Hunting Washington Forum

Equipment & Gear => Power Equipment & RV => Topic started by: Brushcrawler on February 19, 2022, 07:01:42 AM

Title: Trolling motor - bad idea?
Post by: Brushcrawler on February 19, 2022, 07:01:42 AM: Question for you guys with electric trolling motors. My boat has a bow rail and not much room for gear or standing in the bow. I’d like to put a trolling motor on it for freshwater fishing, particularly holding the boat in place (spot lock or whatever it’s called for various brands). Could I put one on my stern kicker mount? I’ve never seen a boat with a trolling motor mounted on the stern except tiny skiffs.
Any thoughts on this maybe bad idea?
Title: Re: Trolling motor - bad idea?
Post by: fowl smacker on February 19, 2022, 07:06:54 AM: 95% of the sleds with an electric motor have them on the stern here. Had it there on my 21' Duckworth for years. That's where I would put it if I were you.
Title: Re: Trolling motor - bad idea?
Post by: BigGoonTuna on February 19, 2022, 08:39:24 AM: Bow mount allows better control in current or wind. The downside to that is that you generally don’t have the “hands on” control like a conventional tiller motor on the stern. Also, a little clumsier to deploy quickly, like if you’re side drifting in a river.

I’ve never seen a transom mount electric with spot lock, you need one of the minn kotas with the “I pilot” remote.

I have owned and used both kinds, a transom mount motor makes a pretty good substitute for a gas kicker as long as it’s big enough and you have enough battery capacity. My preference is for a bow mount electric combined with a gas kicker on the transom, best of both worlds.
Title: Re: Trolling motor - bad idea?
Post by: Smokeploe on February 19, 2022, 08:54:47 AM: I got one of trolling motors that mount on the outboard, it mounts to the cavatation plates and rest in the curve of the shaft. It cost about the same as a bow mount with controls. I can use the steering wheel to drive the boat. For throttle it uses a pot switch.

Smokeploe
Title: Re: Trolling motor - bad idea?
Post by: Ghost Hunter on February 19, 2022, 09:31:10 AM: Quote from: BigGoonTuna on February 19, 2022, 08:39:24 AM
Bow mount allows better control in current or wind. The downside to that is that you generally don’t have the “hands on” control like a conventional tiller motor on the stern. Also, a little clumsier to deploy quickly, like if you’re side drifting in a river.

I’ve never seen a transom mount electric with spot lock, you need one of the minn kotas with the “I pilot” remote.

I have owned and used both kinds, a transom mount motor makes a pretty good substitute for a gas kicker as long as it’s big enough and you have enough battery capacity. My preference is for a bow mount electric combined with a gas kicker on the transom, best of both worlds.

River fishing, this is what my son does on his boat. I was surprised how well it worked for anchor in a strong current.
Title: Re: Trolling motor - bad idea?
Post by: GWP on February 19, 2022, 09:56:56 AM: You can mount it on the transom and it 'would' work, but as has been stated, that will be where the control comes from. When you hit 'Spot Lock', if there is wind, that will become the part facing into the wind.
There is a 'Puck' you also have to mount, and that is where the GPS locates you. I could see the trolling motor 'chasing the boat' trying to get it back on the spot. Same with navigating a course. The motor tries VERY hard to get back to the spot, and 'may' do a burst 'wide open' to get there. That can be, 'unnerving' if you are standing up.
Part of how well it would work would be the V of your boat. a flatter bottom would wander more.
Keep in mind any of the bow mounts that have 'remote steering' are heavier than just a straight transom trolling motor. Probably double at least.
I don't know of any with the remote or cable steering that does not have a flat plate for mounting.
I have had two of the bow mounts with Spot Lock and Navigation, one with a foot pedal and remote, and one with only the remote. After using the remote the first time, the foot pedal got put away on my first one and was never used again. Depending on your style of fishing, you may want to use one though. I keep the lanyard hanging around my neck just above my waist.
I would consider figuring out/building a plate mount for the front.
Title: Re: Trolling motor - bad idea?
Post by: Brushcrawler on February 21, 2022, 08:09:15 AM: Thanks for the thoughts on this. I may try it on the stern and move to the bow if needed. Hardest part might be finding one in stock right now!
Title: Re: Trolling motor - bad idea?
Post by: Cylvertip on February 21, 2022, 08:20:33 AM: There should be some stern mount trolling motors with the same features as the bow mounts. The walleye guys run stern mount a lot. There are several brands that can be run by remote. Like a key fob you hang around your neck.
Title: Re: Trolling motor - bad idea?
Post by: KFhunter on February 21, 2022, 08:33:33 AM: Spot lock won't work on the transom, your bow will swing around then it would be a mess
Title: Re: Trolling motor - bad idea?
Post by: Ridgeratt on February 21, 2022, 08:56:00 AM: I would think that as long as you didn't have any current or breeze and just trying to maintain a certain depth of water holding over a structure shouldn't make a lot of difference on the end of the boat. :dunno:
Title: Re: Trolling motor - bad idea?
Post by: KFhunter on February 21, 2022, 08:58:55 AM: But if no breeze, and no current, why would you need spot lock :chuckle:
Title: Re: Trolling motor - bad idea?
Post by: Ridgeratt on February 21, 2022, 09:01:23 AM: Because in a perfect world your boat is never stationary. Just like at a dock even with no wind the darn thing will drift away from the dock.
Title: Re: Trolling motor - bad idea?
Post by: GWP on February 21, 2022, 09:15:55 AM: I splurged and bought all new electronics and a Terrova bow mount with all the bells and whistles a few years ago. I have often said that if I could only afford to buy one of the items it would be the trolling motor.
For trolling I use a kicker at barely above an idle and have the trolling motor do the steering. Hear the downrigger go off and I reach over and kill the kicker, work the fish close and spot lock it to net it.
'Resume' the course with the bow mount, and once the downrigger is reset I reach over and pull the cord on the kicker, as the throttle is set so low the safety does not kick in keeping me from starting it in gear. Back to the same speed and course for the next fish.
Works awesome!
Working a shore line is easy as well. When I sold the boat last year I demonstrated the spot lock for the new owner. Pulled up to a piling and hit spot lock 10' away. He was freaking out because he thought we were going to hit it. Nope. Pretty good winds and it stopped, reversed us and held it within 5', just like they advertise.
Title: Re: Trolling motor - bad idea?
Post by: KFhunter on February 21, 2022, 01:58:56 PM: I got an electric motor on the back of a 16' Kalamath V boat, it won't do much wind or current before I'm "pushing a rope uphill"

Granted it's a $150 walmart minkota :chuckle:

I tend to point the transom upstream and put the minkota in reverse when I'm trolling down current for wallys
Title: Re: Trolling motor - bad idea?
Post by: Come Get Some on February 22, 2022, 08:34:58 AM: I have a 27ft Jama sled. I have the 36 volt bow mount with spot lock. It is surprising how well it works. Auto deploy. I can launch my boat alone. Let it leave the trailer and float away from the ramp. Hit deploy and go park my trailer. Come back and bring my boat to the dock and jump in. Works great in the wind and for bass fishing. Moves my 27ft boat faster than i want to troll. I also use it for steering and let my kicker with auto pilot just push me. Definately more user friendly than a stern mount. I have never seen a trolling motor that has enough thrust to go wide open all of the sudden and make anyone fall down.