Imagine what fishing was like in 1933? Why ’33? Because it wasn’t until the following year that fishing would change forever. It changed because the notion of precise “boat control” was borne in 1934 with the introduction of the world’s first electric trolling motor. This new fishing tool, invented by a crafty fellow named O.G. Schmidt, utilized the starter motor from the Ford Model A automobile.
The invention proved to be extremely popular among anglers, and Schmidt soon began making them earnestly in Fargo, North Dakota. Given the town’s proximity to the MINNesota and North DaKOTA border, he named the company Minn Kota.
Today, 73 years later, Minn Kota is a household name in fishing circlesâ¦as synonymous with electric trolling motors as Kleenex is to facial tissues!
I vividly remember clamping my first trolling motor to the transom of my aluminum fishing boat. Boy was I excited. But little did I know that it would revolutionize the way I approached angling. Even more amazing, my new Minn Kota Terrova CONTINUES to change the way I fish, because it gives me a level of boat control that’s never been achieved. To illustrate what I’m talking about, let’s talk about ways to improve your own boat control to catch more fish.
THE IMPORTANCE OF PRECISE BOAT CONTROL
You can’t CATCH fish unless you’re ON fish. It’s as simple as that. And nothing keeps you positioned in productive water like a good trolling motor. This is fundamentally evident when you’re pitching baits under docks, fishing in and around timber, pads or other emergent vegetation. You can see the structure you want to fish, and intuitively position your boat for effective bait presentation.
But it’s when you’re fishing sub-surface structure, even in extremely deep water, that the electric motor really earns its pay. When used in conjunction with high-quality sonar and a GPS, a trolling motor can elevate your angling skills to a professional level.
Consider the scenario I encountered last autumn while walleye fishing on a Canadian shield lake. Shield lakes are known for their dramatic rocky structure. On this trip, I located a small, mid-lake sunken island that topped out at about 20 feet and had near-vertical drops into 60+ feet of water. The top of the reef was tiny. About the size of your living room. There were a few smaller fish on top, but the big walleyes were hanging right on the edges of the steep breaks at about 30 feet. In order to get a bait to these fish, the boat had to be right above them. If the boat was as much as a foot out of position, you were out of luck.
The wind was bucking out of the north at about 20 miles an hour that day, which would have made holding on the spot almost impossible without the right tools. One glance at my Lowrance depthfinder/GPS showed my exact position on the structure. Setting the ideal prop speed on my Minn Kota bow mount kept me tacking into the wind just fast enough to keep the boat nearly stationary. From this controlled position, I was able to annihilate the walleyes on Fuzz-E-Grub jigs, fished vertically.
The other thing I did that day was use the Autopilot feature on my Minn Kota to drive the edges of the structure automatically. You pick your line, switch on the Autopilot, and the motor makes the necessary micro-adjustments to keep you traveling on course despite the effects of wind and current. So you spend less time steering and more time fishing! It’s slick.
Autopilot’s contribution to what many call “contour trolling” is amazing. The other way my Minn Kota helps me do this is by delivering a dependable sonar signal to my Lowrance through Universal Sonar â a transducer built right into the motor housing and compatible with practically every depth finder out there. It’s a nice feature that eliminates loose wires and the need to mount a separate transducer.
THE IMPORTANCE OF SILENT STEALTH.
If you don’t currently have a trolling motor on your boat, do yourself a huge favor and get one. I promise, you’ll catch more fish based solely on the silence of the motor. I know there are readers right now who will insist that their outboard motor doesn’t spook fish. I disagree.
After producing television fishing shows for nearly 30 years, we’ve logged hundreds, maybe thousands of hours of underwater filming. I’ve seen first-hand how fish respond to the noise and propulsion of an outboard prop. And not only in shallow water either! I’ve also witnessed how fish remain relaxed when a gentle, whisper-quiet electric trolling motor passes overhead.
Every time you approach an area you intend to fish, cut the big motor early and ease into the spot under electric power. The additional fish you catch will make it worth the effort.
WHAT TROLLING MOTOR IS RIGHT FOR YOU?
Selecting the perfect model is pretty easy. Your first consideration is whether you want a bow-mount unit or one at the stern. If you’re like me, you’ll choose both. Decisions about shaft length and power are primarily based on the size and depth of your boat. Minn Kota makes it easy with a Select-A-Motor feature on their website.
Good Fishing!
Babe Winkelman is a nationally-known outdoorsman who has taught people to fish and hunt for more than 25 years. Watch the award-winning “Good Fishing” and “Outdoor Secrets” television shows on Versus (formerly OLN), Fox Sports Net, WILD TV, WFN and many local networks.By: Babe Winkelman / Babe Winkelman Productions
