Question about using a kicker motor to troll?

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10-20-2009, 08:40 PM
KrappieKrane

Question about using a kicker motor to troll?

I'm curious about using a small outboard kicker to long line troll compared to a transom electric motor. I see alot of the walleye series boats with small kicker motors, and was curious of your opinions. Thanks in advance.
10-20-2009, 09:21 PM
Jason Halfen #511

I use my Yamaha T8 kicker for all trolling applications, from crappie to walleye to bass and musky. I wouldn't buy a boat without one.
10-20-2009, 09:25 PM
KrappieKrane

How slow can you go?

Jason appreciate the response. Can you get slow trolling speeds such as .5-1mph? And is yours a tiller handle or do you have it tied into the primary motor's steering mechanism? Thanks again. Rollcaster
10-20-2009, 09:40 PM
Jason Halfen #511

No problem hitting those types of speeds, and I can troll for days on end on just a few gallons of gas.

The kicker also provides peace of mind that I will still be able to get in should my main motor fail.

I have a tiller handle, and a trollmaster II to really dial in a precise speed.
10-20-2009, 10:19 PM
Yodibuzz

kicker motors are really nice for trolling as jason said. set up like he suggested and put it on a panther mount. add auto pilot on the front to steer and just set back and reel em in!
10-20-2009, 10:24 PM
Eager Beaver

I use a 3 hp electric for back trolling but could use my main motor for trolling or back trolling either way. EB
10-20-2009, 10:51 PM
abarkley

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rollcaster

Jason appreciate the response. Can you get slow trolling speeds such as .5-1mph? And is yours a tiller handle or do you have it tied into the primary motor's steering mechanism? Thanks again. Rollcaster

if you primarily pull out the back when using the kicker motor you can lock it in the straight forward position and sit and steer the boat with the big motor and have quick access to your rods.
10-21-2009, 09:40 PM
KrappieKrane

Thanks to everyone!

That is great information from everyone, and exactly what I was looking for. I have a Yamaha 4hp 4-stroke and I want to use it as a kicker motor instead of a electric motor on my 16ft. aluminum boat. It also would be nice as a backup incase the primary motor fails to return me to the ramp. Thanks again. Rollcaster............................
10-23-2009, 04:41 AM
rango

back in the 80's and 90's when i done a lot of longlining, i used a little 2 and half horse johnson, tiller steer, to troll with. if you cant get the speed down to where you want it, grind some off of the prop blades till you get it where you want it. on my 14 ft alumacraft, at idle speed the johnson was still pulling to fast to keep the jigs where i wanted them (8-10ft) at just above idle speed without the grinding. If i was gonna get serious about longlining again, id have a gas motor to pull the jigs with. you can go all day long, daylight to dark, with just a handful of gas and not have to worry about dead batts.