What is "slipping the current"?

I’ve read the term before, but being primarily a lake guy I never fully understood it. What are some of the finer points of this manuever?

Thanks.

“Slipping is the term river fishermen use to describe the slow, careful process of using river current to move a boat slowly downstream, carefully controlling boat speed and direction, especially while searching for river walleyes.”

What I call slipping…
If the current is 2mph, I use the troller or kicker to slow my drift down stream. So, make my boat slip down current at .5mph in a 2mph current.
Im guessing you may get a few different variations.

mark-bruzek wrote:

What I call slipping…
If the current is 2mph, I use the troller or kicker to slow my drift down stream. So, make my boat slip down current at .5mph in a 2mph current.

That’s what I call slipping the current also.

mark-bruzek wrote:

What I call slipping…
If the current is 2mph, I use the troller or kicker to slow my drift down stream. So, make my boat slip down current at .5mph in a 2mph current.
Im guessing you may get a few different variations.
Mark when you do that is you’re bow pointed upstream so you’re slipping Downstream going backwards or bow pointed downstream and troller in reverse at a low speed?

Bow upstream

lindyrig79 wrote:

Bow upstream

Thx Lindy

Bow upstream with a good south wind doesn’t usually work so well.

IMHO whatever is your power source, that end would be upstream because it offers the best control. It is easiest to control a boat by keep the bow into the current. (lets not talk about tail wind though, that just not fun)
If using…
bow mount trolling motor then bow upstream
transom mount troller then transom up stream
transom outboard then transom pointed up stream

Slipping can be done with what any type of propulsion, sometimes you have gotta run with what you have.

mark-bruzek wrote:

IMHO whatever is your power source, that end would be upstream because it offers the best control. It is easiest to control a boat by keep the bow into the current. (lets not talk about tail wind though, that just not fun)
If using…
bow mount trolling motor then bow upstream
transom mount troller then transom up stream
transom outboard then transom pointed up stream

Slipping can be done with what any type of propulsion, sometimes you have gotta run with what you have.

x2

with the end goal being to slow your boat to a speed that best allows you to keep your line vertical. Will help you feel the bottom with your jig, which will help detect bites & to some extent help avoid some snags.

For me, it’s with my trolling motor, bow facing upstream, controlling how fast I “slip” downstream at a pace slower than the current as others have said. Generally anything under 0.5mph allows me to stay relatively vertical in the depths I fish. I use this for jigs and meat, jigs and plastics, or lindy rigs.

There’s apparently ALOT “slipping the current”. Just drove across the river from red wing to Hagar city, river is full of boats!

What people say it is: It’s when you try to get the bow of the boat upstream and move at a similar pace as the current to keep your bait in the strike zone.

What it really is: the boat zigzagging down river while looping in circles as the wind blows causing your line to get tangled in the trolling motor. You then say ‘ahhhhh, screw it, I’m gonna drag upstream.’

Well said, matt! lol

glenn57 wrote:

There’s apparently ALOT “slipping the current”. Just drove across the river from red wing to Hagar city, river is full of boats!

Work or beer run?

What it really is: the boat zigzagging down river while looping in circles as the wind blows causing your line to get tangled in the trolling motor. You then say ‘ahhhhh, screw it, I’m gonna drag upstream.

Ah yes. Been there done that more than i care to admit!

Tom Sawvell wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>glenn57 wrote:</div>
There’s apparently ALOT “slipping the current”. Just drove across the river from red wing to Hagar city, river is full of boats!

Work or beer run?

work of course!!