Driving the Boat

[Has Been]

The last few trips out there was a  good bit of chop on the water. I was getting a little aggrivated at both my bro & son on how they were driving . I can tell from the back that our lines were not doing what I thought they should. Said somthing to my Bro & he  told me if I could do better to take over. The Last few days if I was not driving we   did not hook up. We had around 15 hits the last few day & I was driving for probably 12 of them. A part of the equation not talked about on here to much but is super important IMO.

 

I don't care where you are fishing or what you are using , if you are not doing the right thing, you may as well be mowing your lawn.

[Guidewayneo]

I have this problem a lot. None of my friends own boats (they might be the smart ones) and have trouble keeping the boat straight. It is frustrating. I just try to get gear set and get back behind the wheel. Its not worth lossing a fishing parnter over bc its even harder to keep the boat straight and set gear alone lol.

Sent from my LG-VS700 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[CaptSpike]

This is exactly why I got Autopilot, lol. Of course my auto pilot can't keep the speed right, lol. Definitely not worth losing your temper over. Just have to realize limitations of your crew. Before Autopilot I never got to fight a fish going into big waves, lol. I took my turns going with the wind.

 

Spike

[Thun]

Hooper drives the boat chief

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8_qb9Y-exA

[Poles293]

Hooper drives the boat chief

Thun that's classic!!

[outback kennels]

No one likes to drive that is why a tr1 gold is the best money I ever spent I dont no how we fished with out it

[Chas0218]

My wife is the same way and it is usually due to her being on the phone or distracted in some way. I know what you mean and it is really hard not to lose your temper when you have money in gear that it's in jeoprady. My sister in law however has no problem driving in a straight line except she can't drive the car to save her life.

Next year I will have auto pilot before the season starts.

Sent from my thinking chair...

[Has Been]

It's not that they don't drive straight,it's that they don't drive correctly. Don't do the things to make the fish hit,to draw a strike. I have tricks I learned over the years that turn slow day into OK days.We will be over fish & I will take over ,do what I do & shortly we hookup. This happens a lot.

[King Slammin]

This is why I fish for fun and don't enter any of the tourneys. My crew is my 13yr old son, my grandad and I. On calm days my son or my grandad drive alright and I can work the rods to trigger bites. However, any chop over 2-3' and I'm stuck at the helm and the rods get little attention

[lost a lure]

It's not that they don't drive straight,it's that they don't drive correctly. Don't do the things to make the fish hit,to draw a strike. I have tricks I learned over the years that turn slow day into OK days.We will be over fish & I will take over ,do what I do & shortly we hookup. This happens a lot.

Did you show them how to drive correctly? Can you share that with us?

[Totally Hooked]

I have the exact same problem. My wife is an awesome fishing partner and loves to go out with us but when I ask her to drive the boat we are usually arguing with each other after a while (like one minute). It's really not worth getting too stressed out over, we're supposed to be having fun. What I see with the rookies is that they try to navigate toward a point out in front of them even if you are not heading toward shore? When I am standing in the back of the boat saying hey your turning pretty hard she says no I'm not! Turn around and look at the lines all pulling to one side I say. Somehow it ends up being my fault LOL. The driver really needs to watch the lines as much as out front IMO. I will say that it doesn't take real rough water to make driving a pain in the butt and people jumping around the back of the boat doesn't help either.

[Out-cast]

I usually put my front electric trolling motor down right from the start and put it on North (you need I-pilot). it wont keep the boat at the right speed but it will keep us in the general direction .I also find putting out the planer boards help keep things on the straight and narrow. Better have a good mast in 2-3 footers though.

[Icehut]

Do all boats steer like a 1979 Suburban?

 

Eg: you spin the wheel and nothing happens until a full revolution, then the stupid boat finally responds, by which time you'd better be spinning the wheel the other way... so it's basically impossible to keep straight?

 

My buddy the boat owner insists that this is how boats drive... I'm like check your linkages or something, it's retarded. It's an old 20' inboard.

 

And what are all these super tricks that the master boat drivers use to goad the fish into striking???

 

I never want to get a boating license, driving the boat sucks bad.

[Sk8man]

Steering a boat isn't rocket science....but it takes focused attention..... people can't be looking at their Iphones and texting or rummaging through the cooler to get a drink and steer properly at the same time. Many times we get used to our own particular "systems" and ways of doing things and then either forget or fail to communicate important details to others who take over steering for us and then expect them to know these little basic "ins and outs" such as using a specific compass heading, staying with a landmark, cutting across waves at an angle, or watching the angles and positions of the lines and then we get pissed at the people for not doing what we want them to do. Most of the time the responsibility (and blame) resides with US. It is often because we are so "into" our fishing game and anxious to get started etc. that we don't take the necessary time to go over what to do and the reasons for doing it a certain way. Its probably 50 percent of the reason my wife doesn't fish with me anymore

Edited September 10, 2013 by Sk8man

[Icehut]

I think you may be over-thinking it.

 

Trolling is kind of a no-brainer, isn't it?

 

You're not stalking a fish feeding in clear shallow water, trying to get a drag-free drift with an exact imitation of the 4mm long insect that it's choosing to feed on that particular hour, which is what fly fishers face.

 

The electronics do all the work, and you don't even have to set the hook!

 

If you have people willing to sit and steer a boat, which is about the most boring thing in the world, why don't you just let them do it and quit worrying about trifles???

[Tim Bromund]

Ahhh the voice of ignorance, ya gotta love it.

[Sk8man]

:smile:  Tim

[skipper19]

Ahhh the voice of ignorance, ya gotta love it.

LOL!...TIM, didn't you ever try to cast 8 flyrods at once and never have to worry about any current?...come on!

Sent from my PC36100 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[Chas0218]

My biggest advice to novice divers "les is more" make smaller corrections because it isn't instant results. Generally they get the hang of it except my one buddy.

He locks it out one direction then cranks as hard as he can to opposite lock out. By the way I have cable steering. He truly looks like a monkey f*****g a coconut.

Sent from my thinking chair...

[Chas0218]

I have the exact same problem. My wife is an awesome fishing partner and loves to go out with us but when I ask her to drive the boat we are usually arguing with each other after a while (like one minute). It's really not worth getting too stressed out over, we're supposed to be having fun. What I see with the rookies is that they try to navigate toward a point out in front of them even if you are not heading toward shore? When I am standing in the back of the boat saying hey your turning pretty hard she says no I'm not! Turn around and look at the lines all pulling to one side I say. Somehow it ends up being my fault LOL. The driver really needs to watch the lines as much as out front IMO. I will say that it doesn't take real rough water to make driving a pain in the butt and people jumping around the back of the boat doesn't help either.

The best is when you tell her to follow that boat ahead so she does and it starts to make a turn and she starts to turn with it then you start "yelling at her to drive left or right". Gotta love it.

Sent from my thinking chair...

[Xxx]

I think you may be over-thinking it.

 

Trolling is kind of a no-brainer, isn't it?

 

You're not stalking a fish feeding in clear shallow water, trying to get a drag-free drift with an exact imitation of the 4mm long insect that it's choosing to feed on that particular hour, which is what fly fishers face.

 

The electronics do all the work, and you don't even have to set the hook!

 

If you have people willing to sit and steer a boat, which is about the most boring thing in the world, why don't you just let them do it and quit worrying about trifles???

I think you should come out of your brain freeze icehut and warm up a little,I have a 30 year old 22ft boat that has power assist steering that is as tight as the day it was made, with only 440hrs on it how could it possibly have any play in it. If you ever get the chance to drive a boat that doesn't have a million miles in reverse on it you might think differently.

[RYE]

Gotta say it, author you should continue driving the boat....or spend the time on the slow days teaching your students the "tricks" you possess. If you gamble on ap doing all the work you'll miss a lot of opportunities.. driving a "no-brainer"?  Most days without a good driver, who knows the electronics, and boats' characteristics in and out, results are a light cooler, my opinion. Yes, as we have all seen, some days the fish seem to jump on the lines, but most days they do not, requiring those lil driving techniques to fill in the blanks....Autopilot surely has it's place but it will never out do a knowledgeable fisherman at the wheel...

[Has Been]

Exactly what I have been saying on here since day one. Angler expertice trumps all. Just got back from the ADK's with my buddys on a bass pike trip. They use the same exact same thing I do & I outfish them 5 to one. I tell them & show them but I still catch more. Why? because it is the little things that make all the difference on the slow days.

 

 I still say trolling really isn't fishing  & the electronics are depended on to much by some. I don't have down temp or speed, I have surface speed but  I left the boat in the water all summer & funk grew on the paddle & it wasn't accurate. I didn't even turn on my hanheld GPS most of the time. And I felt I had a pretty good Orleans & LOC derby w/ many kings & steel boated.

 

 

 When I Bass or pike or Fly fish I use my rod to impart action  I think makes the fish hit on my lure. When trolling after setting the line , the only way toimpart  that action to the lure  is by driving the boat

Edited September 12, 2013 by Has Been

[Fish Hunter]

My rod and my reel, they comfort me.

[Steve.e]

I have a 19v starcraft islander, NOBODY can keep that thing going straight in choppy water at trolling speeds!!! I drag bags and that doesn't make it easier either.