To a lesser degree with pike, but definitely when it comes to muskie fishing, if you cast all day, your shoulders are going to get tired! On the inland lakes thats trolling time, time for a sandwich and beverage once you get rigged up and on your way. Besides its kind of like a good luck charm, you know once you pop the top, or bite into that corn beef, with swiss on rye, something is always bound to happen.
On the big water, trolling can be the favorite tactic to catch these predators. Attention to equipment and detail becomes a little more precise. You might want to break out the boards, or run them off the mast.
My pike trolling rods are the same rods I use for walleye, and because the St Croix Premier Glass series rods have the backbone . I have two pairs of them, two per side of the boat. You can go more, but with the 17′ boat, even with three people fishing, its more than enough to keep you busy. If I am running some of my smaller muskie baits, then I will switch over to the muskie set ups. The reels that go the Croixs are the Daiwa SG 27 LCA’s, spooled with 40 lb Power Pro.
My muskie trolling rods are basically one brand, one length with only a slight variation in action. All are Ugly Stik, Tiger blanks. There are two versions, and would reccomend getting the ones with the stainless steel eyelets. That way if you want to run wire its fine, but in this case each rod/reel set up has 80 lb Power Pro. All the rods are 7 footers, two rated for 20 to 50 lb test, the other two rated from 30 to 60 lb test. They will take a six and 8 oz lure respectively. They normally run less than $65 dollars. If that is a little steep and you are just starting out, then I suggest going with with a Daiwa Heartland dipsey rod. You can choose between an 9′ or 10′6″. A bit long for some, but plenty of strength in the rear end, for about $35.00.