# suggestions/reviews on newer trolling motors



## Bleeding Minnow (Feb 22, 2012)

new (to me) boat this past spring. 16' aluminum (lund) with a motorguide x3 70# 5 speed. it moves the boat quite well but i plan on upgrading to variable speed with a spotlock feature. I have lowrance hooks at console and bow. i'm not looking for a network just would like to drop a responsive virtual anchor in 10'+ of water to fight the wind at times. i mainly fish central ohio plus a (usually windy) spring trip to chautauqua. anybody impressed or disappointed with what they are using? thanks in advance.


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## sixtyminutes (Jan 3, 2009)

Bleeding Minnow said:


> new (to me) boat this past spring. 16' aluminum (lund) with a motorguide x3 70# 5 speed. it moves the boat quite well but i plan on upgrading to variable speed with a spotlock feature. I have lowrance hooks at console and bow. i'm not looking for a network just would like to drop a responsive virtual anchor in 10'+ of water to fight the wind at times. i mainly fish central ohio plus a (usually windy) spring trip to chautauqua. anybody impressed or disappointed with what they are using? thanks in advance.


I fish central OH and Erie most often. I have a Terrova 80# I-Pilot on a 18FT Lund Pro V-1 SE. It has the spot lock. That anchor feature is great. Just lock over a spot and fish. No need to keep checking to see if you are drifting off and having to adjust position with the trolling motor. In open water fishing I find myself using the hand held remote almost exclusively. Very handy when trolling. I love it. I will be upgrading to a new unit this winter as I want to network with Hummingbirds and I need to go to the I- Pilot Link to do that. I hate to replace an almost new motor. Let me know if you know of anyone who might want to buy.


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## dgfidler (Sep 22, 2014)

I have the Motorguide xi5 105# with the pinpoint GPS. It has a very good anchor mode with a 'jog' feature. The jog feature lets you readjust your position 5 feet in any direction. I have this integrated with a lowrance HDS-9. I can pass over a crappie school, scroll back through the sonar and 'go to' that spot. The GPS navigates the trolling motor back to that spot and anchors over it. While the lowrance integration does not have a follow the contour feature like humminbird/terrova, you can still manually create a route in the GPS and the trolling motor will perfectly follow it. Imagine creating a route that keeps you 75 feet from shore then creeping along that route at .8mph running planer boards right up to the shoreline at night in the fall. That would be way better than trying to find a spot on shore to fish for saugeye. I've never done this because I'm afraid to be the only boat in the water at night in cold water. I'm using a Grady White 208 walk around which is easily over 4K pounds. My primary use of this trolling motor is to keep the boat straight on Lake Erie with a kicker providing primary propulsion, but it does have some cool features for inland fishing. I think 80 lbs of thrust would be perfect for a 16 ft boat. I like the Motorguide, but wouldn't hesitate to have the terrova either. If I was not going to integrate with my lowrance HDS, I'd probably go minnkota because their remote control is better and it gives you visual feedback about what the trolling motor is doing.


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