Trolling Plate

[bobby b.]

I just started trolling BS for Walleye and whatever will bite.

I'm using my metal boat with a tiller motor which works well but at times depending on wave action and wind direction I can't get the boat to go slower than 2.5 mph.  Other times it's fine.  So I started looking for a trolling plate and I found two choices - 1) a plate that you deploy/pull up manually with a rope and 2) one that is spring loaded that drops automatically.

I didn't like the first one because I will forget to stow it and something might break and didn't care for the idea of the second one because it can effect reversing.

I found this on ebay - made by a guy out of Lincoln, NE.  Comes in three version depending on motor size.  It has a hole to facilitate reverse driving.  It works well for me and I can now get the boat down to 0.5 mph.

Thought I would share.

Bobby

[watermen2]

One question, how does it release to stay out of the way and let the boat use full power at high RPM's

Thanks

[bfishn]

Or backtroll. 

[bobby b.]

1 hour ago, bfishn said:

Or backtroll. 

 

2 hours ago, watermen2 said:

One question, how does it release to stay out of the way and let the boat use full power at high RPM's

Thanks

The hole in the middle allows water to flow to the prop for backtrolling.

The springs are matched to the motor size allowing the plate to flip up and stay up at speeds greater than 5 mph - 7mph.  I tried it and both functions worked on my 20 hp.

Ebay cost $115

[navery]

Just drag a couple of 5 gallon buckets of the back of your boat. It will slow you down and be a lot cheaper. You could also invest in a wind sock to drag if you wanted something that is more easily stowed. 

[powerdive]

Most of the walleye guys use drift socks to slow their trolling speed. Although I work for Bass Pro, I found the ones at Academy Sports to be much cheaper and easier to use. There are different sizes, calibrated to boat length. Extremely simple, effective and trouble-free--just add a few feet of rope so that when open, the bag runs just under the surface, and tie to a forward cleat on each side of the boat. With my 16' boat with 40hp, I was able to get down to about 0.6 mph, plenty slow for bottom bouncing. Well made, durable, quick to dry--and running two bags helps stabilize the bow in rough water or a crosswind, too. Here's the link:

https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/marine-raider-small-drift-anchor#repChildCatid=3795027

About $25-$30 total setup cost. They'll put them on sale at times. I ended up giving away my expensive Drift Control socks, as these were much more to my liking. Hope that helps someone.

Mike

[Ron Burgundy]

Glad you haven’t forgot about us PD, hows the Salt Life treating you?

[powerdive]

On 9/8/2018 at 6:01 PM, Ron Burgundy said:

Glad you haven’t forgot about us PD, hows the Salt Life treating you?

It's a whole different world, S. Mostly fishing inshore. It's fun, but my opportunities are limited and I still have a lot to learn. Your poultry still in motion?

[Ron Burgundy]

2 hours ago, powerdive said:

It's a whole different world, S. Mostly fishing inshore. It's fun, but my opportunities are limited and I still have a lot to learn. Your poultry still in motion?

Nope, sold them 4 years ago.....now I have more time to chase walleyes!

[dan hufferd]

I have a happy troller on a 75hp I can get .5 mph easily, but I have bent it and cracked it, I still use it.

A couple of drift socks is a way better deal and you can do more than just troll.