Right size of kicker motor

[Campbell2016]

I just bought a 14' aluminum and put a 15hp mercury on the back and was told I could get it down to around 1mph for trolling for walleye. I can't get it passed 2.2 so I tried playing with the idle screw and got it to slow down .3 but feel it altered the overall performance so set it back. Was told I could use a trolling plate but steering would suffer or change the prop with additional cost. Also was told I could trade it in for the 9.9hp and get back the difference but don't know for sure il will get to that trolling speed I want in which case I will be stuck with a motor that won't do what I want and will be in the same position as before. Just wondering what everybody else has if there happy with 9.9hp or 15hp and what speeds they can achieve. Just a boat for small lakes so do really need to rip across lakes at a high end speed just to move me and a buddy across the lake and troll when we get there.

[EZM]

You are not going to get a gas trolling motor to bring you under 1 mph on 14 ft tinner. The 9.9 vs the 15 will provide little (or zero) difference. (Even if you pitch your prop down to the minimum pitch).

I run a 9.9 kicker (with the lowest pitch prop I could find) and I'm pushing a 18.5 ft Lund Tyee (full windshield, 150 hp main engine, etc..) - a boat that's likely 3500 lbs loaded - just around 1 mph at idle. For me, I have to drop my main (to create some drag) and idle back all the way to the point of sputtering the kicker (my trolling motor has separate idle/rpm and separate throttle).

With your set up - it's likely impossible to get under 1.5 mph or so I think without something else to slow you down.

Your best option is to leave the idle alone and drop a drift sock or two while back-trolling. Back trolling slows you down a bit as there's more drag and a sock or two will act as a parachute to get you slowed down a bit as well.

I think you either have to kick it in and out of gear or go with an electric motor as an auxiliary motor if you don't want to back troll and run socks.

To be honest - for the price of two good socks, you could buy a small electric and mount it on the transom.

https://www.amazon.ca/Minn-Kota-Tran...ords=minn+kota

OR

https://www.amazon.ca/MinnKota-MKA-2...ds=drift+socks

https://www.amazon.ca/Minnkota-Drift...CE1V0ZZM0VAVZH

[cube]

Originally Posted by Campbell2016

I just bought a 14' aluminum and put a 15hp mercury on the back and was told I could get it down to around 1mph for trolling for walleye. I can't get it passed 2.2 so I tried playing with the idle screw and got it to slow down .3 but feel it altered the overall performance so set it back. Was told I could use a trolling plate but steering would suffer or change the prop with additional cost. Also was told I could trade it in for the 9.9hp and get back the difference but don't know for sure il will get to that trolling speed I want in which case I will be stuck with a motor that won't do what I want and will be in the same position as before. Just wondering what everybody else has if there happy with 9.9hp or 15hp and what speeds they can achieve. Just a boat for small lakes so do really need to rip across lakes at a high end speed just to move me and a buddy across the lake and troll when we get there.

What is the Max HP rating for your boat?

Like EZM says drift socks and back troll might be your best answer.

It might be interesting if you could get a 2 hp or one of those micro outboards a try. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMWk6wCbiRc) But here you would need 2 motors. A main ad a kicker.

The electric like EZM suggested will certainly work just keep in mind they are heavy (battery plus motor) and if your away from electricity they can be a pain to recharge.

[-JR-]

Have you tried going back wards.
This normally will slow you down for walleye speed.

[Pikebreath]

Back in the day, the old timers would throw out a bucket with a few holes drilled in the bottom of it,,, same principle as a drift sock.

Agree with everyone about back trolling along with some combination of drift socks (or bucket!!!) should slow you down,,, but if you do drag a sock around don't expect the boat to steer that well.

[TROLLER]

Same issue with mine only I have a 40 HP. I purchased the Minn Kota Traxxis 55 transom mount and it can go from 3.5MPH down to pretty well dead slow. Cost around 4-500 plus a battery is another 100. If you don't like that idea you can also put the Minn bow mount on with a remote control. Either way it will slow you down for trolling trout or bottom bouncing walleye without setting you back too much.

[bat119]

I had a "Happy troller" plate on a 25 hp behind a 15' Jon boat it worked well for getting down to bottom bouncing speed.

[Sooner]

Originally Posted by -JR-

Have you tried going back wards.
This normally will slow you down for walleye speed.

Troll this way 99% of the time in our 12 ft alum with a 9.9.

[Walleyedude]

I agree with the others above, you won't get down to the right speed with any kind of a gas kicker motor.

A 12V electric setup is the best option by far. In the past we've modified the bow of the boat with an aluminum plate so we could mount a bow mount trolling motor onto it. So much easier to use than a transom mount, and generally they have far better features as well. It also helps with weight distribution so the boat will still plane out and handle better.

If an electric system isn't in the cards, then backtrolling or drift socks are your best bet.

Backtrolling alone might get you close to bottom bouncing speed, if not, you'll need a drift sock. Using a drift sock off of the bow is great for controlling speed, it's also great for keeping you straight, but the flip side of that is boat control to steer or follow contours is difficult with the drift sock off of the bow.

Another option is to troll forward and use a system like in the picture below with the drift sock under the boat. It's still kind of a pain to steer compared to no drift sock, but far better than having it off the bow.

[trophybook]

Drift sock just gotta find the rite size

[Okotokian]

Originally Posted by trophybook

Drift sock just gotta find the rite size

I was just going to suggest a couple of these. Never seen in action but I've read about their use. Basically drogues.

[muzzy]

I have a 14 ft Naden car topper and 15 hp johnson No idea what my trolling speed is but its slow and Ive caught thousands and thousands of pickeral over years trolling . Thats the way I do 98% of my pickeral fishing, slow troll bouncng bottom. You may not need to slow down at all

Gord

[dodgeboy1979]

try a trolling plate, they work awesome