# Trolling Mann's Stretch Series question



## gameofcatch

I live in Georgia, but fish a lot out of Pensacola and have had to basically "learn on the go" how to troll and target different species of fish. I have my outriggers and down riggers running great but my flat lines are not working out so well. Last weekend and this weekend at carrabelle and keaton beach I could not get my Mann stretch 15+, 25+, and 30+ to dive. I tried every lure I owned between both weekends (including a YozuriDD)and constantly dealt with them"popping up". They will sporadically dive then all the sudden be right back busting the top of the water. Changing speeds did not fix the problem. I even put an 8oz in front of a 5ft leader trying to get the 30's to dive. My setups are 4'o reels with 80lb. braid and stainless leaders.Going back to carrabelle this weekend and would like to figure out the problem before I am in Pensacola for the 4th of July week! Thanks for the help!


----------



## Tuna Man

When fishing the Stretches, are you using rubber bands to bring the line closer to water level. This might help. Also are they running straight and if not need to be tuned.


----------



## Georgiaboy

Tuna Man, tell me more about the rubberband trick when using Stretches.


----------



## specslayer

you could try dropping them back farther....you rubber band the line to the reel of the rod to get the line closer to water level, but make shure you do not rubber band it so that when a fish strikes it wont get caughti on the reel.


----------



## gameofcatch

No, I am not using rubber bands.....never have except on my outriggers and for balloons on shark fishing. I had one stretch 15 that swam eratically side to side. How do I tune them?


----------



## Tuna Man

> *Georgiaboy (6/15/2008)*Tuna Man, tell me more about the rubberband trick when using Stretches.


Already answered and check out this link. This was written by Richard..he worked for Mann's<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 8pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Tuning a Mann Stretch<SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>



http://outdoorsbest.zeroforum.com/zerothread?id=287501


----------



## M L

I've never had a problem running stretch 30's from the flat lines right behind the prop wash. I'm no expert but I run mine with mono line and I wonder if the braid is giving you problems.


----------



## Tuna Man

> *gameofcatch (6/15/2008)*No, I am not using rubber bands.....never have except on my outriggers and for balloons on shark fishing. I had one stretch 15 that swam eratically side to side. How do I tune them?


Try a # 10...I think that is the best all around band.



> *M L (6/15/2008)*I've never had a problem running stretch 30's from the flat lines right behind the prop wash. I'm no expert but I run mine with mono line and I wonder if the braid is giving you problems.


If you are running them in your prop wash you aren't looking for depth are you?


----------



## gameofcatch

The tuning artical was an excellent piece of info and I now think that the popping up maybe caused by the lures not running perfectly true. I did notice yesterday that the lines (when the plug occasionally dove) seemed not to run straight out the back of the boat. I cannot make up my mind on the amount of line to let out on these thing though. ****Also just thought I would add, yesterday while I was trolling my buddy was up on the tower and spotted bait balls about 3 miles away. I was dealing with my problem and slowly motored over to the 10 to 15 bait balls to have a king sky on one of the foul acting stretch 15's! Awesome sight and crazy luck!


----------



## Tuna Man

Using the rubber bands on lures is good but you can use them trolling rigged bait also. Just a thought since you didn't know about the bands.


----------



## M L

I don't know exactly how deep I'm getting but am catching wahoo with them.


----------



## Matt J

I had the same problem with the Stretch 25's. I was trolling two of them and one was diving and staying down and the other wasn't. Tried putting adjusting the swivel and length of leader with no luck. A steel leader seemed to help some, but I don't really know what I'm doing. Are they good baits for trolling a couple hundred yards off the beach? Any advice on these baits would be helpful.


----------



## Travis Gill

I don't think a rubberband would hold a stretch


----------



## M L

> *Freespool (6/15/2008)*I don't think a rubberband would hold a stretch


I agree with that. At least with the 30+. It sometimes takes out line with the 30W with the lever drag at strike.


----------



## Danno

I flat line the stretch series a good bit. As far as lines, the braid has less resistance to the water than mono so it lets the lure dive deeper. I go from rubber bands to downrigger clips when trolling the stretch 30's. It all depends on the speed of my troll.

Heavier bands will hold the larger and deep running stretch models. Your wrapping the bands several times around your line so it doesn't slide as you troll.

Other than using my downrigger, I use a Strike King speed planer, I wouldn't use the stretch series with this since you can figure how deep your trolling. But this will make any lure afast deep diver.


----------



## true-king

I never really have problems trolling stretches without the rubberbands. Did you check to see if your lips were bent? Sometimes mine will get bent and won't stay down.


----------



## BJW

When trolling the Stretch, slow down. I have found that helps when we have had them popping them out. I like to troll them very slowly. Another way to keep the line angle low is to rig a release clip from a cleat on the back of the boat. I have some old style clips that look like giant clothspins that work well. for this.I have a short piece of cord tied to the top and botom of the release clip. I tie a second piece of cord to the middle of the first piece so that the first piece acts as a bridle to make the realese clip face the right way. There is a loop on the opposite end of the second piece that I simply loop over the cleat. 

Yakkin4fish: Before we bought the Dusky we used to troll off the beach from my Hobie Cat. We trolled Stretchs, Bomber Long A's and Clark Spoons and caught a lot of Kings and Bonitas over the years. The largest king we ever caught off of the Hobbie, about 30 lbs, was on a Stretch 25 just outside the surf. (The only way we landed that one on the Hobie was luck, the fish ran the direction that we could use the wind to run him down before being spooled. If he had run the other way we could not have turned the boat around before he would have been gone.) They are there, particularly early in the morning.


----------



## shanester

were you getting anything hung up on them like grass or seaweed. or any thing on your line. dont see any reason why they would go down then just pop up unless something was fouling them......


----------



## Daydreamin

Here is my list of things that I know will make a stretch 25 or 30 surface.

1. not running true

2. fouled because of an impact...could be a fish strike or hitting debris like grass, etc.

3. Trolling speed too fast for the amount of line out. You can either let out more line OR slow the boat down.


----------

