if you mean boondogging or boondoggling, you dont need a kicker. if you mean sidedrifting , your gonna need a kicker. boondogging (at least in so oregon/ northern california) means placing your boat in the current and drifting sideways with the flow. you cast directly upstream and drag your bait down river. the technique the first guy explained sounds like a little of both. boondogging works when you can drift your boat over the fish and not spook them. sidedrifting is used to get at fish that would spook if you drifted over them. i may be speaking out of line and that technique is the standard further up north. if you want more info repost, and i'll try to help. i fish both techniques.