Terrova with i-pilot sounds like the best option. Press a button and it keeps you on a spot.I cant imagine valuable this could be. Anybody know anything about it? Read reviews on some sites:they say it works great but I am not sure about how much abuse the motor can take.
Fortexx is also a good looking motor seems like minnkota pros mostly use this and not the terrova i-pilot. Might also go for a motorguide. I have a small minnkota now so anything will be a upgrade. Any feedback will help.
thanks
As far as for bass fishing, I couldn't imagine not having a cable steering TM. The i-pilot sounds cool, but I wouldn't trade what it can do for cable steering.
I currently have the Fortrex...love it! The lift assist is really nice too...
Another Fortrex owner giving the thumbs up to it. Love mine.
The electric steer trolling motors just don't move fast enough or accuratly enough for me. Then there is the "feel factor" as I put it. I can tell you exactly what direction my boat will be going when I hit the go button on my motor just by where the peddle is when I put my foot on it. Impossible to do with an electric steer.
Quote from: Waterfoul on February 13, 2011, 06:55:08 PM
Another Fortrex owner giving the thumbs up to it. Love mine.
The electric steer trolling motors just don't move fast enough or accuratly enough for me. Then there is the "feel factor" as I put it. I can tell you exactly what direction my boat will be going when I hit the go button on my motor just by where the peddle is when I put my foot on it. Impossible to do with an electric steer.
DITTO
Quote from: Waterfoul on February 13, 2011, 06:55:08 PM
Another Fortrex owner giving the thumbs up to it. Love mine.
The electric steer trolling motors just don't move fast enough or accuratly enough for me. Then there is the "feel factor" as I put it. I can tell you exactly what direction my boat will be going when I hit the go button on my motor just by where the peddle is when I put my foot on it. Impossible to do with an electric steer.
Yeah what he said!!!!
Got a Fortex. Awesome motor! The lift assist is so nice. But when your constantly turning the motor on and off, the motor does not squeak, or flex a whole lot. I had a motor guide befoe the fortex, that thing was a piece of _________ (fill in the blank) ;D Constantly rocking back and forth and making a lot of noise. I swear it spooked many fish away. :P
thanks
probably stick with minnkota and get the fortexx. Seems like all the pros are using motor guide based on pictures I see from this years classic practice. They cant be that bad can they? Anybody got anthing good to say about motorguide?
thanks again
Quote from: rkillick on February 14, 2011, 07:46:45 AM
thanks
probably stick with minnkota and get the fortexx. Seems like all the pros are using motor guide based on pictures I see from this years classic practice. They cant be that bad can they? Anybody got anthing good to say about motorguide?
thanks again
Don't always go by what the pros are using. They get paid to use a lot of that stuff.
1jav
That i-pilot sure would have been nice when fishing alone yesterday in pretty high winds. I don't think that I could get used to electric steering though. I sure wish they would come up with a retrofit kit that worked on cable steel motors.
My step dad has one of them. Not sure if its motorguide or minkotta but its tied into the gps and self navigates. He has it on his Lund and fishes for walleys. Its a pretty slick deal for him. Click on the direction and it stays on coarse.
In reality I wouldn't see it being much use to the bass fisherman. Your better off just using your foot and your gps at the bow. The biggest thing I didn't like about it is that it is constantly correcting itself. Wind, current, or whatever. It reminds me of when I have my peddle on constant power and you touch it just a little and it swings one way. Touch it again and it swings back to the other.. and so on.... Not to mention battery drain issues.
Save your money. IMO.
I was told that only cool people run MotorGuilde, must be why you guys dont! ::)
My dad beat Motorguide into my head since I was little. But, I have found the MinnKota's to do way better going through thick weeds and such. I have gone against my dad, and he is starting to see the facts. I will have a Fortrex when mine pukes.
Quote from: Bender on February 14, 2011, 08:36:35 AM
That i-pilot sure would have been nice when fishing alone yesterday in pretty high winds. I don't think that I could get used to electric steering though. I sure wish they would come up with a retrofit kit that worked on cable steel motors.
Where were you fishing at? Are you in Florida?
BgD
I was fishing here in Mississippi. I've been out almost every day for the past three weeks. :P
I've been trying to get out of MI for a few years now. Unfortunately, my wife has mixed emotions. You are a lucky man!
BgD
I weighed out the pros/cons heavily between the fortrex and Terrova,would the fortrex be more suited to largemouth fishin and terrova for more open water smallmouth fishing?
I pulled the trigger on the terrova just because of the Ipilot to have extra deck space with the removable pedal.
Seems the TerraNova is more suited for walleye or any fish you'd be trolling for since with iPilot you can set it to follow a contour and depth. I like the ability to hold on a GPS coordinate, that would be great to sit on a deep spot out in the middle of a large lake.
The i-pilot's spot lock looks pretty interesting and I've been thinking about adding it to my Minn Kota Riptide (same as Terrova, but salty version). It would be great for deeper water. I don't think I'd want to use it for shallow water as the on and off cycling may spook some fish. When I bought my boat in '07 I decided to go with the Riptide with a foot control instead of a cable steer. It does take a little while to get used to as it isn't as quick to respond. If you do most of your fishing on St. Clair and other big water, responsiveness isn't as important. I do like not having the bulk of the cable steer on the bow. I'd try them both out and go from there.
Went with the fortex 80. Very nice plenty of power. Maybe a little loud any body notice the same thing? Old tm only a 40, maybe with the extra thrust the noise is normal.
thanks
I'm gonna follow up on what I was saying about the Terrova and go ahead and say DON'T waste your money (unless your a walleye fisherwman). I fished 7 days and caught 6 FISH!!! I've determined the problem down to the amount of noise this makes turning.. the electric steer is rediculously loud!!! and the motor beeps when you push down on the remote, also the motor itself makes quite a bit of noise over my old motorguide.. , I'm gonna give it ONE more try out on LSC and then put my cable steer back on and see if that makes a difference...
I really thought this would be great but I ain't catching any fish!!! also the spot lock feature is a pain because by the time it's situated over the spot every single fish near will be long spooked because It's bouncing around like a darn pinball in the circle