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Posts: 2
| looking into a new rig and considering a divorce from the kicker... does anyone have experience trolling with a 300 or 350 verado. I have seen lots of mixed reviews. Interested in practical experience from muskie trollers. |
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Posts: 866
Location: NE Ohio | like any divorce its going to hit you where it hurts, namely the verado. stay with the kicker and save the hours on the big motor. as a built in safety feature you'll have a backup motor to get ya back if ever need be. |
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Posts: 2
| i get all the reasons for a kicker... i ran one on my champion fishunter for 17 years and have one now the last 5 seasons on my ranger 620. But aside from the having a spare and hours reasons are there REAL reasons to NOT troll with a 350 verado? Guys out here on st clair troll in those big boats with 454 and 350 inboards... they are 4 strokes... Will the Verado troll as well as a big inboard? Any issues with running a verado at idle speeds for long periods of time? Other than hours on my mill and fuel costs etc... |
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Posts: 228
| I use a kicker to save hours, too much idling on the big motor, and as a back up motor. The other reason being I can only get down to about 2.7 mph with it and I troll for Walleyes as well. I like to get down in the 2 mph range for most of that! I have a Yamaha F150 and a Yamaha T9.9.
Bob
Edited by bob1 7/13/2017 11:04 PM
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Posts: 735
Location: Apparently where the Muskie aren't | Here is my opinion. Take it or leave it because I'm very inexperienced with trolling with the big motor. Only done it about 4 times now. I don't have a verado but I have a merc pro XS. I can get it down to run as low as 1.2mph with the big motor but that's walleye speed and at that point I'd rather use the trolling motor for that (especially now that I have a remote) but I have trolled some Muskie baits with the big motor between 3 and 6mph. I don't have any problems nor do I see any problems that could occur. The capability to troll with that big motor was why I like the 4 stroke, runs good throughout the full range of rpm's.
But like I said, that's just my experience, really have no clue what I'm doing. But I think it depends how much you troll too. I may only troll 4-5 times a year with the big motor so that few extra hours isn't a huge deal. But if your trolling every time your out you might want to get something more trolling specific, like a kicker. I plan on getting a kicker eventually but then I motor will do for now. |
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Posts: 7049
Location: Northwest Chicago Burbs | Musky_Mo16 - 7/14/2017 2:39 AM
Here is my opinion. Take it or leave it because I'm very inexperienced with trolling with the big motor. Only done it about 4 times now. I don't have a verado but I have a merc pro XS. I can get it down to run as low as 1.2mph with the big motor but that's walleye speed and at that point I'd rather use the trolling motor for that (especially now that I have a remote) but I have trolled some Muskie baits with the big motor between 3 and 6mph. I don't have any problems nor do I see any problems that could occur. The capability to troll with that big motor was why I like the 4 stroke, runs good throughout the full range of rpm's.
But like I said, that's just my experience, really have no clue what I'm doing. But I think it depends how much you troll too. I may only troll 4-5 times a year with the big motor so that few extra hours isn't a huge deal. But if your trolling every time your out you might want to get something more trolling specific, like a kicker. I plan on getting a kicker eventually but then I motor will do for now.
"only done it 4 times". I'm sorry, that's just too funny. |
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Location: Ashland WI | Slamr - 7/14/2017 7:34 AM
Musky_Mo16 - 7/14/2017 2:39 AM
Here is my opinion. Take it or leave it because I'm very inexperienced with trolling with the big motor. Only done it about 4 times now. I don't have a verado but I have a merc pro XS. I can get it down to run as low as 1.2mph with the big motor but that's walleye speed and at that point I'd rather use the trolling motor for that (especially now that I have a remote) but I have trolled some Muskie baits with the big motor between 3 and 6mph. I don't have any problems nor do I see any problems that could occur. The capability to troll with that big motor was why I like the 4 stroke, runs good throughout the full range of rpm's.
But like I said, that's just my experience, really have no clue what I'm doing. But I think it depends how much you troll too. I may only troll 4-5 times a year with the big motor so that few extra hours isn't a huge deal. But if your trolling every time your out you might want to get something more trolling specific, like a kicker. I plan on getting a kicker eventually but then I motor will do for now.
"only done it 4 times". I'm sorry, that's just too funny.
Why is that funny? |
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Location: Northwest Chicago Burbs | 14ledo81 - 7/14/2017 7:43 AM
Slamr - 7/14/2017 7:34 AM
Musky_Mo16 - 7/14/2017 2:39 AM
Here is my opinion. Take it or leave it because I'm very inexperienced with trolling with the big motor. Only done it about 4 times now. I don't have a verado but I have a merc pro XS. I can get it down to run as low as 1.2mph with the big motor but that's walleye speed and at that point I'd rather use the trolling motor for that (especially now that I have a remote) but I have trolled some Muskie baits with the big motor between 3 and 6mph. I don't have any problems nor do I see any problems that could occur. The capability to troll with that big motor was why I like the 4 stroke, runs good throughout the full range of rpm's.
But like I said, that's just my experience, really have no clue what I'm doing. But I think it depends how much you troll too. I may only troll 4-5 times a year with the big motor so that few extra hours isn't a huge deal. But if your trolling every time your out you might want to get something more trolling specific, like a kicker. I plan on getting a kicker eventually but then I motor will do for now.
"only done it 4 times". I'm sorry, that's just too funny.
Why is that funny?
Because while I love all the input on all topics, there are times when that input may not be as based on experiential wisdom as we see from other points of input. |
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Posts: 32
Location: MN | In Musky_Mo's defense he/she did preface that they was inexperienced in trolling.. better than having no response |
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Location: minocqua, wi. | Gregarrison - 7/14/2017 8:53 AM
In Musky_Mo's defense he/she did preface that they was inexperienced in trolling.. better than having no response
no response would be the appropriate response. |
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Location: Contrarian Island | as others have pointed out, sure you 'could' troll with your big motor like a V rod, but if you are going to be putting 100s of hours on it, not a very wise decision in my opinion if for nothing else resale value. If/ when you go to sell the boat, the 1st thing buyers ask is "how many hours on the big motor?"... if you put a few hundred on the motor trolling, plus your other hours, you simply are hurting your resale value...much better idea is to get a small kicker....
Edited by BNelson 7/14/2017 9:28 AM
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Location: Ashland WI | I think his response was fine. He mentioned that he had only done it 4-5 times, so take it for what its worth. It may not be worth much, but probably better than nothing at all.
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Location: Northern Illinois | Wow rough crowd around here.. Kicker is a better option, More control while trolling IE speed control, Better fuel economy, Less hours on big motor at the end of the year = less maintenance $$ and better resale value. |
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Location: Apparently where the Muskie aren't | Hey guys, my apologies, didn't know I would upset so many people. They are probaly right though, I had no reason to give my opinion on this. I was just posting my experience so far since it is a new boat/motor and only has about 25 hours on it so far. Most of the info I tried to give was what I heard from the guy at the marine shop. And the reason I only said I trolled 4 times with it was because it was new and after break in I wanted to see how it would handle trolling for a few hours at a time. And if your wondering it handle fine. But like I said that's only 10 hours of trolling on it so that's not much info I suppose. I used to have a 2 stroke and I've been told (maybe it's not correct) but trolling constantly with a 2 stroke isn't good. So that stopped me from trolling with the 2 stroke and sold me on the 4 stroke. Once again, sorry for my out of place comment. I'll keep trolling with it and if it explodes or something I'll let you guys know. |
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Location: Northern Illinois | Keyboard warriors, don't be scared of them. Post what you want if you can't find the answers you are looking for. There is a lot of great people on here with multitudes of info that are a lot of help. |
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Location: oswego, il | One thing about hours on these newer motors is that you should be able to get a breakdown on hours in certain rpm ranges. I troll with my 115 optimax. Most of the hours on it are trolling hours. The only reason i could see for a kicker is putting those trolling hours on it, and trolling below 2.2mph. One advantage to trolling with a big motor is that it trolls at the same speed at a much lower rpm and much more quiet, escpecially a 4 stroke at low rpm. I heard a highly respected guide once in a seminar say he sometimes trolls the big motor for that reason and it puts more fish in the boat. |
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Posts: 3483
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | Hiya!!
I'd say you are fine trolling with the big motor. The 4 strokes these days are built well and being 4 strikes will troll efficiently. It won't get you down to walleye trolling speed but for muskies and a motor of that size, you are most likely at idle speed.
4 stroke engines are not going to gum up a motor like the carbeurated 2 strokes from years ago. They burn fuel much more efficiently with all the fuel injection technology on them.
With that said, on that big of a rig, my gut instinct says you would be fishing bigger waters as compared to some of our other collegues on here. In my humble opinion, being on big water without a second means to get off the water is a safety issue. Had a friend who was on leech lake and his big motor quit in a decent blow. Ended up totaling his boat because he had no way to keep the boat off the rocks. Bow mount was only a temporary hold.. lost his entire rig because of it.
The extra couple thousand for a touch of peace of mind, in my humble opinion, is well worth it!!
Steve
Edited by VMS 7/15/2017 8:01 AM
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Posts: 37
| If you are trolling on a river with a fairly strong current, you will need something other than a kicker so yes to the Verado. Also against a fairly strong wind/waves. |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | Huh? |
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Location: Northern Illinois | I have no idea lol... |
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Posts: 228
| muskyhawk66 - 7/16/2017 4:04 PM
If you are trolling on a river with a fairly strong current, you will need something other than a kicker so yes to the Verado. Also against a fairly strong wind/waves.
My Yamaha T9.9 would have no trouble in these conditions!
Bob |
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Posts: 246
| Any boat that has a 350 Vrod on it costs some coin.Put a kicker on it for 3 dimes or maybe look at something cheaper. Trolling with a 350 is gonna hurt you big time in the long run.Good Luck
Gmanny. |
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| The OP never mentioned anything about wanting to save money. He just wanted to know if the 350 would troll ok. |
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Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | gmanny1 - 7/18/2017 6:02 PM
Any boat that has a 350 Vrod on it costs some coin.Put a kicker on it for 3 dimes or maybe look at something cheaper. Trolling with a 350 is gonna hurt you big time in the long run.Good Luck
Gmanny.
Trust this guy. He knows, and is talking about the cost of running the 350 to troll VS a kicker. |
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Trolling with 350 Verado