New Boat ... help me rig it

[krawler]

Just picked up a new Crestliner Commander 1850, comes with a 150 Merc.  I'd like to rig this boat for salmon trolling. 

Since we have a few months before we really start using downriggers in my neck of the woods i'd like to start the rigging process with a kicker motor setup BUT i've been hearing guys talk about using their bow mount trolling motor more so than their kicker motor.  This is pretty new to me as I have always trolled with just a main motor.  Are guys really using their Minn Kota ipilot to troll for salmon with downriggers and dipsys?    if so I have a few questions.  thanks

 

[Chas0218]

Most guys that troll religiously have the bow mount and kicker. The kicker is for propulsion and the bow mount is for steering. Are you a multi species fisherman or going to fish primarily salmon and trout?

 

Look into the great lakes planer systems for your needs. They are removable when you don't need them, I prefer vertical rod holders over the horizontal to keep the gunnels less cluttered and room to add downriggers.

Edited April 12, 2016 by Chas0218

[Skidplate]

I like this

[Chas0218]

These were my vertical holders and riggers.

 

This is my rocket launcher setup with riggers.

 

I primarily fish walleye, and salmon and trout and troll, I remove the riggers if I go fishing for bass or perch everything else stays.

[krawler]

Thanks for the suggestion but pretty set on tube style rod holder and a Salty rod holder.

 

where i fish we are limited to one rod per person.

 

I hope to fish for a multitude of species of fish eventually. 

[Egoody]

May be little hard to see in the pict....

2 cannon 10 STX downriggers

2 pr of Cisco dual rod holders

Planer mast up front

 

This works well for my set up..

Forgot to add....I can remove everything when she becomes the family boat

 

Boat Safe

Egoody

Edited April 12, 2016 by Egoody

[Sea-IV]

Another tip and it not cheap but very nice for removal and putting back on is the track system. I had a 2012 Tracker V18 I rigged up and the tracks made it nice when I decided to go to smaller lakes for perch or bass fishing. I just purchased another boat and am doing the same thing all over again. Rigging is fun but t expensive.

[ERABBIT]

Another tip and it not cheap but very nice for removal and putting back on is the track system. 

X2

 

 

 

 

Edited April 12, 2016 by ERABBIT

[ERABBIT]

Most guys that troll religiously have the bow mount and kicker. The kicker is for propulsion and the bow mount is for steering. Are you a multi species fisherman or going to fish primarily salmon and trout?

That's what I have......

[Sea-IV]

Rabbit you have my rig. Just got off phone with dealer in PA the tractor trailer just showed up with my new boat.

[ERABBIT]

Rabbit you have my rig. Just got off phone with dealer in PA the tractor trailer just showed up with my new boat.

If it TowneMarine check everything close , good prices ...... service is NOT good at all

[Chas0218]

X2

 

boat addtions 008.JPG

 

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Not sure if you thought about this but do you use the cannons as dipsy rod holders? If you do I would move them behind the trees so you don't need to hand the poles around the tree when a fish hits.

[ERABBIT]

Oh I see what you are talking about now.....I have one holder on each side now and use them for nets or store a rod not in use.....I was still setting thing up in that picture boat had not even been on the water yet.....good point for trac system...

[krawler]

I guess I should start a new post and call it Trolling with ipilot for salmon. 

 

thanks for hijacking.

[jkcffs]

Krawler nice rig! Almost got one of those last year great lay out for lake fishing. Just added a kicker on my boat,well still in the process, and really don't see the need for a electric motor up front for my use any way. I have heard they are helpful if fishing by your self. I think your first motor should be the kicker this helps keep the hours of the main. One thing I wish when I got my boat last year was to have the dealer install one right away. As far as riging the track system is the way to go mount it on and add stuff as you need. Hope this helps and enjoy the new boat. Jeff

[paskuls]

If you have a bow rider with a bow seat I recommend having a custom planer mast made. Use a seat post and have a competent aluminum welder attach your planer mast to it...super easy to set up/take down and stores easily too. I love mine.

Sent from my XT1080 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[Chas0218]

I guess I should start a new post and call it Trolling with ipilot for salmon.

thanks for hijacking.

If you aren't going to utilize the iPilot for more than trolling look into a dedicated auto pilot that hooks into your main engine. That is what I have and I truly don't know how I fished without it. It makes a world of difference.

[TyeeTanic]

If you troll with your main motor, that's okay provided (1) you're okay with putting LOTS of hours on your main motor (remember it takes 30 minutes to get to your fishing spot, and 5 hours of trolling). (2) can you get down to 2 mph on your main motor.  You want to troll at 2 - 3 mph, average 2.5 mph for salmon.  Most guys can't get that low using the main motor, without the use of something to produce drag like a bucket over the side on a rope or a trolling bag(s). 

 

Now, if you don't want to put a rigger on right away, I'd invest in 2 kinds of rods. Firstly, and foremost, wireline rods, and put dipsey divers/SD/flies on them or MC rockets.  You need the right equipment for this (prefer a roller rod, size 30 reel, with 1000 ft of 7 strand or 19 strand stainless wire). Second would be some leadcore rods (chrome eyes, size 30 reel with backing and 5 and 7 colors of leadcore).  If you can do it now, get at least 1 copper rod with 250 ft or 300 ft of 27 lb copper line (you'll need a bigger reel for this).  If you don't want to get into leadcore or copper right now then get some mono rods, that you can later change to rigger rods. Get some torpedo weights like the cuda, to attach to the mono line to give you some depth. For ALL the rods I mentioned in the second set, you will need inline planer boards, get 2 TX44 boards (one operating starboard and another port side). 

 

For all the second set of rods you will need 20lb fluoro leader - recommend attaching 15 ft to the end of those lines before you put your bait on.

[dgfidler]

I use the MotorGuide xi5's autopilot (trolling motor like the terrova, but less expensive) while setting the lines, then turn it off and run on the main motor until a fish hits. At that point, I turn the trolling motor back on, set a course lock, shut the main motor off and deal with the fish. I might run on electric only for up to 20 minutes while clearing lines and landing the fish and resetting the lines. I only do this if I plan to fish more than 3 hours to conserve battery (3 27 series deep cycle). If you want a removable planer mast, consider getting two 36 Berts masts that fit a 6inch section of track mounted right in front of your windshield. This setup really works well for me and allows me to convert from a family boat to fishing boat easily