Hi All,
Thinking about getting a WX1850 but haven’t been able to find any posts on backtrolling with this unit. 50% of my fishing is backtrolling for eyes…expecting to put a minn kota vantage & wave wakers on the back.
Any feedback on backtrolling, vantage install, or wave wakers would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Fudster
I backtroll with my big motor when the wind is blowing hard enough. I can’t comment on trolling with a Vantage, but it seems to go just find with the big motor. I know there are others here with a kicker on their 1850’s, so maybe they’ll chime in.
As far as the Wave Whackers, they perform great. No complaints whatsoever.
I backtroll / slip / hover a fair amount also. I’ve got an 80# Vantage and a T9.9 on my 2010 WX1850.
Honestly, I have yet to back troll with the kicker. I’ve got it set up to if I choose to, but I usually use the Vantage if calm, and the main motor w or w/o a drift sock if wind & waves are too much for the Vantage.
I back trolled a few days ago on Mille Lacs. Pretty decent wind with 2-3 foot waves, and forgot my bags. I was still able to handle things fairly well. I was impressed at how it held it’s line without the bags.
That said, I’m finding myself more and more using the Terrova in situations I would have used the Vantage. The new features make boat control (maintaining path and speed) more efficient and accurate than with prior bow mounts, although I still prefer the instant stearing / control with the Vantage in certain situations.
White Caps “wave wackers.” I’ve had them on all my boats and have yet to have a problem or issues with waves coming over. Great service after the sale as well (had a few modifications with new toy add-ons on prior boats).
Good luck….
Thanks KDawg & Mike…appreciate the input.
Anyone else out there back trolling? Maybe I should start front trolling 
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Thanks KDawg & Mike…appreciate the input.
Anyone else out there back trolling? Maybe I should start front trolling
Between the 101# Terrova/I-Pilot and the T9 kicker I don’t see me ever back trolling with the WX1850.
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Thanks KDawg & Mike…appreciate the input.
Anyone else out there back trolling? Maybe I should start front trolling
Between the 101# Terrova/I-Pilot and the T9 kicker I don’t see me ever back trolling with the WX1850.
I understand the I-Pilot is a great piece of equipment, but it will never replace backtrolling…
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I understand the I-Pilot is a great piece of equipment, but it will never replace backtrolling…
As far as I knew, back trolling was done out of necessity cause the other tools were lacking in control and going slow enough.
Those tools are now available. It’s always seemed to me that back trolling is still around cause the old timers don’t want to change.
You still have more precision backtrolling. By the way, I’m only 25. 
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You still have more precision backtrolling. By the way, I’m only 25.
Darn kids!
I often backtroll into waves that I have to speed up my 150 hp motor to make progress into. I have a Vantage and a Terrova and neither can hold me on the spot like my big motor when the wind blows. I laugh on Mille Lacs when there are guys trying to run their bow mounts in a really heavy wind. Before long they are either gone or they are trying to backtroll even if they have a console boat.
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I often backtroll into waves that I have to speed up my 150 hp motor to make progress into. I have a Vantage and a Terrova and neither can hold me on the spot like my big motor when the wind blows. I laugh on Mille Lacs when there are guys trying to run their bow mounts in a really heavy wind. Before long they are either gone or they are trying to backtroll even if they have a console boat.
I guess I’ll have to be ready to bust back trolling out of my bag of tricks. To be fair Mille Lacs is it’s own animal when it comes to boat control and wind/waves.
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I guess I’ll have to be ready to bust back trolling out of my bag of tricks. To be fair Mille Lacs is it’s own animal when it comes to boat control and wind/waves.
Yup, and maybe pull a bag or two out of your back of tricks as well. I was back out on ML on Monday, and there was NO WAY you (I) could have effectively “trolled” forward, and it wasn’t all that bad out there. Fairly typical ML day.
Working rigs on the edge of the flats was fairly easy with a set of double bags (2 Amish trolling bags spaced evenly under the bow – tied to front cleats)) going in reverse with the main motor, after I figured a few things out. The T9 didn’t / wouldn’t have the power and instant reaction that the main motor (bigger prop) does. It could be done, but that poor motor would be really working and response would be slow. The bow electric (Terrova) wouldn’t have stayed in the water long enough to have a chance. Vantage in back, no way.
After an hour of trial an error getting correct RPM, motor direction to achieve particular direction and speed, I was able to maintain 0.5 mph fairly consistently. Key was to find that sweet spot RPM range and just trust it. If a big wave slowed / stopped me, I just let the main motor get me back. When I reacted and bumped up the RPMs, I sped up too much and steering qualities changed and it took time to find that “sweet spot RPM” again.
Even fishing alone, I was able to fight a fish, land it (10 ft 4# leaders make that interesting alone), unhook and release it and still be on track or very close. Without the bags, I’d have drifted way off the flat or up onto it before. I was also able to “slip” sideways and even with the wind with a bit of practice. Watched several boats in the area simply throw the bags out and drift wherever the wind took them. I didn’t see many nets flying in those boat. Saw a tiller doing the tiller thing, and net was active in his boat.
Kinda confusing (to us wheel boat guys), but there are times when backtrolling is the only way to maintain precision control in wind and waves. The double bag system was key though, to me. They really slowed everything down.
Now only if we could get VTS on a 150 in the counsel….it would almost be cheating. All in all, my appreciation (okay..Love) of my 1850 grew exponentially on Monday. I was mostly dry when I got back to boot. Good luck…..
btw Wade, I saw your rig at SBC couple weeks ago-ish. Pix on here don’t do it justice. VERY SHARP!! 
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I guess I’ll have to be ready to bust back trolling out of my bag of tricks. To be fair Mille Lacs is it’s own animal when it comes to boat control and wind/waves.
Yup, and maybe pull a bag or two out of your back of tricks as well. I was back out on ML on Monday, and there was NO WAY you (I) could have effectively “trolled” forward, and it wasn’t all that bad out there. Fairly typical ML day.
Working rigs on the edge of the flats was fairly easy with a set of double bags (2 Amish trolling bags spaced evenly under the bow – tied to front cleats)) going in reverse with the main motor, after I figured a few things out. The T9 didn’t / wouldn’t have the power and instant reaction that the main motor (bigger prop) does. It could be done, but that poor motor would be really working and response would be slow. The bow electric (Terrova) wouldn’t have stayed in the water long enough to have a chance. Vantage in back, no way.
After an hour of trial an error getting correct RPM, motor direction to achieve particular direction and speed, I was able to maintain 0.5 mph fairly consistently. Key was to find that sweet spot RPM range and just trust it. If a big wave slowed / stopped me, I just let the main motor get me back. When I reacted and bumped up the RPMs, I sped up too much and steering qualities changed and it took time to find that “sweet spot RPM” again.
Even fishing alone, I was able to fight a fish, land it (10 ft 4# leaders make that interesting alone), unhook and release it and still be on track or very close. Without the bags, I’d have drifted way off the flat or up onto it before. I was also able to “slip” sideways and even with the wind with a bit of practice. Watched several boats in the area simply throw the bags out and drift wherever the wind took them. I didn’t see many nets flying in those boat. Saw a tiller doing the tiller thing, and net was active in his boat.
Kinda confusing (to us wheel boat guys), but there are times when backtrolling is the only way to maintain precision control in wind and waves. The double bag system was key though, to me. They really slowed everything down.
Now only if we could get VTS on a 150 in the counsel….it would almost be cheating. All in all, my appreciation (okay..Love) of my 1850 grew exponentially on Monday. I was mostly dry when I got back to boot. Good luck…..
btw Wade, I saw your rig at SBC couple weeks ago-ish. Pix on here don’t do it justice. VERY SHARP!!
Thanks for the insight and compliments. I agree, it needs to be seen in person.
Heavy winds, run either the kicker or main motor locked in straight position, use bow mount to steer and fine tune speed…no need to buy wave wackers.
Wade I do remember the pro’s of old saying they back trolled because they could go slower back wards with the main motors, no way you’d have better control than a bow mount.imho
To each their own though
Al
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