How to operate a trolling motor

[shipahoy41]

I found this information on how to operate a trolling motor to be quite useful. It had been over 12 years since I operated one and I needed the refresher course. I am posting it here in the hopes it will shorten the learning curve for new boaters. Here is what I found on the internet...

"Assuming that your trolling motor is already mounted on the front of the boat and you have launched the boat and are in the water: Place the pedal in a comfortable postiion for you,. Most people fix the pedal to the deck with screws to hold it firmly in place. Now, pull the cord. This unlocks the hold-down catch. (there may also be a manual clip that you will have to snap off of the shaft to free it for deployment. Lift it up and it will swivel out over the bow and down into the water. It will automatically lock there. On the pedal you may find an off and on switch along with hi and low speed switch. select "on" and "low" to start with. The hi-low may also be a rotating wheel on the side or on top of the pedal. By placing you foot on it you can roll it back and forth to select speed. On the top of your foot pedal, there will also be a push button. This button is called a momentary switch. It operates ONLY when your foot is pressing it down. Place the right side of your foot on the pedal, left side of the foot slightly elevated so as not to push the switch button. The pedal is operated by pushing your foot (and the pedal ) toe down, or heel down. If I remember correctly. Toe down will turn the underwater motor and propeller to go right, and heel down on the pedal will make it go left.(It could be opposite, you will know when you try though) On top of the "head" of the shaft, there should be an indicator arrow which swivels to point left or right as you push toe down or heel down on the foot pedal. The indicator arrow can be either manual or an electronic display. When the arrow is pointed the direction you want to go, keep the pedal in that position with your foot and lean your foot to the left to push the button. Hold it down as long as you want the motor to run. You can push heel or toe down anytime the motor is running to change direction and alter you course. To stop the motor from running, just rotate you foot off of the button and the motor will stop "

Sit on the seat closest to the boat's bow, or whichever is closest to the trolling-motor foot control.

Choose the speed setting you wish to use on your trolling motor. All trolling motors are different but most have a numbered speed control on the foot controls ranging from 1 (slowest speed) to 5 or 10 (fastest speed)

Depress either the "Constant" or "Momentary" control switches on the foot controls, usually placed on the sides or ends. These can be depressed by simply pressing them in with the end of your shoe or toe. This action will cause the trolling motor to turn on and begin moving the boat. Some trolling motor models only have a "Constant" or "On" button. "Constant" will run the trolling motor continuously until you turn it off again, and "Momentary" will run the motor for a short time.

Depress the front of the foot control or "toe down" to turn right

Press the rear of the foot control down or "heel down" to turn left. This occasionally varies by manufacturer, but this configuration is generally the same on nearly all foot-controlled trolling motors

Release the foot control to begin going straight again. To continue going in a straight line simply do nothing and the trolling motor will go straight by default

[NIMROD]

Good report ship. Most folks I've fished with use excessive power (too high speed) when fishing shallow. Nothing beats a motor with a variable speed verses one with set speeds. I fish with some that use big 24 volt motors that will wash the fish off a shallow stakebed on speed #1. I love my 24 volt Minnkota Maxxum with infinite speed selection. My primary fishing is jigging verticle in shallow water (4 to 8' of water) so I use a trolling motor more a day than most would in a week.

["G"]

Good read Ship...... I have not ran one like that for over a year now....I just touch a button or two on the remote thats hanging around my neck and look at the window on the remote to check my speed with the built in GPS. Modern fishing, lol I do however use a electronic foot control when I am single poling....... but most of the time I am pulling cranks or spider rigging jigs and minnows and just use the wireless remote.

[genec]

Ship, like Nimrod said, most prople run TM too fast,I too fish mostly brush and to stay on top of brush you want to have TM speed just a little higher than wind speed and let off before you want to stop and start as soon as boat starts to move backward and if fishing in wind you must hit switch as soon as a gust of wind comes up ,even before the boat starts moving backward. A good troller can stay on top of brush MUCH BETTER than any IPOD, he can look the other way and not look at TM and stay on top of brush, it becomes second nature, but to fish with one that can not makes him uncomfortable. Also ,when you get a TM ,you have to adjust the motor to the pedal so that when you heel down all the way and toe down all the way it should be pointed straight backward,I see many that are not and when they turn sharply they have to keep toeing and heeling to turn around

[shipahoy41]

Good read Ship. I just touch a button or two on the remote thats hanging around my neck and look at the window on the remote to check my speed with the built in GPS. Modern fishing, lol I do however use a electronic foot control when I am single poling....... but most of the time I am pulling cranks or spider rigging jigs and minnows and just use the wireless remote.

SHOWOFF!! LOL When "The Legacy" grows up it will be equipped just like "G" has his fishing machine equipped. Perhaps another 15 years when I am 84......... Just sayin. LOL

["G"]

Ship.....I would tell you what my wife said when I bought that PM but it is not suitable for this forum. She finally got over it though lol

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using Tapatalk 2

[shipahoy41]

Ship.....I would tell you what my wife said when I bought that PM but it is not suitable for this forum. She finally got over it though lol

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using Tapatalk 2

Probably the same as my wife said when I bought a boat and a truck last month. Bless her heart.

[eatinfish]

Also ,when you get a TM ,you have to adjust the motor to the pedal so that when you heel down all the way and toe down all the way it should be pointed straight backward,I see many that are not and when they turn sharply they have to keep toeing and heeling to turn around

Tell us how to adjust! Thanks

[eatinfish]

Tell us how to adjust! Thanks

Never mind, I figured it out! Thanks for the input.......