bow mount or transom mount trolling motor?

I have a MonArk 1442 and it's time to replace the trolling motor. I am curious to hear the pro's and con's of both the bow mount and transom mount trolling motors.
This will primarily be used in brackish water.

Thanks,
yak_n_fish

yak_n_fish said:

I have a MonArk 1442 and it's time to replace the trolling motor. I am curious to hear the pro's and con's of both the bow mount and transom mount trolling motors.
This will primarily be used in brackish water.

Thanks,
yak_n_fish

Click to expand...

From my experiences this last year...

Bow - you pull your boat through the mess you get into. You can pull your boat in a given direction, somewhat regardless of wind. I like to fish from the front of the boat, so it makes sense to have the motor here.

Transom - I can't see where I'm heading the boat into. Wind can swing the boat around and I feel I'm fighting the it a lot more.

Then you get into foot control bowmounts. I use this when fishing to have 2 hands free to hold the rod, rig, drink a soda, eat, whatever. I can't use the foot control with the kids in the boat because everyone wants to fish from the front, so I use a transom mount when they go with me. This takes up less room as no one but me fishes from the rear when the fam is with me. Even with their weight up front, it seems harder to control the boat from the rear.

But if I ever have the big engine quit, I can load the boat with the transom mount, can't do that with the bowmount - as I found out this year. #-o

Just my 0.02

Good insight. Thanks!

I should mention that the front deck is not setup for a foot pedal or a TM bracket. My current setup is a TM with screw down clamps hooked to a jon boat trolling motor bracket that I got from Cabela's, on the bow:



I was thinking that it might be easier or more efficient for me to run a transom mounted TM from where I already sit to steer the 25hp Yammy.

Other points or thoughts?

Thanks again,
yak_n_fish

You asked. I would never use a transom mounted trolling motor unless it was an electric only lake and it was my second motor. I want to be up front where the action is. Have you ever seen a big 'ol bass boat with the trolling motor anywhere but in the front? Look at Vee and Jon boat conversion and modification. Look under the thread Liven Large. Baitcaster has a simple but sturdy bow mount and I recommended an in-line Bigfoot switch. All simple, durable and user friendly.

I prefer a bow mount tm. I've fished with a foot controlled and a tiller style, and prefer the foot controlled tm hands down.
Bow mount tm provides easier maneuverability and i can fish from the front. FC tm allows me hands free to do whatever I want while navigating. Check out the mod project section for various ways to mount a bow mount tm.

I initially bought my transom mount trolling motor because I had not planned to by an outboard for a while and ther ETM was going to be the only propulsion.



Well, my plans changed and I ended up buying an outboard. I continued to use the ETM on the transom, mounted next to the outboard, but ultimately built a bracket to mount it on the bow.





I have used foot controlled ETM's and I can say that I am actually more comfortable using the tiller on my motor. The boat handles much better with the ETM on the bow, rather than the sternm, especially when there is a breeze. of course, fishing from the bow is better than fishing from the stern.

Good stuff. Thanks for the replies and input, y'all.

I think y'all have convinced me to keep the TM up at the bow and build a better mount.

Cheers,
yak_n_fish

I've often thought a hand control motor would be as easy to use as foot control. I don't think you'd be missing much - if anything by going your route.

I fish out of hte back of the boat, transom mount for me.

The real beauty of the transom mount is that you can mount it on the bow or stern, depending on your needs.

BaitCaster said:

The real beauty of the transom mount is that you can mount it on the bow or stern, depending on your needs.

Click to expand...

Sorry, I'm not following. :? Are you saying that I could buy a transom mount TM and put it on the bow? Would that require flipping the head around or some other modification?

Thanks,
yak_n_fish

yak_n_fish said:

BaitCaster said:

The real beauty of the transom mount is that you can mount it on the bow or stern, depending on your needs.

Click to expand...

Sorry, I'm not following. :? Are you saying that I could buy a transom mount TM and put it on the bow? Would that require flipping the head around or some other modification?

Thanks,
yak_n_fish

Click to expand...

Yep. It is easy to rotate the head. All you have to do is loosen one screw and you can turn it around (Minn Kota actually has instructions on how to do it on their website). This way you have the option of switching the motor betweenthe transom or the bow depending on your needs.

BaitCaster said:

yak_n_fish said:

BaitCaster said:

The real beauty of the transom mount is that you can mount it on the bow or stern, depending on your needs.

Click to expand...

Sorry, I'm not following. :? Are you saying that I could buy a transom mount TM and put it on the bow? Would that require flipping the head around or some other modification?

Thanks,
yak_n_fish

Click to expand...

Yep. It is easy to rotate the head. All you have to do is loosen one screw and you can turn it around (Minn Kota actually has instructions on how to do it on their website). This way you have the option of switching the motor betweenthe transom or the bow depending on your needs.

Click to expand...

x2 - it is fairly easy to do.

on my small boat I run a transom tm, when I want to fish I just go backwards and fish off the back. Its easier to control with motor pulling the boat instead of pushing but since I'm in the back to drive the tiller 15 horse I never have to get up and move. The battery sits back there also so I mounted my fish finder to the top of the plastic battery box.

you see above i put transome mounting trolling moter on bow of boat.I just rotate controll head to match up with propeller on moter.Transome moter work good on bow.I allso put rextention handle onto it ,you can see it above?Transome moter is lighter in weight over bow mount and you can use it on the bow or on the transome =D> I fish this boat in river so handcontroll work out good.You can leave it running at a speed to hold you there so you can make a cast or pitch at an object =D>

Good deal. Thanks y'all!

I also noticed that I can get a Transom Mount TM for a good bit less than a bow mount. Do y'all think that the Minn-Kota Endura 30 (found locally for ~$100) is a good choice for a MonArk 1442? I'm toting a 25 MSH Yammy, 6 gal tank, single battery, some fishing gear and ice chest.
Also, is it a waste of money to use a "Freshwater" TM in brackish water? Will it corrode so fast that I might as well have spent the extra money on a "Saltwater" Riptide TM? Or is that just all marketing hype?

Thanks as always. Y'all are a wealth of knowledge and advice.

Cheers,
yak_n_fish

If your bass fishing, making the investment in a good bow mounted foot controlled trolling motor is one of if not the best additions you can make to your boat. If i had nothing but a bare hull, the first thing I would buy would be a foot controlled bow mount trolling motor. Next I would buy a decent sonar, then I would go from there with anything else.

The reasons for this are extensive and numerous, too much so for me to even type, or rather there are so many reasons im too lazy to type them all. But in summary, if your fishing from a boat, I guarantee you will never regret your decision to spend the money on a good bow mount foot controlled TM. While if your fishing from a boat and you decide to buy a transom mount to save some money, I guarantee that you will eventually (probably sooner than later) regret not dropping the extra cash to get the bow mount foot controlled, and you will either end up buying one or you will quit fishing from a boat/won't fish from your boat nearly as often/won't enjoy it as much/won't be as successful.

There is a reason (excuse me, reasonS) why you don't see bass boats with transom mount trolling motors, (virtually) every serious (bass) fishing boat has a foot controlled TM at the bow for a reason.

yak_n_fish said:

Good deal. Thanks y'all!

I also noticed that I can get a Transom Mount TM for a good bit less than a bow mount. Do y'all think that the Minn-Kota Endura 30 (found locally for ~$100) is a good choice for a MonArk 1442? I'm toting a 25 MSH Yammy, 6 gal tank, single battery, some fishing gear and ice chest.
Also, is it a waste of money to use a "Freshwater" TM in brackish water? Will it corrode so fast that I might as well have spent the extra money on a "Saltwater" Riptide TM? Or is that just all marketing hype?

Thanks as always. Y'all are a wealth of knowledge and advice.

Cheers,
yak_n_fish

Click to expand...

I inherited my Dad's old MinnKota that he used in saltwater. The bolts(to attach it to the transom) were corroded and had to be replaced and the propeller pin was corroded to nothing-literally. I replaced those and it still works today. I don't know what else they do for the saltwater series. Maybe wiring and such, but it all should be sealed anyway.

Just my 0.02

I allways gets biggest trolling motor i can offord.If yous get one with less poundage thrust yous might need more.If yous has more to starts with yous wont be wanting more.zzzzif yous donot need extra poundage thrust yous can dial it down :mrgreen:

never mind.