trolling question

[jeepguyjames]

Hello all, here's my dilemma, I want to be able to long line out of the back of my boat using the motor, my motor pushes me just a little to fast at it slowest. I'm usally pulling bandits or jigs. This past year I always used the trolling motor and pulled em out of the front, but really want to pull out of the rear for several reasons. 1 my better quality fish finder with gps is in the rear. 2 my 9 year old is usally with me and could sit in the middle right by the poles in stead of a circus act trying to hand one backwards to him while trying to keep tension on the line. 3 my boat isn't real wide, and with gear in the boat its a lot less wide, when I'm fishing with some one else trying to swap spots from the front to the rear of the boat we look like we are doing the cha cha. It would be nice to pull up to where I wanted to start, toss em out and go no cha cha or salsa dancing involved. 4 I would within arms reach of all my spare poles and tackle, easier change of lures, poles etc. In all honesty I could make a 100 reasons why it would be easier and better for everyone involved. My boat is a 15 foot sea ark mccrappie with a merc 9.9 motor. My thoughts have been adding a trolling motor to the rear, using drift sock or socks, or looking for a product like the happy troller (if there's one made for a 9.9). Any ideas or thoughts? Have a great weekend everyone. God bless.

[CrappiePappy]

... a cheap fix may be to just carry along two 5gal buckets, with holes drilled thru them ... and tie them off to the transom tiedown eyes. It's worth a try, and if it doesn't do the job, then you're not out any $$. Also, if you think or find that the buckets get in your way ... tie them to each side's mooring cleat (if you have them) or run a rope between the two buckets and drape it across the front seat housing and drag the buckets alongside the middle of the boat. Concrete blocks would work, if you have any negative feelings about possibly losing the plastic buckets into your waterways.

If a 10hp is pushing your 15ft'r too fast to effectively troll, even at idle speed, then the boat is probably not drafting very deep to start with. Anything that will cause drag should slow you down some. Any of the things you've mentioned should work ... but would cost $$. The only cheaper alternative, to the buckets/blocks idea, would be to simply shift from idle to neutral, every so often ... but, that can be tiresome :p

.. luck2ya ... cp

[creekslick]

I agree with pappy the buckets work. I use one on a 20' pontoon when I am trolling crank baits. It slows me down about .4 mph.

[jeepguyjames]

genius!!!!!! thank you i will give that a whirl, thanks crappiepappy, you probably saved me a few bucks