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Spotlock is great for a lot of things, but it’s been my experience that you absolutely cannot spotlock close to crappies unless they are 20ft deep or more. As seen on my livescope you will spook them every time and keep them moving around. What are your thoughts on this? I never realized how spooky crappies were until I got livescope
Depending on how pressured they are for sure. I will spotlock while shooting docks if there is a slight breeze for the motor to lean against. A lot of the times I will use the remote to hold the boat allowing for a more stealthy approach.
Spot lock is fine for taking a fish off or retying but not much good for actually fishing from.
On my home lake I’ve spotlocked in twelve feet without spooking the fish. Especially when there’s a little wind. I used my 2d sonar on my ultrex just a few days ago on them. Used a seven foot rod tight lined in the cone and had a blast.Quote:
Originally Posted by pab1981
I fished with a guy who used spot lock very effectively in water as shallow as 15’ and we were vertical jigging.
It’s not about the spooking, it’s about not having control of the boat. Am sure plenty of people catch fish good at times like that sitting on a bunch of aggressive fish but you won’t get away with it a lot of days on our lakes the way the bait needs to be presented.Quote:
Originally Posted by chaunc
That’s why I said on my home lake. It’s a heavy recreational lake and the fish don’t spook as easily as Kentucky lake or others I’ve fished.Quote:
Originally Posted by pab1981
I have seen them spook at 15ft deep and not move a inch in 4ft of water. Heck I have seen them swim directly under a boat to avoid the sun. They are some finicky critters.
I sit a minimium of 15 ft. off of fish & out to around 40 ft. if needed.
My home lake is heavily pressured and also very recreational during that time of year.
Spot lock definitely spooks fish!!!
I can’t get within 15 ft of them most of the time.
Now I stealth my way to the fish.
Hardly ever use the remote unless I am pushing minnows.
I consider the lake being always pretty clear to stained. I’m sure muddy and dark tea colored water would easier to fish but nothing like that around here. I’ve tried rods as long as 16 ft and still spooky.
I have to stay up to 20 ft away and pitch to them.
I still love spot lock for changing baits and eating a sandwich or just taking a break.
Sent from my iPhone using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app
We use it often , we never ketch fish when we use it :Rofl, some days it’s a nightmare to use and others it a dream come true , the mind of it’s own thing can be really frustrating though . Like everything else the settings on it are critically important to be set right for the individual vessel , it beats an anchor in my opinion though pretty easily….just saying
Here in the Ozarks, our lakes as a rule are clear 3-20 visibility we usually see the fish at 30-40 ft away, on LS, try to point into wind, stay 20-30 ft back, cast, count our jigs down and retrieve through. If we go over to Oklahoma to Grand Lake or up to Truman we can usually get over them and vertical. Think this is why we have little spider rigging down here, and guys going to longer rods.... bought me a 20' now if I could figure out how to handle it.....
Exactly why I've never got it.Quote:
Originally Posted by pab1981
Got these today spotlocked over a pile in 15 ft. Wind was up to 10 and it held pretty good. My ultrex is noisey but it didn’t affect the fishing.
Attachment 442997
I use mine everytime out !!!
Sent from my SM-S908U using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app
I have tried to use mine on an Ulterra. Sometimes it works for a while but when the cables get wrapped around the head unit it quits. I have the stand out mounts, stretched out the cables giving them more slack, but it still quits. Your milage may vary but this has been my experience. It may or may not spook fish. Guess it depends on the wind, the fish, and water clarity.
I've used mine every time out so far & don't have a problem with it.
I use spot lock mainly to re tie or deal with taking fish off. If I have a 5 mph or better wind I find that spot lock works better to hold position without a lot of corrections. I have jig fished stakebeds under these conditions with good success. But no winds are hard to not spook close fish as the motor turns back and forth too much.
A little wind or current for it to lean against certainly keeps it stable.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Quailtail
I would have it checked out as I have the Ulterra also and do not have this problem, it always unwraps itself with out quitting.
im running an ultrex over on the eastern side of the state and i definitely can’t get away with this without blowing them outQuote:
Originally Posted by chaunc
Ditto. The larger community piles they seem to be spookier. However we have been slaying them over smaller piles and I use spotlock 100% of the time. If filling the livewell with 10"+ fish and putting a bunch of fish in the boat in general is wrong then I dont want to be right.Quote:
Originally Posted by Grainraiser
Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk
As I’ve stated before, my home lake is different from a lot of other lakes I fish. They just don’t let overhead noise spook them.Quote:
Originally Posted by Charman03
:Rofl YepQuote:
Originally Posted by zummy
I ketch lots pretty easily over several different versions of spotlock and rarely get disappointed until the wind lays down , the circling thing makes it a challenge for sure :RoflQuote:
Originally Posted by zummy
I agree low wind can be an issue. Luckily I live in an area that it is rare to have no wind.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ketchn
Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk
So far i haven't had any problem in wind or with no wind with my 2022 terrova. Sounds like i'm just lucky. If no wind i set the speed at 2 & if a lot of wind i adjust until i figure out the best speed to avoid over running & blowing spots out when the trolling motor tries to correct itsself. Maybe i just don't understand. :dono
You don’t set a speed when using SpotLock. The motor does all calculations. Many times if there is no wind spot lock will drift off…then correct itself and is subject to continue this. If you spot lock facing the wind the boat will hardly move at all. Same in even a slight current…set it and spot lock will keep you dead on and in the direction you were facing when you told it to spot lock. If there is no wind the boat is subject to pivot and you be facing the opposite direction from where you were when you hit spot lock.Quote:
Originally Posted by Les Young
Regards
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if you don't adjust the speed for the size boat they go bananas running you all over the lake or maybe I don't understand ?Quote:
Originally Posted by Alphahawk
seen folks adjust them speed wise and they work perfect and seen some that don't and they are a nightmare ...am confused :dono
gots to love "we NEED to be over THERE " not over here for sure .....:RoflQuote:
Originally Posted by zummy
Swirling winds seem to be the worst for mine. They do that at times here. Time to grab the remote and take control.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ketchn
That's what i call boat size adjustment. Minn Kota calls it boat scale adjustment that determines amount thrust when spot lock is in use.
Regards
[QUOTE=Alphahawk;4316273]You don’t set a speed when using SpotLock. The motor does all calculations. Many times if there is no wind spot lock will drift off…then correct itself and is subject to continue this. If you spot lock facing the wind the boat will hardly move at all. Same in even a slight current…set it and spot lock will keep you dead on and in the direction you were facing when you told it to spot lock. If there is no wind the boat is subject to pivot and you be facing the opposite direction from where you were when you hit spot lock.
Regards See i don't understand. :Rofl All i know is the way mine has done so far when spotlocked i haven't had any problems whatsoever. I ease up & stop most times before i hit spotlock. My boat scale adjustment may just luckily be set pretty much perfect for my rig too. I also know that it adjusts the power itself but mines been pretty smooth so far. Hopefully it keeps it up. Of course the truth is probably most of the new motors are smooth compared to the old ones if you're not having to stand on the pedal fighting the wind. :biggrin