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Hey folks ... new to the site and a new boat owner as well. I just bought the Legend Xcalibur 18' with the Merc 90 ELPT Four Stroke. I fish lakers alot with a tinner and 9.9 ..... how well does the 90 troll down on its own? Should I be looking at a trolling plate ? OR should I consider mounting the 9.9 as a kicker?
Thanks in advance for any advice.
Pending what 90 Merc you got on the boat, just put an electric bow mount or transom mount on the boat and troll with that.Quote:
Originally Posted by BrnetG
I have 115 merc 4 stroke on my 18 and i use a trolling plate and can slow down to 1.25mph
http://www.cabelas.com/product/trol-...=trollingplate
I have one of these on my 17 ft lund pro sport with a 75 merc 4 stroke works great. Would not go back to other trolling plate after bending welding etc
The trolling motor won't last the day trolling you around especially with a decent wind. 1.5-1.7 mph is almost at a 12v max speed you would be lucky to get 3-4 hrs of fishing time. I have a 80# terrova and I dont use it for trolling. The cheapest/ easiest way to get your speed down is toss out a med/large drift sock off the bow port side so it reaches half way down the boat. The sock will be out of the way for rods trolling off the stern of the boat as well as prop when you shift into neutral. I have a 115 opti that will troll down to 2.0-2.5 mph depending on conditions. If I need to slow down further that drift sock will slow me down to 1.3-1.8 mph. If you not a hard core trolling I wouldn't spend the money on a kicker, if you troll 90% or more, I say get a proper kicker set up. I only troll 15% of the time so my money was spend on TM/ Talon. Try the sock first is $80.
90 Honda 4 stroke, .75mph with the plate, around 1.5 without. So pretty good for lakers.
Always nice to have a kicker to troll close to shore with potencial bulder or to get back home if something happen.
Thanks guys, good feedback.
I have a four stroke Yamaha on my Lund 1775 .. I can get down pretty slow for trolling ... but years back at the Bay of Quinte I noticed I was still going faster than the charter boats that were trolling around me ... to slow down even more I've now got a couple drift socks that really get me down in speed ...if you don t want to buy them throw a couple cloth bags (like the Ikea ones) out .. 1 per side and tie up to the front cleats .. it works without the cost !
I have a 24v 80lb Maxium bow mount on a 21MSX Javelin and can troll for 5-7hrs @ 1-2mph. The sock method is good but try and steer your boat with one sock to the side of your boat, also the drag I find a little hard on the motor over time. a gas 4stroke kicker would probably be this best option. Trolling plate would be the least expensive but always got to remember to lift it when done trolling.Quote:
Originally Posted by One_Tracc_Mind
If you go out on any of the big lakes a second trolling motor is cheap insurance, I personally had the outdrive stop working and had to get towed back, and I have also towed others back. In each case the stuck boats only had one motor which broke down.
I'm really surprised at some of the responses.
If you ALREADY have a 9.9 kicker, I would ABSOLUTELY use it for trolling.
There are so many advantages to using a kicker motor. I wouldn't even think twice about using the main if you already own a kicker.
Will a 90 troll? Yep. Is it good for it? Not really.....but not going to kill it either.
Mount the kicker and you are all set. And have a back up if you ever run into trouble on the big water.
S.
24v I said 12v. And there is no way you getting 7 hrs at 2 mph constant up hill and down. I have 80 terrova with 2 interstate 29's and I can't troll all day at at 2+ mph. My terrova is 80% if I do 2 mph on normal conditions maybe 4-5hrs. 1 mph that's a different story. Unless you got your batteries from same guy that gave jack his beans.Quote:
Originally Posted by OUTCAST
Steering is fine if you took the time to map your trolling rout you only making minor adjustments. If you need to make sharp turn just have buddy pull on retreve line to disrupted the sock, again never had an issue. Troll plate is fine but I wouldn't want to drill the 4 holes to mount. Just me...
I'm not going to debate you, lets just help OP with his question, I said 1-2mph, mostly 1.2-1.5, chasing eye's and yes I do get 5-7hrs , I have zero reason to lie, I'm not out to impress anyone. You should buy better batteries, try Trojans or Optima's even deep cycle RV batteries are better than interstate. I owned Interstate and they lasted 4yrs
The real answer to the OP question is buy and use a gas kicker motor.
I can troll my 16foot deep and wide starcraft for 6-8 hours non stop at 1.5 on one battery no problem.
Just use the wind, don't fight it.
A kicker is way better though.
S.
Had trojans on my triton didn't even get 3 season out if them. Interstates are into 4th season and they still charge to over 13 volts per bank and I have about 400+ charges on them. I love to debate and can do it all day long. You should put more time on the water before you offer someone advice like you just did. Fishing is not about how much one spends on gear, I can enjoy a day of fishing crushing the bank for blue gills on worms I dug up in my yard just as much as i enjoy pitching and flipping largies out of a over prices brand name rig. I shouldn't have to do anything. Some people just don't get this sport.Quote:
Originally Posted by OUTCAST
Quote:
Originally Posted by One_Tracc_Mind
how do you now how much time I put in on the water, you have absolutly zero clue but I'll tell you, I live on Lake St Clair and have been fishing the system since I was 12 ( 35yrs now ), I got a place on Rice Lake also, I put in 3-4days a week on the water all yr long, from ice out to first ice, then I'm on the ice...it never stops, when the lake is not fishable I'm on a creek or in a marina catching gills and crappy, if thats not enough time on the water then what is, I must of touched a nerv, lets move on .....
Very impressive... You ARE out to impress. I think I'm the one that touched a nerv. I'll let you go, you prob on a creek somewhere...
keep that line tight bob.
Ill see see you on the water 3-4 days a week
I'm not too sure why you are arguing with this statement?! All he said is true and a good advise. I get two short days of fishing around 1.5mph with cheap 24v 55lbs.Quote:
Originally Posted by OUTCAST
Quote:
Originally Posted by One_Tracc_Mind
Read post again bud, I wasn't the one arguing. No one allowed to disagree on this forum????
I usually troll with my bow mounted trolling motor with a pair of marine batteries wired in parallel. You can try and see how slow your 90 will go but before you pay $$ for a kicker try a drift sock behind your boat.......best $40 I ever spent
Lund Fisherman with 115 opti and 8 high thrust yammy plus Terrova I-pilot 24v 80 pound thrust.
Kicker only gets used when wind is bad in conjunction with the I-Pilot.
I get a full day out of the batteries without issue.
One other comment why on earth would you put so many trolling hours on a $10000 engine. Just my two cents.
Your 90hp on your 18 Xcalibur will troll around 2.2-2.3mph. If you have a 9.9 Long Shaft available, I would try to hang it on the port side of the transom and give that a go. It should limit your speed down to 1-1.1mph. without pounding the hours on your main outboard. If you are looking for a inexpensive solution. A happy troller plate will do the same as the kicker but you will have a looser turning radius.
Cheers Henry - LegendBoats
LegendBoats is right on with the trolling speeds.
That is exactly what I get and I have no problem downrigging for Lake trout at those speeds.
You don't want to get to close to bottom ,but if your trolling suspended trout, you will be golden.
Definitely do not forget to run a cheater .
I run a 2006 Lund Classic 1775 Sport.. 17'3" LOA, 85' beam.. 2009 Yamaha F90 and a Minn Kota PD55 at the bow...I use the Minn Kota when we're doing a lot of casting and when I m fishing in current ...like at the Detroit River but when I'm trolling Lake Ontario , Lake Erie or at the Bay of Quinte I use the big motor ... and if I really want to slow down I throw out a couple of drift socks (as previously mentioned in an earlier response) ... Big Jack's comment ...why would you put so many hours on a $ 10,000 motor has me thinking about getting a small 'kicker motor' to run when trolling ... I'd be looking at a new Yamaha .... I will be calling my dealer to ask for his advice but am looking for your opinions as well ... would a 2.5 work ..or should I be looking at an F4 or F6.... to push the boat in the above mentioned circumstances ...
Thanks in advance for your responses .... Frenchie
When I ran a charter boat I always had a kicker motor. Why burn up a V8 (or two) when a new 9.9-25 OB is cheaper than a rebuild on the V8? Burned much less gas too. On a smaller lake a trolling motor with one or two deep cycle batteries may provide a good option.
Do you guys permanently mount the kicker or do you just clamp it on for the day?
I have it all, drift sock, electric bow and now a 8hp kicker. I troll almost a 100% of the time and have used my electric for 3 years, it lasts about 4 to 5 hrs on a good battery. Last year I ran out of juice and had to use 90hp to keep trolling with the sock. Motor didn't like the next couple of hours. I also started fishing Lake Erie last year and figured it was time for a kicker, I will now troll with it and have it as a backup if big motor has a problem. Electric will always be charged up, but will only use now for vertical jigging.