How To

How and When to Secure the TrollTrue Lures

Your lure is supposed to slide on the leader. Here's why that matters, the four times it's worth pinning it in place, and how to do it in about ten seconds.

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The lure is meant to slide

If you've just rigged your first TrollTrue lure and noticed it moves freely on the leader, nothing is wrong. That's the design.

While you're trolling, water pressure across the face of the lure holds it seated against the bait's head. It stays exactly where you put it. The moment a fish is hooked and you stop dragging the bait, that pressure disappears and the lure slides up the leader, away from the fish's head.

That matters more than it sounds. A hard lure head riding against a thrashing fish is a lever working to open the hook hole. Letting the lure slide free takes it out of the fight, which means fewer pulled hooks on long runs and less damage to the lure itself.

The short version

Leave it free unless something in your conditions is unseating it. Securing the lure trades a small amount of fish-fighting performance for stability — worth it when you need it, not worth it by default.

The decision

When to secure the lure

All four of these come down to the same thing: the water pressure that normally holds the lure in place isn't steady enough to do the job. Find your situation below.

Kayak trolling

Pedal and paddle speeds are slower and far less consistent than a boat's, so the lure never gets steady pressure against the bait. Securing it is close to standard practice from a kayak. More on speed and spread in kayak trolling setup.

Scattered grass

Clearing weed by jigging the line is the right move — but the same snap that sheds the grass can unseat the lure. If you're working a weed line, pin it. See also the weedless squid rig.

Rough seas

Baits that skip and go airborne lose water contact entirely, and a lure that's unloaded will walk. Securing it is usually quicker than re-rigging, though check your trolling speed first.

Still getting used to them

Perfectly reasonable. If you're new to TrollTrue and want one less variable while you dial in your spread, secure them. You can stop once you trust the way they sit.

The method

How to secure the lure

One wooden toothpick, about ten seconds. Nothing about your rigging changes.

Step 01

Rig the ballyhoo as usual

A ballyhoo rigged on a TrollTrue lure, before the toothpick is inserted

No change to the rigging — secure the lure after the bait is fully rigged.

Rig exactly as you would if you weren't going to secure anything. The toothpick is the last step, not part of the rig.

Step 02

Insert a toothpick through the eye of the nose hook

A wooden toothpick being pushed through the eye of the nose hook

Push the toothpick through the hook eye, not through the bait alongside it.

The toothpick passes through the eye of the nose hook and sits crosswise, bearing against the inside of the lure opening. That's what stops the lure travelling up the leader.

Step 03

Break off the excess

Excess toothpick broken off flush for a streamlined presentation

Trim close, but never shorter than the lure opening.

Snap the excess off so the bait keeps a clean, streamlined presentation. A long toothpick collects grass and spoils the bait's tracking.

The one thing to get right

The toothpick has to be longer than the diameter of the lure opening. Break it too short and it pulls straight through the opening under load — the lure comes free and you won't notice until you check the bait. When in doubt, leave it slightly long.

The counterpoint

When to leave it unsecured

Securing every lure by habit costs you something. Leave them free when:

You're trolling a steady 5–8 knots in reasonable seas. Water pressure is doing the job. Adding a toothpick gains nothing.

You're targeting hard-running or jumping fish. Wahoo, mahi and billfish all put sustained load on the hook hole. A lure free to slide clear of the fish's head is working in your favour through the whole fight.

You're fishing clean water. No grass means no jigging, which is what unseats the lure in the first place.

Still stuck?

Talk to someone who fishes these

Call or text and we'll walk you through it — send a photo of your rig if that's easier.

Call or Text 1-910-995-2485

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