New to boat fishing

[NEKFORCE]

I have always fished brooks and streams. I was recently given a boat with a blown motor, that i rebuilt and ran a little bit last year. its actually a water skiing boat, however i have no interest in water skiing just fishing. Any way its a 1989 bayliner i believe its 19' maybe 20' long. I want to mount a trolling motor on it. I believe i need 5lbs of thrust for every pound of boat. I forget what it weighs. I have the chance to get a used minn kota 30 thrust for 80 bucks but i believe it will be too small. Any suggestions on affordable 100-150 dollar range trolling motors and the best was to mount it on my boat for fishing?

 

[prlwng]

Have a 19.5 ft crestliner i/o 4.3. Have an 85 lb trolley. In the Missouri River it will barley hold its own. On my 17 ft bass tracker, 25lb is not enough either. Even in calm water.

Feel you would want at least 75 plus to do much. 24 volt would probly be better yet. For 100 you might not get what you need.

However, many are going to those fancy Geo things. You may find bracket and motor from someone like that. You will also need bat or bats.

 

[Scott Danforth]

trolling motor thrust is more about the forces on the boat and less of the weight of the boat. current and wind are more important than weight.

if your budget is only $150, you may want to consider a different hobby as boating is nearly the most expensive hobby in the world.

 

[poconojoe]

I think what prlwng is referring to as bat or bats is batteries. I don't know what a geo is, maybe something like eBay?
So, I think he's saying that you will spend quite a bit of your $100-$150 just on batteries. Sure you can use just one battery, if the motor is 12 volts, but two is better. IDK, what size motor you will need, but the larger ones can be 24 or even 36 volts. 24 volts will require two batteries wired in series and 36 will need 3 batteries.
So as stated...boating is not a cheap hobby. Not many hobbies are cheap anyway.

 

[prlwng]

That Geo thing is a. Unit that will keep you within a certain spot with the push of a button.

If you tell it to keep you in a spot, no ancorr, it will use trolling motor to keep you very close.

 

[82rude]

Id imagine that's fairly pricey .You might want to consider a gas motor .I have a 60hp and a 6hp kicker and I never use the 6 for trolling ever.What are you planning on fishing for?Ive caught tons of walleye and bass,salmon,pike,and not one fish had a speedometer or watch on it.

 

[fishrdan]

I have the chance to get a used minn kota 30 thrust for 80 bucks

You can buy a brand spanking new 30# TM for $100... But it's not going to do much for that size of boat.

I'd go with a minimum of a 70# 24V "digital" trolling motor. This will require 2 trolling motor batteries, but with that size of boat, you'll want 2 TM batteries anyway. When you get the batteries, buy the biggest available, group 29 or 31. Deep cycle batteries are best $$$, dual purpose will work $$, don't use starting batteries $. Digital trolling motors will realistically go 2-3 times as far (claim up to 5x as far) as old-tech speed coil trolling motors, so be sure to get a "digital" trolling motor.

If you're going to be fighting wind and current, you may need more power. If you're going to be using the TM in heavy waves 2-3'+, you'll need a TM with a shaft long enough to keep the prop buried, and not sucking air.

I have a 70# MinnKota PowerDrive 60" shaft on a heavy 18' boat, and troll in 2,3 4' waves without the prop sucking air. Only time I wished I had more power is going into big waves, but I'm usually trolling with the waves, not against them.

Steering is either foot steer (cable, wired or wireless) or handheld wireless remote. I've had foot steer, but prefer a hand held wireless remote, I have it on a lanyard around my wrist. Transom mount hand operated TM's are available too, but I wouldn't use them on a boat that size, I have and it works, but it doesn't work well.

$100-150, that isn't going to buy much, for what you need, price range is $600-$2500 for new bow mount TM's. Batteries alone will run $200+. Keep an eye on Craigslist. I picked up a MK PowerDrive with a broken shaft for $100, put a 60" shaft and wireless remote on it - $300 total. Then sold my old (looked almost new) MG 48" shaft 70# speed coil TM for $250....

 

[Helihover]

Have you considered a trolling plate? You can pick these up used for around 50 bucks.

 

[Sprig]

A couple points. Bottom line you will find nothing for $150 neither gas or electric that will push your boat around.
5 lbs of thrust per pound of boat???? If that were anywhere close to accurate then you would need a large diesel to troll. For the money you want to spend your alternative is either a trolling plate, pulling a trolling or drift sock behind you or some people pull one or two 5 gallon buckets.