How to fish the river with out a trolling motor?

[Big Jeff]

Hey guys looking for a few tips, I have a 75 larson tri hull with a 65 hp Merc. I have not found a good way to mount a trolling motor so I have been tiring to fish with out it, went out last Sunday and did an ok job just drifting with the current, thank god it wasn't crowded. I usually like to stay around the Prescott area and sometime venture up to the Kinny. And I am not sure I can even through an anchor in most of those places If anyone has any tips on boat control they are much appreciated!

[Fishin4Skies]

You could pick up a lindy's drift sock!! cost you about $50 for setup, depending on your boat size, i love it for 21' boat in wind, although i havn't used it much in current.

Good Luck.

[b1gf1sh1]

you can also get, along with a quality drift sock, a prop flow dampener. cabela's has an excellent one that's spring loaded so you need not put it down manually, or break shear pins after forgetting to release it to take off. i can get my 135 down to less than 2 mph and along with my sock to less than 1 mph. i don't troll alot but i do through the no wakes. good luck

[Big Jeff]

I did purchase a drift sock this summer but I have yet to use it with this boat. If you use it when you’re trolling do you put it off the front? I haven’t had a lot of experience with the drift sock, I have only used it when I needed to slow a drift from the wind and waves. Also, I did a little jimmy rigging last night and I made a 2X4 mount for a rear trolling motor to go off the front. So if you see a big blue tub fishing out there you might see my handy work it kind of looks like put a battle ram on the front but if it works for some river fishing we care how pretty it is right.

[b1gf1sh1]

off the front. to back troll i like mine off on the side. alot of guys like it on the front winch eyehook. i seem to get better control off the side front cleat. for forward trolling off the winch hook in front with enough line to allow it to fully open underneath the boat and not get caught in the prop. with practice it's a deadly tool. for drifting, if you have sonar tie it off to the front cleat with about 10 feet of cord out on the side your transducer is on and keep your motor in the water. steer your motor however it needs to be to keep your transducer in the same spot, as you drift, you want it kind of a sideways backward drift. stand between your screen and the transducer, probly a little closer to the screen. if you see fish(or bait pods) between 20 and 30 feet put out thirty feet. now watch your screen, if you see a fish at 20 feet raise your arm up to get it to 20.(easier with long rods).see it at 25 raise it 5, lower to 30 for 30, and so on. i get alot of suspended cats in 60 feet this way at 20-30 ft. alot of fun too. waldo's, crappie and sheepies too. is spring here yet?

[MidCoast]

Get a small motor, 1 or 2 hp and use that as a trolling motor... Otherwise, just anchor. Drift socks will slow your boat down, but you would NOT be able to navigate your boat with it...

[DetectDave]

I'm a big fan of the Hussle Trolling plates. I use it on my 22' boat and I can get down to right at 1.1 mph w/it on my 150 Johnson. Here's a link to the company:

http://www.johnsonmarinesupply.com/

Just a heads up on these guys, I broke my plate off last year by my boat rocking backward while I was trimmed down in and up on the shore while kids were swimming. Called the owner and he said it shouldn't have happened and sent me a new one at no cost ($169)...now that is customer service in my book. You can also pick them up on eBay as well.