Lake Houston Fishing!

[otocatchfish]

I need to buy a new trolling motor cause mine kicked the bucket. I am looking to spend around $300 but will try to get away with as little as possible. I have my sites on the motor guide 40# thrust 36'' shaft foot controled bow mount. Do you like Minn Kota or MotorGuide? Do you prefer foot or hand controle? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[don diego]

otocatchfish,

I can't advise you on motorguide, I've never owned one. I'm sure they make a good troll motor though. I have owned several minkotas over the years. I have a minkota powerdrive troll motor on my boat now and I like it fine. I mainly crappie fish and a lot of times I fish with a jig pole in each hand. So I really have to have a foot controlled troll motor to fish the way I do. I also have my boat rigged so I can put two seats and two rod racks up front for spyder rig fishing. It would be difficult for me to spyder rig fish or fast troll without a foot control.

dd

[otocatchfish]

Yeah I have ben thinking about spyder rigging and trying to use a hand controlled motor, I think it would almost be imposible. I guess there are pros and cons on both. I have also noticed from looking around on the web that the foot controled are less expensive then the hand controlled comparably speaking.

[crazy croaker]

I only use a hand operated troll motor with a fold out bracket on the bow. I mount a foot off/on switch on the deck and set the motor at the speed and direction I want to go in and use the switch to control the movement. This type of troll motor is about $200.00 or less than a foot controlled motor of the same poundage. There is also less "stuff", wires, pedal and etc. on the deck to worry about. There are extension handles if you need one. I mount my bracket so the shaft is about 1" away the bow when it is in down position.

[katjim00]

I have always been a fan of minn kota. I bass fish mostly and get into some shallow rocky areas and the flexible shaft "gives" which makes it a little easier if I am slow to react. I have heard that the kotas run quieter but who knows. One thing I will advise is if you can swing the extra bills for variable speed get it. The 1 2 3 4 5 thing is fine but there have been countless times when 1/2 or 1 1/2 would have been a more desirable speed for me. I belive this would really help in crappie trolling as well.

Hand control should always be cheaper since there is less wires, cables, metal and plastics.

[sticko]

you may try craigs list and ebay to save some bucks on them i have bought one off ebay and saved about $500 it has been a good trolling motor.

I use evinrude but have used motor guide and minn kota they have all been good .

i would get at least a 12/24 to hold in the wind.