Champlain Islander

A couple of years ago I sold my Nitro fiberglass bass boat and decided that I missed having a small fishing boat. I still have a 20 foot IO family boat but it isn't good for fishing and a 12' jon boat with oars for the spring backwater fishing but really missed being able to get into the small bay and creek mouths for pan and bass fishing during summer. I bought a new Lund 16' with a console and am looking at what I need for an electric trolling motor. I had a Motor Guide foot control on the bass boat and have less room up front on this new aluminum boat. I was looking at the Minn Kota Power Drive V2 and wonder if any of you have any experience with this model. I won't upgrade to any auto pilot or any of the enhanced things this model can do but having a smaller foot control and being able to run it anywhere in the boat appeals to me depending on what I am fishing for. I did have a Minn Kota on an earlier fishing boat and comparing that control cable model with the similar Motor Guide I liked the MG better. Anyone have any suggestions?

Phil from Maine

Sorry I can not be of much help to you C.I..

But your post reminded me that I am in need of one. So I just order one out for my laker fishing. I know that some of the folks here have claim if it is not a 5 speed. One that you have to shift every gear threw that it is a lot easier on your battery. For the most part they pretty much all have the Mini Kota up this way.. I also am stuck with the transcom mount because of my boat design..

JoshKeller

i used a few older digital steer models, and while they were fine with some practice, I just didnt like the small lag from the electronic steer vs a instant cable steer motor.

Champlain Islander

That is a common issue raised according to my research. The one thing that a digi appears to have is less draw on the battery because of the way the motor runs. Normal motors use fixed resistors to limit power output and speed but still draw full power which is lost via heat. The other plus is that the foot pad is on an 18' wire so it can be run anywhere on the boat. Not practicle on a bass boat but for a pan fisherman not needing to be up front it might be good.

Fieldmouse

I tell you what CI, my coworker has one that uses gps and a remote control. It may sound like over kill but when it comes to fishing, you can beat it's capabilities. It can track a straight line or anchor you in one spot at a push of a button. I'm telling you it was really slick and I wouldn't buy anything but.

http://www.basspro.com/Minn-KotaŽ-Po...5011619/225201

Phil from Maine

The trolling motor I ordered was ncanceled as they ended up out of them. The e-mail stated it was being discotinued.. So I went and ordered a different one off Amazon.. It should be here next week sometime..

NEK

The Minnkota power drive V2 looks like a good choice, and as soon as I can sell the cable type foot control model on my boat - I am going to up grade to one. I have used the MG and MK motors and frankly, don't see much difference in performance or quality. It pretty much comes down to the features you want, and the price you get. The way my boat is set up, with the stick steering - there isn't enough room to comfortably use the cable type foot control and you wind up doing a lot of cussing from leg cramps in a long days fishing. I really need the power drive.

Phil from Maine

Well I had recieved a trolling motor last Thursday it arrived. It surely is not the one that I had orignaly wanted, but it should do the trick. It is a Minn Kota Endura C2 40lb thrust.. I will be trying to hook it up to my steering from my Yamaha.. It is a shame I couldn't get the one I had originaly tied to get..

Phil from Maine

I tried my trolling motor out and wish I had gotten one a little bigger. It worked fine just the same for me though. I tried it yesterday with my grandson hoping he would catch something with me. Niether him or I caught a fish though. It was a pain trying to run it from the transcom in the wind we had here. So I took it and tried it again this morning up to West Grand Lake as the ice finally went out of it yesterday afternoon. I got tired of running it from down in the back so I drop my big motor down. I found out no matter which direction I tried to turn it in it went straight with my other motor. That is when I found out I could steer the boat from the driver's seat.. I ended up catching 2 nice landlocks but couldn't try it on the lake trout as the wind had come up again. All and all it was a great day out there..