What trolling is
Trolling means dragging a lure behind a moving boat. The best way to cover lots of water and locate fish on Quebec's big lakes. Essential for lake trout, musky, walleye, rainbow trout.
🚤 Trolling (boat in motion)Intermediate
Trolling
Dragging a lure behind a moving boat. Best way to cover big lakes and find scattered fish.
Best conditions
Big lakes, variable depths
Best seasons
Spring · Summer · Fall
Main variants
Flatlining
Lure descends by its natural diving action. Good for 0–4 m. Simple, beginner-friendly.
Downrigger
A heavy weight (5–10 lb) on a dedicated cable descends to exact depth. The fishing line releases on the strike. Essential for lake trout (15–30 m).
Lead-core
Line with built-in lead descends by segments. Each "color" = ~5 ft (1.5 m) depth. Best alternative to downrigger for 4–10 m.
Side planers
Pull the lure out to the side to cover untouched water.
Target speeds
- Lake trout: 1.5–2.5 mph
- Musky: 3–5 mph with big plugs
- Walleye: 1.2–2.0 mph (spinner+worm finesse)
- Rainbow trout / salmon: 2.0–3.0 mph
Measure with GPS, not the boat's speedo — drift and wind skew it.
Lures
- Wobbling spoons (Williams, Mooselook) — lake trout
- Plugs (Bomber, Rapala) — all species
- Spinner rigs + worm — classic walleye
- Spoons + dodger — Atlantic salmon
Recommended baits
Required gear
Rod 8'–9' medium-heavyBaitcasting or line-counter reelBraid 20–30 lbDownrigger (for lake trout)GPS / chartplotterSonar
Safety tips
PFD mandatoryWatch other boatsCheck local line limits
Common mistakes
Speedo instead of GPS speedTrolling straight lines — zigzagAll lures at same depth