Anonymous
01-21-2003, 11:53 PM
MarkG
normal member in standard member. 1. Trolling speeds
We are quickly approaching the beginning of salmon season here on the west coast and I am interested in knowing if anyone has had any success trolling at slow speeds with a shamrock. The best speed for downrigger trolling for salmon is 1-2 knots which is slower than I usually idle forward at. My impression is that slow trolling is not so good for the engine either. Any ideas on the subject? Anyone use drogues to slow down the troll speed?
Date: 01:11 p.m. on 03-16-2001
Leprechaun
premium member in standard member. 2. Re:Trolling speeds
Mark - we troll slow here on the East Coast when we use the wire line method for Striped Bass. Slow here is 2.5 - 3 mph. My boat (26' Predator) will normally idle around 750 in gear - around 5 mph. If I turn out the idle screw on the Holley I can get her down to a smooth 450-475 rpm - around 2.5 mph - my usual trolling speed. You have to have a clean/adjusted carb, fresh iginition components and I find the MSD 6AL spark box really helpful, as it breaks the spark up into 30 smaller pulses over 30 degrees of crank rotation, thus effectively scavaging every drop of power out of the intake charge and smoothing out the idle down way low where I need to be. Also increases mid-range punch up to 3000rpm - but a different story. A few things I notice turning her that slow - 1/ the alternator (75Amps) doesn't throw enough charge with the 10" CRT SiTex fishfinder, auto-pilot, GPS and Radar running - so I have to throttle up for 10 minutes or so every hour or so to keep the miserable little Group 24s charged. 2/ the transmission will "Slap" and clank in gear because there's insufficient force being applied thru the flywheel/flexplate to properly load the box - sounds really horrible, but they all seem to do it. Not noticeable at 650-750 rpm normal idle speeds.
Also - what's a drogue? Is it what I use - my noisiest/most annoying/whineyest crewmember with a rope around his feet being towed 20' behind the boat? If I want to go 1-2 mph I tell him to spread his arms. Works well on several levels. Can't really hear the complaining over the engine/trans. Rgds, Leprechaun
Date: 03:36 p.m. on 03-16-2001
MarkG
normal member in standard member. 3. Re:Re:Trolling speeds
Lep,
Thanks for the reply. The drogues I was referring to are in West Marine (made by Harth) and are made for drifting or supposedly to slow down troll speeds. I like your version better, though. Maybe I'll let my buddy bring his girlfriend with us after all.....
Date: 04:18 p.m. on 03-16-2001
Capt Big Daddy
normal member in standard member. 4. Re:Trolling speeds
When I bought my boat new last year I had a trolling valve installed for that reason I can troll down to a complete stop it seems to work great I have only used it a few times but see no problems with it.
Good fishing Capt Big Daddy (Frank/VA)
Date: 06:21 p.m. on 03-16-2001
MarkG
normal member in standard member. 5. Re:Re:Trolling speeds
Frank,
Thanks for the reply. I am unfamiliar with a trolling valve, could you elaborate?
Thanks,
Mark
Date: 06:58 p.m. on 03-16-2001
Capt Big Daddy
normal member in standard member. 6. Re:Trolling speeds
Most of the time they are installed on diesels because there trolling speeds are normally faster and they wont even troll down to 4 or 5 miles per Hr. I slow troll for stripers on the lake where I live and down at the coast. Here on Smith Mountain Lake we try to troll at 1 to 2 Mph. I slow troll for flounder to which is very slow to. The trolling valve is installed on transmission diverts the fluid to give you the slower speed but it can only be used at a complete idle or transmission damage can happen hope this helps
Good Fishing Capt Big Daddy (Frank/VA)
Date: 07:22 p.m. on 03-16-2001
Boog
normal member in standard member. 7. Re:Re:Trolling speeds
Frank,
Can you tell us where to purchase the trolling valve, part no., cost, etc. Can a good backyard mechanic do the install?
Thanks!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tight Lines Always!
Date: 10:23 p.m. on 03-16-2001
Capt Big Daddy
normal member in standard member. 8. Re:Trolling speeds
I had it installed when I bought my boat they said it was a $1500 and it was installed by somebody in the Virginia Beach area You could call Sky Boat Unlit. They could tell you the name of the place. I will check my paper work in the boat to see if I have a number. I am not sure what all they do to the Transmission it looks like they bolt an extra peace on the back of it. And run the cooler lines to it and a cable up to the front.
Good Fishing Capt Big Daddy (Frank/VA)
Date: 08:42 a.m. on 03-17-2001
normal member in standard member. 1. Trolling speeds
We are quickly approaching the beginning of salmon season here on the west coast and I am interested in knowing if anyone has had any success trolling at slow speeds with a shamrock. The best speed for downrigger trolling for salmon is 1-2 knots which is slower than I usually idle forward at. My impression is that slow trolling is not so good for the engine either. Any ideas on the subject? Anyone use drogues to slow down the troll speed?
Date: 01:11 p.m. on 03-16-2001
Leprechaun
premium member in standard member. 2. Re:Trolling speeds
Mark - we troll slow here on the East Coast when we use the wire line method for Striped Bass. Slow here is 2.5 - 3 mph. My boat (26' Predator) will normally idle around 750 in gear - around 5 mph. If I turn out the idle screw on the Holley I can get her down to a smooth 450-475 rpm - around 2.5 mph - my usual trolling speed. You have to have a clean/adjusted carb, fresh iginition components and I find the MSD 6AL spark box really helpful, as it breaks the spark up into 30 smaller pulses over 30 degrees of crank rotation, thus effectively scavaging every drop of power out of the intake charge and smoothing out the idle down way low where I need to be. Also increases mid-range punch up to 3000rpm - but a different story. A few things I notice turning her that slow - 1/ the alternator (75Amps) doesn't throw enough charge with the 10" CRT SiTex fishfinder, auto-pilot, GPS and Radar running - so I have to throttle up for 10 minutes or so every hour or so to keep the miserable little Group 24s charged. 2/ the transmission will "Slap" and clank in gear because there's insufficient force being applied thru the flywheel/flexplate to properly load the box - sounds really horrible, but they all seem to do it. Not noticeable at 650-750 rpm normal idle speeds.
Also - what's a drogue? Is it what I use - my noisiest/most annoying/whineyest crewmember with a rope around his feet being towed 20' behind the boat? If I want to go 1-2 mph I tell him to spread his arms. Works well on several levels. Can't really hear the complaining over the engine/trans. Rgds, Leprechaun
Date: 03:36 p.m. on 03-16-2001
MarkG
normal member in standard member. 3. Re:Re:Trolling speeds
Lep,
Thanks for the reply. The drogues I was referring to are in West Marine (made by Harth) and are made for drifting or supposedly to slow down troll speeds. I like your version better, though. Maybe I'll let my buddy bring his girlfriend with us after all.....
Date: 04:18 p.m. on 03-16-2001
Capt Big Daddy
normal member in standard member. 4. Re:Trolling speeds
When I bought my boat new last year I had a trolling valve installed for that reason I can troll down to a complete stop it seems to work great I have only used it a few times but see no problems with it.
Good fishing Capt Big Daddy (Frank/VA)
Date: 06:21 p.m. on 03-16-2001
MarkG
normal member in standard member. 5. Re:Re:Trolling speeds
Frank,
Thanks for the reply. I am unfamiliar with a trolling valve, could you elaborate?
Thanks,
Mark
Date: 06:58 p.m. on 03-16-2001
Capt Big Daddy
normal member in standard member. 6. Re:Trolling speeds
Most of the time they are installed on diesels because there trolling speeds are normally faster and they wont even troll down to 4 or 5 miles per Hr. I slow troll for stripers on the lake where I live and down at the coast. Here on Smith Mountain Lake we try to troll at 1 to 2 Mph. I slow troll for flounder to which is very slow to. The trolling valve is installed on transmission diverts the fluid to give you the slower speed but it can only be used at a complete idle or transmission damage can happen hope this helps
Good Fishing Capt Big Daddy (Frank/VA)
Date: 07:22 p.m. on 03-16-2001
Boog
normal member in standard member. 7. Re:Re:Trolling speeds
Frank,
Can you tell us where to purchase the trolling valve, part no., cost, etc. Can a good backyard mechanic do the install?
Thanks!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tight Lines Always!
Date: 10:23 p.m. on 03-16-2001
Capt Big Daddy
normal member in standard member. 8. Re:Trolling speeds
I had it installed when I bought my boat they said it was a $1500 and it was installed by somebody in the Virginia Beach area You could call Sky Boat Unlit. They could tell you the name of the place. I will check my paper work in the boat to see if I have a number. I am not sure what all they do to the Transmission it looks like they bolt an extra peace on the back of it. And run the cooler lines to it and a cable up to the front.
Good Fishing Capt Big Daddy (Frank/VA)
Date: 08:42 a.m. on 03-17-2001