other types of fishing, depth is the most important lure, wieght and bait selection criteria. The simple fact is that if you don't get the lure down to the bass, he will not normally move up or down very far to capture it. Except when suspended (and that is sometimes a 'no-feeding' condition), a bass almost always stays near the bottom. That, then, is where the lure or bait should be and what you base your selection on.


The key to proper lure presentation is, as we have already said, depth control. However, remember that the depth must be in relation to the structure being fished. Boat control, therefore, must be utilized to keep the trailing lure or bait properly positioned along the break-line, appropriate contour interval or in such a manner that the lure or wieght will climb over the point at the proper location. Haphazard fishing, it is not. To be effective, trolling must be very precise.

Once bass are located by trolling or controlled drifting, the angler has a couple of choices, depending on the depth at which the fish were found.****be sure to make note to self, ~how many leader feet (line) down "from planer bobber" or from mini planer board you are trolling with, maintain this same depth!

1)~ stop and work the area with a conventional casting approach.
2) ~ make additional trolling passes. toss a marker buoy or a jug over the side when the first fish was hooked. Note that the marker is not placed directley over where the fish was caught, but instead should be positioned off to one side of the location.Caution, dropping marker directly on school of bass the weight and line might spook them. The marker is used strictly as a reference point.

Trolling planer bobbers is an effective bass locating and catching technique. This bass fishing tip could be the difference between a full live well, a nice day of fishing or just another day on the water.

When cast and retrieve methods are not working, ex: casting to shore, rocks and other structures along the shore. It becomes obvious, the bass are not feeding in these areas. Move off from the shore into deeper water. try 5-20 if its hot out expect fish to be down 12-15 feet maybe more!

This is where trolling and controlled drifting with planer bobbers is most effective! A shiner, or large minnow with 3 foot leader, a sinker and depth control line from the planer bobber puts the bait down in front of the fish. Those submerged grass areas, flats to a ledge, drifting across structure will create glorious strikes.

Some bass fisherman consider trolling as a low form of fishing. more power to ya,... However, it is positively one of the most effective, rapid ways to locate and catch bass. Bar None, Period.