I run 2 buckets off the back of my boat. I attach them on a rope to the ski ring in the center and have never had a problem.

Smitty

I run 1 drift sock off a ski harness clipped to the 2 stern loops on the transom. been doing it that way for 3 years no problems

OK. Now, BUCKETS. Buckets I know!
A hole in da bottom actually creates MORE drag than no hole! 2 1/4" dia. (or a bit more) in the center of the bottom is about right.
The biggest hassle of a drag bucket (or drift sock) is getting it in when landing a big fish, especially at a slow troll. Mr. Big can get tangled in the rope or bucket handle and get off (causing severe swearing & a day-long bad attitude.) Pulling on the rope gets the bucket near the transom but, it's often in the way of netting. Even if you lift the bucket up, you have to hold it over the transom until the water drains out the vent hole or tip it over & pour the water out. (Or, just leave it in the water & take your chances w/ Mr. Big.)
My solution: Take 2 pieces of 2" wide nylon strap each about 8-10 inches long & sew along each of the long sides, so it forms a flat "tube". (If you ask NICE your wife or girl might even sew it for you!?)
I used an old trailer winch strap. Use a cigarette lighter to melt the ends of the strap so they won't fray. Insert some FLAT pieces of closed cell foam about 6" long & 1 1/2" wide in the "tube"(pieces from an old life jacket work great.) Put the foam in the middle of the tube & fasten each end of the strap to the bucket, about an inch from the outside edge of the vent hole, on the OUTSIDE bottom of the bucket. This forms a "flexible handle". You want a good bulge of strap over the vent hole, so it isn't obstructed. Use machine screws w/ finishing washers on the outside & use 1" fender washers on the inside and self-locking nuts. Sounds like a lot of work (NOT) but, here's the deal. When you pull the bucket to the stern, let go of the rope at the last second, the metal handle pulls the open end of the bucket down and the foam strap lifts the bottom end up. Lean over & grab the nylon handle and lift. Air rushes thru the vent hole, the 5 gallons of lake, stays in the lake and the bucket "slips" right out of the water! On board you can set the bucket upright (the flat strap handle collapses under it.)
Attaching the bucket to the boat. The "Tank" has a piece of wood w/ tube style rod holders attached which runs the full width of the stern. I put a barn door pull hande in the center & clip the snap ring on the end of the bucket rope to it. Rope is a bit shy of 14 ft. long. I used 3/8 dia. nylon as it was easier to handle than thinner rope.
Keeping the bucket behind the boat. (AJ suggested a length of rope & a pulley on the bucket handle w/ one end attached to each rear rope cleat. The bucket pivots on turns. It works but getting the rig out of the way was a problem.)
I put Perko "ears" (rope cleats) on the top of the 70 hp engine cover. (OK, If I had a new and beautiful motor I wouldn't do this. Luckily, mine's old & ugly.) The rope stays on top of the big motor between the ears, out of the grease/oil on the big motor steering link and out of the way of the motor link arm to the kicker. I clip the snap ring to the handle, toss the bucket over the transom into the wake, place the rope between the "ears" & I'm ready to troll. The bucket stays right behind the boat.
Sorry for the long post hope this helps!

All the best,

Gary

Wow!!!
That was to much work just reading the post!
I have had no problem setting lines, netting or landing fish with the drift sock -ski harness off the transom loops, just make sure you get the shortest harness possible. My set up is no more 2 feet behind the motor.

You guys are missing the second reason for using trolling bags. The rocking and rolling. When put BESIDE the boat they also cut down on the rocking and rolling a boat does in waves from normal weather and all the other boats Winni has to offer. I would never run buckets again if I had a boat. If you can afford them, bags are the way to go.

Just like fishing methods, there's no one answer that right for everyone. Just different ways to do the same things, most of which work.
Sorry, if you strained anything reading the long post. It took me longer to describe making a bucket rig than to do it! Making a hole in the bottom of a bucket (and a handle) isn't very hard if you're handy. If you're not, just buy a drift bag.
On the other hand Nemesis, that rocking imparts action to your bait/fly/spoon and often encourages fish to strike. I've noticed that I very often get strikes when I'm running cross wave (rocking).
I have a drift sock (which I don't often use) as, to me, it's more of a pain than the bucket. Harder to get out of the lake and it makes a huge wet mess when taken on board.
It all works.

All the best,

Gary

Tankdriver,

do you pull in those buckets everytime you have a fish on? if so maybe you try something else like a trolling plate or a wind sock. Can't imagine fighting the fish and the buckets at the same time, I would think you would lose more fish that way!

Thanks for all the replies. I Agree that the Trolling bag/sock is the second best way to go, the First being a kicker.

I am looking for a cheap short term "workaround" I do have a pulley style ski harness. I did not think of using that. And the hole in the bottom makes sense; at least it will allow the water to drain on retrieval.

Thanks Again.

trolling plates are even better and easier to use, there is usually some happy trollers on ebay, you just need to find the right size. a secondary benefit with these is that you can travel faster with no wake

ilucas, I usually have two people on board & fish HARD early in the season, mostly w/bait. When a salmon pulls the line out of the release clip (& is "free-spooling") 1 person handles the rod (feeds line & gives the fish time to run & swallow) while the 2nd person pulls the bucket, steers, gives useless (& annoying) advice and gets the net out. The advantage of the hole is increased drag. The BIG advantage is the bottom HANDLE & the EASE of pulling the bucket out! Christine (my 1st mate) can easily get the bucket out when it's my turn to catch. W/ a bottom handle you don't have to hold the bucket up & let the water drain out, the inverted bucket SLIPS out of the water!
If I have time, I usually pull the bucket, even when alone. 1 less thing to go wrong (Murphy's Law.) If I'm trolling faster (2-3+ mph- normally w/ spoons) I don't pull the bucket as often as the speed of the boat tends to keep the fish in a line to the transom & to one side or the other of the bucket (I hope).
Fishlessman, you may be right that trolling plates are better if you're using only one motor. But, after busting my plate...TWICE...because I forgot to release it up BEFORE advancing the throttle. Dbl Duh! (Maybe the newer ones are better & fail safe??) I got a 5 hp kicker. Uses little gas & provides a safety backup for when the big motor craps out (Murphy's Law, again.)
I use the bucket even @ higher speeds because the "Tank" is alum. w/ a ton of freeboard. The bucket keeps her going in a (mostly) predictable direction when it's windy (normally).


Hope this helps.

All the best,

Gary

Take a look at the trolling bags and info from Amish outfitters - give Frank Kittrick a call there - knows a ton about trolling bags...

Talewalker
Be out on the Big Lake fishin this weekend monitoring Ch. 12 if anyone's around...

ive broke the plate before as well, and i have the more expensive one with the springs. fortunatly i work in a welding shop. if you need it fixed send it to me. small kicker is the best option, the buckets dont work to well on my boat because of the way the front catches the wind, i get spun like a top in the wind. iverthing seems to break on a boat, last weekend i caught the line in the kicker prop, sucked the lure in and by the time i cut the engine the hook on the lure acted like a lathe tool and cut into the aluminum piece behind the prop, released all the gear oil into the lake before i knew what happened. new parts and seals go in tonight.

Geez Fishless sounds like you got some of my dumb luck LOL Here's wishing ya a great weekend fishing Maybe talk to ya on Sunday not sure yet?????? Take Care God Bless and Tight Lines LOL Dave From up North P.S. You think the wind spins you???? Man you should see how quick it spins The TUBB LMAO!!!!!!!!!!

Fishlessman,
& I was the one who refered to Murphy's Law twice in my post! WOW! Your latest adventure sound like one of my trips to the lake! Sorry about you kicker.
Very kind of you to offer to fix my trolling plate. I had the older "plastic" kind. Broke it, ordered the parts & fixed it, broke it again and said the heck with it.
The other thing that helps the "Tank" is the Trollking I installed on the kicker. You can hit the Momentary Full Throttle button and it advances the kicker so you can straighten her out if she starts to go round like a top. Been there, done that.

All the Best,

Gary

Gary,

I followed your advice drilling a 2.25 inch hole in the bucket an drug them from a ski harness. It worked perfect. It would have taken me many “trial and Error” trips to get that worked out. I see what you mean about the handle that would make it just about perfect. I am scrounging around the house today to find some foam.
In case anyone has any doubts the hole DOES increase the drag, quite about. My Dad must have ingrained more Yankee trustfulness than I had thought. I had a real hard time drilling a hole in a brand new bucket….. Glad is did.
Thanks for the advice.

Scott,
Any flat foam will work. (With flat foam the bucket will sit upright, with the handle under it, when it's back in the boat.) You could even slice up some pipe insulation type foam. Old winch strap or seat belt material works great for the handle material.
The bottom handle is the key to amazingly easy bucket retrieval.
Being a true yankee I understand about your reluctance to use a brand new bucket!
I'm glad the info helped you.

All the Best,

Gary