Backtrolling with trolling plate

[clyde53]

I recently purchased a trolling plate for my boat, which is a heck of alot cheaper than a trolling motor. However I would like to try some back trolling this year for walleye opener and I was wondering how well these trolling plates would work to back troll with, or am I just asking for trouble trying this.

[eye lund]

I don't think you can back troll with the trolling plate down you will be asking for trouble the force of the prop in reverse
may pull the plate into the prop or at leist bend it You will not have very good stearing. I would think you would be able to backtroll without a plate if you slow the engine to slo idle. my thoughts.

[REW]

Basically, as long as you keep the engine at an idle - the trolling plate will be fine. However, you get nearly no speed at all - since the prop is starved for water. Also, your boat control is nearly non existent - since the motor isn't sucking much water - to allow the motor to get steerageway.

take care

REW

p.s.
give it a try - if you have a trolling plate on your boat - and let us know your results.

If you find that you can't control your boat - and if you can't troll slow enough - with the trolling plate up - simply drop a drift sock off the bow eye of the boat on a short rope - and that will slow you down enough - and allow you to have excellent boat control.

[fishhunter]

It is in my opinion better to get two smaller bags and put one out each side. With the one bag on the eye you have to constintly steer back and forth to keep strait. Just my opinion!!

[whitetips]

The trolling plate is designed to prevent prop wash in forward gear,
backtrolling will not slow you down because the plate on the wrong side of the wash, and the plate pressure is not enough, put a 18" or 24" bag on the bow, I had a plate so I can say the bag is the best way to control big engines in my opinion.

GLuck

[WCoyote]

I used a trolling plate for years and loved using them. They had no effect on controlling of the boat or top speed as were the rumors. You could really get down to slow speeds when needed. Now the bad news, over time, like everyone else my motors kept getting bigger. After 50 hp the engine has enough power that if you revved it up to much it will blow that thing backwords, bending the heck out of the frame of trolling plate. When I got to 90 hp and wrecked two of the trolling plates in one season, I decided it was time to switch to a gas trolling motor. I would say if your careful you can get by with a plate up to 60 hp after that I don't think you will like it.

[Dutchman]

I don't know what size motor you are running but trolling plates are designed to slow down forward trolling. Their biggest flaw when back trolling is they will flip down while back trolling in rough water, eliminating all the potential boat control that back trolling is meant to provide. I think that your trolling plate will serve a great service to you, but backtrolling won't be one of the benifits....

" Fishing is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope "