Thread: Greg, Joby

Mr Jason,

I fish the Big Sandy River in Tn. The river makes a snake trail seem like a straight line. I cannot follow the channel bank accurately at 5 mph. At one mph, it is a task. So, what would you suggest given these conditions?

Given your familiarity with the channel you're trying to target, I assume you have a set of GPS waypoints on your graph that indicate twists, turns, wingdams, timber, places you've caught fish, etc etc etc. On my favorite bodies of water, I have enough background to know when the river channel is about to turn, when a wingdam is going to appear, where cribs are located relative to my boat....without having to look at my graph. I'm certain that you have the same sort of background on your river.

My recommendation, knowing nothing about how you approach your own favorite body of water, is to deploy the i-Pilot-equipped trolling motor, start recording a track, and then drive your boat at whatever speed is appropriate to connect all of your waypoints into a reasonable-sized track. Remember, i-Pilot can record a track up to 2 miles in length. When you reach the end of your series of waypoints, stop recording, turn your boat around, dial in a nice fishing speed, and replay the recorded track to take you back to the beginning.

Once you add i-Pilot to your motor, I have every confidence that you'll quickly determine how best to use the technology to your advantage.

Originally Posted by Jason Halfen #511

My recommendation, knowing nothing about how you approach your own favorite body of water, is to deploy the i-Pilot-equipped trolling motor, start recording a track, and then drive your boat at whatever speed is appropriate to connect all of your waypoints into a reasonable-sized track. Remember, i-Pilot can record a track up to 2 miles in length. When you reach the end of your series of waypoints, stop recording, turn your boat around, dial in a nice fishing speed, and replay the recorded track to take you back to the beginning.

So what U sayin is U don't have to go back to beginning, that it will follow track from end to start also??

Originally Posted by jaxsprat

So what U sayin is U don't have to go back to beginning, that it will follow track from end to start also??

Yep

There are two ways to follow a recorded track: from the beginning to the end (track to end) or from the end to the beginning (track to start). And you don't need to be at the exact beginning or end to follow a track; i-Pilot will take you back to the nearest point of the recorded track (from up to 1/4 mile away) and then follow the track in the specified direction.

More information on the track record/playback feature can be found at the sites below:

Introduction to MinnKota's i-Pilot

MinnKota's i-Pilot in a trolling setting

Based on the "deploy before record", I guess there is a level sense device in the Ipilot circuitry.

If this be true, then could I not deploy my TM with the depth collar set at a high position as to not allow the TM in the water when recording a track? I don't like driving around with the kicker running with the TM down. I fish treacherous waters with sudden depth changes. I know my lakes well, but not well enough to jeopardize a TM.

Just processing my thoughts.

You could absolutely do that. The i-Pilot must be powered up to record a track. It receives power when the trolling motor is powered; on my Terrova, that requires the motor to be deployed, rather than stowed. No problem whatsoever with pulling the head out of the water while the unit is deployed.

(Deploying the unit also gives the GPS antenna a full, unobstructed view of the sky, rather than being pointed at the horizon, out the back of the boat.)