This may be a dumb question but...

[wannabefisherman]

lets say i have a 1985 cobalt Boat that i got for $300 And i want to set it up to fish for kokanee/ trout.. Is This even possible? Would it be a bad idea? Why? Im assuming i will at least need a kicker motor (thinking 9.9 hp, maybe 15?), someway to mount the motor to the transom, EZ steer.. etc.. Anything else?


the back looks like this, minus the swim platform.. It is an I/O btw..

Please let me know.. Thank you

 

[Full_Monte]

That's one heck of a buy for $300. It looks like there are more than $300 worth of rollers on that trailer. As far as trolling goes, the cheapest way to go is to add a trolling plate to your I/O drive. Something like a Happy Troller should work.

 

[MackayGuy]

Did you get 2 boats for 300? Those are 2 different boats. Are the pics just examples of the boat....'let's say'? If you bought either of those boats for 300 it would be a good deal. Sure you can add a kicker, etc.

 

[smokin' Kokes]

nice wide stable safe platform for koke fishing.
our hobby is almost always done on large lakes that get tormented by high winds and large waves.
that's a perfect boat for koke fishing.

you won't like trying to troll with the I/O drive, hard to get down to that perfect slow koke troll speed and hold it,
carburetor converted car motors love to carbon up at slow idle .
perfect trolling motor for a boat this size/weight is an 8hp 4 stroke extra long 25" shaft so the controls are easy to reach.
Honda, Yami, Merc, Rude all make them. the 4 strokes are well behave quiet trollers and don't have that 2 stroke stink to smell all day,
no O/B oil mixing. the 8hp is the perfect hp size,
allows one to turn the rpms up above idle to increase steerage and have complete warm temp combustion,
less carbon buildup. enough hp to push the boat along if the main quits and one has to go in on the kicker
craigs list and outboard boat stores good place to look for used. guys are always going bigger newer kickers.

remove the wooden water ski step on one side, usually the port left side,
mount a kicker bracket on the remain ski step bracket.
use a Panther T4 Through Tilt Tube Electro Steer Remote Kicker Steering with the wireless option
http://www.marinetechproducts.com/pages/PantherT4TiltTube

use a Trollmaster remote throttle control for kicker motors
http://www.troll-masterpro.com/

makes a great setup

set under the canvas top, drink a cold one, and steer by pushing a button.

 

[wannabefisherman]

Sorry I didn't make it clear, That is not the Exact boat I have. But, it does look very similar to that.. Thanks for the advice. I have a couple more questions, Would you guys mount the down riggers straight back or on the side, facing sideways? I have 2 down riggers at the moment and would like to add at least one more in the future

 

[jestfishin']

Jeez, that's a nice lookin' boat. Are you sure you want to start slicing and dicing it up for Kokanee fishing?? I'd give some serious thought to buying a 15' or 17' aluminum boat and setting it up just for fishing purposes rather than messing up a nice boat like that.

 

[SuperD]

Always keep the idea of 4 downriggers in the back of your mind when outfitting your boat. Start with you're first 2 downriggers as far to the bow as you have room for and leaving room for your second set of downriggers going out the back. While you fish with only 2 downriggers, you'll have the greatest spread on your lines and avoid tangles.

 

[wannabefisherman]

Jeez, that's a nice lookin' boat. Are you sure you want to start slicing and dicing it up for Kokanee fishing?? I'd give some serious thought to buying a 15' or 17' aluminum boat and setting it up just for fishing purposes rather than messing up a nice boat like that.

How would i be slicing and dicing it up? besides maybe making 4 holes in the transom for a kicker motor?

Not looking to start an argument, Just wondering.. Also, Thats not my boat, The one in the pictures is about 4 years newer and in a little better shape than the one i have. The reason i would like to use this boat to kokanee fish is that way, When i go camping i can have one boat that can do everything. I can go fishing by myself or with a couple buddies in the morning and catch some fish and then in the afternoon/ midday when everyone else wakes up we can go out and ski/ tube/ hangout etc..

 

[jestfishin']

You'll probably have to drill holes, usually 4 per downrigger, for each downrigger. I don't own a fiberglass boat but from another forum site a guy with a fiberglass boat was warned about the damage a downrigger could do to a fiberglass boat. I don't know.....just what I read. If they're electric downriggers, who knows what additional holes or cutouts you might have to make to route the wiring. Are you planning on having a fish finder? Additional rod holders? Just about anything you want to mount is gonna require some drilling. This Kokanee fishing isn't all just ABC, ya know. It's got a sneaky way of slipping into your wallet and emptying it! HA!

 

[smokin' Kokes]

tip while trolling with the O/B. lift the outdrive up so the kokes don't tangle and break off on the outdrive.
they go crazy around the boat.
nice fishing platform. one that several people can be up and walking around at the same time boating fish
who cares about a few holes for mounting gear, my Trophy has mounting holes all over it for gear and
goes out 40 miles in the Pacific for albacore tuna
use some 3M 5200 Marine Seal adhesive caulk in each of the mounting holes before the bolts go thru and mounting surface, never a leak
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...chanintel_google&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=21266

leave some kokes for me.
i'll be in on the shore by water sking time with a cold one sunning myself on the camp recliner chair and snoring off
dreaming of that 15lb koke

 

[BROWNBAGGER]

I use to own a fiber glass boat. we use scotty right angled mounts. here is a pic. what is nice about the right angle mount is, when removed it leaves nothing on top of the gunnel. It is a pretty sweet set up.

I would go with the happy troller, but having a second motor is a good piece of mind for back up. there are many ways to mount your kicker. you don't need high priced steering sytem, even though it is nice. You can use a connecting rod like I do. check on cablas for connecting rods, they have them for IO's to kickers.

pick up a trolling motor mount that is adjustable up and down, with a broad range. easy to mount, just make sure to seal the bolts with pure silcone.

Scotty 1025 1025Right Angle Side Gunnel MountFor boats with narrow or uneven gunnels. Strong and durable, with quick fastening stainless steel mounting knobs for easy set-up and removal.Fits all Scotty downriggers and can be used with No. 1026 Pedestal Swivel MountDimensions: 6" x 6" x 6"Bolting Dimensions: 4" x 2"

 

[SuperD]

As for mounting, a couple months ago I mounted a friends downriggers for him on a fiberglass boat with the V-Lock mounting brackets. It went smooth as silk and it is easy on and off.

 

[lowe1648mt]

Silly Question

I still prefer 5200 or sikaflex to silicone. They hold better. Silicone ofcoarse is not rated below water line. To remove 5200 or sikaflex, just heat the item with a heat gun. Be carful not to overheat the glass. Cleanup is done easily with stove alcohol when wet. If dry, use a plasticscraper and stove alcohol.

 

[BROWNBAGGER]

there are very big diference's in silcone. When I said pure I meant glazing silcone, it is the only one to use. If glazing silcone can hold my 220 gal fish tank together for years, it will keep water out on any boat. a gal of water weighs 8.35 pounds, @ 220 gals thats 1837 pounds. sounds like a winner to me !

 

[wannabefisherman]

Who makes a good outboard motor bracket?

 

[BROWNBAGGER]

this is the one I bought, by Garelick.
it is adjustable up and down and tilts back and forth to get the proper motor hieght and flatness. It is also stainless steel.

 

[Mr. D]

I had a 76 Fiberform tri hull when I first started out. My suggestion is mount a Minn Kota/auto pilot up front like I did. A 55lb thust did great for me. Measure what shaft length would be best and your speed and any control issue will go bye bye!! Who want's to smell and listen to gas motor anyway if you don't have to??
I had 4 riggers on the Fiberform and I had NO issues at all. Just take your time, look at every possible mounting option and if possible, have someone with any expierence help with advise.

Mark

 

[platypus]

--check out scotty... cannon and other downrigger sites for mounting options
--each boat is different so select the attachment that works best for you.
--I use swivel mount which allows me to put extended arms out to the side or I can swing them to go straight out back.
--I use quick release... can get a lock so not stolen as easily.. so when you water ski they can be left behind or stored out of the way.

--with fiberglass always look at reinforcement of attached area to reduce stress.. I used aluminium plate rather than washers to reduce stress.
--as stated depening on thickness of gunnel you may find side mount better option..or even internal flush deck mount.

--older fiberglass boats often have wood at stress points.. ensure any holes and areas around bolts etc are sealed to prevent water penetration.

--as to kicker, although I have it attached to my main for steering when trolling I also have an extension arm as some times in windy conditions or if back trolling or holding for jig fishing you need to be able to quicly adjust the motor.. its also only about $30 as opposed to other options.

 

[BROWNBAGGER]

how do you keep your batteries charged for say a weeks worth of fishing? If you haven't heard or smelled the lastest 4 strokes, you could be in for a treat. I can carry on a normal conversation a full throttle with my 200 hp yamaha, a kicker is even more quiet. I don't even think my 2 stroke is noisey, just some smell and not bad at 50:1

 

[Mr. D]

how do you keep your batteries charged for say a weeks worth of fishing? If you haven't heard or smelled the lastest 4 strokes, you could be in for a treat. I can carry on a normal conversation a full throttle with my 200 hp yamaha, a kicker is even more quiet. I don't even think my 2 stroke is noisey, just some smell and not bad at 50:1

If I'm going any place for week I usualy make sure I have the following before I go, (1) my battery charger(2) electricty (3) my generator. I also have a four stoke and it is quiet and does not smell. I was just giving another suggestion to adding a kicker bracket or connection rods. Adding a Minn Kota like I suggested is another and possibly less expensive alternative if your looking at buying even a used 2 stroke and then adding the bracket or conection rods. I do know that any used 4 stroke thats worth anything is going to cost more than any Minn Kota including batteries.

Mark