Heading up to Lac La Croix in August and looking to fish deep. With the way the wind is on the big water I was considering taking a drift sock to be used on a Minn 3. Anyone have any experience and what is a good size to use for such a canoe?

We have used a 24 inch drift sock before with good results. The search button at the top of the page has many threads about these.

Thanks, I was able to read over them and I think I will go ahead and pick one up.

Use a system with a buoy. I have used drift socks for years.

I purchased a drift sock a few years ago......it is the single best piece of equipment I've purchased in a very long time.

I was amazed at how much the sock slowed us down while fishing. There were times when I actually wished for more wind.

Later,

Geo

For those of you using drift socks where do you tie it down at? In a boat we put it so we are drifting sideways, but Wonder if that migh be different in a canoe.

Geo, what size do you use?

T

quote timatkn: "For those of you using drift socks where do you tie it down at? In a boat we put it so we are drifting sideways, but Wonder if that might be different in a canoe.

Geo, what size do you use?

T"

My sock this one in the 18 inch model:

Drift Sock

I'm certainly no expert at the drift sock, so take this for what it's worth.

Depending on how the wind is blowing and if I want nose in or nose out, I tie to different places.

All the examples below assume I'm fishing off the RIGHT side of the canoe, fishing the bank:

If the wind is blowing INTO the bank, and I want the canoe nose pointed 45 or so out, I tie to the LEFT side of the canoe at the thwart above me. If I want less angle, I tie to the seat.....Even Less, I tie to the back of the canoe. The cool thing about putting the sock on the canoe this way is the 45 degree angle actually gives you some "deflection" and tries to force the nose out, while the wind is trying to force you INTO the bank. Works GREAT for slowing down and targeting the bank.

If the wind is blowing OUT from the bank. Which is rare, but does happen, and is more like blowing down/out the bank, then I tie to the Right side, and usually at the seat. This gives you a decent angle of attack and the forward motion tries to pull the nose in while the wind is trying to blow you out.....works great.

One thing I also do is keep the sock really close. I mean like 2 ft away from me. And I attach it with a carabineer wrapped around whatever I'm hooking to, and then hooking back to the rope the sock is secured with.

And I like to leave the drag end.....and the tie end attached. What I mean by this is you tie a rope to the front and the back of the drift sock. The back rope is used to collapse the sock so you can bring it into the boat. I attach one end of 10ft rope to the front of the sock and the other end to the back of the sock. I tie a very small loop 3ft down the front of the rope. This is where I hook the carabineer I use for attaching the sock to the canoe.

Finally, Instead of using Lindy's buoy system, I cut 6 inches off a pool noodle and slipped that into the rope I use for connecting the sock. THAT works just as good as the 20 dollar buoy system.

I might try to create a video or something tonight to show some examples.

I hope this helps.

Later

Geo

Geo -

Great information, thanks! I haven't used a drift sock before, but after last venture on Brule Lake in a strong west wind trying to keep the canoe over active walleyes I decided it's time to get one.

hoaf

great info, thanks.

T

Have been using one for several years and it has saved fishing trips.

We use our water bucket (Sea to Summit) so it is one less item to carry in.

Using a carabineer we tie it off to the mini-thwart/handle just behind the stern paddler (I really don't want to be riding cross wind/waves and this lines you up pretty well).

To achieve maximum slowness, tie off to the stern. That way, your boat is catching less wind, therefore you move slower. I tie a hunk of para cord or something to the off-color strap that you pull it in with. That way I can get it in without twisting my trunk. That's alos the safest, I think.
Really a valuable piece of fishing equipment.

Geo has it right. Cabela's makes some really good ones with a lifetime warranty. They have built in weights and floats and a dump strap for easy retrieval. I use the 30 incher to stay over the structure longer.

Resurrected this old thread simply to ask some questions.


First, the info.....

Looking to use a drift sock. I have a SR Q17.

I’m looking at the Cabela’s brand drift socks. (I have a gift card :) )

They start at 30 inches. Is that large enough? Too large? The next size larger is 38 inches.

I have read about people using a collapsible bucket for this. Does this work well?


Again, thank you to everyone on this site for all the help/info/answers.


Mr. B

lundojam: "To achieve maximum slowness, tie off to the stern. That way, your boat is catching less wind, therefore you move slower. I tie a hunk of para cord or something to the off-color strap that you pull it in with. That way I can get it in without twisting my trunk. That's alos the safest, I think.
Really a valuable piece of fishing equipment."

My methodology as well.........I like tying it to the stern seat for easy retrieval, just grab and go. Im never excited about putting my boat sideways to the waves.

mastertangler: "

lundojam: "To achieve maximum slowness, tie off to the stern. That way, your boat is catching less wind, therefore you move slower. I tie a hunk of para cord or something to the off-color strap that you pull it in with. That way I can get it in without twisting my trunk. That's alos the safest, I think.
Really a valuable piece of fishing equipment."

My methodology as well.........I like tying it to the stern seat for easy retrieval, just grab and go. Im never excited about putting my boat sideways to the waves. "

+1 Have only tied mine to the stern and used it at times that I would not want to be sideways. Works better than expected. If you know someone with time on their hands that can sew it's a good project. Dear old mom made 2 drift socks for me out of rip-stop nylon per specifications. they're super light and compress smaller than the ones i saw at basspro and cabelas.

MrBadExample: "Resurrected this old thread simply to ask some questions.



First, the info.....


Looking to use a drift sock. I have a SR Q17.


I’m looking at the Cabela’s brand drift socks. (I have a gift card :) )


They start at 30 inches. Is that large enough? Too large? The next size larger is 38 inches.


I have read about people using a collapsible bucket for this. Does this work well?



Again, thank you to everyone on this site for all the help/info/answers.



Mr. B"

Wow a 6 year old thread resurrected from the depths of Internet land. Like I said in the post above, A 24” drift sock worked good on Lake four. It slowed the canoe down to a very nice slow drift in choppy windy water.

We have a couple but, the 30” is plenty. Any larger size is overkill for any canoe. If we’re single portaging it doesn’t make it ( too heavy) but, If we double portaging it’s in the pack and very useful fishing in the wind. We have the cabelas pro series.

Thanks!!

Thought I’d bump an old thread as opposed to starting a new one for such a simple question.

GeoFisher: "Depending on how the wind is blowing and if I want nose in or nose out, I tie to different places.
I hope this helps.
Later
Geo"

I have an anchor trolley system on my fishing kayak that does the same thing very quickly and easily. I wouldn't want to attach the same system to my canoe, but the concept could be adapted easily enough I think.

30'' would be fine...It might be a little big, actually. And it's on the stern for me, too.

The Minn Kota mka27 is a good very light weight sock. It is listed at 22 inches but if measured like most other companies (lying flat) like Cabelas or Lindy, etc. it is a bit over 30. Plenty big, but very light and packable . When they are flat you are actually measuring 1\2 the circumference NOT the diameter. They have to be open in a circle to get diameter. Different companies use different methods so its hard to know until it is out of the package.

zski: "

mastertangler: "

lundojam: "To achieve maximum slowness, tie off to the stern. That way, your boat is catching less wind, therefore you move slower. I tie a hunk of para cord or something to the off-color strap that you pull it in with. That way I can get it in without twisting my trunk. That's alos the safest, I think.
Really a valuable piece of fishing equipment."

My methodology as well.........I like tying it to the stern seat for easy retrieval, just grab and go. Im never excited about putting my boat sideways to the waves. "

+1 Have only tied mine to the stern and used it at times that I would not want to be sideways. Works better than expected. If you know someone with time on their hands that can sew it's a good project. Dear old mom made 2 drift socks for me out of rip-stop nylon per specifications. they're super light and compress smaller than the ones i saw at basspro and cabelas."

I also sewed my own, very light weight and easy to pack. I cut it out of the rainfly of an old tent I was throwing away. To make the hoop I cut a 1/2 in strip off some old landscape edging I had laying around. Easy project that has lasted several trips and still in great shape. I like the pool noodle float tip, I'll add that to mine going forward.

What does the pool noodle float add to the mix? Does it keep the sock closer to the surface so it doesn't sink? How do you keep the sock from floating to the top and closing flat?

gsfisher13: "What does the pool noodle float add to the mix? Does it keep the sock closer to the surface so it doesn't sink? How do you keep the sock from floating to the top and closing flat?"

the sock opens naturally on it's own, like a parachute, as long as there's any wind/drift of note. instead of a pool noodle, i added extra 'float' by using some of that cheap foam core rope for 3 of the parachute cords. probably not quite as buoyant but enough to have the same benefit. i added the float cord from the start just in case to keep it buoyant assuming it might sink so i have no experience without any type of float.

I have no experience with socks, but wondering if anyone has tied to the bow which would then face you back toward the wind and seem like an easier position to jig from. I'd rather be watching my line than have it angling behind me.....and then maybe there's a great reason this shouldn't be done. I'd rather learn here than on the cold wind-blown water.

Bumstead: "I have no experience with socks, but wondering if anyone has tied to the bow which would then face you back toward the wind and seem like an easier position to jig from. I'd rather be watching my line than have it angling behind me.....and then maybe there's a great reason this shouldn't be done. I'd rather learn here than on the cold wind-blown water."

Good thinking Bumstead. Cant see how it would make much diff safety wise. I am usually casting ahead but like you I much prefer to have the line angling away as well if drifting bottom and jigging.

If its cold wind blown water I am usually a bit nervous anyways. I might be more likely to troll that than drift it with a sock out. Stuff can go wrong really quickly.