New boat

[Brady95]

Hey there everyone! Couple questions! So I bought a new to me boat it’s a 24ft Penn Yan with the 5.0. We have our annual trip to Olcott in may. I was wondering if a troll plate would work decent for this year instead of trying to find a kicker with a couple months left. Plus I’ve been busy trying to get everything from rods to tackle! Thanks again for any help!

Edited January 19, 2022 by Brady95

[whaler1]

Drift bags

[fish whistle]

a pair of trolling bags will get your speed down, pretty easy to learn also.. just make sure you get a big enough pair, min 30".  Beaver-Troll is the only device i have ever seen that is made for an I/O

[mr.mo 55]

ditto  drift bags

[Diversion]

Drift bags, ran them for years on the same boat.

 

[TyeeTanic]

I used a troll plate in the past, you really lose your ability to steer. That's the one big downfall.

 

I would agree with the others, drift bags are your best bet ... provides stability to the boat too ... if you have a bag out on each side.

[guffins fisherman]

To be clear, trolling bags and drift bags are different.  The weight of your Penn Yan will shred a pair of drift bags in a day.  Trolling bags are way heavier built and cost more.  Big Papa Sportfishing and Amish Outfitters come to mind.

[Norm Moser]

WHAT THEY ALL SAID, GO WITH TROLLING BAGS. BAGS CAN ALSO HELP WITH STABILITY OF YOUR BOAT IN RUFF SEAS.

[Brady95]

On 1/19/2022 at 10:11 AM, TyeeTanic said:

I used a troll plate in the past, you really lose your ability to steer. That's the one big downfall.

 

I would agree with the others, drift bags are your best bet ... provides stability to the boat too ... if you have a bag out on each side.

So do you run them off the back on each side? The guy gave me two bags but I’ve never used them before. Just didn’t want them to be in the way of netting and fighting

[Brady95]

Thanks again everyone for your help!

[TyeeTanic]

On 1/21/2022 at 10:50 PM, Brady95 said:

So do you run them off the back on each side? The guy gave me two bags but I’ve never used them before. Just didn’t want them to be in the way of netting and fighting

 

Most guys put them about midway down the boat on the sides, right next to or just behind the captain's seat. This keeps them well away from the lines. You just want them in a place where you can get them in and out of the water easily, and away from the stern for sure.

[guffins fisherman]

Tie them to each side of the boat so they lay in the water somewhere midship, but still able to easily reach them to pull them out.  Be sure to use tag lines(loose lines attached to the trailing end of the trolling bag) and attach them further back along the side.  These tag lines are used to 1). keep the bag from being sucked under the boat. 2). Retrieve the bag when done trolling.  The bags are way easier to empty of water by lifting from the trailing end of the bag. 3). If the tow line breaks, the tag line will keep it near the boat so you can retrieve it, if it hasn't found its way into your prop.