BLOG: Troppo about trolling

I CAN'T seem to escape trolling. It has become a necessary "evil" that seems to have me involved more than I would care to comment.

I liken trolling to watching an episode of Home & Away or Packed to the Rafters with my wife while IFISH is playing on another channel. It's something I'm forced to do to keep the peace but if I had my choice, I wouldn't be wasting my time when I know there is something more appealing I could be doing.

I don't begrudge those who are into trolling, or poor TV programming. From time to time I can see the appeal but on a whole, just like those drab soapies, it's not as engaging as hearing Paul Worsteling banging on about some sponsor's product (laugh) or more importantly, casting lures at some dangerous piece of cover.

Then something weird happens. The more I am exposed to watching these girlie shows I begin to remove my veil of negativity until sometime in the future, unbeknown to myself, I actually begin to enjoy watching them. How this happens I'm not too sure, but it might be that I become more accepting of poor entertainment the more I understand it.

Trolling lures has pretty much had a similar effect; it's snuck up on me without my realising I now actually enjoy the process. It might also be that I understand it a little better. I fish with plenty of mates that love trolling, especially those that come from north of the border in "Territory country". Those boys can tow lures all day in hope of catching a prized barra.

While I understand there is a fair amount of science that goes along with it rather than just towing a lure aimlessly around a river, I think it's their preferred method to fish, as opposed to flicking lures, as it gives my mates more time to sink amber fluid between bites... They wouldn't admit to that rationale but geez those boys can drink!

Some poor attempts at trolling on trips up north has created my distrust in the technique and it has taken me a while to finally see past those few failed outings. Recently I commenced my offshore fishing campaign. I guess in some circles I'm known as an estuary specialist and that has been virtue of the fact I haven't had access to a boat to allow me to fish offshore so I focused my attention on water closer to home.

Now I have found an ally and a capable boat, trolling has taken on another dimension.

What was once a despised method of fishing, has become a technique with endless potential. To a degree, if your chasing large ocean going pelagics, trolling will be something you have to do – it's almost unavoidable. While I am yet to understand the intricacies of the art I'm slowly learning that there is more behind the technique than towing some lures around – just like there is more to good old Aussie dramas than poor storylines and bad acting!

Trolling. Do you love it or hate it?