wind sock questions

I'm sure i need to get one or two wind socks to slow my toon in the wind. My questions are where to attach.
I have a yoke ( for tubing) that attaches to the top of the toon on each side and would center one sock in the middle of the boat. Or put two out one on each toon.
Or I could put two out using the cleats on each side of the boat.

Now the problem with the back of the boat( see the pictures) I don't have the access to the back so I'd have to deploy and stow the socks over the back of the boat using a long rope to the end of the socks.

Should I get one larger sock or two smaller socks? Or am I stuck getting 2 smaller and one large for single pull
How far from the transponder do they need to be?

Good questions Grady, I've never had a pontoon until recently. I am in the same boat as you and haven't gotten to this problem yet. I would guess a bigger sock at least 56 inches directly off the back and guide with your ulterra. You would need to get out a ways due to the newer transducers range I would think. Maybe experiment with some buckets first to see where they pick up on the DF. I would hope you would be higher in the water with the sock and not interfere with the transducer. Let me know what you find out. Also on the main forum you might get a answer. PM Bowlerman he drifts for cats in high winds. You may have to go backwards. LOL

I dont have a pontoon, but wouldn't get a small one, I got 3 , one is 56 inches, two are 30 inches, the 2 small ones together are not enough for my 18 foot boat, in 15 to 20 mph winds, I have to use all three, If I get another one, it will be bigger than 60 inches, When I go fishing I dont want to stop fishing just because the wind got up. I would get 2 of the bigger ones for the pontoon, 72 or bigger. I'm on the water long after most people have left because of the wind.

I would mount cleats on the top rail on both sides to hook the rope on, they dont need to be over 5 foot or so behind the boat, put big float on the rope of each one, so if one came loose , the rope would float and you can get it back, I lost one a wateree because I didn't have floats on the rope. They will sink!!!!!!!! Eagle Claw sells 2 in a pack at academy for about 4 dollars, I put 2 on each rope.

I run 2 42's and a 66 on 17.5 Wareagle. My advice is to spend the money and get 1 of the 77-78 in from cabelas and hook it to your bridle then use trolling motor for control. I have a home made bridle I run my 66 on and it works good. You need to attach a retrieve line to bottom of sock longer than your tow line. That way you pull it in dumping water and making it a lot easier to retrieve.

I'll ask before ScooperDude will, but could you use the ski bar on back to tie off your wind socks? I don't have access to the lower back end of my pontoon either. Will this be to high up for the drag of the sock? :scratchhead

Dawgg, have you priced a ski tow bar? They are expensive!

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Originally Posted by BigDawgg

I'll ask before ScooperDude will, but could you use the ski bar on back to tie off your wind socks? I don't have access to the lower back end of my pontoon either. Will this be to high up for the drag of the sock? :scratchhead

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Yes you could and probably keep you from tangling in the motor as bad. Just remember you may have to run a longer lead out to the sock.

No I haven't. I got some sort of a tow post back there, might be where I can tie off the dingy!:Rofl

Also: Cray, I plan on a nylon rope of some sort and a drift sock with a float attached. I will look around for options. I got to get it ready for real fishing soon. My wife said I bought another yard ornament, I got to prove her wrong. :Rofl :bash

Just looked at Bubba Roundtree fishing video's and he trolls backwards it looks like with his big motor with drift sock off the front. Strange for sure. Not what I want to do!:fish
Thanks ScooperDude for getting this question out there.

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Originally Posted by ScooperDude

Dawgg, have you priced a ski tow bar? They are expensive!

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by BigDawgg

No I haven't. I got some sort of a tow post back there, might be where I can tie off the dingy!:Rofl

Also: Cray, I plan on a nylon rope of some sort and a drift sock with a float attached. I will look around for options. I got to get it ready for real fishing soon. My wife said I bought another yard ornament, I got to prove her wrong. :Rofl :bash

Just looked at Bubba Roundtree fishing video's and he trolls backwards it looks like with his big motor with drift sock off the front. Strange for sure. Not what I want to do!:fish
Thanks ScooperDude for getting this question out there.

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I installed a piece of pool noodle over the lead rope and slid it down to where it attaches to the harness. Then wrapped both ends real tight with electrical tape to keep it from slipping.

Deploying a drift sock depends on the fishing technique you are using. If you are pulling for crappie off the back of the boat then put them on each side of the boat up front. That way they are out of your way. If you are tight lining off the front then put it off the sides as far back as you can. One on each side will work better than one out the back.

make sure you have some type of float system on the rope so it doesnt get caught up in your transducers and or motor foot.

I have 2-30"ers from Academy (around $12-$15 each I think....you can google it). I deploy mine right off the back of the boat as close to the boat as possible on each corner, therefore not needing any flotation. I just hook 'em to my rod holders. If only using one I deploy it right behind the motor and clip the snaps on my ropes to the boat motor throttle cable and rod holder. My two socks will hold me back for a good trolling speed of .8 m,ph with 11-15 mph winds (whitecapping) making the trolling motor pull me so the boat stays straight. Any more wind than that and I either find fish somewhere else to catch or put the boat on the trailer.

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Originally Posted by gabowman

I have 2-30"ers from Academy (around $12-$15 each I think....you can google it). I deploy mine right off the back of the boat as close to the boat as possible on each corner, therefore not needing any flotation. I just hook 'em to my rod holders. If only using one I deploy it right behind the motor and clip the snaps on my ropes to the boat motor throttle cable and rod holder. My two socks will hold me back for a good trolling speed of .8 m,ph with 11-15 mph winds (whitecapping) making the trolling motor pull me so the boat stays straight. Any more wind than that and I either find fish somewhere else to catch or put the boat on the trailer.


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With the toon I don't think I can do it that way, they'll have to be farther back just because of the distance between the eye on the toon and the top of the back of the boat

SD, they might not get that close but you can still have 'em close enough to not have to have a harness or floats. Using longer rods you should still be able to fish over the socks. BTW, like CBNC said, you should probably be looking for much larger socks especially since toons seem to catch ALOT more wind since they totally sit on top of the water.

toons seem to catch ALOT more wind since they totally sit on top of the water.
you said a mouth full there. Even in a lite wind it's hard to keep them going straight even with auto pilot. Up wind or downwind they are a pain
hence the soak questions

Grady,A guy asked me last week if I needed a drift sock,,I told him no,,,he had a esterling sock,,,made at santee and was wanting to sell it. I see him often and if he still has it I'll get size and price if you'd like.

Don't miss the comment about running a 2nd rope to the back end of the sock. That allows you to flip the sock over and retrieve it without any water in the sock. When the wind is howling and you trying to haul a big sock in will make you say "uncle".

Check out the socks made by Eastering. A lot of the guides who use pontoons on Santee use these.
Go large on the size and use 2 socks.

Running 2 off the front will really turn things around for you
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...a3ed2d56fa.jpg

I got a couple 78" socks. I was confused when I opened them up, the dump line ran thru the center and was clipped to the ring where the side lines attach.If it was left that way it would be dumping most of the time because the side lines are longer. After some head scratching I figure that the dump line needed to be long enough for me to grab them from up on the boat. Since it's a toon I added 15' to the dump line and 8' to the drag line, that will put the bags about 4' behind the motor and far enough away from the transducer that it shouldn't be a problem.
I assume that the packets on the top of the bag are floats and the one at the bottom is a weight to make the bag open.
These things are huge.
Now all we need is some wind to test them out,, where would we find that?