Best way to stay vertical using I-pilot?

Just wondering what you guys do to stay on active schools of walleyes while staying as vertical as possible. I’ve only recently discovered the potential of rivers and the pains that come with fishing them. I’ve tried spot lock, but it seems to adjust way to frequently and keeps you “biteable” for limited amts. of time. To often I find that the fish will only bite if the bait is moving up river or down. What do you guys do to keep your boats straight, moving, and baits vertical without hiring a guy to run the boat for you?

Try auto pilot. But not advanced.
And then you will set your speed to either slip in the current (slower than flow) for go up current (faster than flow).

Practice, lot’s and lot’s of practice

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Practice, lot’s and lot’s of practice

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Now this, I’m willing to try!!!

The auto pilot is something I tried a few times. Not real comfortable with it yet. I’ve tried record a track, which seemed to work.

Use the directional setting to maintain a path at very slow speed. Using the directional setting, you don’t have to adjust the motor direction so much in the current.

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Use the directional setting to maintain a path at very slow speed. Using the directional setting, you don’t have to adjust the motor direction so much in the current.

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That is the auto pilot.

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I’ve tried spot lock, but it seems to adjust way to frequently and keeps you “biteable” for limited amts. of time.

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Your I pilot spot lock is not working or set up properly…I was up by the Dam last spring when the rollers were wide open and we had 35+ mph cross winds coming from the north… We never moved more than a few feet in any direction for 4 hrs (80# Terrova)…I’ve got 2 seasons of guiding on it and I would NOT fish w/o it!
I should get a commission from Minkota…at least four guys that have fished P-4 with me have switched to I Pilots…mainly for the spot lock anchor…

If you mean the fish are moving…nobody can guess where they will go…that is a factor of figuring the pattern out…especially the depth and structure they are prefering.

Honestly the best way to stay verticle jigging is to set your trolling motor on high and just give it little bursts when needed. I do have the ipilot and love it not for verticle jigging though for pulling three ways nothing is better i love it dragging jigs also hope this helps try the burst technique

I agree cup the best way to maintain vertical with the bowmount is to use short bursts. Anywhere from about half to full power depending on size of your boat, trolling motor ect. The thing I always tell people that makes all the difference is to watch the angle of your line. If its vertical you dont need to do anything but drift, if its angled out away from the boat point the bowmount that direction and give it a “burst”. Try not to overcorrect just give multiple shorts burts until your line comes back to vertical. Same if your line is going under the boat, point the motor that direction and give it a burst. Every situation is different with current speeds and wind direction, just keep an eye on the line angle and it will come natural in no time.

Also try using both auto pilot and cruise control at same time. That should keep your boat pointed the way you want it and should keep you at an even speed. A variable shifting wind however will make this tough.

Question myself, I have noticed my spot lock to have more variance than when I first purchased the motor. Is there a fix or adjustment for this?

What I mean is that if I set the spot lock, the motor won’t kick in until I’m further away from the spot than when the motor was new.

Any suggestions?

ET

As you already know gusty wind is tough on spot lick. Some of the variance in my opinion is the difference in GPS signal from day to day due to weather sun spots etc.