Whether you’re trolling for Walleye, Salmon, or Trout, getting down to the right trolling speed is critical.  If you can’t idle slow enough and don’t want the hassle and expense of owning a second motor for trolling, a trolling plate may be the answer for you.

Trolling Plates bolt to your outboard or outdrive’s anti-cavitation plate.  They operate by way of spring tension or a spring loaded release that allows the plate to be dropped into place behind the prop.  In the down position the plate blocks a portion of the prop’s thrust, slowing your boat’s speed to as low as .8 mph. In the up position, the plate will generally have little if any negative impact on your boat’s performance, and some boater’s have found that the plate acts like a hydrofoil, reducing porpoising and improving fuel economy. In many cases you can maintain your desired trolling speed at a slightly higher rpm level, which can help fight carbon build-up that can come from prolonged idling. 

Trolling Plates come in two basic forms; Plastic spring loaded plates like the Trol-a-Matic may suffice in some situations, while heavier use justifies spending a little more for one of the metal plates like the Happy Troller or the EasyTroller.  We offer these three brands which are generally acknowledged as the leaders in trolling plates.

Trol-A-Matic – for light duty use, the Trol-A-Matic will offer a low cost option.  They are made of fiberglass reinforced nylon.  Springs automatically drop the Trol-A-Matic into place when engine thrust no longer counteracts it.  On throttling up, the thrust of the prop pushes the plate up out of the way.  This means you don’t have to worry about damaging your prop on throttling up, and you don’t have to manually raise or lower the plate.  However, you have less control over how and when the plate moves into the down or up position.

Happy Troller – this aluminum and Stainless trolling plate has been around for years and is well know among fishermen.  To set the plate, you throttle back and pull the release cord and springs push the plate into a down position and lock it into place.  To release the plate, pull the release cord and throttle up and the prop thrust will push the plate up and lock it into the up position.  This plate provides good control, but if you forget to release it before you throttle up, you may bend or break your plate.

EasyTroller – this aluminum and stainless trolling plate functions in much the same way as the Happy Troller Trolling Plate.  Selling for a similar price, it provides the additional feature of a spring loaded hinge in the plate. If you forget to raise the plate before accelerating, the plate will flex, relieving pressure and preventing damage to the plate.  If you’ve ever bent a trolling plate, you’ll appreciate the value of this feature.  The EasyTroller is also offered with optional hydrofoil fins for those features that want dual functionality.