To kicker or not to kicker

[Skeeter Mike]

I just bought an Alumacraft Navigator 175 CS with a 115 E-tec. I'm propped with a 17p Viper. I've got a Terrova 80 on the bow. I'm wondering if anyone with a similar rig can give me an idea of how slow I'll be able to troll with the E-tec.

Thanks in advance for the feedback.

Mike

[headcheese]

i would be surprised if you could get much slower than 2.5 forward trolling. i have an 04 175 alumacraft with a 135 evinrude.

if you could troll into the wind or drag a drift sock maybe it would be fine. maybe the newer e-tec idles lower too IDK.

take it down to red wing and find out! wait a few days tho, fish weren't biting today haha!

[Phil T]

Kicker or not? Best answered by "How far do you fish from your trailer?" If your main engine has a problem, that electric may not get you back. If your starting battery becomes discharged, it won't recharge that battery either. The electric isn't very good for backtrolling (there, I've reopened that discussion).

[Yellow Fever]

Well not an easy question for sure, the comment about how far you fish from your trailer is obviously thinking the saftey factor and I totally get that. I had a 115 on my older boat and ran everywhere on Lake Ontario up to 30 miles out where I live BUT I did have a VHF radio. Also if you are pulling crawler harnesses you will really have to get down and your bow mount will do that for you, however if you are crankbait fishing than I would say you should have a kicker and you have it all pretty well covered.

[Skeeter Mike]

Thanks guys. I've had kickers on my previous boats, so that's what I thought, and the safety factor is a great point. This is my first E-tec so I am not familiar with the trolling performance.

Thanks again!

[ImpactFishing]

Went through the same ordeal. Have a 115 Merc 4-stroke, and would have probably been able to troll with it, but I bit the bullet and went with a kicker.

A kicker is a great commodity. It can be used to troll and keep hours off the big engine, as well as a safety measure if you're big engine falls apart on the water .

Just tell the wife that its for her own safety, that'll do it.