Keeping Vertical in an large boat... any ideas??

[FishOnInc]

Well, I have always had a smaller boat with an electric trolling motor, but at the end of last season I decided to go bigger, so i can do a lot more trolling on the big waters.

But here is my problem, i love to jig for walleye, in the Detroit or st clair rivers and as you know YOU HAVE TO BE VERTICAL. But now i have a 22 startcraft islander.

does anyone have any ideas? i dont want to run the main motor just because taking it in and out of gear is just not good. i was thinking of trying a transom mount electric but i dont know if it will be powerfull enough.

????????????

[alex-v]

Maybe a small gasoline outboard. A two or three hp or maybe even a 7.5?

[spk131]

Heavy jig, 3/4ounce, and the smallest diameter line you can find.

[alex-v]

He still needs to be able to control the speed that the boat is drifting in relation to the speed of the river.

Sometimes smaller boats do have their place when fishing a river.

[Bully1950]

Minn Kota has an engine mount trolling motor, fastens to the cavitation plate on any outboard or I/O.....:fish:

[WALLEYE MIKE]

The main problem I have with the bigger boat is the wind. Much more boat for the wind to push around (especially the bow).

I have an electric on the main motor and if the wind is bothersome, I point the stern into the wind just like you would point the bow into the wind with a bowmount motor and run the electric in reverse. Works decent in a light to moderate breeze. Once it gets to 10mph or more a small gas kicker is better but it still needs to be kicked in and out of gear ususally.

Like I said it isn't really the current as much as it is the wind hitting the bow and swinging the boat around constantly.

[joecc]

The islander is alumimum and lighter than fiberglas so a high thrust stern electic should work OK. This would be most user friendly. There is a guide on the DR that has a 23' fiberglass catermeran and he has his boat set up with and stern electric high thrust and he says it works great. Still a little risky maybe. A 6 or 8hp kicker will work but will probably be a pain to operate on your boat.

maybe get an stern electic which will work well on light and moderate windy days and just use the big motor occasionally when it's really windy

No perfect solution.

[FishOnInc]

thanks guys for the help, yeah i think i might try a stern mount elec. first, i hope that works....

[frenchriver1]

There are dual electrics that you can mount on a big boat stern in lieu of a single electric... They attached to the hull bottom at the corners. That should give you some measure of control along with a drift sock off the bow...

[waterfoul]

You'll need a pretty long shaft transom mount... it will have to protrude BELOW the bottom of the boat.

[Bruce William]

Stiff South wind or go perch fishing. If you don't have the set up like these other guys have to slip it is a waste of time.

[ALLEYES]

Definately a stern mount electric and fish near the back of the boat. Then the wind can blow your bow around some and not have as big of a negative affect on your presentation. Like Mike said ...wind will be your worst enemy.

[hydra therapy]

My son and I use 6 LB fireline with 3/4 oz jigs. We stay vertical with the help of a 5 gallon bucket for a drift sock. We have an electric trolling motor that can be used. Due to the amount of attention the motor needs we miss more fish using the motor.

Now the motor stays home and we catch more walleyes with our fancy drift Sock. If its very windy we will use two buckets.

See you on the river in the spring.

[alex-v]

Now the motor stays home and we catch more walleyes with our fancy drift Sock. If its very windy we will use two buckets.
How does the line stay vertical with a drift sock? And, especially on a calm day when the bucket would be drifting along with the boat at the same speed as the river's surface current speed?

[ted stehney]

If you have a kicker motor for trolling, then just pick up a 14 foot boat and hang the kicker on it. Then you won't pull your hair out trying to stay vertical with a 22 foot sail. The cost of a 36 volt electric and batteries would be more than an old 14 foot boat. And you would still have a tough time staying vertical most days with the big boat. You will be more comfortable than us little boat guys though. :)

[ERnurse]

didnt see this post til now, but here is my input if you are still looking.

I purchased a 20 foot Triumph (lighter than glass, heavier than aluminum) last year and rigged it with a bow mount trolling motor 80# thrust with longest shaft, Works like a charm, I catch lots of fish and stay vertical nicely even in a bit of wind, mount works better on the bow IMO due to the wind variable and it pushing your bow around, I even have a bow rail but cut out a section to mount my motor.
For walleye I fish St. Clair river, Salmon--Lake huron and Lake michigan, I love my boat, it does everything I need :)

[suckerbass]

How does the line stay vertical with a drift sock? And, especially on a calm day when the bucket would be drifting along with the boat at the same speed as the river's surface current speed?

The point to all of this is to get the boat at the same speed as the rivers current and direction. That’s how you keep your line vertical. A drift sock can help slow the winds affect on the boat and keep you moving with the current. On a calm day you realy don't need anything.