How long can you troll (fishing) with a fully charged deep...

[Saskatoon2005]

I am curious as to how long you can troll (fish) with a fully charged deep cycle battery? I mean like if I had a fully charged battery and put in the trolling motor and then kept it running until the deep cycle battery was dead...how long would that be. As well, I don't mean to have the trolling motor on highspeed or anything either, just a nice controlled trolling speed for walleye or pike! Thank-you, I am trying to figure out if i should buy a electric trolling motor or a small 4-stroke outboard. Thanks in advance for your reply...

 

[JB]

Re: How long can you troll (fishing) with a fully charged deep...

Really depends on so many variables that nobody can even venture a wild guess, Saskatoon.

The two most important questions are:

What is the ampere-hour rating of the battery?
What is the current drain of the troller at the speed you are planning to use it?

Example: A 100 a/h battery at full charge. Ambient temp about 25*C (73*F). Motor draws 10 amps at the speed you seek to troll. You can theoretically troll about 10 hours.

However: That 100 a/h battery will weigh about 70lb and the troller another 20-30. A 3hp JohnnyRude 2 stroke twin will weigh about 30lb, plus about 6lb for a gallon of gas. At idle speed the JohnnyRude will not burn all of that gallon in 10 hours.

The only times an electric troller has advantage over a small kicker is when you need to turn it on and off a lot, maneuver it a lot (front mount) or gas burners are banned on that water.

On very small outboards, 4 stroke singles are inferior to 2 stroke twins. They are heavier and noisier, they vibrate and the gas they save you won't fill your coffee cup.

 

[bassboy1]

Re: How long can you troll (fishing) with a fully charged deep...

What kind of boat is it? Say, a 12 foot jonboat with a 55# with maximizer will take you most of a day. A bass boat with a 30 may not get more than an hour.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: How long can you troll (fishing) with a fully charged deep...

I use a Minnkota 55PD on my 17 ft walleye boat. It runs fairly steady from daybreak to sundown except for lunch break at the cabin during which the onboard charger may or may not be plugged in. I have never run short of battery power but I do use a large deep cycle battery.

 

[Saskatoon2005]

Re: How long can you troll (fishing) with a fully charged deep...

I use a Minnkota 55PD on my 17 ft walleye boat. It runs fairly steady from daybreak to sundown except for lunch break at the cabin during which the onboard charger may or may not be plugged in. I have never run short of battery power but I do use a large deep cycle battery.

How big is your battery? What is the amp/hour rating?

 

[Silvertip]

Re: How long can you troll (fishing) with a fully charged deep...

Are you familiar with the "Maximizer" or pulse technology that more pricey trolling motors use. The bottom of the line trollers use speed coils (a resistor) to drop the voltage when running at slower speeds. Those speed coils create heat. Heat is wasted energy so whether you are running wide open or at slower speeds, those motors will not run as long as one that has the pulse circuitry. Wide open will still be the same either way. Most trolling though is at slower speeds and thats where the pulse technology increases run time. Both Minnkota and MotorGuide use it in many of their motors.

 

[roscoe]

Re: How long can you troll (fishing) with a fully charged deep...

if you go with a new outboard, make sure you take a serious look at
The Yamaha 4 stroke 8 hp high thrust, it even has power tilt and trim as an option and is available in 20" and 25" shaft lengths.

A friend of mine bought one last fall, and it is slicker than shjt.

 

[Saskatoon2005]

Re: How long can you troll (fishing) with a fully charged deep...

The price I would pay for an 8 hp high thrust 4 stroke from Yamaha, I might as well not even look for a trolling motor...LOL!

I might as well junk my forty-horse and buy a 4-stroke 40 Hp outboard and then be done with it. I was only looking at a 4 stroke 1-cylinder because it is like just under $1000.00 and I thought it would be great for trolling ( a 2.5hp). But I have been told that it is noisy and not nearly as useful as the older smaller two cylinder outboards. Now 8 hp is going to be too heavy, and very heavy if it is an 4-stroke. So I will eith buy a used two cylinder 4 hp jonnyrude, or a new 40hp Yamaha 9I actually prefer HONDA! LOL!

 

[Silvertip]

Re: How long can you troll (fishing) with a fully charged deep...

Well, here's another "issue" to think about. Four strokes have issues as well, if all they ever do is troll. Read all the comments about engines "making oil", or "getting water in the oil". Changing oil, filters, belt and valve adjustments are additional annoyances. Those engines need to be run wide open fairly often to get the operating temperatures up. Four-strokes are nice but they aren't the total answer either. Trolling is different things to different people. I would invest in a good electric trolling motor, an on-board charger (if you have AC power at the dock), the largest capacity deep cycle marine battery you have room for, and be done with it. You will have well under $700 bucks invested (perhaps much less than that depending on what you buy) and none of the maintenance problems another engine poses.

 

[Saskatoon2005]

Re: How long can you troll (fishing) with a fully charged deep...

I can get a used 2 cylinder 4 HP johnnyrude that weighs 32 lbs...how much will a trolling motor and large deep cycle battery weigh?

 

[Silvertip]

Re: How long can you troll (fishing) with a fully charged deep...

The battery will weigh that much as will the trolling motor. Be fair now -- the gallon jug of gas you will carry with you will weight about 7.5 pounds! d

 

[Saskatoon2005]

Re: How long can you troll (fishing) with a fully charged deep...

The battery will weigh close to 70lbs if not more....LOL!

 

[Silvertip]

Re: How long can you troll (fishing) with a fully charged deep...

Nope -- one brand I checked was 38 pounds. About the same heft as a bag of water softener salt. Havn't actually weight my Stowaway but its in that range.

 

[Saskatoon2005]

Re: How long can you troll (fishing) with a fully charged deep...

Must have been less than 100Ah.

 

[artherm]

Re: How long can you troll (fishing) with a fully charged deep...

I am curious as to how long you can troll (fish) with a fully charged deep cycle battery? I mean like if I had a fully charged battery and put in the trolling motor and then kept it running until the deep cycle battery was dead...how long would that be. As well, I don't mean to have the trolling motor on highspeed or anything either, just a nice controlled trolling speed for walleye or pike! Thank-you, I am trying to figure out if i should buy a electric trolling motor or a small 4-stroke outboard. Thanks in advance for your reply...

 

[artherm]

Re: How long can you troll (fishing) with a fully charged deep...

My wife and I can fish all day on small Missouri lakes with our 14ft.Lowe, and 28lb Minn Kota bow mount trolling motor. I just use a Walmart Deep Cycle battery, cost is around $55.00. Keep water in your battery, and keep it charged......

 

[Saskatoon2005]

Re: How long can you troll (fishing) with a fully charged deep...

Thanks artherm for your help, 28 lb Minn kota doesn't seem like it would have enough umpfff but then I have never had a trolling motor.....LOL! Thanks again!