Drift sock question

My MIL just bought a new pontoon. 23 footer with a 115 on it. Was toying around with the trolling feature on the Honda and I can drop it to 400 rpms, which is pretty cool, but can’t get the trolling speed under 2.0 mph. I’ve drifted with it, anchored it, both were much easier than I thought it was going to be with such a big boat. I’ve heard they are sails in the wind. But I’d like the ability to troll with it when the winds aren’t right for where I’m fishing. I’ve read about using a drift sock and put it directly under the boat, between the toons, to get it out of the way…which is genius as long as you don’t let it get to the motor obviously. So my question is how big of a drift sock would I need to slow the boat from 2.0 to 1.5ish for pulling spinner rigs.

I’ve also thought about putting the plate over the motor, but I thought I’d try the cheaper option first. I know drift socks can be a pain to deal with but it’s worth a shot.

A small drift sock will work. Not sure how long it would last. They make a HD sock called trolling bags.

A DYI option is to use a 5-gallon bucket. Drill 3-4 one inch holes in the bottom of the bucket and add a sturdy rope where the bucket handles attached.

Edit: Have you tried back trolling with the pontoon?

-J.

I see Fleet Farm has a Lindy Fisherman Series Drift Sock in 42 in or 36 in. Any size better than the other? I’ve heard about the bucket…I just don’t see how that doesn’t break apart.

I would lean towards something like this. You don’t need a bag that big:

http://www.fishusa.com/Buggy-Bags-Trolling-Bags/?sku=156533

Used a bucket for years. Even holds up to putting the hammer down before pulling the bucket back into the boat. Indestructable!

-J.

Alex Fox wrote:

I see Fleet Farm has a Lindy Fisherman Series Drift Sock in 42 in or 36 in. Any size better than the other? I’ve heard about the bucket…I just don’t see how that doesn’t break apart.

It will be trial and error. I’d lean towards the bigger one.

lindyrig79 wrote:

I’d lean towards the bigger one.

Disagree. Even the 36 would likely be too big for trolling. The 15 or 18 in my link should slow that boat down to a correct trolling speed.

-J.

FWIW, when fishing big water pulling cranks, I use 2 24″ bags, one off each side of my Warrior 2090 to slow it from 3mph to 2mph.

We have a 23′ tritoon with a 150hp on it. For starters, I think you’re going to find out that trolling with one is not as easy as you’d think regardless of the drift socks and whatnot. Sure, when everything is consistent it’s straightforward but wind doesn’t stay the same throughout the day or even minute to minute. Minor adjustments and variables become more and more reactive the bigger the surface area of the boat is. To summarize – I wouldn’t set my hopes/standards too high for being able to both manage your speed perfectly and stay on the exact course you intend. If you’re just pulling poorly defined weedlines or giant flats it won’t matter. If you’re working some tight reef or steep break it will be frustrating.

To the actual question, I don’t think it will take a huge sock to slow you that bit. Drag is drag, and even small socks work well, especially if you can already get it down to 2.0mph.

I have drift socks I use on my boat, (not a pontoon). I started out small and found they weren’t always enough. Ended up buying bigger bags. IMHO buy the next size bigger than you think you need. If the bag slows you too much, you can always increase the throttle just a bit to compensate.

If the bag you purchase is to small, you are stuck adding a second bag or buying bigger.

I have a good friend that fished from his pontoon on a lake in Iowa that is pretty much a dishbowl and has very little structure, so staying on a contour or following a dropoff is not important. He bought several different bags and socks to try to dial in the speed he wanted to get down to. In the end he took a bucket and removed the handle, replacing it with rope with a centered loop knot. He has two lengths of rope cut with fast snaps on each end, one goes to the tie down loop on the front of the toon, and the other to the centered knot on the bucket. There is just enough slack to keep the bucket in the water. He took the drill out with him and started drilling holes till he was able to get down to .8 at idle. He has a second bucket that will slow him to 1.5 at idle. He also has bucket to carry his fish to the house from the dock to clean when needs one at all times. Works well, and is done for less than the cost of one bag or sock. Been using the same 2 buckets for about 8 or 9 years now.

I tried a 36 inch Lindy Drift Sock this past weekend on Mille Lacs. Granted, it was much calmer out on Sunday, but it only slowed me down by 0.1 to 0.2 mph. As stated before I can get the boat to 2.0 with the trolling feature and down to 400 rpms. That and the added sock only got me to 1.9. Pretty disappointed. I’m sure it works great with a drift, but I’m going to need at least 2 of these to get me down to anything I can actually troll with.

I might have to try the bucket idea. Seems like it wouldn’t work with a smaller area of resistance, but less water coming out of it might be the answer.

I find it hard to believe a properly deployed 36″ bag only dropped you less than .5 mph.
I use two 5 gallon buckets with holes on my tritoon. I have them rigged on a common single line but set so each one is seperate and between a ‘toon.
Besides reducing speed it also gives me some thing to use as leverage for control.
Pontoon is another word for “sail” in a trollers dictionary. Contour following is just a wish on these barges.

I wondered the same thing, was it not deployed properly? At one point I turned the toon and could see it out from under the boat, fully deployed, down a few feet. Again when I originally tested the trolling speed there was a 7 mph wind that day, but didn’t seem to slow me at all if trolling into it. Yesterday when testing the sock it was dead calm, but consistantly read 1.9, occasionally 1.8 on the speedo.

I originally dismissed the bucket idea because the sock is “cutting” so much more area of water, but it still has a 6 inch wide hole at the bottom. The bucket you can engineer to your specs. I’m guessing I go out with a drill and a bucket and slowly start adding holes to see what speeds I can create. I like the above idea of one bucket for one speed, another bucket for a different speed.

If you don’t mind me asking bladepuller, what did you use for rope and rigging to the buckets. I’ve seen paracord which seems a little light and has a lot of stretch, 200 lb mono and a swivel, rope tied to a washer so it can’t come through. Either way sounds like a fun weekend project.

Alex Fox wrote:

but it still has a 6 inch wide hole at the bottom.

What brand drift sock are you using that has a 6 inch diameter thru hole? That large opening, quite likely is the root of the reason it’s not slowing you down. It’s letting too much water thru. It needs chocked down to a smaller outlet size.

I have had several drift socks of various sizes over the years and none of them would open to that size hole. Several were a fixed opening and a couple were adjustable.
The 59 inch drift sock currently in my boat has a 4 inch diameter opening.

Are you measuring the opening by laying it flat and measuring the length? If so, that measurement is NOT the DIAMETER of the opening.

Laying the opening flat and measuring the length, will give you 1/2 of the CIRCUMFERENCE of the opening.

I just used mooring type line that you get at Fleet or Menards.
Made a big enough loop to thread it through a cleat and around a horn of said cleat. Used a metal “clincher” from the hardware aisle to hols the loop vs a knot. Tied overhand knots to center bucket between outer and center pontoons. Then just duplicated for the other side.

Pontoon trolling is as much a social event as fishing. I use itwhen I have too many people who want to fish. I tried using the “big boat” last Oct full moon when we had 4 guys. I quit fishing right away, to hard to steer. Eventually oldest S.in L. also quit and he netted for his future S.in L. & father. I won’t back troll (That will really cut your speed and improve control) or pull in-line boards at night.
Back trolling messes up other boats reference to you & boards at night are not needed.

I have a 60″ sock I tried on my 22′ toon. It will get me down to .4 mph from 3 mph without. Definitely works better between the tubes than behind the boat. I bought mint to help keep the boat straight when anchored on the river but it is too big for that using anchors that can be pulled by hand.

50 inch drift sock got me down to 1.2-1.5 depending on waves and what not after testing it this weekend. Never guessed I would need a sock that size. Still have the 36 as well so I can really dial in the speeds I guess if I need to.