gas kicker ve elec.

danhath · 09-05-2009, 07:15 PM

How do the Electric trolling moters rate compaered to a 4 or 5 hp kicker. I'm think about useing one for trolling and emergancy APU. I have a double ender that dosn't leave a lot of options for a kicker/APU.

ondarvr · 09-05-2009, 07:31 PM

There is no comparison, electrics don't have near the power or thrust of even the smallest gas units.

fish junky · 09-06-2009, 12:21 PM

I have both. I have a 24 volt 80 lb Rip tide and a Yamaha T-8. In an emergency you can't trust the electric to get you in. A day on the lake trolling for kokes I can get 6 hrs out of it if there is no wind. If there's wind or current I get 3 to 4 hours. The kicker will run all day. It may only push my boat 5 mph but it will get me in if I needed it to. I'd go gas.

sucker · 09-06-2009, 04:32 PM

I have both a Minn-Kota 55 auto pilot and a Hond 5hp kicker. For lake trolling the electric is hard to beat; coupled with two 80ah AGM batteries in parallel I can troll for 7 to 9 hours depending on the wind. Thats trolling at 2mph or less with no fumes or put-put sound. The electric will go as fast as the Honda but the batteries would not last long at that rate. I only take the Honda when I go out on the Big C for a backup in case of main motor problems.

danhath · 09-06-2009, 06:30 PM

As most of my fishing is bay fishing and an occasional trip over the bar it looks like I'm going to have to figure out how to mount a gas unit on my double ended droy.....

No Reservations · 09-07-2009, 02:46 PM

If you plan to troll only on dead calm days wind wise electric would do the job. I used to have an electric mounted on my old ski boat to troll with but with any wind you just don't have the power to straighten it out or hold it on course.

bvs · 09-08-2009, 05:16 AM

I have no doubt that the sound of the gas is as annoying to fish as it is to me. My catch rate drops below/behind the boat and increases on the planer boards off the sides when I fire up my 4-stroke.

I much prefer to fish without the gas motor. However, most days I want to fish longer than two group 27 batteries will take me. I actually use my gas motor less on windier days because I can troll with the wind, letting it push me along while straightening the boat out with the bow-mount.

ondarvr · 09-08-2009, 06:47 AM

I can't say which is more annoying to the fish, but electrics aren't nearly as quiet under water as they are above it. When diving around boats using electric motors you'd be amazed at how much noise they can make.

Trolling is always nice with an electric if the conditions permit it though.