Trolling Speed

[Moby Dick]

In the past I've had difficulties trolling slow enough. I have a 90 eTec on a 17 ft Boston Whaler Montauk and couldn't get down below about 2.7 to 2.8 mph. Bought some Amish trolling bags and just started using them. Yesterday while trolling into the wind I was able to get it down to 1.0 mph with the bags. I believe this would be about 1.4 mph with no current. Has greatly increased my trolling speed range and allowed my engine to run fast enough to charge the battery. My eTec doesn't seem to charge when down to 650 rpm but does fine at 800 rpm. What speed do you guys like for each species?

[jeffsisson]

What size bags did you get? Yours is 18 I'm in a 23ft just trying to get a guess what size I need. I use buckets currently and get down to 2.1 but I want it slower for the east side for walleye. So I'm thinking about going with bags!

Salmon I like anything from 2.1 up to 3 usually I'm right around 2.5 the majority of the time for steelhead I like 3.0 3.4 picked up salmon at those speeds as well. I let the fish tell me. I start at 2.5 and make S turns watch what gets hit inside or outside and adjust accordingly.

Good Luck!

[Moby Dick]

The bags I have were made for up to a 20 ft boat and are the 18 inch ones. I'm glad I got the 18's instead of the 15's. Here is a link

http://https://amishoutfitters.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=1&zenid=79f6b0d8e8ee379767e98f47781e3e99

[Nailer]

I like 2.6 for kings.

[sherman51]

I think bags are really the way to go. I used a trolling plate for many yrs then tried drift socks and went back to the plate. then I tried the trolling bags and still use them.

this early in the yr you want to go sloooow for eyes. about 0.8 to 1.5 with cranks. then speed up to about 2.0 to 2.5 as the water warms. when I switch to harnesses I like to run about 1.5 to 1.8 then when the water warms in the summer I like to troll about 1.8 to 2.0 with harnesses.

sherman

[Priority1]

I use trolling bags also. Our local canvas shop made them for me. I keep mine rigged all the time and bring them in a window when not deployed. I can get under 1 MPH for early walleye fishing and still keep the engine rpm at a decent level. My bags are rigged to run midship. They never get in the way. They also stabilize the boat in rough seas. A lot of good info above.

[SUPERTRAMP]

2.7 to 3.0 depending on conditions, if I want to have control of the speed I put out a 48" sea anchor. If I go for Lake Trout or Walleye I use 2 bags. My boat has twin 454 chevys and on 1 motor no bags it will troll about 2.6 into the wind. 'The bags give me a lot of ability to work speed up and down. With 2 bags out I can easily troll 1.0 mph