Troll Plate?

Crestliner 1650 Fishhawk with a 90HP 4-stroke Merc. Currently in stock configuration I can only troll down to about 2.8mph. I am wondering about peoples experience with a similar sized motor and a Troll Plate to slow down the speed. Please advise. THANKS (If you are currently replying to “search the forum” just hit the back button and read another thread you obviously have time to read and respond to…)

I put a trolling plate on my 90 horse Johnson. Boat is a Alumacraft 170 Trophy. Without plate i also troll 2.8 mph. With the plate i seriously only crawl. It proves to be a little difficult to handle the boat in a strong wind with such a restriction on the motor. Im thinking of drilling a few holes in the plate to actually gain alittle speed.

Can’t answer specifics but our family’s experience with a troll plate comes from the 80’s.

Our boat was much better suited to waterskiing than fishing. What’s the solution? Let’s get a trolling plate. Did it slow us down? yes. Would I ever get one again, hell no!

I absolutely guarantee you will forget and power up with the plate in the down position. We did, too many times. The result is a bent plate. The other thing that can happen is the plate engages when you’re not expecting. Another cause for a bent plate.

While we had a 170hp and may have done more damage here’s my suggestion we use on a buddy’s Smokercraft. Throw a drift sock off the back, it works. An idea i’ve seen on the site but haven’t tried is similar in nature. Same as a drift sock but a 5 gallon bucket with some holes in it.

This last year I picked up a little 14 footer with a 25 on it. Doesn’t quite get slow enough for me on a back troll so I use the drift sock off the bow. Still forget it once in a while but the drag reminds me right away of my brain loss.

I am leaning towards a single drift sock but want opinions on troll plates pros/cons. Thanks again for the reply bud.

I put a spring loaded plate on my 115 merc it not only slowed the boat down but it also carboned up the plugs

Drift sock. On my Tracker without a sock I can get down to 2.1 mph, with the sock out I can get .7 mph. Quick, easy to use and no modifications to the motor.