Trolling Plate Info.

[just enough]

I needed to slow down so I tried drift socks I didn`t like the why the boat controled it went left then right so I put a happy troller plate on the motor it works great but now I need to to many RPM`s to get the speed I like for trolling any ideas on if to cut off some of the plate or some other idea:confused: thanks Dick Donovan

[Fishcapades]

Cut A Hole In The Middle Of It About 4 Inches

[Flyface]

I am on my third Happy Troller in third years. You really need to up the RPMS to get to salmon and steelhead speeds. The problem with this is you will rip up the plate very quickly. Very poor design. I bought a new one at Bass Pro last week, went to Ludington and fished twice, broke the spring that allows you to trip the plate at the end of your troll, and upon further examination, it shows the same stress crack in the same place as my other two. They are going to a local weld shop to beef them up. Does anybody have any better trolling plates that actually can stand up to trolling?

[just enough]

I fished two days with plate it looks to be ok i think i will try a hole in the center of the plate I will start small and go bigger if I have to.

[MoJoRisin'II]

I have a Cabelas combo troll plate / doel fin. Started running it last year, broke the first one in August :rant: , sent it in and did not reinstall new unit they sent until begining of this year. The new one is now cracked and suffers a condition where you cannot reingage the shear pin with the plate up after trolling :dizzy: . So you essentially get to shear a pin each time out eventually cracking the plate :bloos: .

Too bad the plate has been such a hassle, it is a good idea, but not strong enough. Looks like a good goverment job if you guys know what I mean!! :evil: Maybe eventually I will have it in good working condition after some modifications. :tdo12:

[SalmonBum]

There is only one plate that will hold up to trollong and that is the Beaver Trol. It is a cast aluminum plate and frame that is hydraulicly controlled. You set your rpm's and adust the plate up or down to control your speed, in .1mph incriments. The only downside is the price: anywhere from $1200-1700 depending on the outdrive. If you ask me, it's a small price to pay to get unlimited speed control. Almost a must have.

[AutoModGod]

[QUOTE=MoJoRisin'II]I have a Cabelas combo troll plate / doel fin. Started running it last year, broke the first one in August :rant: , sent it in and did not reinstall new unit they sent until begining of this year. ]

This sounds like the same unit I used for 10 years - the HydroTroll. I broke pins just about every 3rd or 4th time out. Normally I sheared pins when I would try to bump up the speed and I would bump it just a little to much. The unit did not crack until last year. :lol:

The HydroTroll is made of plastic that flexes too much, IMHO. The fins flex upward and deform to the point that plate will not lock into place. I got to the point that I would release the plate when in forward gear and check to see that the trolling plate was "flapping" up and down in the prop wash, if it was it was off to the races. The only way I could get the plate to lock up after use in the water was to, shut the engine off, tilt the motor all the way up, crawl out on the swim platform and very forcefully set it by hand. This method is not an option in anything other than warm weather and calm seas. The locking unit works great in the parking lot though - locks and unlocks just perfectly.

I used to fish tournaments with a guy who had a plate that worked perfectly in the water. It released easily and it was very easy to get the plate to lock down. I don't know the name of the plate, but it was made of aluminum and it was a plate only. I think the basic problem with the HydroTroll is the fact that it has the fins on it.

I have another friend that uses two trolling socks. He puts one out each side of the boat. He also ties the front and back of the socks off such that the socks ride about 3/4 of the way back from the front of the boat. By using two socks, the boat has equal drag on each side so it handles pretty well.

[Hollandpiper]

I investigated both trolling plates - too much $$ & a history for breaking, and drift socks - again, too much $$. My solution to the problem was two 5 gallon pails with a coffee can size hole cut in the bottom. I then drilled holes above where the handle was and one 45 degrees from these. Thread clothes line through the handle holes - about 12', and place a loop at the end. the other hole is for a safety line. Simply place the loops over the front cleat and they slow the boat down between 0.5 & 1.0 mph. It looks a little goofy, but it works(~:

Hollandpiper
:fish: :fish2: :fish: :fish2:

[syonker]

If you have an I/O, SalmonBum's suggested solution of a Beaver Trol is worth investigating.

Beaver Trol's web address is:

http://members.aol.com/ifedorko/BeaverTrol_Web/Page_1x.html

Steve Yonker
a.k.a.Limp Bait

[TimT]

Don't panic. I'd be willing to bet that the hole drilled in your trolling plate will be a good solution for you. If your budget is tight, and you want a long-term solution, keep messing with your happy troller, it'll work out. On my boat, I set the rpm's to about 975 and use the trim position of the outdrive for fine speed control. When the plate bends up a little, I leave it. I need the plate to contol trolling speed, and if it's not 180 degrees perpendicular to the cavitation plate, who cares. The only time the plates were destroyed were when guests in the captains seat while trolling leaned on the throttle. An auto-pilot solved that problem.:) As it is now, there is a little bend to the plate that's on there now, and I have an entire assembly waiting as a back-up. If the plate is destroyed again, I'll order a replacement part.

[just enough]

Thanks TimT I put 3 1/2 inch hole in the plate I will be going on the big lake tuesday to try it I was close to the right RPM`s I think this should do it I thank everyone for all the help and info.:fish: :fish:

[AutoModGod]

I also used buckets before getting the HydroTroll. They worked fine except that they beat on the side of the boat (figerglass). Tried running them out the back too. As you can imagine, that wasn't a good idea. :lol: The best I could come up with was to hang them off with lines just long enough so that the beat the heck out of the swim platform instead of the side of the boat. :lol:

At the beginning of the season (HydroTroll failed at the end of last season) I cranked the idle speed setting down and now idle at 600-650 rpms (170 HP in-line 4 cylinder Mercruiser). This gets the speed down to 2.0 to 2.2. Unless I'm trolling for Walleye (rare), I now generally need to bump the speed up.

[SalmonBum]

FYI:
If you turn your RPM down too low (expecially on a big V8), it's a good way to wreak your coupler. Most boats have a steel shaft going into a aluminium coupler. Low RPM's cause the teeth to "chatter" and wear the coupler out.