Scaring a lot of fish spider rigging.
Is there a trolling motor that runs quieter than Minn Kota 70 lb thrust edge?
- Thread starter woodyard
- Start date
TN Larry
Well-Known Member
Garmin Force and Lowrance Ghost are brushless and supposed to be quieter. They come with hefty price as well. If not wanting to spend that kind of money, look at the Minn Kota Fortrex. I am not sure if the motor itself is quieter than the edge, but it has a beefier mount that makes it quieter since it doesn't have as much slop in it.
Last edited:
rolltide22
Well-Known Member
I have the Lowrance ghost. It maxes out @ 120 thrust lbs. It's unreal how quite and strong it is. I have a 21' boat and it will run 5mph on high. Spot lock is a game changer in the wind & current. Expensive but worth every penny. I'll never be without one now.
Remember it's not always "noise" spooking fish. Their lateral lines are designed to detect "pressure waves," which are generated by turning props even if they are 100% silent. Fish can also be spooked by shadows or even a "presence." Think of the times that you have realized someone had walked up behind you, even if you were unaware of hearing or seeing anything. You just felt their "presence." Now magnify that feeling tenfold - a conservative estimate of the abilities of wild creatures that live, and die, as prey.
Noise is just one part of the equation.
Noise is just one part of the equation.
if they are black crappie then it doesnt matter what trolling motor you use. you wont catch them consistently spider rigging.
The brushless garmin force and lowrance are really quiet .
The Ultrex sure wouldn't be it. It's the most noise making one I've had. I like the Spotlock but the unit itself isn't even a yr old and I'm pretty sure the control board is going out.
What I am seeing is a group of fish suspended and when the boat gets to about 12-15 ft of them they split and dive to the bottom. Saw this last winter and and all along when I started spidering back this fall. Most of the crappie in this lake are whites. Last year in the fall I caught a ton of crappie spider rigging before I got livescope. Makes me wonder how big those schools were to catch that many.
It may have some to do with the boat shadows etc since the water is clearer now with not much rainfall. Last winter was not the case. However part of the time I would drift with the wind and they would not bolt away. I know one retired crappie guide who says his catch rate went down with a white bottom boat as compared to others. Never wanted another one. He kept records
Last winter was seeing some schools scatter like a covey of quail. I now believe those were schools of bluegill. Seen it happen the other day, anchored , and when I would hang one they would scatter. Settle down a little and do the same thing the next one caught.
So now I am thinking, a quiet trolling motor or tms mounted on the back of boat pushing, or go to the 20-40 ft Japanese fishing rods, or go to long lining which I don't really want to do. I know some of the pros have used those poles to reach out there. Last winter and through the spring I was mainly casting to the schools.
Sometimes I just want to spider rig and not work as much.
Livescope is showing me a lot on fish behavior and some of our past thinking about them has been completely wrong.
It may have some to do with the boat shadows etc since the water is clearer now with not much rainfall. Last winter was not the case. However part of the time I would drift with the wind and they would not bolt away. I know one retired crappie guide who says his catch rate went down with a white bottom boat as compared to others. Never wanted another one. He kept records
Last winter was seeing some schools scatter like a covey of quail. I now believe those were schools of bluegill. Seen it happen the other day, anchored , and when I would hang one they would scatter. Settle down a little and do the same thing the next one caught.
So now I am thinking, a quiet trolling motor or tms mounted on the back of boat pushing, or go to the 20-40 ft Japanese fishing rods, or go to long lining which I don't really want to do. I know some of the pros have used those poles to reach out there. Last winter and through the spring I was mainly casting to the schools.
Sometimes I just want to spider rig and not work as much.
Livescope is showing me a lot on fish behavior and some of our past thinking about them has been completely wrong.
