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| Hello, this my first post. Booked a fishing guide on Lake St Clair for my son and his friends for a Musky outing last August - we got 7 Muskie, landed 4 of them. Man was that fun.
I have a large Starcraft Nexstar Deep V bowrider, 23 feet long, and I was thinking of taking it out trolling for more Muskie fun, but the lowest speed I can get is about 5 miles and hour, and that idling for an hour or 2 cant be doin the engine any good. Its a Mercruiser, 250hp Bravo 3. We have trolled and caught 7 nice Pike last year with this boat - but I think we should troll around 2 miles an hour.
Soooo, should I go with a Minn Kota type motor ( 70 pound thrust ) or a 4 cycle outboard ( and if so what HP )
I really appreciate you taking the time to read and reply.
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Posts: 32939
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | That large a boat, get yourself a 4 stroke kicker. |
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| Thank you, my wife is playing the green card - she says get an electric, but Im thinking I'll kill the batteries in no time. Cheers... |
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Posts: 2112
Location: The Sportsman, home, or out on the water | Agreed, Kicker.
My Prime mover drags at 3.5 MPH at Idle, 2.9 with four generic drift socks deployed (5 gal pails, with 1, 1-1/2" holes in the bottom of each one).
TM trolling is great for Crawler Harness trolling for eyes. Smile blades rotate at 0.8 mph, and our TM drags us as fast as 2.7 mph.
If you can afford it, get a Big Foot! |
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Posts: 941
Location: Freedom, WI | To add to this question, on a boat like an 1890 Tuffy or 1850 Crestliner Fishhawk, would an electric motor work for trolling instead of a kicker? I've heard some walleye guys use electric instead of kickers. Would a single motor or those dual motors that mount on the transom be an option, they show the dual ones for boats up to 25'. The idea of the kicker hanging back there for the few times I would use it just does not appeal to me. I can get 3 mph out my bow mount wide open on my 1750 fishhawk but do not think it would go all day at that. |
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Posts: 199
Location: Sandusky, OH | My buddy has a Stratos 21 MSX with a 15 horse yamaha and an engine-mount Minn Kota electric. Since adding the electric last winter, I'd say that 90% of his trolling has been with that, unless the waves kick up and he needs extra control. However, I don't think he could troll all day at 3mph, he's usually around 1-1.5 (Erie walleye trolling). The only thing he uses his kicker for is high wind/waves for walleye or musky trolling, and he uses his big motor for musky trolling over 3.5 or so.
When I get set up, I'm going to have an engine mount for walleye trolling, a 150 horse 4 stroke or DI for running and musky trolling, and a Terrova with auto pilot for steering. Sweet! |
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Location: Athens, Ohio | "my wife is playing the green card - she says get an electric"
If she saw what they have to do to the Earth to produce electricity, she'll be chipping in on the 4 stroke!
http://www.mountainjusticesummer.org/facts/steps.php
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