Kicker hookup and qs

[shorthairsrus]

I am debating a kicker. My etec trolls nice. However I am debating on getting one.

1 how many of u run kicker and bow mount together (bow mount to steer) and troll spinners. Can u get down slow enough?

2 how about hookup. How hard is it. The one I am looking at has a tiller with t/t. No controls. My boat has a nipple back by where the fuel supply is for the big motor. Do u just pull off the nipple and connect?

3 fuel filter or not

4 I only pull a tube once in a while. Do u remove your kicker or does a way exist wo pulling it off and wo adding a tow bar

Wind. I ran a guys kicker that had controls and hooked up to steering on a pro v. Didn't like it n I was all over the place and couldn't get contol. If I aim it forward and lock and use terrova will it work in wind. My etec is capable of slow speeds 2.3 or so for cranks and it does not hurt to troll for hours days... I am really looking for slower

My fishing consists of 50℅ spinners 25% casting jigging 25% cranks when I look at the percentages I kinda laugh vs when I was 20 casting was 100℅

Let me know your thoughts

 

[SDMF]

I've never removed my kicker.
I have tiller controls as well as a main motor tie bar, almost never use the tiller.
You will go slow enough, especially in any wind strong enough that your Terrova isn't enough.
Control is not there like it is when trolling with the main. Shorter shaft, smaller prop, and you're not driving propulsion from the center of the boat. Also, at those very low speeds your hull is doing little to nothing to keep you going straight so propulsion is all you have.

 

[Ericb]

1. I do this quite often It is a real battery saver on the river. Lakes and spinners I would tend to just use the trolling motor.

2. I think it will depend on the motor. My Yamaha just clamos on the transom. Then battery cables and gas. I have a seperat gas tank I keep in the transom for it. Cheep security that ill make it home.

3. Ive got just a hose from the tank to the motor. An inline filter probanly wodnt hurt.

4. I think this will depend on you set up and length of rope accross the back. I tow with my kicker on. I always get the rope taugt before I take off and make sure its under the kicker before I go.

I agree with SDMF about control. You get used to it after awhile but its kind of like slow motion drifting when you turn.

 

[ifish4iz]

Works great to use your kicker for thrust and bow mount to steer. As I salmon fish a fair amount, my kicker is tied to the big motor with remote steering at the console. If strictly walleye fishing, I definitely see the advantage of a tiller kicker, though.

I would definitely recommend bolting your kicker into your transom. If not, you will be one of the guys that ends up with your kicker at the bottom of Sakakawea or DL (or even worse, flopping around on the back of your boat) when out in some good rollers. Between the right tow rope or a tow bar, you can manage pulling the kids on tubes without taking your kicker off.

 

[raider]

i had this setup on a tyee a few years ago... it works, but a couple things to think about...

i fished in up to 5 footers like this and had the kicker almost pegged going against the wind... we would run up to 5 boat brakes going with the wind, then pull them in and go with the kicker and electric going against it... shaft length on the electric is your major concern... the tyee was high, but way more planted in the water, but at times the 60" shaft wasn't near enough... i had a crestliner after that and the bow was way closer to the water, but it was way lighter and the 60" electric was even tougher to keep in the water... a 60" shaft is as short as i would go with this setup... i think a glass boat would be way better for this...

going straight is tough enough... turning in and out to follow contours, or even small course changes into a quartering wind is damn frustrating... if you go fast enough to steer, you are going way to fast to fish... i would stick to fishing flats where direction doesn't really matter, or shorelines parallel to the wind direction... it can be done, but is miserable at times... thing is, if you fish in conditions like this, the fish will usually reward you... i only used the kicker for thrust as running the electric with an i pilot was a full time job for 1 hand... when they come out of the water a lot it seems the auto steer gets really funky and jerks back and forth a lot, so ran with that off...

i've had some of the best fishing days of my life fishing mud lines like this...

 

[eyexer]

I have tiller kicker. trolling cranks use the kicker and steer with the bow mount all the time. by far the best way to do it. put an inline filter in the line and you'll be good. by using the bow mount you can set your kicker to run straight and you won't have to change anything. vary speed using bow mount. Or get an Itroll

 

[Skibbys bottom]

Using your kicker and steering with your minn kota is the cats meow. Have been doing it for several years now that a minn kota rep showed me on a won fishing trip. Best advise I have gotten in a long time. I even use it when pulling cranks, works great, you don't have to fuss with the wheel to turn especially in a cross wind. Go for it, you'll enjoy the freedom of having to fight with the wheel. I have a mercury 9.5 with a terova and works very well together. You can even increase or decrease your spead depending on your kicker speed. I usually let kicker idle in forward and adjust speed by using electric trolling motor. Enjoy

 

[Sub_Elect]

I have had both tiller and remote kickers. The tiller maneuvers the boat way better and faster when on the river or lake. The remote was better on long flats. I always have the TM in the front down for that last minute maneuver, especially in the wind. I would defiantly bolt it on and not take it off. You can always find a way to tow skis and tubes with it being on all the time. I couldn't imagine life without a kicker although many fish with out them.

 

[NodakBuckeye]

Get a couple of Amish Buggy Bags, save a few 1000. One on each side and still use the main and steering is not an issue. You will be able to go as slow as you need to go, might not look as cool as a kicker and a bow mount used together but think of all the DM custom painted cranks you could buy.

 

[shorthairsrus]

can i just hook it up to the gas nipple that is in the back by the transom auxillary 2 or do have to do something special?

 

[Sub_Elect]

If you have a second fuel bung you should be fine to hook up to that.

 

[DirtyMike]

Get a couple of Amish Buggy Bags, save a few 1000. One on each side and still use the main and steering is not an issue. You will be able to go as slow as you need to go, might not look as cool as a kicker and a bow mount used together but think of all the DM custom painted cranks you could buy.

i support this

 

[Enslow]

With a baby boomers salary get autopilot installed from the get go.

 

[Skibbys bottom]

My system is hooked up with the main. By this I mean the fuel line is split with connectors to your main motor and kicker intertwined. Be careful though, and remember two important things, always uncouple the kicker and of course raise kicker when using the main motor. By not unhooking fuel hose you may do damage to the carburetor gaskets, which would be bad on a 3,500 dollar motor.

 

[shorthairsrus]

Uncouple? If I take the fuel hose and put it on auxillary just like the main engine. What do have to uncouple?

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Or r u talking about steering rod. I don't plan on hooking up to big motor.

 

[DirtyMike]

Fishing is hard.

 

[Skibbys bottom]

No just unhook the gas connector from the kicker motor, that way the main motor will not create a suction on your carburetor causing damage.



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You'll have two of these, one for outboard and one for kicker. All you have to do is disconnect the kicker gas plug from kicker and of course lift kicker motor up. You should run your kicker motor out of gas, if you are going to leave the lake, that way there is nothing in your carburetor to cause problems next time you use it.

 

[Allen]

When using the factory auxilary connection on the bulkhead, you shouldn't have to unhook the kicker. Aren't there separate uptakes in the gas tank for the two lines?

Otherwise, I can see where a person may wish to unhook or put valves in the fuel line if you are using a single line coming out of the gas tank.

 

[shorthairsrus]

really? I know for a fact that i would forget that over time. Sounds like a hassle.

 

[eliminator]

Been doing this for years like Skibby says----works great but have never unhooked a gas hookup and never had a problem. Also, I see people using their big motors for trolling but I guess I have always wondered why you would want to wear out a 10.000 to 30.000 motor rather than investing in a 3000 dollar kicker motor----just doesn't add up in my mind but I guess it does work. I also use a troll master which I really like. Much easier to get the right trolling speed. I also have pulled people behind the boat with the kicker on and never had a problem. Maybe I have been just lucky but it seems to have worked for me.