Trolling motor deep cycle batteries

[OhioLowell]

Hello all.

I was looking at a deep cycle battery at Wal-Mart yesterday. The price was about $60.00. I didn;t think to look at the AH of the battery. I think it said 500?

I'll be running 2 trolling motors and a fishfinder. The 2 troilling motors will not be running constantly. One will be for manuvering and such (bass and crappie) the other will actually be for trolling (walley).

The battery will be on a 14' fiberglass boat with no means of charging on the boat.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Lowell

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: Trolling motor deep cycle batteries

[colour=blue]Electric kickers are amp hungry. The bigger the batts, the longer you fish.

Are they 12 or 24v kickers?

 

[JB]

Re: Trolling motor deep cycle batteries

I use the Everstart Marine Maxx (big yellow) battery from WalMart. Very satisfied. I think it is slightly over 100AH.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Trolling motor deep cycle batteries

Buy the largest deep cycle battery (capacity) you have room for. Just curious why you need two trollers. I assume one is a bow mount and one is a transom mount. Unless the bow mount is small and not fast enough for walleye, I don't see a need for two motors.

 

[OhioLowell]

Re: Trolling motor deep cycle batteries

I suppose my question is I'm not sure how fast one needs to travel to troll for walleys? I know that sound dumb but I have never used a trolling motor to troll for fish before. I've never watched a lure in the water before while the trolling motor on the bow was pulling the boat. I suppose I'll need to check that out once I get the baot repaired and in the water.

Any suggestions or advice?

THanks
Lowell

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Trolling motor deep cycle batteries

Where the trolling motor is located on the boat has nothing to do with how you troll. It's simply a matter of preference. If the bow mount motor is tiller steered I would understand why you want a transom mount for trolling since you have to be up front to run it and it is certainly more convenient for position fishing. I've been on water trolling for walleye that refused to bite if trolling speed was outside the 1.8 - 2.1 MPH. There are times when 2.8 - 3.1 is the optimal spped. 2 MPH is getting a little fast for an electric trolling motor. Electrics are fine for any speed up to what I will call "drift speeds". Depending on the size of the boat, a 5 - 15 HP gas outboard is ideal for walleye trolling and if you need to really work to get them, you can back-troll which runs the boat backwards as it moves much slower.

 

[OhioLowell]

Re: Trolling motor deep cycle batteries

Thanks for the reply.

The front motor is a pedal controlled model. The pedal only reaches about 4-5' from the motor. The "trolling" motor would be mounted on the transom with the gas outboard. I suppose I could run the outboard to troll but I'm affraid that the low speed will load up the carb and motor and cause me problems.

Thanks again!

Lowell

 

[Saskatoon2005]

Re: Trolling motor deep cycle batteries

I have a 1961 Johnson 40 HP, which I used last summer for two days straight...and here is what I have learned.

We started at 6:00 AM in the morning and fished all day....trolling the whole lake with the 40 HP outboard. We trolled all morning with no problems, stopped for lunch and parked the boat. Ate, got back in the boat, cold choked it, started, stalled, turned off choke, turned key, started right up. Trolled all afternoon into evening. Caught fish (walleye, pike), returned to camp trolling, parked boat. Ate supper.

I decided to take the kids out and wife for a rip across the lake. Gathered up gas, kids and wife, got into boat...pushed off shore. Turned key,.....motor spinned but did not start...tried and tried but nothing...rowed back into shore, because a storm was coming in...took out plugs to check them, they were dirty, wet with gas. I dried them off, put them back in, and turned the key. It fired right up. Shut her down for the night...

Day 2, went out with the boat, turned the key, fired it right up, and trolled all day, coming back in, in the evening, and it stalled...would not start up again, until I took out the plugs and dried them, put them back in and turned the key. Now I don't know exactly what the problem is but...

I did find that after trolling for lengthy periods of time, I would gun the outboard and take a nice rip across the lake to get the motor nice and hot which I assumed would dry out the plugs and cylinders, and then I would bring the boat back into shore and I had a lot less problems with it not starting. So I would recommend just gunning it before you stop trolling for the day.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Trolling motor deep cycle batteries

How big is the outboard? If plug fouling is a problem and you troll a great deal, put in a set of plugs with that are one heat range hotter. By the way -- carbs don't load up. They have a float the prevents flooding. Improper carb settings can however foul plugs. If you troll for a few hours, pull in the lines and take a good rip across the lake. Two strokes need to be opened up fairly often anyway. I trolled with my previous 40 HP Evinrude for hours on end with no problem. I also troll with my current 75 HP Merc two-stroke with no problem. I do not however, use the surface gap plugs the engine calls for.

 

[Saskatoon2005]

Re: Trolling motor deep cycle batteries

Hey Silvertip,

How do you find out which is one heat range hotter that you got in there already? I have a 1961 Johnson Outboard, which takes Champion J6C gapped to 0.030 (in.). Thanks for your help...

Patrick

 

[OhioLowell]

Re: Trolling motor deep cycle batteries

Thanks for all the info all!

I suppose maybe I'll look into using my outboard to troll. It'll be a evinrude 15HP (older) It would be nice to not have the noise though.

lowell