trolling/drift sock size for 34' trawler

[jointcustody]

I have a 34' CHB trawler- a taiwanese tri-cabin. I am looking to slow my boat down from 4.5mph to roughly 2.5 mph for salmon trolling. I am looking at lindy drift socks- probably two of them, one on each side from the bow. trolling valves are out of the question as they arent compatible with my borg warner transmission.

Does anybody have experience as per what size socks? The boat is 20,000 lbs with a single 135 perkins diesel. I would like to order two of the same size but it would suck to get the wrong size especially ordering two of them.

Thanks.

 

[Larry M]

We had a 34’ Mainship in Puget Sound that we trolled for salmon. I dragged a 5 gallon plastic bucket on one side and sometimes two if we were slow trolling using herring. The bucket(s) worked great but it was a scramble when you hooked the big one. Between clearing the downriggers and the buckets it would make for a very funny video.

 

[High Wire]

Dragging anything from the bow risks getting a line or two caught in the props.

 

[Larry M]

Dragging anything from the bow risks getting a line or two caught in the props.

Archie: You’re right, I missed from the bow, we didn’t. I attached the bucket(s) with maybe 3’ feet of line from the mid ships cleat with just enough length to drag in water. I did drag up a few handles minus the bucket though.

 

[jointcustody]

I wonder what you guys think then about changing out the borg warner for a different tranny with trolling valve. Do you think I could make the swap for $2-3k after selling my old tranny?

its a borg warner 2.0-1 ratio. I believe it is original to the boat when the owner replaced the 120 lehman with a 2001 perkins sabre 135. I imagine it was rebuilt or at least gone through at that time. It sure works as new.