# Anyone use the Luhr-Jensen Trolling Speed Indicator?



## Kableguy (Apr 23, 2009)

Has anyone used the Luhr-Jensen Trolling Speed Indicator? It just bolts onto the boat and uses a weighted ball on a pendulum to record speed. Does the thing actually work? Is it accurate? I have a decent fish finder and a handheld GPS, but neither have speed. I would rather not drop $300-$400 just to get my trolling speed if I can spend $50. I'll ask the inland lakes guys too, they might have more experience with this. Any help is appreciated.


----------



## Smokeshowin (Jun 13, 2007)

You sure your hand held doesnt have speed over ground? May have to turn it on in options.
Chris


----------



## K gonefishin (May 4, 2004)

I agree if you have a handheld GPS I'm almost positive it has speed on it, I think the first one on the market WAY back in the day had speed on it and the most current cheapest of the cheap model has speed on it. I'm sure your's does to you just have to get it to show up on your overlay data on your screen.


----------



## Toxic (May 13, 2006)

Smokeshowin said:


> You sure your hand held doesnt have speed over ground? May have to turn it on in options.
> Chris


Your right, most of them have it.


----------



## donkey (Aug 28, 2004)

They all have it.My Loran had it.


----------



## Cetchum -N- Eatum (Jul 29, 2009)

Is the Luhr-Jensen indicator more accurate than GPS speed? 50 bucks would be worth investing in one if it is.


----------



## K gonefishin (May 4, 2004)

Cetchum -N- Eatum said:


> Is the Luhr-Jensen indicator more accurate than GPS speed? 50 bucks would be worth investing in one if it is.


I don't think anything is more accurate than GPS speed for the simple reason that it doesn't have anything in the water like waves or current to dictate the reading, same reason why paddle wheels mounted on your hull are useless.


----------



## donkey (Aug 28, 2004)

K gonefishin said:


> I don't think anything is more accurate than GPS speed for the simple reason that it doesn't have anything in the water like waves or current to dictate the reading, same reason why paddle wheels mounted on your hull are useless.


Not all paddlewheels are useless.The one that came with my fish finder is useless.The analog unit that I use is very helpful when trolling as it reads actual water speed passing under my boat.It only matches speed over ground GPS reading when it is calm and no current.The dial in the wood box.


----------



## K gonefishin (May 4, 2004)

Okay well since you only fish Erie and it's not flat calm all the time it's only useless 70% of the time GPS speed is the way to go. If you have a speed and temp unit attached to a rigger ball at the depth you are targeting, this is the only unit(s) that will give you "true" lure speed, everything else is just providing boat speed over ground. (SOG) which is the standard for the Erie troller. 

Your right though Donkey if mounted properly on a fiberglass boat not in the way of strakes or breaks in the hull a paddle wheel will work if there are no current or waves and you are trolling with the waves, if you get in the trough or are trolling into the waves it will render a speed but I bet it isn't all that close to what GPS is telling you, maybe sometime depending on conditions but I sure as heck wouldn't rely on it all the time.


----------



## donkey (Aug 28, 2004)

I guess i explained that the wrong way.The analog with paddle wheel gives me the true speed of my lure running thru the water with current.There are times my GPS shows 1 mph and the lure will not run true because the paddle wheel is reading 2.5.which is the true speed of my lure.As an example you could troll up a river with a 7 mph current and have you GPS read 0 mph over ground.Your lure will act as though you are trolling at 7 mph because that is how fast the water is passing over the lip.
I guess what I am trying to say is that the GPS is not the Holy Grail.It is only a reference just like the #'s on a line counter.A properly mounted paddle wheel will tell you more about how fast the water is passing over the lip of your lure.
This is a big part of why you only catch fish in one direction on a windy day.
If you remember one thing.Remember this;A GPS only measures speed over ground as in the bottom of the lake.It has no idea how fast the water is flowing beneath you boat.


----------



## Gju42486 (Mar 7, 2005)

donkey said:


> I guess i explained that the wrong way.The analog with paddle wheel gives me the true speed of my lure running thru the water with current.There are times my GPS shows 1 mph and the lure will not run true because the paddle wheel is reading 2.5.which is the true speed of my lure.As an example you could troll up a river with a 7 mph current and have you GPS read 0 mph over ground.Your lure will act as though you are trolling at 7 mph because that is how fast the water is passing over the lip.
> I guess what I am trying to say is that the GPS is not the Holy Grail.It is only a reference just like the #'s on a line counter.A properly mounted paddle wheel will tell you more about how fast the water is passing over the lip of your lure.
> This is a big part of why you only catch fish in one direction on a windy day.
> If you remember one thing.Remember this;A GPS only measures speed over ground as in the bottom of the lake.It has no idea how fast the water is flowing beneath you boat.


dang donkey! you are just a wealth of knowledge arnt you?? It this why they refer to you as "The King" on the radio??? 

someday i wish i could run into you and your "hippy" crewmember at the ramps so i could pick your brain some more........now if only i could find a picture of you so i know who to look for.


----------



## K gonefishin (May 4, 2004)

donkey said:


> I guess i explained that the wrong way.The analog with paddle wheel gives me the true speed of my lure running thru the water with current.There are times my GPS shows 1 mph and the lure will not run true because the paddle wheel is reading 2.5.which is the true speed of my lure.As an example you could troll up a river with a 7 mph current and have you GPS read 0 mph over ground.Your lure will act as though you are trolling at 7 mph because that is how fast the water is passing over the lip.
> I guess what I am trying to say is that the GPS is not the Holy Grail.It is only a reference just like the #'s on a line counter.A properly mounted paddle wheel will tell you more about how fast the water is passing over the lip of your lure.
> This is a big part of why you only catch fish in one direction on a windy day.
> If you remember one thing.Remember this;A GPS only measures speed over ground as in the bottom of the lake.It has no idea how fast the water is flowing beneath you boat.


You don't have to sell me on why they are helpful man, I'm going to be buying the new Fishhawk X4 for my boat, look it up it's the new cats meow on the market. It's the Mac Daddy of speed at the boat and at the ball.


----------



## donkey (Aug 28, 2004)

Gju42486 said:


> dang donkey! you are just a wealth of knowledge arnt you?? It this why they refer to you as "The King" on the radio???
> 
> someday i wish i could run into you and your "hippy" crewmember at the ramps so i could pick your brain some more........now if only i could find a picture of you so i know who to look for.


Do you like Pain?


----------



## Smokeshowin (Jun 13, 2007)

Often have wondered what my lure speed was and sounds like this unit might be a tool to help know that. Now, what speed should you use sog from gps or a reading which might adjust for current etc. ?


----------



## Gju42486 (Mar 7, 2005)

donkey said:


> Do you like Pain?


i cant say that i know him? Is he a part of the sevin? 

i agree though with you to stay on subject. That little dial in a box is pretty cool, first one i have seen like that.

Hopefully my new boat will have one of those as well


----------



## donkey (Aug 28, 2004)

Been_awhile said:


> Has anyone used the Luhr-Jensen Trolling Speed Indicator? It just bolts onto the boat and uses a weighted ball on a pendulum to record speed. Does the thing actually work? Is it accurate? I have a decent fish finder and a handheld GPS, but neither have speed. I would rather not drop $300-$400 just to get my trolling speed if I can spend $50. I'll ask the inland lakes guys too, they might have more experience with this. Any help is appreciated.


 I would say it is a worthwhile investment.Use it like you would a Gps or a line counter as a reference tool.


----------



## Guest (Aug 20, 2009)

I looked at those too. On other site some real like them. Has any one used one. I just can not see spend $400 on a fish hawk or a depth raider.


----------



## donkey (Aug 28, 2004)

Smokeshowin said:


> Often have wondered what my lure speed was and sounds like this unit might be a tool to help know that. Now, what speed should you use sog from gps or a reading which might adjust for current etc. ?


Drop a blade or whatever it is you are pulling into the water and look at its action.Adjust speed till it looks alive.Look at you reference tools and that is the speed you try and maintain.


----------



## K gonefishin (May 4, 2004)

tubuzz2 said:


> I looked at those too. On other site some real like them. Has any one used one. I just can not see spend $400 on a fish hawk or a depth raider.


new x4 is 600 brand new unit redesigned


----------



## donkey (Aug 28, 2004)

K gonefishin said:


> new x4 is 600 brand new unit redesigned


Maybe after I get the new Minnkota head.


----------



## boatnut (Nov 22, 2006)

figure out how to get your GPS to give you speed. the luhr jensen unit you are referring to will work...but it's pretty much an antique compared to GPS. It only goes about a 1' deep so , It will not give you accurate "current readings" like others are talking about with the more sophisticated "fish hawks" etc. 
Bottom line is....it doesn't really matter how accurate your measuring device is....its all about repeatability. If you are catching fish at what you or your measuring device perceives to be 2.0, then try to stay at that speed even if it might be off a 1/2 mph.
my 2 cents.


----------



## TRIPLE-J (Sep 18, 2006)

sorry donkey agree with K-gone on this one paddlewheels are useless unless it is at your lure depth, as with a down-temp. Then and only then will you know the true speed your lure is going at the depth your lure is running. Any speed indicator mounted to your hull is giving you surface speed dependant on surface currants etc. which doesnt mean anything down where your lure is. Even in a river the surface current can be 7mph and the sub-surface current at you lure may only be 5. So if that is a sub-troll unit mounted to a downrigger on your dash than yes I buy everything you've said otherwise your only reading surface speed. Talk to any salmon guy up on lake ontario they will tell yea. If you dont have a down-temp your fishing blind. as an example out of olcott in front of the famous red barn on a west troll I have to be going 2.4-2.6 on my gps to get my lure which is 40 ft down to run at 2.2. That same lure at the same depth going east I have to kick it up to 2.8-3.2 on my gps for my lure to run at 2.2 at the ball. 
Triple-J


----------



## SELL-FISH (Feb 9, 2007)

Donkey, I thought thats what your other two buddies keep there gerbils in shape on... Later Salamander Scott...


----------



## donkey (Aug 28, 2004)

SELL-FISH said:


> Donkey, I thought thats what your other two buddies keep there gerbils in shape on... Later Salamander Scott...


 Are you Drink?Why not go tell someone else who they can fish with my Fairweather friend.Go away you are a bad memory.


----------



## krustydawg (Apr 26, 2004)

donkey said:


> Are you Drink?Why not go tell someone else who they can fish with my Fairweather friend.Go away you are a bad memory.


LMAO !


----------



## donkey (Aug 28, 2004)

TRIPLE-J said:


> sorry donkey agree with K-gone on this one paddlewheels are useless unless it is at your lure depth, as with a down-temp. Then and only then will you know the true speed your lure is going at the depth your lure is running. Any speed indicator mounted to your hull is giving you surface speed dependant on surface currants etc. which doesnt mean anything down where your lure is. Even in a river the surface current can be 7mph and the sub-surface current at you lure may only be 5. So if that is a sub-troll unit mounted to a downrigger on your dash than yes I buy everything you've said otherwise your only reading surface speed. Talk to any salmon guy up on lake ontario they will tell yea. If you dont have a down-temp your fishing blind. as an example out of olcott in front of the famous red barn on a west troll I have to be going 2.4-2.6 on my gps to get my lure which is 40 ft down to run at 2.2. That same lure at the same depth going east I have to kick it up to 2.8-3.2 on my gps for my lure to run at 2.2 at the ball.
> Triple-J



Thank you for your helpIn no way am I trying to prove Kgone wrong.The trouble with posting on this forum is the misinterpretation of the written word.
The point I am trying to make is to not rely solely on GPS for speed. It is no more accurate over moving water than the paddle wheel.But each can be used as a reference tool to help you catch fish.In the last part of your post you explain what I have been trying to say eloquently.The Gps may not match your lure speed.Paddle wheel is 18 inches deep.


----------



## fishingguy (Jan 5, 2006)

There's merit for what donkey is saying. I use sog all the time. Having said that, your lure is traveling at two different speeds with or against the current at the same sog. The river analogy is valid although not nearly as evident as in the lake. It's a gut feeling for me. If I am trolling down current at 1.5 and for some reason I choose to turn and go into the wind (for what reason I don't know), I have to slow down to maybe 1 or less to achieve the same action and depth on my spinner. Not a lot of boat control there, so I usually never troll slow into wind. Hate it!!!!!!!! I would rather pull the lines in and motor back up and reset lines and start again.


----------



## mhcarl1965 (Jan 24, 2008)

Don't make it too complicated. If it's your only reference, use it and note the indicator speed with each fish. They have been around for at leasty 30 years. Must be at least close to accurate.


----------



## JOE W (Jun 4, 2004)

ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO AT HATFEST, EYESMAN 01 had 1 on his boat said he liked it!!


----------



## mhcarl1965 (Jan 24, 2008)

Don't make it too complicated. If it's your only reference, use it and note the indicator speed with each fish. They have been around for at leasty 30 years. Must be at least close to accurate.


----------

