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Whats your cruising speed when looking for fish?

1.3K views 13 replies 10 participants last post by  jb-hunter  
#1 ·
My friend and I were out last night and shot a few fish but kept seeing a lot mud trails where the fish had taken off before they were even in our light space. We were trolling on the first speed and taking it pretty slow in hopes not spooking them as easy and making for easier shots.

We were debating whether or not trying to cruise at faster speed would allow us to get up on them quicker or if it would just scare them off quicker and make our shots even harder.

So I'm wondering what's your alls average cruising speed when your riding the banks looking for fish?
 
#4 · (Edited)
Sometimes slow sometimes fast, if going slow and busting fish ahead of you,try speeding up and if going fast and busting them out try going slower, if spooking them if fast or slow just deal with it or could be your troller making noise or were you hacking thru vegetation making noise???
 
#7 ·
It seems like they're mostly spooking off in the open flats. We got into some thick brush last night and they seemed to more calm in there.
You fish 2 guys on that thing?????
Every time! I don't like going out by myself incase some would happen and I'm not out alone, and mainly because I have more fun when I can share the experience with a friend.
 
#6 ·
4-5mph with my kicker when on open flats that the fish tend to spook off of. Even at faster speeds they tend to run, much rather fish weeds, down timber, or rocky shoals they don't seem to run as much when on the different structures so you can slow down.
 
#10 · (Edited)
How hard is it to shoot a fish going 4-5mph? I try getting into the brushy stuff as much as possible, there much easier to shoot when they think they're hiding!

Elaborate on your rig. That's neat! Will it run dry? :D
Not sure what you mean by run dry, but it's an 8' pelican bass raider with 36# troller and 4 Custom Fitz 30w LEDs
 
#11 ·
The airboat idles at like 6 or so and you just gotta be ready if you see a fish
 
#13 ·
It will change from night to night. You really have to see how the fish are acting but normally I am running between 4 and 5 mph on average.