Best trolling methods

What is the best trolling method? With trolling motor or with big engine. I don’t have a kicker and don’t think I would be able to spend the money on one. Also is the trolling precision app the way to go to use crank baits or a certain graph to use with speed, style of crank bait and type of line that I am using?

Precision trolling app is awesome.

How big is your big motor? How slow can you get it?

How was will your trolling motor go?

Do you primarily fish lakes or rivers?

60 HP Yamaha. Not sure how slow I can go. Bought it late October and only have been on the water with it once. I fish mostly lakes. Bought the trolling motor this winter, first one that I have owned. That’s why I ask you guys with way more experience than me. the last owner put on a different prop to back troll slower compared to the original one. It’s an ’04 motor if that makes a difference.

I bet you can get that boat down close to 2mph with the big motor. Maybe up to 1mph with the trolling motor. Dont think I would by a kicker to cover that 1mph range.

Run the main motor against the trolling motor to slow down more. You could also tie a drift sock off the front of the boat but that doesn’t nearly give you the speed control using the trolling motor does.

I run a 115hp Mercury Optimax and wouldn’t think of buying a kicker. On flat water without the trolling motor down to create drag I’m at 2.5mph. With a slight chop and the trolling motor deployed (without being run) to create drag I can get down to 1.8mph.

I try to pull cranks from 1.5-3.0mph depending on conditions. My 24v trolling motor can go hours at 1.2 without hesitation. That covers everything from jigs, slip bobbers, lindy rigs, bottom bouncers, and planer boards, to speed pulling cranks in late summer.

buckybadger, will your trolling motor batteries last all day when trolling with it?

I have a 36v minnkota that is on a 20’ fiber glass boat. I pull cranks 6 to 7 hours with my bow mount at about 2mph. If the wind picks up I will use my big motor and use bags. I run group 29 batteries and have never ran out of juice. When the batteries start to go I will replace them with 31 series. I would try your bow mount, but I wouldn’t be surprised if your main motor would do the job.

you guys are giving me great ideas in that I haven’t bought trolling motor batteries yet and will go bigger than i originally thought. I have an Alumacraft 1675 Magnum tiller. Not that heavy.

First thing is buy good batteries….it’s a must. All great ideas so far. I had a 90hp Johnson on a 1700 Lund and I could get it down to 1.8. Throw a bag to go a little slower or use the TM.

You just need to experiment a bit but you have what you need.

Thanks Matt, long winter to think about what to do and then many questions. I want to get as much info so as not to waste more money than I have to.

Watch cabelas and amazon for deals on batteries. I agree there is no reason to waste money but good batteries are a great investment.

“Good” batteries is mostly a matter of opinion, like Ford vs. Chevy. Battery maintenance is most important. Check the water level regularly, don’t discharge below 50%, recharge after each use and you should have no problems with battery life. Get group 29 or 31 as someone else mentioned. Also invest in an onboard charger.

Ray Gylsen wrote:

buckybadger, will your trolling motor batteries last all day when trolling with it?

All day running wide open = no. However, to me it’d be rare to simply run nearly wide open on a trolling motor all day. When I need to cover that kind of water I do something I can speed up with and use the main motor for (leadcore, planer boards, long lining) to locate fish.

If I’m pulling bouncers I’ll set up with the wind and use the trolling motor just to stay straight and maintain speed around 1.0 – 1.2mph. I’ll also use my trolling motor to slip current seams with live bait or on shorelines pitching cranks for smallies. Doing any of that for a few hours has never left me under 50% on relatively cheap 27 group batteries.

If I’m pulling cranks mid-summer and know fish are scattered, I run the big motor and will deploy the trolling motor just for drag to slow me down when needed. On the river some of my best bites are 2.5 – 3.0mph once the water heats up.

Kickers are great and many people would be more efficient with one. For me however, between a trolling motor and my 115hp I can present baits at any speed I’d ever want.

I’d be shocked if you couldn’t do the same with a 4 stroke 60hp once you get a feel for it.

There are 1000 ways to skin a cat. Same thing with trolling. I am amazed how many people seem to get offended if someone offers up a different method, or more so a different brand of anything than they feel is their go to. You do not need a kicker to be able to troll all day. It can be done in so many different ways. The kicker can make hitting specific speeds over long periods of time easier than without. Setup with what you have, and experiment. After time if you decide a kicker may be a better option, you can always add one later.

Ive got an 02′ 165 mag tiller with 93′ yammi 60hp 2 stroke.
I can troll down to 2.0 mph flat calm with the main. I use the bow mount for steering using auto pilot. Just dropping in the bow mount will slow you down a few tenths/mph from the drag.
If im going slower like .8-1.2 for pulling spinners I will use my 24v bow mount. On 2 group 29 deep cycles I cant kill the troller batteries in a day. Even on the river holding in some current is no issue all day.

I prefer trolling with the trolling motor, as long as it gets you to the speed you want and your batteries last. A good trolling motor will keep you on the line you want more easily than a big motor due to auto pilot/ipilot. I’m far from a tournament pro, but you can get by without an app for the depth. Cranks will tell you how deep they dive on the box for standard line, and if you are using lead or something similar for deep water trolling the bottom will tell you how far out you need to be.

Thanks for all the great ideas guys. Like it was said, I will experiment with what I have. All good knowledge from all so I can feel more confident on the water. The main part is to just go and have fun and learn along the way.

For crank baits, use the trolling motor with the wind/waves, and the 60hp into them.

It saves your trolling batteries and saves hours on the main, and you can hit your desired speed.

FYI: when trolling with the bow mount, trimming the main up out of the water reduces drag and saves +/-10% of your battery reserve

If you troll A LOT, having a kicker with a Trollmaster or I-Troll is the only way to go.

Medium Drift sock off the starboard front cleat going forward in calm waters. Back troll also works.

Ray Gylsen wrote:

60 HP Yamaha. Not sure how slow I can go. Bought it late October and only have been on the water with it once. I fish mostly lakes. Bought the trolling motor this winter, first one that I have owned. That’s why I ask you guys with way more experience than me. the last owner put on a different prop to back troll slower compared to the original one. It’s an ’04 motor if that makes a difference.

Ray… What Model and year is your Yamaha?

The motor is an ’04 4 stroke carbureted, not efi.

Ray Gylsen wrote:

The motor is an ’04 4 stroke carbureted, not efi.

I was thinking if you had a Yamaha you already had their Precision Trolling Controls which allow you to dial down your speed by 50rpm increments. But if you don’t have EFI I’m going to guess you don’t have the Precision Trolling Controls either.

You are correct, I don’t have one. Looks like a nice feature to have. But you know how boats are, $$$$$$

I tell my wife a boat is a hole in the water you just throw money into. LOL…

I got a drift sock of craiglist 30 dollars leave my front trolling motor at home have the vantage on the back.