BY MARK ROMANACK
Hands down, the most popular way of getting crankbaits to depth has become the 50+2 Data produced by the Precision Trolling Data phone app. If your goal is to take a crankbait and get it to maximum depth while knowing exactly where in the water column the lure is running, the 50+2 Data is your trolling bible.
The 50+2 Data involves combining popular crankbaits with the Off Shore Tackle two ounce size Guppy Weight with the OR16 Pro Clip. (The combination of an Off Shore Tackle OR20 Series Guppy Weight attached via split ring to an OR16 Pro Clip makes up what is known as a Snap Weight). The benefits of this highly specialized trolling system are many.
Adding weight to a trolling line is a simple and efficient means of getting crankbaits to run deeper. However, just any in-line weight isn’t the answer. To ensure the bait runs naturally, the weight must be placed a significant distance in front of the lure. If the weight is placed too close to the lure, the bait’s orientation in the water can be influenced.
Secondly, moving the weight up the line creates a “stealthier” trolling set up as the weight does not appear in the same sight window as the bait while trolling. While this may seem like splitting hairs, in clear water conditions it becomes very important to separate the Snap Weight from the bait to achieve the best results.
GREATER DIVING DEPTHS
The primary function of using in-line weights in combination with crankbaits is to get the baits deeper. What many anglers don’t understand is that using the 50+2 Data trolling method not only gets lures deeper, but it also allows anglers to reach significant depths while using shorter overall trolling leads.
Keeping trolling leads as short as possible makes it much easier to make turns while trolling, the fish that bite are more likely to be hooked solidly and the fish fight is shorter, meaning the odds of landing the fish are far greater when shorter leads are employed.
For those anglers who enjoy live releasing their fish, using shorter leads means the fish can be landed and released more quickly, significantly increasing survival rates.
MAXIMUM ACCURACY
To benefit from the maximum accuracy of the diving depths associated with the 50+2 Data, anglers are advised to follow precisely the requirements of this trolling system. This trolling information is based on using 10# test monofilament that is .014 in diameter. Using other lines that are not .014 in diameter will alter the results.
Not all the crankbaits in the Precision Trolling Data phone app have been tested using the 50+2 Data. However, the most popular lures offer this data option, and more lures are being added to the 50+2 Data every year.
SELECTING A LURE
To select a lure for the 50+2 Data, simply go to the app menu, select the lure model, then select the “line type” option on the app. If the selected bait features the 50+2 Data, it will appear as an option under the “line type” selections. Click on the 50+2 Data.
SETTING LINES
Begin by letting the desired lure out behind the boat 50 feet. The next step is to place an Off Shore Tackle OR16 with two ounce Snap Weight onto the line. Note: Using other weight systems besides the Off Shore Guppy Snap Weight will influence the diving depth. This because the Guppy weights are a diecast Zinc which allows for a much more consistent weight as opposed to a conventional lead weight which can vary greatly.
Now consult the “feet down” picker wheel on the app and dial up the desired trolling depth. Follow up by moving to the MPH picker wheel and select the desired trolling speed. The app will respond by giving you the “feet back” information required to achieve your desired trolling depth. This “feet back” number will include the initial 50 feet of trolling lead played out. The app does the math so using the 50+2 Data is very simple.
PLANER BOARDS
Most anglers will opt to fish their lures using in-line boards such as the popular Off Shore Tackle OR12 Side Planer. After the desired overall lead length is achieved, place the line into the release on the bracket and the clip on the tail of the OR12, drop the board into the water and play out additional line to allow the board to plane out to the side.
When stacking multiple lines per each side of the boat, it’s best to maintain at least 50 feet of space between board lines. It also helps to position the highest running line or lines as the outside board line and deeper running lines as inside board lines. Set up in this way, when a fish is hooked on a higher outside board line it can be reeled in without having to clear other trolling lines.
SUMMING IT UP
The 50+2 Data trolling system is the most accurate means of fishing crankbaits in combination with Off Shore Tackle Snap Weights. During the testing Precision Trolling Data takes every precaution to control all trolling variables carefully. Not only are crankbaits tuned perfectly and lead lengths measured precisely, trolling speeds and course headings are monitored to insure the most accurate depth data possible is collected and shared in the Precision Trolling Data app.
The Precision Trolling Data phone app is available for sale at the Google Play and Apple App Stores respectively. Data purchased can be transferred from device to device within the same phone platform. Paid app data cannot be transferred between phone platforms.
