do trolling motors spook bass

[Guest avid]

I believe they do but a friend of mine believes they don't.

I believe that stealth is one of the most important aspects of fooling fish into biting.  Others think that the soft whirring of a TM is stealty enough.

So let's see if we can get a concensus.

[Alpster]

Sneaky boats = more boated fish. JMHO

Ronnie

[Keithscatch]

I gues I am the guilty party who surmised that they don't. But like I told Don that is not a general truth that applies to every situation. I said that trolling motors spook bass when they are in real shallow water and when they are spawning. Banging into stumps, raising and lowering the TM, stomping on the deck of the boat, letting the compartment lids slam down all make a heck of allot of noise that does spook fish. Quietly trolling with the motor on low while fishing has never hindered me in my bass fishing before. At least not to my knowledge  

So since this poll asks a vague question I answered no. If the question was more specific I might have answered yes given the circumstances.

[KU_Bassmaster.]

Yes and no.  The only time I am overly concerned about it is when the spawn is on.  That's when I opt for a push pole.  Most other times of the year I fish considerably deeper so I am not too concerned about it.

I voted yes since there is that time in the spring.

[fishbear]

I watch my graph a lot when I am moving the boat around.  Even if i am just puttering real slow with the bow motor, you can see fish on the graph, diving for deep water (at least that is what the book says I am seeing).  So, yes, if you get to close to the fish even if they are 4-7 ft. down, they spook.  Now is it the motor or the shadow of the boat overhead????????????   Did I just open a can of worms??? :

[cart7t]

If I've pulled up to a spot where I think I've got a real good chance to hang a biggun, I won't troll in, I cut the engine and usually let whatever breeze or current there is carry me in.  I won't even put the TM in the water till I've made several casts to high percentage spots.

[bassnleo]

I voted yes but it's probably more the angler running the motor incorrectly rather than the motor itself....

[cart7t]

Here's a few things that can make a TM noisier than it should be:

Problems with the TM like bad bearings in the power head.

Loose shaft bushings causing the motor to vibrate within the TM mounting system.

Dinged up leading edges on the TM prop or bent or broken blades.

Line or anything else wrapped up around the prop shaft.

[senile1]

I agree with what has already been posted regarding the situations where fish are spooked by trolling motors.  I think the strength of the wind and the thickness of the cover affect this also.  High winds on the water will tend to mask the sound of the trolling motor, and if bass are hidden in thick cover they respond little to a trollling motor handled properly.