Trolling in the channel

[Babylon]

As an angler of 40 plus years experience and a sailor for less five, I love it when a question comes up that I feel qualified to stick my oar in on!

Try small Sidewinder lures http://www.sidewinderlures.co.uk/_shop/index.php?cPath=0_12 they are not expensive and I've had success with them for mackerel-sized false albacore (a mackerel in my book) in the Med. Bass will take them too but six knots is right at the upper end for species that you'll find in UK coastal waters.

I've got some of these. What weight would you use on the end, and what sort of depth, ie how much line would you have out?

 

[Highndry]

In warm weather they will catch fish with just the inbuilt weight (the Sidewinders have a built in weight but not all rubber lures do). As long as the line from the back of the boat isn't too high off the water (attach it to the transom ladder with an elastic band) the lure should fish a few feet down and while it isn't the classic way of catching mackerel or bass, it will work. When a fish strikes, the elastic band breaks and the fish is hooked against the (higher) rod tip. That's how I used them in the Med. Generally towed around 30 metres behind the boat.
The alternative is to use a small paravane and aim to fish them 10 to 15 feet down. I don't like paravanes much because it's something else between rod tip and fish but there's no getting away from the fact that they work. The small Eddystone ones are light and take some beating. http://www.eddystoneeel.com/PARAVANES.htm