Boat Question, Need Advice?? Fairly new to Spider Rigging

Fished Sardis this past Thursday, brought home 5 spider rigging, threw back another 10. Winds were out of the SSE at roughly 5-8 mph (nothing terrible). I have a 1651 Xpress utility boat, 40 Yamaha on the back, which I have set up for trolling. The slightest amount of wind makes the front of my boat bounce really bad. Looking at all of the other boats on the water, War Eagles to Rangers, none appeared to be bouncing up and down as bad as mine, and their rods tips were not moving near as much as mine. Granted, the water as awful choppy, but only about 5-8 mph. My rod tips were bouncing to the point it would knock my minnows off. I'm using 12' B&M trolling rods in Tite Lok holders, was fishing about 10' deep, 14 fow, double minnow rigs. I was trying to keep my speed between .3 - .4 mph. I started out using rigs with 1oz weights but changed over to 3/4 oz weights. When the wind was at my back, I had two 25" drift socks out the back (attached to the harness bouy, so they were about six feet behind the boat). No matter what direction I went in, I was bouncing really bad. Am I doing something wrong?? Is it my boat or some weigh distribution issue? Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Your boat is much lighter than the Ranger fiberglass boats and some of the aluminum boat are floored with plywood that makes them much heavier. The way the bottom is made has a lots to do with it also if yours is the totally flat bottom boat that doesn't have the V shape to cut the water up front in the water it will cause the boat to bounce more also. Adding weight up front will help but be careful as not to cause other problems with large waves as this would be the time to be safe just go home.:twocents

So it's gonna be a weight issue. The boat is a semi-v.

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Originally Posted by Jwater

So it's gonna be a weight issue. The boat is a semi-v.

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Probably the biggest part of your problem. Motor,gas tank batteries and everything in back of boat. Need to add 100 or so pounds to the front. Get you an old inner tube, cut it in the middle, add you some sand to it and tie off ends with plastic wire ties. Split it and make you 2 easier to handle and move around. Might take a little more but that should help a lot.

Another Idea would be to take 2 or 3 - 5 gallon buckets(with lids) with you and just fill them with water till you have enough weight then when you get ready to leave just pour them out. You can stack the buckets in each other when not in use to save room in the boat also.

Ok sounds good, thank you. Would putting the drift socks up front, close to the bow, one on each side work?? I always wondered about the effects of sound on the aluminum boat also.

Also, what about the weight of the minnow rig? I have some 1/2 oz, some 3/4 oz, and some 1 oz. what conditions determine what weight?

The weight's you use is to keep the line as straight down as possible with the speed you are traveling. Really doesn't have anything to do with the wave bounce. I have seen where some people even use corks when the wave bounce the boat. The corks rides the waves with loose line and that way the rods don't jerk the baits when the waves bounce the boat. Now this is just my 2 cents worth on this and I can possible be completely wrong as I don't fish when the wind is real bad myself and I fish with 3/8 -1/2 oz. weights mostly spider fishing.

Ok, was thinking that the heavier weight might make it bounce more. I sure do appreciate the help and I'm going to get more weight up front. I'll have to try the corks while trolling; seen people doing at the lake before. Really appreciate the tips.