DRIFT SOCKS

[EYE_CHASER]

I've never used one and am thinking about buying one. Not crazy about the thought of one but would like opinions. The one recomended for my 1900IFS is 72". How can you fish shallow and not spook fish! Or are they only good for deeper fishing? Any advise would be appreciated. Thanks

[Johnnie Candle]

When fishing shallow it is very important to rig the bag a long way from the boat. I use a 25 foot rope to do just that. I fish between the boat and the bag.

JNB makes the best bag out there, hands down. Get the 72 incher, you will not be sorry you did.

[haybaylarry]

I have had a drift sock for 6 years and have had excellent results with it. It has an adjustable output that makes it really versatile. I tie it off on two different cleats depending on how the wind is blowing. When the wind is blowing hard it can be the only way to get your baits into the fish zone with a light weight attatched. This provides more sensitivity. I use it in deep or shallow water, as little as 8 feet. it works very well because with a stiff wind it dosen't sink far in the water. You can tie it off close to the boat so it is not in the way...Larry

[Birddog]

I use the Cabelas pro series 4xl, no complaints.
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/horizontal-item.jhtml?id=0012305014249a&navAction=push&navCount=2&indexId=cat21302&podId=0012305&catalogCode=IF&parentId=cat21302&parentType=index&rid=&_DARGS=%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2Fcommon%2Fcatalog%2Fitem-link.jhtml_A&_DAV=MainCatcat21276&hasJS=true

BIRDDOG

[justathought]

Whether the bag is tied off short or long really doesn't matter. The fish are going to be spooked by the boat first regardless of bag position and more than likely will already have removed themselves from the path of the bag.. If a 20' boat doesn't happen to spook them when it goes over I doubt the sock will either. Set the bag up to allow you to fish most efficiently and productively...Just food for thought..

[BackwardFishin]

You do not need a 72" for a 1900 Pro-V. You do not need a long line, either.
Any boat control in shallow water (Shallow being less than 8' deep, I assume) using a drift sock also requires some form of propulsion to control the boat precisely. Therefore, you will be using a main engine or a kicker, because if it was so windy you are using a drift sock, you'll have no use for the electric motor at this time.
Since it is this windy, it will be wavey, thus, the fish you are actually targeting will not be spooked. Normally you would be casting or long lining if in "shallow" water, rough enough to necessitate need of a drift sock.
Thousands upon thousands of walleye have been caught in windy conditions in shallow water with drift socks, kickers, and even inboard charter boats all rumbling away and drifting overhead.
Start with a 50" sock and learn how to use one in conjunction with your engine or kicker. I'll bet you never need a 72" sock.
A 72" sock would be handy to throw off the bow if your engine died in the middle of Lake Erie in 40 mph winds.

[B Thomas]

if you buy one check out amishoutfitters.com i hear they are the best thing going

[Todd_NE]

Sometimes fish spook, sometimes they don't. It's a mystery but usually clear and calm is spookier than dark and windy. Johnny has a great point about the bags being out of the way, it's a lot easier to fish that way.

Driftbags are a huge help, or huge hindrance. To me, I want bags that deploy INSTANTLY when they hit the water, dry fast, are the size advertised, can be reeled in quick, are adjustable, last forever, don't spin, and are easy to use.

Pretty much means a JNB wavetamer.

Personally, I'd want a large one for the front and a medium for the back. Their email is at driftbag.com and they'll know exactly what you want for the boat you have.

For you guys that fish tourneys with weigh tubs of water check out their mesh fish bag. That's sweeeet!

Todd
Pain heals. Chicks dig scars. Glory lasts forever.

[Jim Carroll]

justathought Wed Mar-16-05 05:51 PM

Whether the bag is tied off short or long really doesn't matter. The fish are going to be spooked by the boat first regardless of bag position and more than likely will already have removed themselves from the path of the bag.. If a 20' boat doesn't happen to spook them when it goes over I doubt the sock will either. Set the bag up to allow you to fish most efficiently and productively...Just food for thought..

BackwardFishin Wed Mar-16-05 08:04 PM

You do not need a 72" for a 1900 Pro-V. You do not need a long line, either.
Any boat control in shallow water (Shallow being less than 8' deep, I assume) using a drift sock also requires some form of propulsion to control the boat precisely. Therefore, you will be using a main engine or a kicker, because if it was so windy you are using a drift sock, you'll have no use for the electric motor at this time.
Since it is this windy, it will be wavey, thus, the fish you are actually targeting will not be spooked. Normally you would be casting or long lining if in "shallow" water, rough enough to necessitate need of a drift sock.
Thousands upon thousands of walleye have been caught in windy conditions in shallow water with drift socks, kickers, and even inboard charter boats all rumbling away and drifting overhead.
Start with a 50" sock and learn how to use one in conjunction with your engine or kicker. I'll bet you never need a 72" sock.
A 72" sock would be handy to throw off the bow if your engine died in the middle of Lake Erie in 40 mph winds.

KEEP THINKING BOYS...you just might learn something. :popcorn:

My experience of catching just a few walleyes here and there on windswept reservoirs out West has shown me that I will rig 2 bags on long lines most of the time. Why? In shallow water, I want to fish in FRONT of my drift socks, especially if I need to use large socks because it's windy. My 21' boat drafts 18", the drift sock is 6' in diameter. I'll just tell you that a walleye is a lot more weary of that bag bearing down on him deep in the water than the boat going overhead. I've proved it to myself way too many times to think about it anymore. We fish this way out West a lot, especially during post spawn when the fish are on shallow flats and it's windy. You will need to use bags to slow your presentation down or you're just wasting your time. Your experience may vary.

In deep water, I like the socks off the boat so they are not in the way when netting fish. Murphy's Law says that every 8lb'r will try to tangle up in the bag next to the boat to get away.

When I'm fishing this way, I definitely use my electric trolling motor to position myself along the breakline. My boat is a console model and I will be drifting sideways to the wind to give my lines as much spread as possible- unless the fish are positioned tightly at a specific depth on a steep break. Then I'll point the bow into the wind and slip the break with a single, large drift sock off the bow and set the lines tight to the side to keep them in the zone.

I will almost always use two socks for fishing this way, and size my socks according to the speed I need to catch fish. JNB's Wave Tamers are the best drift socks that I have ever used. My Black Lab could toss one out and it would open every time. You will find that a 19' boat will need a good sized drift bag. A single 50" sock when drifting will not work very well if it's windy at all. Again your experience may vary.

[bakward again]

Good stuff. Good writing, too. I can picture your situation in my mind, and I totally understand your sock useage in the situation you described. But, because we don't get the opportunity to fish flats, we must take a different approach.
We are positioning the boat to cast to weeds, shorelines, etc. We need to constantly make fairly rapid position adjustments. Like, Kicker, short line on sock, working against the wind, etc.
I'm sure you know that scene, too.
I really do understand. Every situation that arises, requires a different approach to boat control to get the job done. And if much wind is involved, a drift sock or two has always been a part of the solution in my boat.
I am sure many of us, yourself included, have literally invented temporary boat control methods to match situations as the need arises. I sure have.
However, despite that I carry 3 drift socks, I use no 72" sock.

The original poster should want some drift socks by now, eh?

[Jim Carroll]

> We are positioning the boat to cast to weeds, shorelines,
>etc. We need to constantly make fairly rapid position
>adjustments. Like, Kicker, short line on sock, working against
>the wind, etc.

I'm with you here 100%. I do the same thing when I'm casting. Hopefully, everyone will understand that I was talking about controlled drifting with livebait rigs.

[love those eyes]

Good points, I fish western reservoirs and my 1900 doesnt seem to spook shallow eyes on windy days. I fish vertical as much as possibly even in shallow water. So I also believe the bag needs to be out 20' or so. I also believe the bag will spook fish before a boat because of the diameter. I fish under 10 most if not all summer and with a 6' bag I might catch them in the bag. :) I will be using electric power also. I fill my front livewell and keep my tackle boxes of front for weight on windy days, as long as my moter stays in I can control the boat. Havnt needed a bag yet because I always put the bow into the wind and slow down with the electric. But I'd like to drift sideways so my partners cant say thats why I'm catching all the fish. :)

[EYE_CHASER]

Sounds like two may be better than one? I thought one was going to be a big enough headache. So Jim, what do you recommend for a 1900? Maybe instead of one 72" go with two different sizes smaller or if I get two should I go with the same size ones? I've had some buddies wish they had bigger ones(socks that is)but they where only useing one 52".

[Unlogged T-Mac]

Some good posts here, and a very good topic, EYE_CHASER.

But...If you have a kicker. Try something different, just for kicks.
When it gets windy and you are working your fanny off and rapidly depleteing your troll motor batteries trying to keep your bow into the wind and hold your position, or slip the boat.using your bow mount.......stop.... throw a sock out the front, on a short line, let the bow go downwind....walk to the back, start kicker...put it in reverse... control boat...relax....ahhhhh sweet and no stress,...... LOL.

You can stop the boat on a dime and hold it... if you want...or slip, if you want..or crab sideways...whatever you want, once you get the hang of it. You can change angles by using different cleats on the boat.

You need wave wackers to do this. But, you can become adept at this quite quickly, once you understand (and can feel) the physics involved.
Us old guys are kind of lucky....we had to learn this... it is the only way we had to control a boat back "in the old days".

Works shallow, deep, whatever.

[EYE_CHASER]

Before I was done reading your post I was thinking I'd need the bilge pump running. Had splash guard on my 1800 but not on my 1900 yet. I think even with splash guards there would be alot of water coming in.(On real windy days)I did that alot with my 1800 and no bag. Fish alone alot so havnt really felt the need for a bag. But its tough to get out alone anymore.

[EYE_CHASER]

I called JNB and asked about bag sizes. The 72" is measured laying flat on the floor so the diameter is only 48".