Trolling with heavier gear reduces the fight and stress time on the fish, therefore it is lively upon release. Most my rods are 20-30lb class gear (with 30lb mono line and a reel that maxes out at 16lbs of drag - 330gti) and my fights tend to be relatively short. Most boats troll at less than 3 knots and then cut back the throttle with a fish on. Many boats drifting on a windy day can move through the water as fast as one trolling. Trollers also use artificial lures and dont "drop back" the lure, therefore deep hook sets are rare. Releasing fish, should that be the choice of the angler, while trolling should not be any more harmful to fish than if it were caught fishing in another manor.
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