Drift sock

As a cartopper I am often found battling the wind. I recently bought a drift sock from cabelas. I got a chance to try it out yesterday in a light to moderate wind. It exceeded my expectations. It slowed my drift and kept me straight with very little use of the trolling motor. I would suggest to anyone who thinks mother nature is always trying to blow him off the water get one of these. It was even on sale!

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-Advanced-Angler-Pro-Series-Drift-Socks/700074.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Ddrift%2Bsock%26x%3D0%26y%3D0%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts&Ntt=drift+sock&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products

Great idea , I never thought of using a sock on the smaller boats.

I use one I got from Tacklewarehouse (where they are also on sale and cheaper) on my 16.5' tracker. I have the smaller one and it works fine. Buy a small diameter rope for a tag line too. You attach the tag line to the end of the sock so that dumping the water out is easier. Plus, I recommend attaching a float to the main rope in case your boat partner tosses it out without the rope attached (I'm speaking from experience on that one). 45 minutes later after dredging what seemed like an acre of water we got it back.

when i fish bigger bodies of water i find it helpful. I bet it would work great a a smaller boat.

I use one I got from Tacklewarehouse (where they are also on sale and cheaper) on my 16.5' tracker. I have the smaller one and it works fine. Buy a small diameter rope for a tag line too. You attach the tag line to the end of the sock so that dumping the water out is easier. Plus, I recommend attaching a float to the main rope in case your boat partner tosses it out without the rope attached (I'm speaking from experience on that one). 45 minutes later after dredging what seemed like an acre of water we got it back.

the one I have has something in the top that keeps it on top

Yeah, we get tossed around quite a bit at times too. This is a good idea that we have toyed with doing. Thinking we just will for the heck of it! Thanks for the info Shawn!

Also keep in mind that you can wear down a trolling motor fast if you are fighting a 45 degree type wind and thus you have to stay on the troller with the sock down.

I fish from a square back canoe mostly and I have thought of getting one of these myself. My question about them is how do weeds effect them? I fish mostly shallow weedy spots or spots with no more than 2ft of water over the weeds.

I fish from a square back canoe mostly and I have thought of getting one of these myself. My question about them is how do weeds effect them? I fish mostly shallow weedy spots or spots with no more than 2ft of water over the weeds.

I've only fished with it once so far but I was in a shallow pond. There were a couple of times I had to pull up the trolling motor cuz it was hitting but I had no trouble with the sock getting stuck or anything. It didn't have any weeds, mud, or anything on it when I pulled it in either. Based on my limited experience I really like it.

Does the drift sock ever get in the way at all of reeling in fish, in anyone's experience?

Does the drift sock ever get in the way at all of reeling in fish, in anyone's experience?

I have not had any issues. I have it a decent distance from my boat and i usualy drift on an angle. So if the sock is in the back i am away from it.if it is in the front i keep the boat angled so it has the least chance of getting in the way. I also set the hook and lead the fish in the opposite direction as best possible. Not saying it can't happen but it hasn't happen to me.

Yeah, they come through the weeds pretty well. I recall maybe once last year it getting stuck in weeds or muck but for the most part no problems.