Trolling Plates

[Evenflow]

I was wondering if anyone has used a trolling plate on their boat and your thoughts on how well they work. I have an I/O that I need to slow down if I want to troll with it, but on the flipside we ski behind it too, so I don't want to do anything to jeopardize the top end performance of the boat. Is there a manufacturer that anyone likes better than others?

Thanks for your help,

Evenflow

------------------
It's all just theory till you hit the water.

[Fathead]

Hi Evenflow,

I have never used trolling plates before,but have you considered using a drift sock as an alternative. They are easy to use,simply attach one to the nose of your boat and wallah. They will slow your boat down well enough to fish even the slowest of presentations. I would check them out.

[GullGuide]

When I first started guiding I ran a 115hp motor, a little too much for trolling so I installed a trolling plate. The one I used was a T&L Trol-A-Matic. I would highly recomend this unit. It is spring loaded, so you don't have to mess with cables and releases and such. When the motor slows, it flips down and when speed is increased, it flips up. I did not notice any reduction in speed at full throttle whith the plate installed, but I could get down to .2 mph while trolling. It'll run you about $70.
Good Luck

------------------
>"////=<
Gull Guide Service
fishingminnesota.com/gullguide
Brainerd-Mille Lacs-Willmar
Bemidji-Ottertail

[Guest]

Evenflow-
Your cheapest option would be backtrolling. You won't even need wavewackers because all i/o speed boats have very high transoms. I imagine you should get very slow 2.
ok just my 2 cents
-Mr Fisherman

[Evenflow]

Thanks for all the info everyone.
I still have not decided what I'm going to do yet.
I have tried back-trolling and I had no control of the boat and water came over the stern with very small waves. So I think my options are, a drift sock or a plate. A drift sock seems to me like it could become either a hassle or wrapped in the prop very easily if you don't know exactly what you're doing.
Anyone have any more thoughts on this?
Thanks again for the advice everyone.

Evenflow

[Guest]

Drill holes in the bottoms of two 5 gallon buckets. Use one on each side of the boat, attached to forward cleats. Keep the line short enough that it will not extend to the motor. I/O trollers on Lake Michigan use this adaptation all the time.

Remember to lift the buckets into the boat before you hit the throttle.