Line counter reels

didn't read the whole thread but don't they make multi colored monofilament in 10 feet increments to accommodate any reel ? might be a second option

Wow that chart! A little too much for this boy. A factor that makes a big difference in your angle dangle is the currents in the ocean. Cross current, down current, and up current all have a big difference in your depth to speed ratio. I usually drag my rig in the direction I'm going to go with in sight to be sure it's behaving like I want and then match that speed to achieve the right presentation. With my new lowrance I can see a constant line for the weight, so I know exactly where I am. Before I had this unit I've bumped bottom enough to gain confidence where I am. I also can read the drag on my gear.  Experience... I also use braid to reduce the drag. when I tune my rig, I try to get it to run at slower speeds so I don't have to work as hard and I'm more in tune with how deep I'm running. I use a weight and not a dive planer, which I also believe helps. Definitely less drag. If you ever want to see the difference direction makes. Try matching your speed in all directions while watching your rig. I probably read the drag more than anything to determine my trolling speeds.

Interesting stuff... Here are a few general thoughts, in no particular order....

- The line you see on your depth finder is not showing you the depth of your presentation, it's showing you the distance from your transducer to your diver/weight/whatever. In other words, it's pretty much telling you how much line you have out, which you already know if you counted pulls. Your depthfinder does not do trigonometry, it just measures distances to objects or surfaces that reflect sonar waves.

- The "angle of your dangle" is (usually) a much better indication of whether you're bait is running properly than the speed shown on your electronics. The dangle angle is directly related to the difference in current speed versus bait speed. If you're fighting the current, relax... You don't need to. You can present a nicely spinning bait even if your chartplotter says you aren't moving (not saying I recommend this, since you won't cover much water).

-I rely MUCH more on "dangle angle" than any other factor to determine if I'm presenting a good bait. With the gear I run, I try to keep my angle at 60 degrees off vertical, no matter whether I'm running with or against the current. This way I know my bait is working properly...




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I use 50lbs. braid with a 30# topshot for trolling.  I have less than 250 yards of line on my reels.