"Trolling" for "Trawling": An Eggcorn?

[Fred Shapiro]

A friend of mine who is an English professor at the University of
Pennsylvania posed this question:

"Since when did the verb 'trawling,' borrowed from (or having the same
root as) ships and fishing, become 'trolling,' as in trolling for votes,
or for campaign dollars, or for justifications for going to war, etc.?
What does a hairy monster living under a bridge have to do with
in-gathering?"

Any comments?  Is this an eggcorn?

Fred Shapiro

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