Dual trolling bags?

[wvmedic]

Please forgive my ignorance, but I want to run two trolling bags under the boat. I've seen pictures and read explanations and am confused as to how they are ran.

I get running a rope from gunnel to gunnel with the boat on the trailer and marking center line, then marking 14" either side of center line.

What is confusing me is, in the description it says to attach the bags to that line, attach both ends to midship cleats, then drop the bags over.

Is there another rope that the bags are supposed to be tied to?

I'm fishing out of a 2019 16'7" Alumacraft utility running a 2019 25hp Yamaha fourstroke and trolling with three on board.

I just ordered 2 22" Amish bags.

Can someone give me a bonehead example?

Thank you, Jeff

[Clairebear]

When I used bags I attached a rope to the bag long enough to tie the end to the cleat on each side at the front of the boat and set it so the tail end of the bag was even with the stern of the boat. I also added a short piece to the small end of the bag and tied it inside at the stern. This allowed me to easily lift it up and out. You can set all of this up in the drive way before you ever leave home. Doing it this way makes them easy to deploy if your making short passes thru an area.

[wvmedic]

Thank you Clairebear

[REW]

Claire,
When I did mine, this was the method.

A piece of rope that is about 15 feet long. I use three strand nylon rope for the bags. I weave a large loop in one end of the rope. This is used to drop over one of the bow cleats.

Then, with the boat on the trailer, run the rope under the boat and 14 inches from the keel on the side of the boat from which you started, just tie an overhand knot with a large loop. Then, continue under the boats keel and up the other side. When you get to 14 inches on the other side of the keel tie a large overhand knot with a protruding loop.

Then, the rope can continue up that side of the boat. When it gets to the other front cleat, make the rope tight and tie it tight.

Now, in use, have a snap on each of the ends of the straps of each trolling bag.

So, when you want to use it as a pair, just snap one bag into the off keel loop of the under the boat rope.

When you go to use the system, just slip the ropes end loop over one of the front boat cleats. Drop both bags over the same side of the boat. While holding the loose end of the rope, walk the rope around the bow, and with the boat moving slowly forward, the bags will inflate and with the bags inflated, run the loose end of the rope through the other side bow cleat and tie it tight.

When you need to retrieve the bags, untie the loose rope from its cleat and walk the loose end of the rope around the bow and pull both bags back into the boat. If you are going to continue using the bags, leave the loop on the bag rope attached to the bow cleat for quick use again.

It just takes a few seconds to both deploy and retrieve the bags.

[wvmedic]

Thank you REW

[KPKyllo]

I did that exact thing for several years when I first started trolling, prior to getting a boat with a kicker, and it worked very, very well.

[wvmedic]

Here are two pictures of the setup I'm talking about.
So I just use one line off the bow?

[Diesel Pro]

I'm pretty sure that is how I used to run mine. To me the ideal way is to have a loop on each end to secure to the cleat. The one end of the rope would end in the loop while the other would be long enough to allow you to wrangle into position. I'll probably be revisiting this setup myself on my new boat, but for now I'm just going to run them individually.


Each I is a loop. First to cleat, next 2 to bags and fourth is to other cleat. Last I is optional. This would get you absolute repeatability

I---------I---I----------I------------I

[Hopkinz]

Don't over think it. Just follow the instructions that comes with the Amish bags. I use them, they work great.


Hop

[wvmedic]

Diesel Pro, thank you.

Hopkinz, I want to make it as simple as possible. I just want to be able to troll without worrying about the bags being in the way. But I do need to run the bags.

Jeff