What Aluminum Boat Is Best Suited For Trolling?

[Guest]

My dad is about to buy a new boat and I need some insight from you hardcore trollers out there.

He's currently got a 2012 G3 Eagle 176 Vinyl (Panfish) with 70hp fourstoke yamaha.

Theres no leg room to drive the rig, knees to the chest.

the throttle is under your leg most of the time, hard to reach.

The trolling motor is undersized at 12volts and 45lbs of thrust.

So its got some drawbacks being under powered.

If theres any wind blowing its going to be a long day.

Its kinda slow outta the hole and top end speed is 35mph at best.

He likes to troll crankbaits with the outboard and this rig is a little to fast for that. If this makes any sense.

Would ya'll recommend a V-hull model?

if so does it need a large electric trolling motor on the back or a small outboard kicker?

Any ideas as to which model boat, the engine size, trolling motor, accessories that are needed????

[fishinwrench]

Never been into trolling myself but I've rigged out several nice boats for the purpose. The one I am most proud of was a 18' Lund deep V with a 115 Johnson/ and 9.9 long shaft kicker with sandwiched control boxes and steering link. 24v Auto pilot TM on the bow and 5 seat pedestal positions. On a Roller trailer with remote controlled 12v winch. Everyone that fishes out of that boat absolutely loves it. Comfortable, roomy, stylish, and can handle any kinda water from the gulf to the great lakes.

[Bird Watcher]

Never been into trolling myself but I've rigged out several nice boats for the purpose. The one I am most proud of was a 18' Lund deep V with a 115 Johnson/ and 9.9 long shaft kicker with sandwiched control boxes and steering link. 24v Auto pilot TM on the bow and 5 seat pedestal positions. On a Roller trailer with remote controlled 12v winch. Everyone that fishes out of that boat absolutely loves it. Comfortable, roomy, stylish, and can handle any kinda water from the gulf to the great lakes.

There ya go. course, I'd say you can't hide money with that rig. I guess it's all relative though. Prolly still a drop in the bucket compared to a new glitter boat.

[Feathers and Fins]

I do a lot of trolling from my boat its a 2012TRACKERPro Team™ 190 TX w/ 90 ELPT OptiMax http://www.trackerboats.com/boat/specs.cfm?boat=3407

It is a great handling and very comfortable boat to drive all day and im 6'4''. It handles rough water very well and tops out by myself with gear at right at 47mph second person 45mph. Very manuverable boat and with the locking compartments i dont stress gear theft. one of the best boats ive owned.

[kjackson]

I'm surprised that the 70-hp, four-stroke won't troll down slow enough. I used to do a lot of trolling with my 50-4 Yamaha on a former boat, and it would go down to as slow as I'd want. However, that was on a different rig as well. I've done a ton of trolling for salmon, trout and walleyes and can offer my advice, which with $5, will buy a cup of coffee in New York.

If I were to pick a boat for trolling, I'd probably look at a vee-hull, and Lund makes good ones. Currently, the company is running a special pricing on a 16 or 17 footer that I would consider if I could upgrade the motor to the maximum for the hull. G3 also makes vee hulls that look good online, and trading the boat back to a G3 dealer might be a good financial move.

But as for trolling--

First, don't even think of a transom-mount electric motor for forward trolling. They are beasts to control; as one of my friends said, "It's like trying to push a rope." A 24-volt bowmount does a much better job of pulling that rope, er, boat, and it is much more efficient. However, it may not reach the speed you want against a strong wind or in current. A small, four-stroke kicker is the answer to that.

On the Columbia River, where I used to fish, walleye guys would run upstream, deploy the bowmount and troll spinners downstream. Once they reached the end of the reef or structure, they'd reverse course, fire up the kicker and pull crankbaits back upstream.

For that kind of use around here, I'd think a four or six-horse four-stroke would be ideal.

I'm thinking about doing just that as I want to do some striper fishing, and I'm thinking a kicker might be the ticket. The 50-two stroke I now have does troll fairly well, but it also uses more gas than I'd like.

[rps]

Fishinwrench has described a wonderful boat. Allow me to show you a less expensive option.

Alumacraft Navigator 165 with a tiller steer 75 HP ETEC with a Titan Tiller Steer system. I did not buy a fancy prop - I just bought a spare standard aluminum. That is a large Terrova up front. I removed the ridiculously placed tiller seat and sit on the bench with a large cushion. I can troll with two guests, it burns little gas and even less oilI It comes out of the hole well and top ends at 34 MPH with just me.

[fishinwrench]

Nice! There ya go.

[Guest]

All great options!!! RPS, do you need a tiller handle for trolling? I loathe them, will always use a steering wheel if possible. Its easier on the back and hip sitting in the drivers seat vs rotating around to a tiller handle. Dad changed his mind and is going to keep his G3 and just get the warranty stuff fixed. As for me, I might sell the old ranger and buy a v-hull rig instead. I encourage yall to keep posting stuff like, the rod holders and the placement of them. other options that you would like to see added to your baots to make them the perfect trolling rig. I like the fact you pointed out the seat that was engineered for whatever reason. Sometimes, the manufacturer builds stuff that doesnt make any sense.

[rps]

Most people prefer the console. I have owned three boats with consoles (two side and one center) I have also owned three with tiller (a 1982 Tuffy, a river boat, and the one pictured) I find the room you gain is considerable. My current boat is 16 and a half feet but fishes much larger with company. You can tell that from the pictures. BTW, with three, I drop the seat I removed and had put on a spider back in the boat.

In addition to the extra room, it is easier to handhold a rod sitting as I do in my rig.

Of course, if my back were troublesome, I would figure a way to put a seat back where my cushion is. The built in seat was forward and to the center from where I sit. The seat obstructed full range of the tiller and made a turn to the right really awkward on my shoulder. I read somewhere the placement was dictated by a lawyer after some lawsuit by the widow of an unfortunate soul who fell out of the boat. For what ever reason, it was just wrong. It had to go.

Finally, to be completely honest, there is something about tiller steering that seems "right." The fact that it simplifies installation and costs less is just gravy.

[kjackson]

RPS has the setup I'd get if I was looking for a new boat; maybe I'd get one a foot longer, but that's because I tend to carry more gear with me than I'd use in a year. Tiller control, in my opinion, is the handiest way to run a boat for trolling. I've owned six of them, including my current boat. I've also run four console boats for a while, and the tiller is the best choice unless you're going to be running a long way a lot. The one boat I still kick myself for selling was a lot like RPS's. It was a Lund Predator (an early stage 1660 Pro V or whatever that model is called now) with a four-cylinder, 45-horse Mariner that drank gas like it was free; however, it also trolled down so slowly that there was no need for a kicker with it. If I ever find that hull for sale, I will buy it despite my wife.

One advantage to a tiller that I don't think RPS covered is the fact that you have so much better control over your boat for doing things like following break lines or working in and out of cover. A tiller boat responds so much more quickly than a console boat, it's hard to believe. It's especially nice when power loading your boat in a wind.