Bow mount vs tiller trolling motor help needed

[Murdock]

I have a 16 foot Lund Rebel tiller. Buddy gave me a bow mount Minnkota Trolling motor with mounting bracket. (not an autopilot or cable).Is this a good idea to mount on a boat with a tiller motor or should I be looking to trade this bow mounted Minkota trolling motor for a tiller Minkota trolling motor? If you think I should mount the bow mounted Minkota, which side of the bow is the best to angle the mounting bracket? If you have a tiller Minkota and want to trade, let me know.

[Chris Haley]

OK they both serve a purpose. If you fish Bass or Muskie, you really want a bow mount. If you back troll walleye, you want a transom mount. I have both!!! You want to mount your bow mount on the opposite side you fish the most. If you as the one running the boat fish off the port side(left) then you want to mount your bow mount running down the starboard(right) side. You do this because when you're drifting, the person in front doesn't have this motor in front of them when they are fishing with you.

[This message has been edited by Chris Haley (edited 08-15-2003).]

[klbowe]

If your outboard is a tiller you will probably want the electric to be a tiller as well. If you fish alone you want to be able to control , steer , store the motor from where you sit .

Even with a remote control bow mount if you sit in the back of the boat you will still have to make your way up front to put the motor in the stowed position B4 cranking up the outboard.

If you do not fish alone your buddy can drive the bow mount and you the outboard .

My boat is a console and I have a bow mount .
When I am not fishing alone my guests have the rear and I own the front , bow mount motor and graph sit side by side and in my reach .

It works well for me , if I had a tiller I would want a tiller troller and a graph or flasher in the back of the boat .

Find what you like and open your wallet , WIDE .

Set the hook !

[uffdapete]

I have used electrics on both ends and would sell my transom mount if it wasn't for the canoe I use it on.

I quit backtrolling for walleyes once after getting a bow mount. That's not a reflection on what anybody else does - that's just my personal preference. I find pulling a boat with a bow mount gives me much more boat control and believe successful walleye (or any other fishing from a boat) fishing is a lot about precise boat control. I didn't skimp on the bow mount - I bought a variable speed with a shaft long enough to stay in the water in any wind I would be willing to troll in and also bought plenty of power.

My experience so far has been that plenty of power means much less stress on the battery -as in having enough battery to fish 10 hours or more. And when you want to get back on a spot quickly you can do that.

My boat isn't big enough to warrant a 24 V system, but would lean that direction with a boat rated for 50 hp or more.

Last month I fished with a guy who had a 28 lb. bow mount on a Lund with a 60 hp. Talk about an excersize in frustration! And that was 5-10 mph wind!!

[Guest]

I have a 1650 Rebel Tiller. I fish for everything from muskies to panfish and all fish inbetween & only have a Bow Mount. My bow mount has the co-pilot on it and let me say that it is awesome!!
I personally see little reason to have an electric in the back!! Maybe someone can enlighten me. I guess if I had several others in the boat and did not want everyone to shift would be one reason. I can go as slow as I want forward and the line is behind me not getting hung up on a rivet or a rib. I also have no problem with staying on a break line. I can always use a little exercise to walk to the front and back again!
Where would you put the battery unless you do not have an electric start? Could run it from the front battery storage locker, I think.
Really need a locator in the front if you are fishing up there, trying to read the one in back would not be fun.
What pound thrust and length of shaft is the bow mount would be the only ? Mine is 50lb and not sure of the shaft length.
Just my .02 !!

[Fishing Junky]

As Chris stated above, they both have thier purposes. If you do alot of troling, then I would prefer the bowmount. If you do alot of lindy live bait rigging or jigging, the tiller is the way to go. I tiller will keep you on a rockpile in heavy winds way better than a bow. If I had only one choice of motors, it would definitly be the tiller model with VARIABLE speed control, as the 5-speed models often times don't allow you the desired thrust you need. Choice is yours, good luck. Junky...........

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