Cranking with the big motor

[Perch_Jerker]

How many guys are using your big motor instead of the trolling motor for pulling or pushing cranks. I have not made the switch to the Ipilot so going the foot pedal route on the trolling motor causes some issues for me. When I put the drift sock out and use my outboard I can maintain 1.6-2 MPH easily and maintaining speed and direction are a lot easier, but I'm worried that the motor will spook the fish though.

I fish out of 16 ft stick steer with a 4 stroke 40 HP engine.

[KnightShadow10]

It will work..I dont feel it will spook many fish..I caught several last year with 30 ft. Of line out

[E-Z Poleholder]

What's your main issues with the foot control? Brand of TM?

[Perch_Jerker]

What's your main issues with the foot control? Brand of TM?

It's a motorguide 45lb thrust. My issue is when I take my foot off the control it doesn't continue on a straight path and ends up tangling my lines.

[Rees Guide]

Take a large pool noodle and split it open, wrap it around the shafts where they come together and tired the top and bottom with some big zip ties. Will make your foot pedal harder to mash which it turn will make it harder to get off coarse.

[Perch_Jerker]

Take a large pool noodle and split it open, wrap it around the shafts where they come together and tired the top and bottom with some big zip ties. Will make your foot pedal harder to mash which it turn will make it harder to get off coarse.

Thanks for the tip!

[Snubby]

I've done it with my 4 stroke 40hp, it will idle along at 1.8 to 2mph. It's a lot easier controlling the wheel than it is keeping my foot on the tm pedal all day, in my opinion. I'm looking at a new I pilot tm now, cause the way I look at it's no use putting extra wear and tear on my outboard if I don't have to. Only problems I've heard with using the big motor is if it's a 2 stroke engine (which you said yours isn't). 2 strokes have a lot of noise and vibration that can spook the fish.

["G"]

I did it for 5 years with a 115 four stroke with a trolling plate on it......I caught a lot of fish.....I dont think it spooks them much.

[E-Z Poleholder]

What Rees said. I did that for many years, finally saved up enought for the Ipilot. I found guiding with the TM was a lot easier than using the big motor after gettin it where it would stay straight. MK has a screw under the front to adjust the tension.

[downsouth]

I tried the tm foot control method when we first started 3 years ago. Like you said, tangles up the wazoo. 60hp yamaha 2 stoke, 17.5 ft G3 and two 5 gallon buckets with 2&1/4 inch holes in the center off the sides of the boat get me right on 1.8 mph. One thing about using your big motor, the wind doesn't blow you around near as much in my experience. Caught plenty of fish in this rig cranking. Some behind boats with i pilots.