Seeing one of the other boats nearby, Doug motored over only to discover some frustrated fishermen who were disappointed with it being such “…a slow morning.”  After learning of Doug’s success, they inquired as to his secret. Doug generously provided the proper lures, and told them to “speed troll”.  He then proceeded to demonstrate the technique, to which the others protested… “That’s too fast!”

That’s Too fast!

That exclamation is typical of fishermen who have never been exposed to speed trolling.  Even though Doug’s boat had two full limits of pike in the livewell, the other anglers struggled to conceive that such speeds could be productive.  But having nothing to lose, they complied - and before noon the aquarium had all 50 fish in the tanker truck.  The aquarium employees then headed back to the big city elated with their haul.

Much of the resistance to speed trolling comes as a result of 1) preconceived “speed limits” handed down from tradition trolling tactics, and 2) a belief that fish are unable to locate and seize baits that travel at such high rates of speed. 

The first is understandable; the majority of anglers who have been exposed to regular trolling methods routinely utilize speeds that might range from .5 to 2 miles per hour.  Speed trolling begins at 2-3 mph and regularly reaches to 4.5- 5 mph.  That’s cruising!

As to the ability of pike to chase down a fast moving crankbait; the fact is, if Mr. Pike wants it – he gets it!  The pike’s sleek body design is built for short bursts of tremendous speed.  No fisherman can cast or troll a bait past a hungry pike so fast as to deny it a meal.  Even in the winter.

All Year Long!

The ability of pike to chase down anything that goes by them is why speed trolling is effective all year long.  Naturally in midsummer and into the early fall, the warm water temperatures have the pike at their most active, and speed trolling is dynamite.  But Doug Pirila says “I use the technique right up to the day the ice forms on the lake.  I have no hesitation speed trolling now (late November) and the water is 36 degrees.”  In locations where lakes do not freeze over, Pirila says the technique is a year around producer.

Doug Pirila ought to know; this highly successful tournament fisherman and expert guide lives in the “Land of 10,000 Lakes”.   It seems the vast majority of those bodies of water have healthy populations of “Esox lucius”; those carnivorous toothy-critters that anglers call “Pike”. 

Where and How Do I Begin?

“What I’m looking for,” says Doug, “are the major weededges that drop off into deeper water.”  In most of the lakes Doug fishes, the average distinctive weededge drops off around 12 feet deep, and then the bottom of the lake steadily tapers into 20 or more feet.  Having deep water near the weedlines is important.  And it is the 13-18 feet depths that make the ideal lanes for speed trolling.

“Until a pattern develops I like to zigzag down these lanes, searching for the active fish” says Doug. “As I make my gradual turns, the change in direction speeds up the crankbaits on the outside rod, and slows down the crankbait on the inside of the bend.  As the day progresses, if more fish are being caught on the inside rod, it tells me the pike want it slowed down.  If the opposite is happening, I’ll speed up.”

Paying attention to which rod gets hit, and noting its speed and depth at the time of the strike, helps Pirila fine tune the pattern.  There are many days when the strike zone of the pike is enormous and they will travel quite a distance to clobber a passing bait. 

But other times the pike may be hugging the bottom at a precise depth or on a particular type of cover and it is very important to present the crankbait specifically and repeatedly in a manner that caters to the fish’s needs at that particular time, (primarily influenced by that day’s distinct environmental conditions).

An Excellent Search Tool

There are other fishing techniques and lures that also catch pike, but few that can cover as much territory as speed trolling.  This makes it an excellent search tool for the active members of a pike population, especially if the angler is fishing a lake unfamiliar to them.  “Simply find the deep weededge, and head down the lake,” says Doug.

On the other hand, if an angler has some experience fishing a body of water, they may have become familiar with several unique features, structure, or points on the lake containing cover that previously attracted and held pike.  Naturally these high percentage areas are the best place to start.

The Proper Rod and Reel

When a client meets our guide at the lake, Doug will hand them a medium-heavy 7 foot baitcasting rod.  There are other anglers who prefer stouter rods, (resembling a bass fishermen’s flipping stick).  But Pirila wants to be able to comprehend what is happening to his crankbaits by observing the action of the rod tip.  A medium-heavy rod still has the backbone necessary to fight pike, but the softer tip can telegraph the crankbait’s performance better than a heavy-action rod.

Will Doug ever use longer rods?  “If I have four rods in a boat, I’ll set two 7 footers out directly behind the boat, but I may use 9 footers for the two outside rods in order to cover a wider swath in the water.”  Unfortunately Minnesota only allows one rod per angler, so unless Doug is guiding a full boat, 7 foot rods are quite adequate.

A quality reel with a good drag is important, because when a pike hits a crankbait going at speed trolling rates, something should give.  The drag on a lower quality reel often hesitates to give out line smoothly, which can lead to lost fish.

Although there are trolling reels designed with line counters, Doug doesn’t use them.  But if an angler has them, he encourages them to use them. 

Counting “Rod Sweeps”

After placing the crankbait into the water while the boat is moving, Doug determines how much line is being released by counting “rod sweeps”.  He explains, “If I am in the front to the boat looking forward, I will drop the rod back in my hand to the 5 o’clock position and press the release button while ‘thumbing the spool’.  I then release the line while moving my rod to the 1 or 2 o’clock position, press down again with my thumb and allow the crankbait to pull my rod back into the 5 o’clock position again.  That’s a rod sweep.”

As an example; over time Doug has learned that with a 7 foot rod, 3.5 “rod sweeps” will place a particular lure 50 feet behind the boat without digging into the bottom in 14 feet of water, and so forth.  If the crankbait is scraping bottom or collecting weeds, he adjusts by reeling in, cleaning off the debris or weeds, and releasing the bait again - this time with only 3 sweeps.  It is a quick, easy method to teach beginners.

Generally our guide releases enough line to place his crankbaits from 75 to 125 feet behind the boat.  Naturally the more line let out, the deeper the bait goes, and visa versa.  If a deep-diver with a large bill is used, our guide may only have to release 50 feet of line. 

It makes no difference if the crankbait runs close to the boat, Doug says engine props have no real impact on pike – they are not easily spooked by boats or running motors.

The Line

When it comes to picking a line, it would seem logical to some fishermen to expect monofilament to be the preferred choice.  After all, the impact of the strike is often jolting at such high speeds - and it might be reasoned that the stretch found in mono would be an excellent shock absorber. 

Doug, however, prefers braided line for the sensitivity it provides.  If just a little grass collects on the crankbait, the non-stretch characteristic of braid telegraphs the change in the running of the crankbait.  But more importantly, the non-stretch line helps to drive the treble hooks home.  Getting a good hookset is important. 

“I understand that there needs to be a certain amount of ‘give’ in the rod, reel, and line components,” says Doug, “but I still want a good hookset.  And braid provides for that.  That’s why I compensate for the non-stretch line by having just a little bit softer rod, and a loosening up the drag just a bit more.”

The thinner diameter of braids also allows him to reduce water resistance and achieve a little more depth.

Crankbaits – Size and Color

Not all crankbaits are good candidates for speed trolling because every crankbait has a “minimum” and “maximum” speed limitation.  Too much speed can cause the water turbulence to build up around the bill and body so as to cause it to lose its ability to track straight.  When the maximum speed is exceeded, many cranks begin to spin or loop under water.  Others pop to the surface and skim on top.  This is due to the bill and body shape design.

“If I had to pick three crankbaits that I have a lot of confidence in for speed trolling,” says Doug, “it would be the Rapala Shad Rap, the Bomber “A”, and Storm’s Hot’N Tot.  They each have a unique action in the water, and I will experiment with the three of them until the fish tell me which they prefer on that particular day.”

Most of these lures run 3 to 4 inches in length which functions well for the majority of fish.  “If I am interested in pike that average 7 to 8 pounds, I’ll stick to those size crankbaits.  But if I want to target larger fish, I’ll move up to the Super Shad Rap, and so forth.  I won’t catch the quantity of fish, but I will tend to catch the larger pike.”

As to color? “With two anglers in the boat, I will start with one crankbait being blue and the other chartreuse.  One is dark and the other light and I’ll watch carefully to see which one accumulates the most hits.  As the winning pattern emerges, I will then switch the other lure to match the hot color.  Should things slow up as the day goes on, I will begin to vary one of them in color again until I rediscover what the fish prefer.” 

The basic set of crankbait colors that have served Doug well over the years are blue, chartreuse, shad, and perch.

Starting Out and Fine Tuning

When starting out, Pirila may troll 15-20 minutes, zigzagging the weededge drop-off, adjusting the line length until he sure the crankbait runs close to the bottom but not so close that it catches any remaining weeds.  Catching some weeds initially is just a part of the process until the line length is fine tuned.  This is also when our guide experiments the most with boat speed.

If the first pass of the day did not provide satisfactory results, Doug will reverse course and run the stretch again, this time switching colors, and finally baits.  Eventually, the formula is figured out and the thrill of catching toothy-critters begins.

When it comes to pike, switching crankbait “sizes” has never been a key triggering factor during the summer months, and the focus is mainly on depth, speed, and color.  But when late fall and declining water temperatures occur, a larger bait is offered.  “In colder water a larger predator isn’t going to want to chase down 12 smaller bite-size meals – it’s not energy efficient.  They tend to wait for a bigger meal before expending the energy required to capture it.”

The Strike, Hook Set, and Fight

While Doug has no problem with putting the rod in a holder, he encourages clients to hold it in their hands because the jolting strike is a major part of the speed trolling experience.  There is no need to set the hook, the fish does that themselves.

Our guide also cautions against “pump and reeling” as it tends to cause the treble hook to tear a wider slot in the fish’s mouth, enlarging the whole and allowing the fish to throw the crankbait easier should slack in the line occur.  “And slack in the line is deadly when fishing for pike,” warns Doug.  “All a pike angler needs is a steady retrieve.”

With several rods out, Doug generally keeps the boat moving forward as a single fish is being fought.  This maintains pressure on the pike, and allows the other baits to stay active in the strike zone.  “Many times when we find one fish, there will be more in the area and leaving the other lines out increases the chance of doubling up.” 

“If I do kick the boat into neutral, the other lures usually float to the surface and do not interfere.  However, if the pike is a real big brute, I may kick the boat into neutral and have the other lines quickly brought in because a trophy pike is always going to end up running back and forth and tangling lines.”

Electronics

While Doug is following the weededges, he uses his electronics to define the limits or width of his zigzagging path.  He keeps his eyes open for isolated logs, or rocks, or weed clumps that may hold fish.  Remember, the sonar’s cone in 18 feet of water may only be 6-7 feet in diameter at the bottom of the lake.  Pike outside that cone often move in to intercept the lure when it arrives.  Naturally there will be occasions when the angler actually sees the pike on the screen before catching them, but many more are caught without ever showing up on the depth-finder. 

“Of course, if I see other fish on my screen, I pay attention,” Doug explains, “because if there is a hungry pike down there nearby, he is watching the same show I am, with the same interest.”  When a pike finally strikes, Doug’s electronics have hopefully provided him with important data as to why.  That information can then be used to develop and duplicate a pattern.

Regardless of what the depth-finder shows, Pirila will often repeat a pass where a single fish was caught.  Pike will often school up around the same piece of structure.  “It doesn’t happen all the time, but there are times when a rocky point or a piece of cover will produce 7 or 8 fish off the same spot.”

Wind and Weather

“If the wind has been consistently blowing in one direction for several days towards a particular shore line, that’s the place to begin the search for pike,” says Doug.  “The water has churned up the bank and released the micro organisms and plankton that bait fish feed on, and the pike will be right following and feeding upon the forage.”

A couple of days of steady weather always increases the chances of an angler having a good day of speed trolling.  Constant changes in atmospheric conditions tends to play havoc with the pike’s internal organs and decreases their activity level which reduces the catch rate. 

However, if the weather has been steady and is just about to change, the several hours right before that front comes through can provide for great fishing.  But once a dramatic change in atmospheric pressure occurs, the pike are negatively affected and speed trolling loses its effectiveness. 

The type of weather is not as important as pressure consistency.  “It doesn’t matter if the weather is good or bad,” says Doug, “if the air pressure has been steady for several days, speed trolling becomes an effective technique again.”

Minor Details

Naturally, when fishing with toothy-critters, a wire leader is used and that typically has a snap attached that makes changing crankbaits easier.  Tying the braid directly to the crankbait greatly increases the chance of a pike’s sharp teeth slicing through the line, resulting in the loss of the crankbait and the fish. 

The extra speed gives the pike time only for reacting, not studying or smelling the bait. Therefore, adding scent to a crankbait moving this fast is totally unnecessary. 

Trolling at elevated speeds will definitely amplify the effects of a crankbait that is not running true and straight.  Bending the tie-eye in the direction the bait was running will correct it’s wandering and will help it dive down (and not to one side).  Bend cautiously: Sometimes only minute corrections are necessary to fine tune the running path of a crankbait.

The Crankbait’s factory hooks work well in most cases, and other than keeping a file nearby to touch up the points, Doug sees no need to switch over to thicker wire hooks.  If the drag is set correctly and the rod performs properly, the factory hooks will not straighten out.  “The only time I go to the expense of replacing the factory hooks with premium trebles is if I am in a tournament and there is a lot riding on the line.”

Summary

It’s safe to speculate that 99.9% of all anglers will never be asked to provide 50 pike for a mega-mall aquarium.  But if they were, fewer still would be equipped to accomplish the task in a relatively short time with traditional pike fishing techniques. 

Whether Doug Pirila is competing in a tournament, or guiding a family full of kids, there is a good reason he routinely turns to speed trolling; it is a highly effective and exciting technique that puts pike after pike in the net.  And if an angler’s still skeptical, they need to take a trip to Minnesota; the proof is swimming around in the Mall of America. 

Doug Pirila is a multi-species fishing expert, tournament competitor, and guide.  He’s been featured on several TV shows, in newspapers, magazines, and on many websites. Doug is the current all time points leader for the Minnesota Multi-species Tournament Series (2009 MMTS).  He is the defending champion and has been in the top five every year – winning the overall title several times.  Doug qualified and fished the Minnesota BASS Federation Nation Tournament of Champions in 2009. 

Along with a collection of trophies and honors, Doug is a current line class holder for Largemouth Bass in Minnesota for two line classes.  But his greatest joy in fishing comes from helping someone else set a personal best.  “Be it a 16 inch walleye or non-stop panfish action and lots of nice sized northern pike, these are the best days…” 

Doug Pirila can be reached at any of these three websites: www.MinnesotaFishingGuide.com,   www.Multispecies.com and www.FamilyFishingGuides.com