Talking to several professional fishermen, ambassadors of a wide variety of brands, one of the most valued fishing companions on board is the trolling motor. What is it for? It is an electric motor that enables electronic anchoring via GPS. The fisherman comes to a spot and stops to fish. It used to be necessary to drop anchor, and it is not always easy to stay put.
Trolling Motor: fishing and standing still in place
Not only that, if you catch a big fish that requires a fight, you need to haul anchor quickly. Now, with the engine on the bow, you drop the engine into the fishery, press a button with an anchor symbol, and the boat stays there, “anchored to the sky” thanks to the GPS.
This is one of the functions performed by the Spot Lock anchor of the Riptide series of electric bow motors from Minn Kota, a brand of the large U.S.-based Johnson Outdoor company focused on sport fishing. But there are many other functions that can be operated by remote control: the motor can spin the boat, move it slowly, move it from one point to another.
The electric bow motor is available with various power ratings depending on the size of the boat. These bow motors are all electric, allowing you to be in one spot fishing without making noise, without smoke, without disturbance. Motor descent can be manual, or fully automatic. In this specific case Spot Lock, belonging to the same group as the Humminbird fishfinder, can be connected with the One-Boat NetworkTM function to memorize the favorable fishing spot, to follow a specific bathymetric line, or to automatically navigate around the fishing spot.
Trolling motor: five electric motors for electronic anchoring
MINN KOTA RIPTIDE
Trolling outboards, ideal for marine use. They are mainly used for installations at the bow of boats. Interfaced with GPS, they hold the boat steady at a fixed point.
GARMIN FORCE
Force marks giant Garmin’s entry into the world of electric trolling motors. It is quiet and easy to operate even with foot pedal and remote control.
LOWRANCE GHOST
A great trolling solution, it also comes with the control pedal, which can be configured as desired.
YAMAHA MS20
Yamaha’s range of electric motors is enriched with a saltwater-specific model featuring special paint and anti-corrosion plastics.
Motor Guide Xi5
Experience to spare in the industry with models for freshwater and saltwater. MotorGuide is among the best in this field and the Motorguide Xi5 is a real treat.
An inflatable boat for deep-sea fishing with MotorGuide
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