Side Pulling Questions

[Crestliner08]

Interested in talking to anyone here with experience side pulling. Yesterday was our 3rd. trip out using this technique. We fabricated a false transom for use on the starboard gunnel on the Tracker Panfisher16. We fish off the port side, two rods per fisherman (all that is allowed by law!). That has worked out fairly well so far.

The learning curve we are now going through is how to maintain a perpendicular course to maximize the line/rod spreads. We are operating the electric in reverse mode, vs. forward, to allow us easier access to the motor handle:



When we engage the TM, it starts out ok, but tends to move us right or left as opposed to keeping the boat perpendicular to the direction you want to travel in and keeping our lines perpendicular as well. Small changes to the TM handle sometimes equal varying degrees of direction change, from dramatic to subtle. Especially with a light breeze to contend with.

Just would like some insight into the use of a side pulling electric and any tips or techniques you guys employ. I just want to spend more time fishing and less being overly concerned about course corrections.

Thanks for any feed back guys. Crappie.com is indisputably the best!

["G"]

PM sent

[crp4570]

You can turn the control head and handle around on the shaft and have access to forward thrust

["G"]

Yep...remove screw....turn a half turn...put screw back in

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app

[Crestliner08]

Crappie.com Fishing mobile app[/URL]

OK.....where do I find this "screw" to change the head or motor around? Is it where the prop is? I don't see anything on the head (tiller end) of the tm.

[SuperCorona]

Great idea. I've got a Panfish and was thinking about trying something similar ever since I saw Roger Gant side pulling on a Brushpile Fishing episode. Can you move the false transom up and down the gunnel? I was wondering if you'd stay a little more perpendicular by sliding it back just a bit.

[Crestliner08]

Great idea. I've got a Panfish and was thinking about trying something similar ever since I saw Roger Gant side pulling on a Brushpile Fishing episode. Can you move the false transom up and down the gunnel? I was wondering if you'd stay a little more perpendicular by sliding it back just a bit.

Yes! We designed this particular transom to be moveable fore & aft. However, this particular Tracker's rod bench tapers considerably fore & aft, so in order to secure it's location we had to pick a spot. Which we did, figuring on our experience over the years. It can still be moved, but will not be a perfect fit as it is now. Relatively easy to design actually, but the challenge was in keeping top rod storage in tack, which we accomplished.

[SuperCorona]

Yes! We designed this particular transom to be moveable fore & aft. However, this particular Tracker's rod bench tapers considerably fore & aft, so in order to secure it's location we had to pick a spot. Which we did, figuring on our experience over the years. It can still be moved, but will not be a perfect fit as it is now. Relatively easy to design actually, but the challenge was in keeping top rod storage in tack, which we accomplished.

I'm going to try mounting the TM on the port side so I'm facing my starboard mounted sonar while fishing. What size TM are you using?

[Crestliner08]

I'm going to try mounting the TM on the port side so I'm facing my starboard mounted sonar while fishing. What size TM are you using?

I'm using a 12 V. MK 40# thrust motor that we bought this spring. After 3 trips out, using a series 24 Deep Cycle Interstate battery, we are getting 4 hours run time with Walt's heavy (old style) Tracker 16. So the 24 size battery is just fine for our fishing needs. A bit under-powered if I were fishing 8 hours, obvously, but these days, at our age, 5 hrs. of fishing is about all we can manage.

[Crestliner08]

THANKS pescador! That's a great video. We're going to do that this weekend.