Get All the Angles
Most serious bass and walleye anglers find a depth finder at the bow a must, and these days both Minn Kota and MotorGuide/Pinpoint have models available with the transducer hidden neatly inside the lower unit. If you want to add an external transducer to your lower unit, Minn Kota's MKR-15 mounting kit (about $15) makes it easy-the bracket holds any transducer, and the stainless-steel clamp ring attaches it to any lower unit. (Minn Kota, 800-661-9086)
QUICK TIP
POWER UP If you're likely to spend
a lot of your time churning through heavy aquatic vegetation to fish, choose a muscular 24- or even 36-volt system. The stouter motor will have the torque to dice through the thick stuff without slowing you down.
Real estate is about location, location, location, and fishing is about position, position, position. Quietly put your boat in the right spot to make a perfect presentation and most of the time you're going to catch more fish. A properly rigged trolling motor-or electric positioning motor, as they're called these days-makes it easy.
GET A HANDLE ON IT
Hand-control, bow-mount motors are the standard for hard-fishing bass anglers-they require less maintenance than remote-control models and cost significantly less. Unless they're rigged right, however, operating them is literally a pain in the back. The basic add-on is an extension handle, such as "The Extender" from T-H Marine (www.thmarine.com). An extension handle clamps to the motor shaft and allows the operator to steer without having to bend over. Extension lengths are adjustable to 30 inches.
Other models from Minn Kota and Bass Pro Shops allow longer extensions and
attach directly to the tiller, providing twist-control of speed as well as steering. Prices are $33 to $38.
Foot-control motors leave both hands free and seem almost to operate themselves once you get used to them. I prefer the "flat pad" electric control models, which are like power steering. Your foot feels more comfortable when you stand to fish, too. Some pros prefer cable controls, however, because of fewer breakdowns and a more positive "feel" in the steering. A solution to the angled pad is to inset the foot control into the deck-several bass-boat companies now build in a slot just for this purpose.
WEED WISDOM
Weeds and fish go together, but weeds and propellers don't. Conventional props are made for power and efficiency. If you spend most of your time pushing through cover that's thick enough to plow, a weedless prop ($25 to $35) will make you happier. These are big in the hub and small in the blade, designed to cut weeds rather than allow them to wrap around the center. In extreme duty, you might even swap for a metal prop (around $45), which will withstand the occasional brush with a stump or gravel bottom better than the composite props do.
JUMBO TROLLERS
When it comes to moving a serious load at speed, nothing quite matches the oomph of 36 volts. Minn Kota's largest troller produces a rated 101 pounds of thrust, available in Maxxum models (about $750-$1,000). The 36-volt models consume only 37 amps
at maximum power, about 8 amps
less than 74-pound-thrust, 24-volt
versions. Go to www.minnkotamotors. com for details.
MotorGuide rates its 36-volt models at 109 pounds of thrust. Best bets are the Excel electric steering with flat-pad control ($950) and the Tour with cable steering ($800). The motors' "soft-start" feature prevents jerky takeoffs. Visit www.motorguide.com.
We require
all participants in interactive areas to accept the terms of the Bonnier Corporation subscriber agreement. Please
read the agreement
before making comments. When you click on the button above to submit your comments, you are indicating your acceptance of and
are agreeing to adhere to the terms of the subscriber agreement.
ADDITIONAL INFO
