Trolling speed before Ipilot and Variable speed motors??

For long line trolling??
What did you guys do before the ipilot and or variable motors, to control your speed?

My 16 aluminum boat has a 5 speed bow mount motor and slow is around .5mph next speed is around 1.2mph. After much reading I see that .9mph is a favored speed. Never did much trolling in all my years of fishing, where I lived up North we only fished for crappie in the early spring.

I just acquired a 12' foot log chain which I have cut in half, will try to use this next time out.

Please if I could afford an Ipilot I would have one, so that's not the answer.

Thanks,
Pescador

Drag a 5 gallon bucket, should do the trick

Pull the 1.2 and vary the size of your jigheads to get the depth you need. Not many states have the shallow lakes we do. I pull 1.1 - 1.4 on Monroe and 1.3 is my preferred. I have even had to pull as fast as 2.3 with 1/8th oz in fall when they are wanting to chase baits. If ya feel ya gotta slow down use a sock or bucket as stated. But if ya look at a treadmill on .8 versus 1,4 there aint much difference. Your just moving your baits higher or lower in the water column. Now spiderrigging is a whole nother topic. Thats just my $.02 and worth exactly what ya paid for it.

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Originally Posted by huntinslabs

Pull the 1.2 and vary the size of your jigheads to get the depth you need. Not many states have the shallow lakes we do. I pull 1.1 - 1.4 on Monroe and 1.3 is my preferred. I have even had to pull as fast as 2.3 with 1/8th oz in fall when they are wanting to chase baits. If ya feel ya gotta slow down use a sock or bucket as stated. But if ya look at a treadmill on .8 versus 1,4 there aint much difference. Your just moving your baits higher or lower in the water column. Now spiderrigging is a whole nother topic. Thats just my $.02 and worth exactly what ya paid for it.

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Now huntinslabs, I appreciate your advice more than you might think! I would send you your $.02, but the dang stamp would cost me $.49. I sure hope a Big Thank You, will be sufficient?

Go to ebay and look up max speed controller Range from 20 to 50 dollars. Make sure unit has enough amps for your trolling motor. You can also put a bump switch in the floor that will let you turn motor on and off by pressing button down. If you are going to fast release button and cruise until speed becomes to slow then hit button to regain desired speed Less than 20 bucks for switch

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Originally Posted by pescador

Now huntinslabs, I appreciate your advice more than you might think! I would send you your $.02, but the dang stamp would cost me $.49. I sure hope a Big Thank You, will be sufficient?

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Glad to help ya. Still running a 5 speed cable steer on my boat too. Old was as well and the reason behind the 1.3 is simply cause thats what my old boat ran on 3 so I know what my baits are doing. Go pull em and change things up until your comfortable and catching fish.

Your on the right track with that chain. Might want to use both sections one on either side. Make it a lot easier to control boat. Put about 30/40 feet of rope on both. Tie a overhand loop knot about every 5 ft. Use a Cheap Caribeaner to attach to your tie downs. Letting out more to slow down shorter to speed up.

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Originally Posted by cray

Your on the right track with that chain. Might want to use both sections one on either side. Make it a lot easier to control boat. Put about 30/40 feet of rope on both. Tie a overhand loop knot about every 5 ft. Use a Cheap Caribeaner to attach to your tie downs. Letting out more to slow down shorter to speed up.

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Thanks cray Great idea.

Before I bought my ipilot I used a rheostat.

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Originally Posted by Tracker123

Before I bought my ipilot I used a rheostat.

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I am afraid, I would do more harm than good! LOL

I had the same problem before i got the new motor (still can't afford an ipilot but i got a variable speed that i can control better) I would turn the motor around and use level one or two in reverse. I was able to achieve the .8 or .9 that i was after. Good luck!

I used to drag sash weights, one or two on either side of the transom. Slowed me down some but had no gps so I can't talk about speed. I was looking for a desired vibration in the rod tip made by the beetle spin I was trolling. Worked for me.

I trimmed, a little at a time, of my prop until I got the speed I was looking for. In fact, I think I had 4 props, of different diameters in the boat. Before that, I ran a 6 hp gas motor that would get down to about .6 mph.

When I first started trolling it was with a 5 speed 43 pound Motorguide on a Tracker Pro Team 165. I had no idea how fast I was trolling. 2 was to slow so I ran it on 3. I achieved my desired depth by using different weight jig heads and how much line I let out. Find a flat bottom and try different weights and length of line out to see how deep you are actually trolling. Good luck.