# Outboard Trolling Plates



## Drake (Dec 29, 2000)

Trying to outfit the boat a little better, And thinking about trolling plates.
Do any of you guys use them?
Which one you have?
How well do like it?
And was it worth the money?
One more -
Have you made any adjustments to it for better operation?
Thanks , Dave


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## ERjake (Jan 5, 2013)

I have used the troll-o-matic on 50hp & 125hp outboards that wouldn't go under 3mph and it gets them down to or below 1mph. Works excellent when you want to go you just hit the throttle and the water pressure flips it up.


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## hawgeye (Mar 3, 2011)

ERjake said:


> I have used the troll-o-matic on 50hp & 125hp outboards that wouldn't go under 3mph and it gets them down to or below 1mph. Works excellent when you want to go you just hit the throttle and the water pressure flips it up.


I had both the trollomatic and the happy troller. The trollomatic was a lot easier because it's automatic but stays down in reverse so you loose some reverse control. The Happy troller works good but you have to manually pick it up every time. If you go with a happy troller, get the on that's spring loaded in the middle, it saves you from destroying the plate if you forget to lift it before you leave under power. And it will happen. Good luck on your choice.

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## Drake (Dec 29, 2000)

Thanks Guys,
So how do you deploy the
Troll -o- matic ?
Or any of them for that matter !

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## piketroller (Oct 24, 2016)

I fought with a happy troller for several years, including making modifications for multiple positions before getting rid of it. I would recommend borrowing someone’s trolling bags (take a couple people fishing for a day to try their bags) to dial in the size you need to get down to your target speed. With fixed position trolling plates, once down even if you bump the throttle you don’t get much more thrust. The spring loaded ones are better, but if you are trying to do say 2mph and at idle the plate gets you to 1mph, you are going to run the motor faster to push the plate partially open and burn a ton of fuel doing so.


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## Drake (Dec 29, 2000)

piketroller said:


> I fought with a happy troller for several years, including making modifications for multiple positions before getting rid of it. I would recommend borrowing someone’s trolling bags (take a couple people fishing for a day to try their bags) to dial in the size you need to get down to your target speed. With fixed position trolling plates, once down even if you bump the throttle you don’t get much more thrust. The spring loaded ones are better, but if you are trying to do say 2mph and at idle the plate gets you to 1mph, you are going to run the motor faster to push the plate partially open and burn a ton of fuel doing so.


Are you talking about the Drift Socks??
What size motor are you using ?
Myself I'm using a 50hp (I should have
said that in the beginning)
Dave

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## piketroller (Oct 24, 2016)

Drake said:


> Are you talking about the Drift Socks??
> What size motor are you using ?
> Myself I'm using a 50hp (I should have
> said that in the beginning)
> ...


I had a happy troller first on a 25 hp that would idle at 2 mph without it, and with it down at 0.5 mph and was rarely used. I then upgraded to a 50 hp and that was where my real fighting with it began. I do most of my trolling at 2 mph and after four years of trying to make it worth, I upgraded to a 25 hp Etec that will troll down to 1.2 mph and still push my boat fast enough.


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## ERjake (Jan 5, 2013)

The trollomatic has heavy duty springs so you don't deploy it. It stays down until you hit the throttle them it flips up it's pretty much fool proof. I agree with the comment that maneuvering at slow speed forward or reverse is a little bit different but not to bad.


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## piketroller (Oct 24, 2016)

Drake said:


> Are you talking about the Drift Socks??
> What size motor are you using ?
> Myself I'm using a 50hp (I should have
> said that in the beginning)
> ...


Drift socks, trolling bags, or sea anchors are all the same thing.


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## Shoemeister (Feb 19, 2012)

I've got the troll-o-matic on a 115 Merc 4s and have been pleased. It came with the boat and allows me to troll down around 1mph. Agree with boat in reverse raised above. On thing to add is that the springs cause a pulsing effect and you can hear a rhythmic propulsion (hard to describe the sound and effect) as the water flow causes the plate to raise with thrust and returns to the down position and repeat while trolling above 2mph. I am not saying this is a bad thing, but you can hear/notice it. Also, It claims to plane the bow faster as you increase speed...like a hydroslide or stingray. I can't say yes or no to that since its been ever since I've had it.

Had mine for 3+years and am happy with it.

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## jrschantz (Apr 20, 2017)

I've used a Beaver-trol, Happy Troller, Troll-o-matic, and bags. The Beaver-trol was for an I/O application and the ultimate in trolling plates. They are just now going back into production. The Happy Troller was OK but I cut an additional notch for it to run half deployed and you do have to remember to lock it up before taking off. The Troll-o-matic was good except as mentioned reverse control is compromised (think docking). Bags work very well and would be my choice for an outboard and NO they are not the same as drift bags. Go with Big Papa Sports or Amish Buggy Bags. I used Big Papa (Michigan company) and gave him my boat and performance and he in turn recommended the proper bag size. If I remember correctly, they will exchange bags if your performance isn't as expected with what they recommend.


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## zollcat111 (Jun 30, 2010)

I have used both plates and bags. I will choose bags over plates every day of the week. I don't like the loss of control when using plates. When the plate is down it blocks the thrust from the motor, and it makes it difficult to maneuver, especially in winds or when fighting fish. Trolling bags and drift bags are not the same, drift bags will not hold up to the pressure of trolling.


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## ro2 (Oct 6, 2011)

zollcat111 said:


> I have used both plates and bags. I will choose bags over plates every day of the week. I don't like the loss of control when using plates. When the plate is down it blocks the thrust from the motor, and it makes it difficult to maneuver, especially in winds or when fighting fish. Trolling bags and drift bags are not the same, drift bags will not hold up to the pressure of trolling.


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## ro2 (Oct 6, 2011)

What he said, way too much loss of steering control on a plate for me. Also had a buddy use a drift sock for a trolling bag, lasted 1 hr before the seams blew open


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## piketroller (Oct 24, 2016)

jrschantz said:


> I've used a Beaver-trol, Happy Troller, Troll-o-matic, and bags. The Beaver-trol was for an I/O application and the ultimate in trolling plates. They are just now going back into production. The Happy Troller was OK but I cut an additional notch for it to run half deployed and you do have to remember to lock it up before taking off. The Troll-o-matic was good except as mentioned reverse control is compromised (think docking). Bags work very well and would be my choice for an outboard and NO they are not the same as drift bags. Go with Big Papa Sports or Amish Buggy Bags. I used Big Papa (Michigan company) and gave him my boat and performance and he in turn recommended the proper bag size. If I remember correctly, they will exchange bags if your performance isn't as expected with what they recommend.


I thought everyone used trolling bags/drift socks/sea anchors interchangeably. If there are technical differences I’d like to learn what they are.


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## Dale_8_Fan (Feb 23, 2005)

https://amishoutfitters.com/catalog...Path=1&zenid=3b2b0503f6631af1f7beb2f267aba963

Do not use drift bags for trolling. They are not intended for the abuse that trolling bags will see. Go to link above and buy two based on their size recommendations. With a 3/8" - 1/2" rope, tie the front mid ship, with a second section of rope, make a leader for the tail to lift bag out of the water, adjust both line lengths so that they cannot go into prop or under the boat and enjoy. Pretty simple. I use bags and a plate to slow that darn Bravo III down to trolling speeds.


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## jrschantz (Apr 20, 2017)

piketroller said:


> I thought everyone used trolling bags/drift socks/sea anchors interchangeably. If there are technical differences I’d like to learn what they are.


I'm not a canvas maker so can't comment on specifics but I believe the trolling bags are a heavier bag. My Big Papa bags are certainly "heavy duty". The amount of pull against the bag is significant at a couple mph. Here's a shot of my bag on the 30' Sea Ray I recently sold. You wouldn't require a bag nearly as large. As a safety feature, these will double as a drift sock to keep your bow into the wind in case of power failure.


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## ro2 (Oct 6, 2011)

Correct, trolling bags are made from a heavier material to withstand the forces the are put under. I use the amish outfitters bags, great company to deal with. Have also heard good things about the big papas bags. Whats nice about a bag is that u can sometimes get the boat even slower by lifting up on tail rope closing off back side of bag


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## Drake (Dec 29, 2000)

Thanks All ,
More to look at ,
Thanks again !!

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## thirty0six (Dec 15, 2003)

When running my 16' Sylvan "Backtroller" 40hp Merc could I use
only one bag directly behind motor or would two small bags be
better?


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