Rigging Your Trolling Bags

[Moby Dick]

I just bought 2 amish 18 inch trolling bags. I tried rigging them with 1 line coming off my bow chock. I tied the bags together so they would run between the keel and side sponsons. I have a 17 foot Boston Whaler Montauk which has a deep center keel and then smaller sponsons on each side. This setup didn't work. The bags were running about halfway back in the boat as I wanted to keep them out of the fish landing area. My minimum trolling speed was 2.8-2.9 mph in calm water without the bags. With the bags, I got my speed down to 2.2 mph but steering was very painfull. Seems like they should have made a bigger impact. I currently considering running both bags off the bow chock each with their own line and tie the backs of each to the side rails near the console. Anyone have any suggestions?

[Paulywood]

"I currently considering running both bags off the bow chock each with their own line and tie the backs of each to the side rails near the console. Anyone have any suggestions? "

This is how I run mine. I have a set of cleats on each side on the front of the boat. I run a line from the cleat to the front of the bag. Then I have a short line that runs from the back of the bag up to the rail. I tried a smaller set of bags, I think around 20", and they didn't slow the boat down enough for walleye. I upgraded to a set of 28" bags and they work great. My boat is 22'.

[Just Hook'n]

I run bags almost every time out.

1. my boat is a little higher off the water because I have an aft cabin. Soooo, the bags keep me in the water and prevent rocking.

2. the bags keep the boat straighter if you get the right. the closer you can get them to the back of the boat without running into your gear the better. Lengthen your front line as much as you can. Also tie them to a mid cleat, not the front cleat. If you tie to the front cleat, you'll pull the front of the boat all over the place.

3. in ROUGH water they can help a great deal with handling.

4. keeps the motor running fast/cleaner and prevents fouling of the plugs.

[Moby Dick]

I have no side cleats for attaching them. I was concerned to let them go to far back as they could hamper netting a fish. They pull so hard, I'm concerned about attaching them to the side rails. I guess I'm going to have to attach them each with their own rope from the front. I will lengthen the ropes to get them further back.

[Just Hook'n]

I was recently on my buddies 16' whaler and there was a HUGE difference in trying to steer with the bags tied to the front cleats as opposed to the side rails/cleat.

Just a word of caution.

There's really no right or wrong way to fish, and it's all FUN.

[nickoftime]

yes what Mark said putting the bags in the front will pull the bow down lower in the water making it harder to steer get them as far back of midship as possible this will pull the aft down making it more stable hope this helps

[Nailer]

I have no side cleats for attaching them. I was concerned to let them go to far back as they could hamper netting a fish. They pull so hard, I'm concerned about attaching them to the side rails. I guess I'm going to have to attach them each with their own rope from the front. I will lengthen the ropes to get them further back.

My boat did not have the side cleats, but it wasn't hard adding them.

It's nice to have them anchored mid ship.

[Moby Dick]

For those of you that run your bags from midship, where do you net your fish at? I have a board across the rails in the rear of the boat to mount my downriggers, so I always net my fish off to one side near the center console. Do the midship rigged bags run under the boat or off to the side?

[FsnMachine]

I run mine off the mid ship cleats with the dump line off the back cleats. They do not and I am told should not be able to go under the boat. they run close to the boat and I have no problem neeting. Now i have high side on my boat. A more shollow boat may have more problem. But I can pull the dump line and have the bag in the boat in seconds if need be.

[Nailer]

Like Orval said. They run under our diver rods. It,s more like 3/4 ship than mid. I mounted my cleats under where the horn is. The back of the bags run where the Tiara 2000 is. The bags run up against the boat, so netting fish is not an issue.