Q: What is the best trolling speed when targeting white marlin?
-Rodrigo Lus Antunes, Santa Catarina, Brazil
A: Rodrigo, thanks for a good but complex question. First you need to decide if you want to use live bait, dead natural bait or artificial lures. All three styles and techniques work well on white marlin.
If you're not sure exactly where the fish are located, start by trolling smaller artificial lures at around 8 1/2 knots while looking for bait schools, weed and current lines, working birds or, best of all, jumping or tailing marlin. Little jet heads, such as baby Knobbies and Mold Craft needlefish, all work well. Use small 7/0 to 9/0 hooks and pretty heavy mono leader (at least 200-pound-test) or nylon-coated cable (100- to 150-pound-test) in case a nice blue marlin piles on.
Troll your dead baits at 6 1/2 knots — slower still if you want to pull a dredge teaser as well. But you don't want to go slower than 4 knots when trolling dead mullet, ballyhoo, squid or strip baits.
If you already see signs of fish around you and you can get good live bait (small mackerel, herring, menhaden, sardines, even tiny baby tuna), troll these baits at no more than 2 1/2 or 3 knots. You won't cover as much ground, but if you've seen fish in the area this is the best method of all. Use small hooks sized to the bait, but don't go over a 9/0. Use lighter leaders, as well, since the fish gets a better look at your terminal gear when you use live baits.
