Speed/power fishing

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

A question for all our proficient power anglers, joshkeller,kiethscatch,FBL,etc.

Is a foot controlled T/M neccessary?  I was reading a post earlier about power fishing, moving from point to point, grabbing the few fish off each point and moving on.  My lake is 223 acres and I was thinking that power fishing wasn't really feasable for me seeing as how I have a transom tiller T/m.

Make sense?  Should I not bother trying?

[RODBENDER]

Not an answer to your question LBH ,,,but why do u feel the need ?

We see the pictures ....u been whackin them fish on that lake ...

[roadwarrior]

Are you getting tired of catching lots of big bass? You're killing 'em with finesse and soft plastics. Power fishing is for tournament guys that need "keepers". (Oops! Wait a minute, I catch a few better fish power fishing, too).

I consider power fishing "big lures and/ or lots of action." An example would be a 3/4 oz Ledgebuster. I don't think you need a fast moving boat to fish these lures.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

I've noticed, coming into a transitional time of yr in the northeast that the bite is really a hit or miss thing right now.

Looking for another strategy to try when the go-to's aren't producing. I never speed fish and I won't go home till there are 5 in the boat. This can take awhile when you are picking apart grass that may only be holding a fish or two.

Soon enough the big fish season will begin and the jigs will be flying full force in the deepest water with the steepest rock banks but for now, I thought I might challenge myself to somthing I see work for many of my fellow hunters here. My own member challenge if you will.

RW- I was thinking of "speed fishing" as starting at the bass of a point with a husky jerk, spinnerbait or even a topwater and constantly casting and retrieving as I manuever the boat along the side, out around the tip and down the other side of the point and on to the next one.  For this I would need both hands on the reel non-stop while I walk the boat out and around with a foot controlled motor.

I just don't think I have the tools to do it properly.  With a transom mount I have to constantly adjust with my hand and the bow is out in front of me, subject to the winds.

[flechero]

I don't know that I've seen a foot control for very cheap...  You may have to change your name to "Mostly_Low_Budget_Hookers"  

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

I got a niece that will run the motor for trip to the movie theatre with uncle Russ after

And if you ask my friends , they'll tell you to stay tuned for a "franken" version of a blender with a dremel speed pedal hanging off the front of the big red jon,lol.

[NJfishinGuy]

so grab a foot control i just put one on my 12' john a couple  weeks ago makes fishing so much better not grabbing the motor every 10 seconds with my hand. i paid 55 bucks for it. its old but it works and get the job done.i got mine on EBAY!

[Siebert Outdoors]

IMO a foot control would be better for powerfishing because you are always moving.  With a tiller the only thing you will be able to do is troll.  One hand on the motor and one hand holding your rod.

I use power fishing for setting a pattern and locating fish.  Other then that I fish pretty dang slow.

if you cant tell I hate hand control motors.

[gatrboy53]

i like the niece in the back of the boat ,then you dont have to do anything but fish.powre fishing from the back of the boat would be hard.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

thats the thing, I'm not really willing to convert the boat.  Slow fishing will always be my thing.  Just looking for a change while things are slow.

[alhuff]

i'm not sure of the range but they have the wireless foot control T/Ms now.  i could see putting the T/M on the back and having the foot control (wireless) in the front with you.  

then,no matter where in the boat you are, you will always have the foot control with you.

just a thought,

Alfred

[NJfishinGuy]

slow fishing is SOOO MUCH better with a bow mount foot control motor. you can work your bottom slow moving lures and concentrate on your line instead of stopping and playing with the motor if theres a little wind windy days with the read tm i find to be almost imposibble to fish. i fish slow also and i love my trolling motor on the front. i also keep the one on the back if i want my buddy to control for a while also or if i wanna pick up and move a little faster

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Slow fishing isn't an issue with rear mount motor, especially when you add drift anchors, we're talking about speed fishing exclusively here.

[rocknfish9001]

Well i tried some power fising (unsuccessfully) and i use a transom mount motor. HUGE pain. It was windy every time i tried it, so it really didnt help. The wind was just right where i almost needed an anchor to fish some lures. Anyways, a bow mount would be much better since you will be pulling the boat, not pushing it, and the whole foot pedal is just another plus. On a calm day, however, my transom mount preforms just fine.

[KU_Bassmaster.]

There is no reason why you can't.  Is it the most ideal situation ....no.  Remember ... if there is a will, there is a way.

I am in the same "boat" as you.  H.C. T/M on the rear.  What I do is get my boat going WITH the wind, and then cast back behind the boat so you are bringing your bait back with the wind.  Then make your next cast and while the bait is in the air, make your minor corrections with the t/m.  Again this goes against everything you read about boat positioning, but it gets the job done.  Your bait is still being presented in a proper fashion.  I have found this most effective with crankbaits and C-rigging.  I have never tried this with a spinner bait (mainly because I don't ever use them), but I don't see why it wouldn't work.  It could work with a few topwaters such as Sammy type baits where your bait is almost always moving.  It might not be the best method for jerkbaits though.

[NJfishinGuy]

ok ok, i was just saying that besides wanting a bow mount for power fishing that its great and maybe should look into one anyway. i personally will like to possibly never fish with a transom mount tm again. but thats just me

[Pond Hopper]

I have done all of my boat fishing out a little 10 foot bass hunter boat.  First I used my buddies then I just bought one a week ago.  I am mainly a power/speed fisherman with spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, or buzzbaits being my confidence baits.  I have gotten into soft T- Rigged plastics but I always control the boat as my girlfriend gets to do nothing but catch fish.  The biggest thing is to make sure you are positioned well enough well you make the cast because you will drift and move but I try to make it where the boat will be in an acceptable position when I get my lure to the boat.  My girlfriend doesnt have to worry about anything but when Im fishing plastics the longer retrieval gives the boat more time to get "out of position".  I also agree with KU that going into or with the wind is the best way to position yourself before  casting.  When fishing soft plastics I often adjust the trolling motor mid-retrieval.  Here is the setup I deal with and its great for small bodies of water(less than 10 acres) which is predominantly the size of water I fish.  

http://hawgz.com/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?8592

Corey

[foul hooked]

Check out "U.S.S. Micromunch" on Lunkerville. Earthworm77 has an interesting technique.

[SBM-RL]

I would consider myself a balanced fisherman right now kinda inbetween power/speed and finesse but my friend is w/o a doubt a speed fisherman and when fishing out of his jon boat beleive me it doesnt take a foot controlled t/m to keep us moving constantly and it doesnt affect his fishing at all so its definetly acheivable it just take practice

[Matt Jungblut]

i hate the foot control trolling motors

i bolted a 2x4 to the front deck and mount my handle trolling motor right to that

works great and im not standing 1 footed any longer

my trolling motor must be different then every 1 elses u turn the handle to increase or decrease the speed if u turn it to say speed 2 it stays on tell u turn the handle back i just nudge the handle with a hip of drop 1 hand for a sec to change directions  

i will never go back to a foot controled 1 again

lbh feel free to im me if u are interested in trying my method

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

The closest we come to speed fishing now would be what SBM describes as balance fishing and that's all good but I was thinking of true speed fishing.  The kind where the arms are just a flurry of constant cast-retrieve,cast-retrieve cast-retireve.  

To do this, any adjusting of the t/m by hand is a major time killer.  The level I am thinking of is like a machine.  Drilling lures as the boat moves and creeps in a nonstop motion,constantly countering the wind with minute adjustments of the foot that coime naturally.  I think I would be good at this kind of fishing.

Anyone ever see a removable front t/m assembly where the entire thing releases easily?

[Guest the_muddy_man]

HEy LBH we have the same thing going on here in North East PA on Mauch Chunk lake Things cooled off pretty quickly after the dog days this year Our evening temps have been in the 50's One one two day period the lake Temp in 9 feet of water dropped 7 degrees overnight and now theres mats of floating dieing vegatation all over this 336 acre lake

Im doing just find with my 35# thurst MinKota Transom mount as always The two places Im finding them with any kind of consistancy Is in the AM and at sundown in flat grassy beds except they are really lying low into those bed almost touching the bottom Senkos t rigged and Jelly worm t rigged both weightless are working just fine Have to keep cleaning a lot of crap off between cast though

And the other place, right in mid day is under those mats of floating weeds with Zoom trick woms t rigged Cant use plugs anywhere riht now b/c of all the weeds

[Keithscatch]

Russ:

Man if I didn't have a foot controll TM I think I would just stay home. Seriousely I tried a few times to use a hand controlled TM and it just absolutely frustrated me to no end. I honestly do not see how anyone fishes with thosr things

I do love to stand on that TM and move as I am casting. I cover allot of water and cast and cast and cast till me arms hurt. haha. Sometimes it works great other times not so great. But it is fun to me.

If I had your set up I would only do what you suggest on windy days. I would use the wind in my advantage. I would move the boat up wind and allow the wind to push me downwind along the bank that I am intending on fishing. You can use your drift sock to help you control the boat and of course your Stern TM. Then as you are drifting past your points just be a casting machine with all of the cool jerkbaits and Rat-L-Traps and cranks or spinners you like. Sometimes this style of fishing will absolutely wear out any other type. If the fish are aggressive this style will dominate. Just ask KVD.

[5bass]

Russ,once you start catching them while burning a bank or hopping points with a spinnerbait or a crank,you'll want to do it alot more often,especially in the spring and fall.I believe if I wasnt a power fisherman,I'd still have a f/c trolling motor.When throwing the blades and the cranks,it's really a two handed job.

You may want to consider mounting a pedestal seat to lean against,at least until you're used to it......with any wave action (not sure about that on your lake) trying to keep one foot on the pedal,balance yourself against the waves with the other and fish at the same time,that butt seat will be your best friend.

I'd recommend getting one at least to satisfy your curiosity.You can always sell it if you'd rather have the hand control.Let us know how it goes.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

But this is somthing I would only do very seldomly. Slow finesse fishing produces the larger size class fish in my lake with consistency most days of the year.

I was wondering if there is a removable set up for the front of a jon bot that incorporates a foot control?