Winter 2026
page 50
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that consumed a lot of power, and batteries that couldn’t last long. These problems now are largely nonexistent with modern efficient motors and high reserve-capacity batteries. With new age lithium trolling batteries, you can stroll all day and never run out of power.
ELECTRONICS AND AUTOPILOT: STROLLING ENTERS A NEW ERA
Best of all, strolling still works, and works better than ever with new age electronics.
Trolling motors now have Bluetooth capability, pairing them with handheld remote controls. Remotes can be used to steer, adjust speed, and control without touching the foot pedal from anywhere on the boat. Even better, they connect by NMEA 2000 networks to fish finder units.
For example, my Lowrance HDS Pro units on both my bow and console control my Lowrance Ghost trolling motor. A software feature of the HDS units includes autopilot capabilities when integrated with the Lowrance Ghost trolling motor. Now I can stroll on autopilot, allowing me to precisely control my direction, depth, and speed from my graph, without touching my foot pedal.
USING ROUTES, WAYPOINTS, AND SPEED CONTROL
By adding waypoints on a chart screen, the autopilot can move your boat to the waypoint at whatever speed you set. Even more impactful, you can program a Route on the chart and the autopilot will precisely drive your boat on the route. Programming a route over prime habitat like rock flats and ridges makes strolling even more efficient. Strolling a route in a full circle or using the software feature “Anchor Orbit” around a hump can be done clockwise or reversed in a counterclockwise direction. I can quickly program routes on my chart screen and add my GPS Speed Over Ground data to the chart so I can stroll at the best speed where bass are located. Often the best speed is 6 to 7 MPH. When a bass is
caught you can easily repeat the depth, direction, and speed improving efficiency even more.
DEPTH ROUTING FOR PRECISION STROLLING
Another autopilot feature (ideal for strolling) on my Lowrance Pro is called Depth Routing. On the internal C-Map chart you can program a minimum and maximum depth. The chart will display this band in color, and your autopilot will follow the programmed depth wherever it goes.
Cautionary note: If you are competing in a tournament be sure to first check tournament rules to determine if this is legal. There is a fine line between “strolling” and “trolling” and is prohibited in tournaments intended to be cast and retrieve events.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT LURES FOR STROLLING
Lures used in strolling should be capable of bouncing over rocky bottoms without snagging and while maintaining an upright hook position. A football jig is the gold standard. Another benefit of a football jig is how the hook eye is set back and on top of the head where it protects your knot from breaking on the rocks.
Two long-time favorite soft plastics to use on a football
jig are the Yamamoto Single Tail
grub, and the Yamamoto Double
Tail Hula Grub. The Single Tail
grub (either 4- or 5-inch) is
a great imitator of a sculpin,
which is a bottom-hugging
baitfish that exists in practically
every body of water inhabited
by bass. The tail section of a
grub appears to be swimming
when strolled across the rocky
bottom.
The double tail Hula Grub imitates crawfish; another food staple found on the bottom in rocky areas. A football jig rigged with a Hula Grub is especially effective with a stop and go stroll that imitates crawfish movement. Occasional pops of your rod tip cause the jig to