Know More About Electric Trolling Motors
For the avid anglers searching for every advantage for a big catch, getting an electric trolling motor is the way to go. Electric trolling motors are very quiet by design, they are battery powered rather than gasoline, and the motor is submerged to help with cooling. Gasoline engines are very noisy, which can easily scare fish away, but an electric trolling motor lets you cruise freely without scaring the fishes away.
Electric trolling motors are nothing new, O.G. Schmidt and his company, Minnkota, started producing them in 1934. Over the past few decades, more companies have begun producing electric trolling motors, including Rhodan Marine Systems and Motor Guide. Electric trolling motors run on deep-cycle marine batteries which are designed to deliver maximum power. They can be either bow mounted (front) or transom mounted (back). The transom mount can easily be installed to the stern and works with any style of boat. The bow mount needs a bracket for the engine and enough space, but gives excellent maneuverability since your boat is being pulled by the motor. In either case, it’s great to have one because it can act as a back-up should your gasoline engine overheat or give problems.
Now when it comes to power, electric trolling motors come in a few standard sizes: 12V, 24V and 36V. The engine runs on a battery, so you’ll need to have space for them. A 24 V motor will use two 12V batteries, and you’ll need three 12V batteries for a 36V motor. A 12V motor is the least expensive and is sufficient for a canoe and for boats less than 16 feet long, but it is always a good idea to get something a bit larger if the price is right. The extra thrust is great for maneuverability, and having extra batteries means you can stay out on the water longer…just don’t get the cheapest battery.
Looking at the shaft length is important when getting an electric trolling motor. If the shaft is too long for your boat then you will always have problems boating in shallow water. If the shaft is too short then the propeller may not be completely submerged. Canoes will do fine with the shortest shaft, but for Deep V boats a longer shaft would be more fitting.
The next thing to think about is: hand control or foot pedal. You can choose a hand control if fishing in one hand doesn’t bother you, but if you want to fish freely with both hands then getting a foot pedal is your choice.
Some manufacturers now include features like digital displays for speed and water depth, a built-in batter gauge, as well as a GPS that allows the motor to steer itself or act as a virtual anchor, keeping the boat in place.
Best thing about Electric trolling motors is they add boat control letting you fish normally in inaccessible areas. These motors are also very quiet, which will not scare the fishes away while you are moving to different areas.