Trolling speed

[boogie]

I understand that Mercury (smart system?) and Yamaha can reduce the RPM range of some of their motors. I am thinking of buying a 90 hp. and wondering if i will be able to troll with it or will i need to add a kicker ?

Boogie
Poisson On !

[Phil T]

Even if you don't need it for trollling, get a kicker. An older 2-stroke will suffice. An electrical or fuel problem with the main engine can happen anytime, and that cheap old kicker will get you back to the trailer. I know from experience. My faithful kicker is a '77 model Merc 9.8hp.
Besides, a tiller kicker will allow you to fish from the back of the boat, and even backtroll, like God intended.

[RJmjZ]

I have a 75 Yami 4 stroke. The slowest average troll I can achieve is 1.5 with the wind and .75 against it.

I counteract speed by shifting to neutral and back again. If your boat doesn't have a good hole shot, it will be worse with another gas motor on the back. Emergencies are emergencies for sure. But if you are going to count on them happening, rather than maintaining your equipment properly, nothing under the sun will really help. Better to overpower your rig with a 110 electric for those emergencies. Charge the batteries the day before. Slower, sure enough. But with big motor trouble, your day on the lake is over for sure as well. Enjoy that slow ride back to the ramp, keep it to within reasonable reach of the shore line and fish as you go.

[TomP.]

As a good freind guide of mine allways say`s.....THE ONLY THING A KICKER WILL DO IS HELP YOU CATCH MORE FISH. I ran a 60 hp tiller for years and got by thought never deeded a kicker. With my new to me boat with the kicker, that 60 hp tiller didn`t hold a candle to having the kicker.

[grub]

Last week I was heading out to fish. Got about 3-4 miles from the launch, and my lower unit blew up. Other than the bummer of that, the rest was easy. Fire up the kicker, and troll back to the launch. BTW, the wind was blowing away from the launch.

Get a kicker if you can afford it. Things happen. Being prepared just feels better. I also think the kicker helps me catch more fish.

[teamlund]

Once you go with a kicker you will never go without:devil:

[mbrandt]

I trolled with a 90hp Merc for years using a trolling plate. Swore I would never change as it worked great. Couldn't justify the expense until gas went over $3 a gallon. I went out and bought a 8hp 4 stroke merc from Bass Pro. Went from using 10 to 12 gallons a day to 1 or 2. A side benifit is that now I can actually talk to someone in another boat when I pass them while trolling and be able to understand them. With gas inching upward again, it's something to think about.

[Suzuki]

Like everyone said, kickers are great. They are quieter, use less gas and get you home when the big motor gets sick. Mine has save my butt 3 times. I really like that insurance when fishing, especially in remote water. My worst nightmere would be to flag someone down to help me.

[blueroof]

As these guys are suggesting a kicker is the way to go. You'll have far better incremental speed control, especially if you can rig up something like a trollmaster to it.

[yarcraft91]

Like everyone said, kickers are great. They are quieter, use less gas and get you home when the big motor gets sick. Mine has save my butt 3 times. I really like that insurance when fishing, especially in remote water. My worst nightmere would be to flag someone down to help me.

Suzuki:

I'll offer a worse version of your nightmare- one I actually observed and one a kicker would have prevented.

We were running over Saginaw Bay early one morning 7 miles from port when two guys in a distant boat started waving at us like crazy. They had spent the entire night bobbing around in the middle of the Bay because their one and only 12V battery went dead and they couldn't pull-start their main motor. The list of bad things that could have happened to them is long.

Two years later, my battery died during night fishing. So, we cranked up the kicker (with alternator) and motored slowly 5 miles back to port with the running lights lit. I have two batteries now.

I have never and never will go out on the Great Lakes without a kicker.