Trolling Motor Selection Guide

There are a lot of decisions to be made when picking a trolling motor, especially if it's your first time shopping for one. This guide will walk you through what you need to consider to make sure you get the perfect motor and accessories for your fishing needs.   For information on electrical and wiring issues, please see our comprehensive article on Trolling Motor Wiring which covers battery selection, motor run times, circuit breakers, wiring diagrams and more.  

Our guide covers a number of topics, and you can jump to any section using the links below.

Thrust

Mount Type

Shaft Length

Control Type

Motor Voltage

Additional Features to Consider

Thrust

Arguably the most important shopping consideration is how much thrust you'll need. Thrust, measured in pounds (lbs) is the standard measure of how powerful a motor is. The larger and heavier your boat, the more thrust you'll need to achieve satisfactory results on the water. If there's one thing you want to avoid, it's purchasing a trolling motor with too little thrust. Nothing kills a day on the water quite like an underpowered trolling motor that is sluggish or ineffective at positioning your boat for casting. So how much thrust do you need? You should consider three factors: boat weight, length, and average fishing conditions, with boat weight being the most important factor.

Boat weight is the most important consideration to take into account when choosing a trolling motor. A good rule of thumb is that you want a minimum of 2 lbs of thrust for every 100lbs. When figuring boat weight, make sure you calculate the heaviest potential weight which include a boat fully loaded with gear, fuel and the maximum number of passengers.

Next to weight, you'll want to consider boat length. While weight is the best indicator of thrust needed, our chart below will give you a good starting point for the thrust range you should be considering given your boat size.

If your boat falls into two different thrust categories based on these charts, we'd recommend using the minimum thrust recommend via the weight method.

Finally, fishing conditions and style should play into your decision. If you usually fish on smooth lakes with no current, you should be able to stick to the listed minimum thrust without problems. However, if you spend most of your time in very fast moving water, significant currents or waves, you'll definitely want to move up a level or two in thrust to ensure ample power in all conditions.

Mount Type

The two primary trolling motor mounts are bow (front) and transom (rear). Each have their own advantages and disadvantages:

Bow Mounts

Bow mount trolling motors are the most popular type, especially with medium to large boats. One of their most notable advantages is that they provide significantly better control when compared to a transom mount motor. This is because a bow mount motor pulls the boat through the water, as opposed to pushing it from behind (as a transom mount does), and makes steering much more precise. If maneuverability and precision are important, than a bow mount motor is your best option. In order to install a bow mount motor, you'll need a flat deck, and room to install it on the front of the boat.

Transom Mounts

Transom mounts are popular with smaller boats and are easier to install that bow mount motors. While bow mounts require that a plate be drilled on the bow of the boat, transom mounts easily attach to the boat's stern with a simple clamp. Transom mounts are also much easier to operate from the back of the boat, and don't clutter up the deck with foot pedals or cords as bow mount motors often do. For smaller boat such as canoes, transom mounts are a usually the preferred choice. Do to their simpler design, transmo mounts also tend to be more affordable than their bow mount counterparts.

Shaft Length

Selecting the proper shaft length is critical. You want to make sure the motor's shaft is long enough to keep the propeller submerged in varying water conditions, but not so long that it hits bottom in shallow waters.

The following chart (provided by Minn Kota) gives guidance on what length shaft to choose. You'll need to measure the distance from either the bow or transom to the waterline. For bow mounted motors, consider stepping up a length if you'll be operating frequently in rough or choppy waters that may pull the bow up further out of the water.

Control Type

There are three possible methods for controlling your trolling motor – by hand, foot pedal, or wireless remote. Each have their pros and cons, which we've outlined below:

Hand Control

Controlled by manually moving the motor head / shaft via an extension handle.

Foot Pedal

Controlled by operating a pedal with the foot. Trolling motor foot pedals are available in both cable and electric models. Cable foot pedals move an actual cable within the pedal housing to operate the motor while electric pedals send electronic signals from the pedal to the motor.

Wireless Remote

Controlled via a wireless remote control, such as the Minn Kota CoPilot Remote, Minn Kota i-Pilot System or MotorGuide Wireless Remote. 

Motor Voltage

The larger the motor you have, the larger voltage system you'll need to power it. Higher voltage systems not only provide more power for higher thrust motors, they also run longer as well. As most individual batteries will be 12 volt, you'll need to remember the following:

• 12 volt systems – 1 battery required

• 24 volt systems – 2 batteries required

• 36 volt systems – 3 batteries required

Which configuration is right for you? It will largely be dictated by the motor you choose. Large motors with more thrust will require either a 24 or 36 volt system, and will subsequently require the appropriate number of batteries to operate properly. Smaller motors will usually be a 12 volt system, requiring only a single battery.

As a general rule, you'll definitely want a 24 or 36 volt system if you tend to fish frequently, and throughout the entire day. If you're out on the water often and for long periods, you'll definitely want the added run time offered by the higher voltage batteries. If you're more of a casual fisherman and won't be out for 16 hours straight, a 12 volt system will likely be just fine as long as the motor has ample thrust based on your boat's size and weight.

Additional Features to Consider

AutoPilot

Many upper-end motors include an AutoPilot feature. AutoPilot uses a compass to establish a bearing, and automatically keep you heading in a straight line while compensating for wind, waves, and other forces. This can be a very convenient feature when you want to follow a shelf, shoreline or just keep a straight course over open water.  Advanced AutoPilot technologies, such as Minn Kota i Pilot are also now available which use GPS technology to steer and direct the boat.  

If you think this is a feature you'd like at some point, make sure that at the very minimum the motor you select is AutoPilot compatible so you can upgrade in the future as not all are. That way, even if you decide not to take the plunge during the initial purchase, you can always upgrade to AutoPilot in the future without having to purchase an entirely different motor. 

Sonar Transducer

Some motors come with a built-in sonar transducer on the bottom of the motor shaft, making adding a depth or fishfinder incredibly easy. Using a built-in transducer eliminates the need to run separate wires and drill transducer holes, as well as often providing a superior view of activity under the water.

Battery Indicator

 Many motors come with a build-in battery status indicator, which tells you how much power is left in your battery. This is can be invaluable in budgeting available power, as well as knowing when it's time to head back in.