I have run 14 – 45 minute transects in the last four days. The times, transects, and choice of lure / worm have all been randomized. Worms have been outdistancing lures in strikes and landed fish. However, worms have been “Cheating”. Aside from their deliciousness to trout, worms have been trolling lower in the water column than the lures. The evidence is: 1) Trolled worms have the line entering the water about 1 boat length behind the boat while the lures enter the water 2 to 3 boat lengths behind; 2) When reeling in line, worms keep the dodger under water until near the boat: lures pop to the surface when the line is reeled in; 3) trolled worms have always stayed under the surface: lures have popped to the surface during trolling numerous times. Therefore, the trolling methods have to be tweaked to ensure similar depths of trolling while keeping speed and distance from the boat consistent.
I think the lures ride higher because the spinning blade causes uplift(?). Therefore, I have to figure out weight to be added to the trolled lures so they have the line entering the water about 1 boat length behind the boat. All transects have been run with an average speed of 1.5 to 1.7 mph, with the majority of the transects run at 1.6 mph.
A second problem has arisen. I randomized times for running transects all the way up to sunset. However, it gets dark about 15 minutes after sunset, and too dark to be on the water after 30 minutes. Running a transect for 45 minutes after sunset is dangerous and very unwise. Therefore, I have two things that need to be changed: 1) randomize times that do not include sunset; 2) determine the right amount of weight to add to lures to have them at the same depth as trolled worms; and 3) throw out the results from the last 4 days and start the experiment over (as the lures were higher in the water than the worms.
It has been fun so far, but tweaking the experimental design to be consistent, and safe, takes a while and this one is far from completed or even started.
Tight Lines!