Salty wrote: I wonder if you can license your boat both as a handtroller and power troller?
That might be the ultimate troller. PHT, 25 knots, 5,000 pound capacity, able to fish downriggers, rods, and four lines with power. Not all at the same time of course. Handtroll permits might go up in value.
I'm not sure on the legality of it. Here's another wild idea.. How about modify that HT permit (after compensating the PT guys of course) so that it must use HT gear to fish for kings and for any king to be retained, but then may use PT gear to fish for the higher volume salmon. (cohos/dogs/pinks) That would be a pretty cool permit to own.
My ultimate "go fast" troller would be a 23' Pacific Skiff, with a 250HP 4 Stroke engine. It could easily handle 60 kings or 200 cohos, would be easy on the fuel, and can fish in some rather tough weather. A 27' Seasport with Diesel would be a close second.
Down here is California there is no distinction between hand and power trolling. There is only one type of permit, a salmon vessel permit. I’m guessing this seems a little odd for you all up north and I don’t have a grasp of the history to know why we have a different systems. I’ve seen approximately zero hand trollers in our local harbors although I’ve heard of a few down in Monterey.
Just last week I purchased a full tower set up and poles along with a nearly new Vickers pump. I will hopefully be acquiring a set of two spool hydro gurdies in the coming weeks and looking to start getting everything installed on the boat as soon as I get the last of my crab gear out of the water.
Trolling with a 25 footer definitely has its limitations, rough conditions will shut me down much sooner than larger vessels, I can’t get that far of shore and I obviously can’t hold that much fish, although I think I’m not going to worrying about hold capacity until I find myself with more fish on board than I know what to do with, and I can’t wait to have that problem.
Hey guys, I got a thread going about designing a small fast troller if anybody wants to help me bleed info from a bunch of stick in the mud designers give me a PM and I'll let you know how to find it. Is it ok to post a link?
give me a PM and I'll let you know how to find it. Is it ok to post a link?