Which Trolling Mtr would you purchase

[Bass_junky]

Time to purchase a new trolling motor and I would like to utilze the experience on this site to help decide which is the best one to purchase.  So, if you had approximately 800 bucks to spend on a new (Motor Guide) which one would you purchase and please give brief description as to why you would make that choice....I do not want to purchase a analog trolling motor, digital is the way to go.

I would like to stay around 75lbs thrust my old one was 45#.  I have a 19 1/2' Fisher Sports Avenger (aluminum) semi -v hull and I would need a 52" shaft.

Thanks in advance for the input

[DDH]

sounds like you already know what you want.. just make sure the shaft isnt gonna be too short or long.. b/c if its to long you wont be able to get back in the shallows, if your that type of fisherman.

[Ben]

There are only a couple of key difference between the MK and MG.  THe MK's shaft will flex if it hits something, the MG's will bend if it hits with a lot of force.  I've always prefered MG's but have also bent a few shafts, got one I'm replacing on one of my boats right now.  

The main thing I never liked about the MK's (and not sure they still do it) but they didn't not start off at the power level they were set to.  The rpm would ramp up to that setting, making them a pain in the butt to use in heavy lilly pads or weeds because they wouldn't clear themselves when you tried to start off.   I've never had but one MK bow mount and got rid of it rather quickly because of that.

I will say the MK's flex shafts might make me try anther one next time because of situations like this morning.  Trolling motor got hung in on the bottom going in to get a lure unhung,  It was hung in a stump and some large limbs where a large wake hit just as I was getting to the bank and pitched the bow a couple of feet further than I was wanting to go  I couldn't raise it because wiith my weight on in the front of the boat, it was buried in the bottom too tight for the release to work.  Finally had open the hinged door holding the TM to the mount, take the motor off the mount and lay it on the front deck and use the big motor to back out of the spot.  Got so dang ticked off with the ordeal, starter to just crank the big motor, put it in reverse and let it rip the whole thing off the front of the boat.

[buzzbaitfool12]

Just bought the motorguide 54lbs thrust pro series..Like the trolling motor but make sure you look at the way you raise the trolling motor in the water..What I mean is when you are in rocks or shallow you may want to raise your motor or lower..You literally have to take the motor our of the bracket to move it up and down..It is a pain in the but..you take the chance of dropping the darn thing in the water...Mkota has a knob you tighten or loosen to move up and down..I miss that..That  is the main thing to look at..The new wireless to me are kick butt..Try to mount one on my boat but the front mount plate was to wide..Hope this helps

[Rattlinrogue]

If you're dead set on a Motor Guide,get it,but I've had both and prefer a Minn-Kota.

[Triton_Mike]

Bass Junky,  I'm not certain you left alot of room for choices. If you don't get the analog the only thing left is digital??  But your right the digitals are FLAWLESS!!  I've seen MK shafts crack just as often as I have seen MG's bend.  It goes both ways.  Motor Guide is experimenting with the composite shafts as we speak.  They supposingly have thicker walls and they are used on the new wireless MG's as we speak.  

T Mike

[cart7t]

I've owned both.

Motorguides are junk.

Go MinnKota.

[ironbeer78]

My boat has a MK power drive 55lbs thrust. To be honest i would not suggest buying it if you can afford a better brand. The thing with the power drive, is the foot pedal doesn't work like the good moters you haveta steer it by pressing the foot pedal left or right instead of up and down. Well i was at the local boat show and seen a improvement some guy made for it. I haven't had my boat in the water to test it or anything but it looks like it would improve my boat handling skills ALOT. Those of you that do have the powerdrive and are interested heres the web addy www.re-actionsystem.com. But like i said if you can afford the better ones i would go that route even tho the power drive is i think in the 450-500 range. They even offer a model for you cable steer guys, dunno what it does tho.

steve

[Bass_junky]

I stated Motor Guide as a brand after reviewing articles on several sites. I found a couple threads that were stating MK wasn't as efficient on the batteries as the MG. If this is incorrect, please voice your opinion. This is something that I will only gets purchase every 4-5 years so I will have to live with what I purchase......

I have had my eye on the MG wireless any feedback?

Thanks again!!

[Madhouse27]

Can you get one with the universal transducer for 800 bucks? Man, that seems like a great feature that I really wish I had. I'm not sure at which price point those start being included. I'd vote for Minn Kota but for what you are looking to spend I'm sure it is going to be a nice motor whichever brand you choose. I have to think that some people lean toward Motorguide because they see it plastered all over everything BASS is involved in. The way BASS pushes its sponsors you'd think the only products available were Triton, Mercury, Lowrance and Motorguide. Somehow I ended up with Skeeter, Yamaha, Humminbird and Minn Kota. I guess I'm going to have to move to Texas and join Bass Champs if I'm going to get any tv time. Unfortunately I don't think a yankee deepwater smallmouth guy like me would fit in down there....they might think I'm a Lindner lol.

[superbugger]

Bought a MK last year and the reverse burnt out on my 5th time on the water...Dealer would not replace motor...hadda send out for repair and got nothing but grief trying to get repaired under warranty.....Needless to say it was finally fixed after the fishing season ....4 months later...will try MG next time... :-[

[BillyBob]

Okay! I give up! Whats a reverse? Ain't never seen one . I thought I had it all! I've owned 4 different motors in the last 3 yrs, and the one I got now I like. Minn Kota power lift Pro 82 24v . You'll have to add about a hun. to get it but Its fantastic. No temperature because of the universal sonar, but who needs it on the trolling motor anyway.