Wanting to upgrade to a trolling motor that I can use in saltwater and will work well for crappie Fishing also. Also I would like to have the anchor feature that works well. Opinions will be appreciated.
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Wanting to upgrade to a trolling motor that I can use in saltwater and will work well for crappie Fishing also. Also I would like to have the anchor feature that works well. Opinions will be appreciated.
I can’t give first hand advice. I just ordered and installed a Terrova, but life has got in the way of testing it. What I will say is, give Brian @BBG Marine a call. I’ll bet he meets and probably beats any price. Plus, his advice and recommendations are priceless!
My Saltwater MinnKota Riptide is going on 13yrs of excellent service.
Saltwater Riptide will be my choice, but you will be disappointed in the electronic anchor. When wind or current moves the boat, the trolling motor goes too fast to get back into position. After four years of having the feature, do not use it. Have old-fashioned anchors on the boat when I need to stay in one place.
I have a brand new terrova rip tide I will make you a great deal on. Been in water twice.
Yep, the only way that I got anchor to work was pointing directly into the wind. Otherwise, it will wrap that power cord up quick if you don't watch it.Quote:
Originally Posted by JordanLimit
I have a couple year old MinnKota Terrova 80lb. thrust 24 volt and LOVE it. My old MinnKota did exactly like JordanLimit was talking about and I got to where I never used it except in very specific circumstances; and then my buddy got the newest version and it was much better. Ended up selling my old one and getting the newest version and am VERY happy with it. When I set up "down lining" for crappie I'll hit the anchor setting and if the fish cooperate I won't touch a thing for an hour or more. That being said, it is not the saltwater version so I don't know if that would make a difference, but can't imagine it would. I have it on an 18' Bass Tracker Targa Deep V.
Mike
Take a kid outdoors!
The latest model Minn Kota Terrova salt water version, works fabulous. Don't get the older model the anchor feature doesn't work nearly as good.
Video I made of my first voyage testing the Terrova. Was a decent breeze blowing, kept me right on the spot:
YouTube
Thanks for all the information, I see that motorguide has not been recommended, is there a reason?
While I don't have personal Motorguide experience when I was doing my research the general consensus seemed to be that Minn Kota was a superior product. The advice that sold me the most was talking to the people at AK Mccallum in Fayetteville NC. They would happily order and install a Motorguide if that's what I wanted but then told me all the problems they hear about and said the best play was going with Minn Kota.
I was looking at Motorguide initially because they were cheaper for what I wanted, but I've learned you get what you pay for. Also I used Minn Kota products for 25 years, no issues.
I talked to a Motor Guide Trolling Motor Rep. at Bass Pro one day when I was shopping for a salt water trolling motor. I asked a lot of questions but the one big question was, what is the difference between the fresh water and salt water versions of these trolling motors. He said, The Color...Salt Water is white and Fresh Water is black... I bought the Black one and put an anode on the shaft. It worked fine until I sold the boat years later. Of course I washed it after use each time..
Johnson Outdoors owns both Minn Kota and Humminbird. Naturally, being under one company, these products work very well together. My understanding is that Lowrance and Motor Guide have a very close relationship as well. In doing your homework for a trolling motor, also consider what fishfinder you will be syncing it up with as well.
I have the Xi5 by motor guide and a lowrance hds carbon linked with NEMA 2000. No complaints at all.
Sent from my SM-G955U using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app
Thanks everyone, looks like the Minn Kota will be my choice.
I fish saltwater fish and crappie fish. I live in Wilmington and have a Minn Kota. My buddy has a Motorguide XI5. The spot lock on the Motorguide is way better in my opinion. The correction speed on the MK is too great as mentioned above. That being said I like the remote control on the MK much better than the MG but if I were buying today it would be a MG.
The white ones have a few extra layers of paint, and the circut boards are waterproofed in an epoxy, or like silicone so they are sealed to keep the saltwater out. Maybe that's all the difference in Motorguide, but Minnkota ripties are pretty legit.
I have a 2017 Terrova riptide. It is amazing, long as you have a little wind or current, then the spotlock works perfect. Keeps me in about a 2ft circle, if it's almost dead calm, then it will wander a bit, but that's expected. GPS systems have a little lag, so they often react and over react, then have to adjust again to correct and over correct. with a little current it holds steady, because it doesn't have to do much left/right correction, just forwards and backwards. The Bluetooth functions are not really used by us, but they are nice to have, especially the jog feature, moving 5ft with the press of a button. I have fished mine at the beach in ripping currents and in lakes with slow current. I still carry an anchor, but it's only used if the current is pushing more than 3mph. I have the 80lb thrust and about 3mph is all the trolling motor can generate, so it wont hold in current faster than that. Driving from the back is the best thing ever when you fish from the back of the boat.
PPowell, glad you posted that video. We just installed a MK on my pastor's pontoon and placed the gps "puck" right beside the trolling motor up front and was a little worried if it would work like it's supposed to. Looks like it works just fine there.
Several comments about the "lag" and "over correcting" with their MKs, just wondering if these are the newest version of the trolling motor. I had the same problem with the old version, but the new works great whether in current or calm windless water.
Mike
Take a kid outdoors!
I have the 2017 Bluetooth, and it does ok, but on really flat calm days it doesn't hold the best, every GPS system has to have some lag, it cant communicate, process, and take action at the same time. If it did it would cause the motors to be worse than they are. They pretty much function on a PID system, but they are pretty good technology for us. Mine consistently stays within 2ft of the target if it's being pushed against. It may go up to 6ft if its dead calm. Not bad, but still moves more than with no current/wind. It holds bottom lines tight in current, in flat it won't hold them tight, the boat sways back and forth as the motor corrects.