This Is The Easiest Way To Avoid The Dreaded Skunk
- By: Joseph Simonds
- on
Can you avoid getting skunked?
How do you find fish if your pre-planning approach came up empty and your usual spots aren’t producing any fish?
This is when you have to try your last resort tactic!
INSHORE TROLLING!
The key to inshore trolling is working the ledges and banks along the flats to pick off anything that will bite because if you can’t reel in a slam, you at least want a tight line to avoid that skunk!
You can watch the video version of this podcast below (which I highly recommend), listen to the audio version by clicking the play button underneath it, or listen to it on iTunes, Stitcher, or Spotify.
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Check it all out below!!!
Easiest Way To Avoid The Dreaded Skunk [VIDEO]
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EQUIPMENT USED ON THIS TRIP:
Luke’s Gear:
- Rod: Salt Strong Custom Prototype Rod
- Reel: Salt Strong Custom Prototype Reel
- Mainline: Daiwa J-Braid 8 Grand – 10 lb test
- Leader: Ande Mono – 20 lb
- Lure 1: Slam Shady 2.0
- Scent: Dr. Juice Inshore Slam Scent
Joe’s Gear:
- Rod: TFO Professional 7’6″ Medium Power Fast Action
- Reel: Daiwa Exist
- Mainline: PowerPro – 10 lb test
- Leaders: Ande Mono – 20 lb
- Lure: Slam Shady 2.0
- Scent: Dr. Juice Inshore Slam Scent
Easiest Way To Avoid The Dreaded Skunk [PODCAST]
Note: Don’t forget to subscribe to the Salt Strong podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, or Spotify and leave us a review!
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Related Podcasts:
- HOW TO CATCH SNOOK AT SUPER HIGH, SLACK TIDE LIKE A PRO
- INSHORE FISHING 101: THIS IS HOW TO NEVER GET SKUNKED
Here is a timestamped version:
- 0:32 – What to do when you can’t buy a strike
- 1:42 – Trolling grass flats (Guaranteed action with minimal effort)
- 2:40 – Trolling techniques
- 4:19 – What to look for in trolling spots
- 5:49 – Take your kids out trolling (Good learning experience)
- 6:11 – How to make sure your lures are swimming correctly
- 12:05 – Advantages of trolling
- 13:06 – Minimal gear needed to troll
- 13:31 – Inshore trolling tactics
- 14:01 – Boating clubs
- 17:02 – New Salt Strong Paddletail
- 18:04 – Making your own lures
- 20:27 – Importance of pre-trip planning
- 21:15 – Jighead options
- 21:36 – Trolling positioning
Conclusion
If you fail to pre-plan your fishing trips or you do everything you can to plan and there aren’t any fish, then you might want to try trolling inshore areas along edges and banks for whatever will bite.
The objective for many anglers fishing inshore is to complete the inshore slam, however, sometimes the fish don’t cooperate.
At this point, you should avoid the skunk and aim to get tight lines from any species in the area!
What is your personal best catch when inshore trolling?
Let us know down in the comments!
And if you know an angler who wants to learn how to avoid getting skunked, please TAG or SHARE this with them!
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On this video..,avoid the dreaded skunk…..you foul hooked a fish that you said would “light you up”. What kind of fish is that. What’s the name and how to identify.
It’s called a leatherjacket fish. Here’s a link to see a closeup pic of one: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leatherjacket_fish
If you ever read any of my past winter posts you would read that in winter hear in northeast Florida Jacksonville area where I live and fish that is my primary way of catching any of my inshore fish primarily trout only caught 1 red trolling probably because they are always on the bottom especially in winter feeding mostly on crabs and shrimp and it is hard to mimic a lure trolling that resembles a crab or shrimp and because the water is usually cold when I stroll a lure that is used is moving much to fast to be looking like a crab or shrimp this very few redfish have I caught trolling but plenty of trout in the slot size I only save the nice calm warmer days of winter to fish for reds otherwise the work involved can be quite frustrating at times but your right rarely even on the coldest windy days do i ever get skunked because if I’m fishing in it it’s trolling that I’m doing😉👍
great vids but shorter duration please
What’s the date and time you were filming this, and the speed at which you’re trolling?
Were you trolling with the current, across it, or against it?
We troll A LOT! It’s the best way to find out where fish are when they aren’t in their usual spots, or we have a newbie on board and we’re tired of retrieving lures from 6’ high in the mangrove trees. We’ve learned (the hard way) that if 2 lines are out the back (especially with kids) keep one shorter (a long cast length) and one longer (4-5 cast lengths) to avoid tangled lines if you’ll be making (wide) turns. We jump tarpon a lot trolling (usually on that longer line), and we’ve hooked trout, redfish and some fun sized snook so it really is a fun way to fish. When our line is clear and that paddle tail is thumping the rod tip, we call it “mojo”. When you pick up grass or debris and the tip is still we say that we’ve “lost our mojo”. Hearing a 4 year old lament that he’s “lost his mojo” is kind of magical (like pretty much everything else he does).
Been there in the skunk too many times to count. This was a good tip. It seems like we can almost always catch a snake/lizard fish though when nothing else is hitting. We were out in the same area you were and about the same time, 4days or so after the full moon. And had the same results. Now I don’t feel so bad, cause you guys are the best. Thanks for the tips.
So, about what was the speed of the boat while trolling and how far back behind the engine was the lure? Just curious, as I have not had much luck with it trolling through an idle zone. Thanks
Great questions… I just use the distance of a long cast to troll. And for speed, I go from the slowest forward speed to a tap or two faster to see what they respond to best.
Especially in the summer when it’s really hot! Generates a breeze
My wife Pam and I troll all the time! Once we get bit we’ll stop and drift the area casting slam shady’s! Usually makes for a fun day!
Thank you for this. What speed do you go? It seemed like an idle of about 2 to 3 mph?
I just go from the slowest forward speed to a tap or two faster to see what they respond to best.