Tips for Fishing Walleyes in a Wheelboat

[Doonbuggy]

I've got a 17' boat with a 90hp fourstroke. Side console. I mostly fish walleyes when it's a jig/minnow bite, but now I know it's mostly live bait rigs with leeches and crawlers.

I seem to struggle with boat control and speed with a wheel while trying to be on the bottom with live bait rigs.

Any recommendations from people who are running a similar boat? I mostly fish bass and muskies so admittedly it's not the best rig for walleyes.

Thanks in advance.

DB

[DaMoose]

Try using a driftsock and backtrolling. I do a lot of this with my 16' side console boat, it works great.

[pushbutton]

Well, your not alone as i recently started using a fish n ski. Like anything it is just a matter of using it and "practicing". Have had to learn how to drift more effctively and use heavier tackle set ups.

[GFNER]

I too am running a 17 wheel and mostly use my bow trolling motor. I also have backtrolled with a sock. If you want to go even easier purchase a cheap water ski harness that clips to the stern and connect your sock to this and you can forward troll pulling the sock. Good luck.

[pushbutton]

and mostly use my bow trolling motor the sock

forgot to add earlier....came to the conclusion that christmas might have to come early this year because i think a bow mount might be really helpful on this type of set up.

[hanson]

IMO... I'd be using the bowmount. Sit up front and work the structure over slowly with the trolling motor. If you get wind and waves that make rigging off the front difficult, try and set up some drifts to hit the area you want using your trolling motor to help correct the boats position on the drift. If you get moving too fast, this would be a good time for a drift sock or two to slow you down.

For pulling spinners, you're looking at 1-1.4mph or so. Once again great speed for the bowmount. With a Powerdrive or Terrova, you can run the motor from the back of the boat w/ the long cord on the foot pedal. If you got Co-Pilot or I-Pilot on that motor, even better.

[cat977]

Best thing I did to my boat was install the I Pilot it made boat control 100 times better worth every penny

[dfv87]

Bow mount or like they said drift with a drift sock. Use the motor to move latterally and stay on structure.

[gregg52]

i have 20ft wheel boat after a tiller for 20yrs

i was like a fish outa water at first

but as someone said pratice and alittle thought

i'm ok with it i'm catching more fish than at first

i have a terrova 80lb on the front t-8 kicker on the back

150 main motor

i use the terrova the most by far found last yr on real windy days i can use the kicker to push the boat.. steer with the bow mount

i can also troll with the big motor in big winds

you just hafta think about what you are doing

i personally dont use socks much but lots of guys do

again you have to figure what works for you

[Further North]

Get a bow mount trolling motor like a Min Kota Terrova - with iPilot.

Bot control becomes so easy you'll wonder why you didn't do it years ago, and you get to spend your time fishing instead of screwing around with the boat.

Set the speed and the direction and fish. Keep one eye on the depth, and change direction as needed...which won't be often.