You can't fish pier pilings or standing timber with an electric steer motor very well because you can't turn quick enough to keep from getting hung up when the wind shifts you around. They work extremely well in open water. When single poling, they work ok, but you have to learn to anticipate your position before you move because they take more time to turn. The wind makes it harder to stay in one place with the electric steering models, in cover or on brush, because its much slower to turn than a cable steer model. The spot lock is nice, but it only holds you within 5' of the spot, and in cover thats way to far. The ideal situation would be to have one of each on a removable bracket to allow for the best of all situations.

The Minn Kota Edge is a 5 speed, entry level motor. The Maxxums and Fortrexs are variable speed models, and are stouter made. Besides the motor bracket, and the US Sonar on the Fortrex, the Maxxum and the Fortrex work about the same. They are both nice motors, and they work great in cover as well as open water, you just can't leave them when you catch a fish, or fight the wind.

I have a Terrova 80# with Ipilot, but I spider rig, and pull cranks or jigs most of the time. I still want to have both tho. Even when spider rigging cover or brush piles in the wind, the cable steer would be nice. It would allow me to turn faster and stay off of the cover. The Auto Pilot motors are the stuff when pulling, but they lack the agility and finesse of the cable steer models. JMHO.


BRM