Best Trolling Plate of 2020 – Control Your Boat Easily

Fishing is an intense hobby. It goes beyond the simple bait and capture phenomenon. When you are on the boat, you must ensure that it is stable, your position is right, and that you are patient. Trolling is one of the most popular fishing methods because it makes the bait enter your zone, and it covers a lot of water. However, the boat usually causes complications. One of them is moving due to the wind or currents. Why does this make things difficult? Because your bait will start moving too quickly and the fish won’t be able to catch up!

Best trolling plate

To put all these troubles at bay, we have the trolling plate. A trolling plate primarily functions to slow the drift down so that you fish with ease. The focus of our article today is on helping you find the best trolling plate of 2020. We have our top 5. Let’s see if you love them just as much as we do!

1. Ironwood Pacific EasyTroller Plate

The EasyTroller Trolling Plate is one of the more popular options on Amazon today. Plus, it is Amazon’s Choice because of its reliability. Almost all users love this supremely good troller plate. Let’s find out why:

• It comes in two sizes, standard and small, allowing you to choose based on your outboard.
• The range of the I/O motors is from 35HP to 300HP.
• The trolling plate has a hinged plate that you can flex towards the upper side. This flexibility protects the trolling plate and avoids damage in case there’s accidental acceleration.
• It has an incredible ability to slow the boat down to 1 MPH. This means you can go as slow as you like to reach the optimal trolling speed.
• The entire plate is made out of heavy-duty anodized aluminum. Its fittings are made with stainless steel.
• The manufacturers offer a 1-year warranty with this plate. 
• Additionally, you can purchase hydrofoil fins to handle your boat better, especially during travel on a plane.

2. Davis Instruments Lil Fella Trolling Plate

This little fellow from Davis Instruments packs a big punch for all trolling enthusiasts. The trolling plate is popular among users and is very commonly purchased because of its many, many exciting features. A few of them are described as follows:

• The Davis Instruments trolling plate is for motors that reach up to 25 HP.
• You can use it safely in saltwater and freshwater.
• It slows down very conveniently to your desired speed.
• The plate has stainless steel hardware. Its body, on the other hand, is carved out of polycarbonates.
• Regardless of your boating activities, this trolling plate can be your best friend.
• The plate comes with all the required hardware for installation. So, you just have to take it out of the box and assemble it. It takes around 15 minutes.
• You can lock it down when you want to troll and lock it up when you want to simply cruise.

3. Davis Instruments Happy Troller

This one is the Lil Fella’s older brother! The Happy Troller is meant for large engines (above 50 HP). It is just as reliable as its sibling and does its job wonderfully. Let’s go through its main features:

• When you lock it down, it slows the speed. When you lock it up, it will turn into a stabilizer.
• You can use it even in rough water. You will enjoy a smooth ride anyway!
• It works to reduce cavitation and proposing.
• It is also available in a small size. You can buy this if you are looking at using it with 20-50 HP engines.
• The anti-cavitation plate promises excellent control of the speed.
• It is safe for freshwater and saltwater use.

4. Nauticus ProTroller

Sturdy, reliable, and flexible, this is an all-in-one trolling plate. It has all the features you could ask for, along with a few more. Let’s find out what they are:

• It has smart tabs that can change into trolling brakes as and when needed.
• You can use the ProTroller as a stabilizing system or a trim with just one move! Just pull the lever up or down based on your need.
• It can go down to ultra-low speeds without compromise on control or steering.
• The brakes are completely automatic. Plus, you can fine-tune them to suit your individual preferences. 
• The manufacturers say that it will definitely improve the overall performance of the boat.
• The assembly and installation take only a few minutes.

5. Trol-a-Matic Trolling Plate

This excellent trolling plate will be your perfect companion if you are working with >50 HP motors. It is spring-loaded and does not have a shear pin. Its performance is excellent, which makes it a great catch. Read on for a few more details:

• You can install it in less than 15 minutes.
• It can come down to 2 MPH without issues.
• Regardless of the speed, you will be the master controller. This is because the trolling plate offers enough stability even when you lower the speed. 
• It adjusts itself smoothly without having you do anything manually. This is an automatic plate that raises on its own based on the need.
• The only thing that some users may find problematic is that with this trolling plate on, you cannot operate in reverse.

These are our top 5 trolling plates of 2020. We have used them, loved them, and we highly recommend them. All you have to do now is to compare and choose based on your personal preferences and budget. All the best!