Method to achieve a trolling depth by analyzing line angles

A means for determining a required line length to troll a terminal tackle at a predetermined depth,

• a. wherein said terminal tackle is attached to a fishing line, and comprising
• b. a means for measuring and recording calibration data, wherein said calibration data comprises a plurality of pairs of calibration line length and calibration line angle, wherein each said calibration line angle is measured at a water surface position of said fishing line, and
• c. a computing device, and
• d. a software program executing on said computing device wherein said software program provides a means for using said calibration data to derive curve data wherein each said calibration line angle is assumed to remain unchanged as said fishing line is deployed deeper, and wherein said curve data consists of a sequence of one or more curve segments each with a segment length derived from said calibration line lengths and with slopes derived from said calibration line angles, and wherein said curve data is used to derive and display said required line length for said predetermined depth, whereby
• e. adjusting said line rigged with said terminal tackle to said required line length will cause said terminal tackle to be trolled at approximately the said predetermined depth.

A means for measuring a line angle of a deployed fishing line wherein said fishing line is deployed from a fishing rod, comprising

• a. a rigid bar, with a first end and a second end, and
• b. an electronic wireless inclinometer mounted to said bar near said first end of said bar, and
• c. a hangar attached to said bar at or near the balance point of said device, which said hangar may be releasably attached to said fishing rod, and
• d. a line guide attached to said bar near the said second end of said bar, which said line guide may be releasably attached to said fishing line, so that
• e. said fishing line may slide freely through said line guide, and so that
• f. said wireless electronic inclinometer is urged parallel to said fishing line, whereby
• g. said wireless inclinometer may transmit said line angle of said fishing line to a computing device.