Trolling Motor + Electronics - I AM SO LOST!

I have been struggling on what to do/buy for WAY too long now. I am upgrading to a Spot Lock capable trolling motor. I plan on getting a 24v Terrova. But that opens the door to built in transducers and the ability to connect to a fish finder. Then it gets worse (i.e., $$$) with Mega Live 2, etc.

I do not get as much time on the water as I would like and I like in a horrible state for fishing. I would like to be able to find structure, stay on it, and hopefully catch fish. What should I get? Budget? Not sure, yet. Depends on what I “need.” Does the TM need to have a built in transducer? If a ML2 transducer is attached, how annoying is it to have it move off target every time the trolling motor moves if attached to the TM shaft?

Thank you!!!!!!

You're looking in a rabbit hole that has no bottom. Staying in the same brand unlocks a lot of features in both the TM and head unit. If you're not going to have live sonar, just use a buoy and let the trolling motor work. I use live sonar but also have a turret for its transducer, doesn't matter what the trolling motor does.

If I pull the trigger, I will go with Hummingbird to work with the Minn Kota trolling motor.

FFS doesn’t need to be on the TM. I personally like DI on the TM. You can pick fish out of brush and see fish under bait if you are fishing below the boat. Trying to hold in wind and waves with spot lock while the FFS transducer is on the TM isn’t going to be a good experience.

I like my livescope on a pole mount.

I had my LVS32 on a pole when I had the Terrova and over it to the trolling motor when I swapped to an Ultrex. I personally like the cleaner deck without the pole, although I can’t watch my lure as easily when spotlocked. I don’t plan to get a turret or other pole system for the trolling motor because of the weight with a 360 on the trolling motor as well.

TM is great for open water sniping or if you don't have spot lock . If you have spot lock go the stick route . also if you fish heavy brush in the spawn neither helps .

I did not know this until a few months ago on the MinnKota Ultrex and I think Terrova motors, there is a setting. It lets your trolling motor record the track of the boat while in stored position, that the boat is making while driving the big motor, like checking out an area to troll from the drivers seat and drivers seat depth finder. You put the trolling motor down and it will follow the previous path the boat made, if you want it too. Sorry if I am confusing on this.

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Originally Posted by tnduxcaller

I did not know this until a few months ago on the MinnKota Ultrex and I think Terrova motors, there is a setting. It lets your trolling motor record the track of the boat while in stored position, that the boat is making while driving the big motor, like checking out an area to troll from the drivers seat and drivers seat depth finder. You put the trolling motor down and it will follow the previous path the boat made, if you want it too. Sorry if I am confusing on this.

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Track recording on the Minn Kota is nice feature; I've used it quite a few times on my long-line and crankbait pulling routes.

I have FFS on my Ultrex, I only use spot lock when I leave the front seat, to put fish in live well etc.

Thats out of the box thinking, to me. I use it trolling, but never thought of doing it that way. Will have to give it a try!


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by tnduxcaller

I did not know this until a few months ago on the MinnKota Ultrex and I think Terrova motors, there is a setting. It lets your trolling motor record the track of the boat while in stored position, that the boat is making while driving the big motor, like checking out an area to troll from the drivers seat and drivers seat depth finder. You put the trolling motor down and it will follow the previous path the boat made, if you want it too. Sorry if I am confusing on this.

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I’ve done that with a motorguide xi5 before it works ok. When your recording a route with any of them they’re laying down a way point about every 5ish seconds the faster you go with the big motor the farther the waypoints are apart and they are less accurate…At higher speeds on a tighter curve the trolling motor will make more of a stop sign curve on play back following the waypoints.