Bow Mount Trolling Motors

[mattfishinmanvan]

Good morning/afternoon!

I just bought a 1990 Sea Nymph FM 161 and am looking for some recommendations or sugguestions on what to get/what to avoid for a bow mounted trolling motor. The boat weighs about 600ish pounds and I am looking to get a bow mount trolling motor with foot pedal. What lb thrust range should I get? I've been looking around on Craigslist for some used older models but honestly I have never used one before. I am a fairly big guy and will always have someone else out with me so I'm thinking I'll need a little extra power as well. I'm mainly going to be using the boat in NJ on electric only lakes.

Thanks in advance for your time and input!

(here is a link to some pictures of the boat...I just realized I put this in the wrong section and feel like an idiot... )
https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=32071

Matt

 

[spagatti]

I'm also from NJ and know the electric only theme.
Here's the thing...I have a 16 foot flat bottom and I put a 101 Fortrex on it. Not saying you need to do that but when it's your only source of propulsion go as big as you can.
I would say 55 is the smallest you want to go with, but you will get more battery life with a 70 lb because it's a 24 volt system, even more with a 36 volt.
My advice go as big as you can and enjoy the freedom it brings on the electic motor only lakes we fish. A 55 lb would push your boat fine( I have one on the back of the boat for loading and unloading and it pushes the boat very well)...but rowing home from the far side of "the pink" was never something I wanted to do. 55 lbs would have me wondering how much juice I had left, but I can fish 8 hours an outing running wide open from spot to spot.
I got a great deal off amazon for mine by the way...right before Christmas the prices dropped like $20 a day for about two weeks. Watch Craigslist and amazon until the right deal comes along for whatever you model you think works for you.
Hope that helps in some way.

 

[Captain Ahab]

spagatti has it right! The bigger the better - the downside to bigger is they take more batteries. I fish some electric only lakes that are far bigger then what you find in NJ. I run a 52lb on my bow and a 40 on the stern (I sometimes even run 2 40s on the stern) - it really is not enough but it works

Each has a dedicated battery and I have a third full battery for electronic that i can swap in a pinch if I ever needed to (I could also just turn the key if it were a real emergency and face the fine or whatever)


In NJ I suggest you look on some of the big SW forums like BassBarn and NJFishing - lost of smaller SW boats come with a TM that often gets removed and stored away - post an wanted ad and I bet you can pick up a good deal

 

[mattfishinmanvan]

spagatti » 13 Sep 2013, 21:16[/url]"]I'm also from NJ and know the electric only theme.
Here's the thing...I have a 16 foot flat bottom and I put a 101 Fortrex on it. Not saying you need to do that but when it's your only source of propulsion go as big as you can.
I would say 55 is the smallest you want to go with, but you will get more battery life with a 70 lb because it's a 24 volt system, even more with a 36 volt.
My advice go as big as you can and enjoy the freedom it brings on the electic motor only lakes we fish. A 55 lb would push your boat fine( I have one on the back of the boat for loading and unloading and it pushes the boat very well)...but rowing home from the far side of "the pink" was never something I wanted to do. 55 lbs would have me wondering how much juice I had left, but I can fish 8 hours an outing running wide open from spot to spot.
I got a great deal off amazon for mine by the way...right before Christmas the prices dropped like $20 a day for about two weeks. Watch Craigslist and amazon until the right deal comes along for whatever you model you think works for you.
Hope that helps in some way.

That's a great point. I'm going to try to stay around 80ish. I've seen a few on Craigslist but they go pretty quick. Thanks again for your help! I hope Assunpink will still produce some big bass for the fall season. We shall see!!

 

[mattfishinmanvan]

Captain Ahab » 13 Sep 2013, 22:32[/url]"]spagatti has it right! The bigger the better - the downside to bigger is they take more batteries. I fish some electric only lakes that are far bigger then what you find in NJ. I run a 52lb on my bow and a 40 on the stern (I sometimes even run 2 40s on the stern) - it really is not enough but it works

Each has a dedicated battery and I have a third full battery for electronic that i can swap in a pinch if I ever needed to (I could also just turn the key if it were a real emergency and face the fine or whatever)


In NJ I suggest you look on some of the big SW forums like BassBarn and NJFishing - lost of smaller SW boats come with a TM that often gets removed and stored away - post an wanted ad and I bet you can pick up a good deal

Yeah, I figured I would leave the 55 I have right now on the back of mine for now and get a higher bow mount. I'll start looking at the forums while I'm "working" haha, thanks for your help Captain Ahab!

 

[jethro]

I've got an earlier 50 lb Minn Kota Powerdrive on the front of my 14' deep V which probably weighs 700lbs and it pushes it quite nice. No desire for anything more. 12V too. Course I only use it for fishing, not a lot of electric only lakes where I take the deep V.

 

[mattfishinmanvan]

I ended up picking up a 55lb minn kota for the front as well. I got it for pretty cheap so I can upgrade if necessary. Thanks again everyone for your input! I will post some pictures and such once I get some time!