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Posts: 74
Location: MIlton Ontario Canada | Just wondering how many of you (if any) use drift socks to control you boats when casting on a regular basis. I fish a lot of really big water which usually means a fair amount of wind of any givin day. I have just started to think about the advantages vs. disadvantages to using drift socks to help slow down the boat when casting.
I was planning on using an adjustable drift sock so I can get some really good speed control, throwing it off the back of the boat and going with the wind using my bow mounted trolling motor to steer my way down and around structures.
Like I said I haven't tried this yet and I thought that I would ask for some of you guys/ladies opinions on the subject so that I could maybe shrink my learning curve a little and try and do it right the first time out. Or even to figure out if it’s worth my time at all. Anyways thanks to everyone for there tips.
Matt O'Brien
Edited by matt_obrien50 4/6/2004 10:51 AM
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Posts: 1137
Location: Holly, MI | Kinda goes with the into vs with the wind post.
I drug a 5 gal pail last year to try it but havn't bought a sock yet. If you are drifting with the wind it can slow you down enough to cover an area better and even get that second or third cast at that spot on the spot. |
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Posts: 185
Location: Pound, WI | Any idea of what they cost?
Brian |
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Posts: 4266
| I have one and use it a lot when the wind is howling. Boat control is a little harder, and any fish that you hook will undoubtedly head for the bag. So have somebody ready to pull the bag if you hook a fish. They've helped me to slow down and make good presentations on extremely windy days.
Beav |
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Posts: 74
Location: MIlton Ontario Canada | They are around $100 Canadian. I was looking at them a couple weeks ago at the Spring fishing show in Toronto. I was talking to a couple Bass pros about them and they said that it was a good idea. I am fishing out of a 20 foot boat so I am thinking that it should be pretty easy to keep the muskie away from the sock but we'll see. Just kind of worried about being able to steer the boat around tight structures. But I am thinking that it will be worth it on really windy days where with out a sock I would be drifting by spots to fast. I use a 76 pound thrust electric that did an alright job last year in the wind but not quite strong enough so hopefully this drift sock experiment will work out for me. Thanks for the tips guys...
Matt
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Posts: 1137
Location: Holly, MI | Cabela's has 5 different ones from $24.99 to $109.99
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/search/adv-prod-search-... |
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Posts: 259
Location: Alexandria, MN | I use one on my 19'6" boat and it really helps to slow the drift on those windy
days. I have a float on the harness, so when I hook a fish, I can release the
bag and let it float away. It has a bright orange float on it, so it's easy to go pick
up after the fish is released. If the fish is hooked away from the boat and I have
somebody in the boat with me, we will pull the sock in, rather than releasing it --
just a quick way to clear the bag if I am solo and hook-up at boat side.
I would say they are another tool that is worth exploring.
Steve |
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Posts: 333
Location: menasha wi 54952 | I would agree with Steve 100%. I actually have two drift socks. There are times when you need to keep the boat at a certain angle and one off both ends of the boat is the way to go. You can still move the boat with your trolling motor and cover the spot. Cabelas drift socks are inexpensive and work as well as the high dollar ones. It is well worth having one!!!! |
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Posts: 827
Location: Minneapolis,Minnesota | I got one at Fleet Farm last weekend for $38.00 and if you brought the receipt to the service desk they gave you the float buoy thingy for free.
The buoy is nice if you get a big fish on. You can release the sock from the boat and go pick it up after the photo session.
Edited by Phish Killer 4/6/2004 2:16 PM
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Posts: 2691
Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin | Good info about drift socks.
I like the detachable sock with a float. Good advice Steve.
Also I can see how two would be great for drifting larger weed flats on big water.
Great, more stuff to buy !!!
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Posts: 74
Location: MIlton Ontario Canada | Great Info guys couple more things I wanna ask here. Do any of you know which ones are the best for a 20 foot boat? Like what make? and what size? I am thinking that getting one with an adjutable hole where you can change the size of the hole to get perfect resistance. Definately with a release and float to get it out of the when fishing with a partner would be great.
thanks again
Matt |
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Posts: 373
Location: Huber Heights, Ohio | You need to talk to Rich W or grichard about drift socks. I watched them for a bit during the Cave Run Outing, and they have it down pat. They worked a shoreline with some wind better than you could with a trolling motor. FYI, they don't even have a trolling motor on their boat!!! |
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Posts: 74
Location: MIlton Ontario Canada | David
How can I get in touch with these guys do they ahve a web site or e mail adress where I could contact them?
or does any one else have contact infor for these guys?
Matt |
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Posts: 373
Location: Huber Heights, Ohio | The only way I know is to post a message for one of them to contact you, they don't have their emails listed. |
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Posts: 194
Location: Southwest PA | Matt
You wont go wrong with a drift sock. As David 4 said I dont have a trolling motor, all I use is a drift sock and my outboard. You'll want to make sure you get a good poly drift sock rope with a float and swivel. I got mine from Cabela's, its 22" in diameter, which according to Cabela's is for 18-20ft boat. My boats a 16ft aluminum jon. All I was doing down at Cave Run was lining up with the shore line in a bay that was on the wind blown side of the lake and letting the boat drift along the shoreline, using the outboard as rudder to help steer the boat where I wanted it to go.
We had the drift sock out when Gary caught his big fish.
If you have any other questions, I'd be glad to answer them the best I can.
Rich W |
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Posts: 74
Location: MIlton Ontario Canada | I just took a look at the drift socks that they have available on the Cabela's web site and I couldn't tell which ones had Swivals on them. By the pictures and desciptions I dont think any of them did. I think a having a swival on there would be key. They haveone that have floats and sinkers on them to stop from twisting too. Would those ones work as good I wonder? Anyways I have the day off here so I am goin Stealhead fishing for the rest of the day we got 3 the other night all flodering #3 bladed Mepp's Aglias down with the current right in front of these spawning trouts faces! What a great tactic. It's kinda funny how I fish for rainbows with a muskie state of mind. Covering water looking for active fish instead of floating roe through a pool a thouseand times. Its hard work but someone's got to do it I figure hahaha
matt
thanks for the tips again guys......I got a one track mind 
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Posts: 194
Location: Southwest PA | Matt,
I'm referring to 2 different items, the drift sock itself, and the drift sock rope.
I dont think Cabela's has a good drift sock rope available anymore, if you look in Bass Pro Shop, you'll find a good a rope like I'm talking.
Rich W. |
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Posts: 74
Location: MIlton Ontario Canada | Thanks a lot rich! I think I have a pretty good idea of the one that I am going to buy now just hope that it works out for me on the water I can't really see why it wouldn't though. Just another weapon.....
Matt |
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Drift Sock's for Casting