DIY Drift Sock

My family will be renting a cabin on Kabetogama in Mid June. We are renting a pontoon boat from the resort during our time there. Last time we were there the wind cooperated most of the days and didn’t blow too hard. It would have been nice to have a drift sock to slow us down as we jigged on deeper structure though. I don’t know if it is worth spending $50.00 on one or is there a way we could make our own for the few times we would need it. What have other people used?

with a pontoon boat you got plenty of room.
just use a couple of five gallon plastic buckets!!!

Here is a link on how to make your own drift sock: https://www.in-depthoutdoors.com/community/forums/topic/articles_774473/

Absolutely worth it, you will use elsewhere once you see how effective they can be. Used 5gal pails myself up to last fall, won’t go back.

Things are spendy though.

You would need to spend more than $50 for enough drag to slow a pontoon, I would think. Maybe two socks.
But buckets are cheap, multitask, and reusable.

What size do you think?

Which resorr? Plenty of places to escape the wind.

Bring 2 or 3 five gallon pails, they will stack in each other and you will find other stuff to use them for.

I’d agree you might need 2. Not sure how a pontoon would drag, typically my big motor carries the one side bag the other.

Call the resort and see if drift socks can be made available for the rental pontoon. I’m guessing not, but would not hurt to ask.
Next question for them is if they have an adequate anchor.
Next question is if it has a trolling motor.

A reasonable sized pontoon on a relatively windy day will need likely 2x 50″ bags to slow boat drift to .8mph.

It will take a lot of pails to accomplish this.

If they don’t have socks then anchor and if they don’t have anchor or trolling motor then I don’t have much advice besides to buy/borrow!

Control drift with a touch of backtrolling.

I have fished off a 25 foot Premier Cast-a-way as my primary boat for quite a few years. I mainly catfish but I do a lot of drifting and slow trolling and I use a drift sock a lot. When you anchor up in current the sock really helps to control your swing from the wind. I use a really big drift sock – I think it is like 78 inches or there about. I’ve had it for years and use it all the time. A big sock will run you about $75 but it is a necessary requirement. This time of year I have my day enclosure up because it makes fishing so comfortable. When the weather warms I keep my bimini up all the time. So I have a lot of canvas up and it catches the wind. If you are going to fish off a pontoon with canvas up you will appreciate a big sock.

Attachments:

1. 

   28-March-2017-1-1.jpg
   

2. 

   28-March-2017-1.jpg
   

^^^^
He has a very nice stereo as well, so I’ve been told.

(double photo) te hee hee.

Do the buckets sink too much?