Spot Lock plus manual anchor combination

[Barnettcrew]

Has anyone tried using the electronic spot lock of a trolling motor along with an old style anchor off of the back of the boat to prevent boat swing when wind changes direction?

I have a first generation Terrova trolling motor. The spotlock/anchor accuracy is not that great. I might be able to manage the movement up front better if I could keep the back of the boat from swinging to compound the problem.

Any thoughts or wisdom shared would be greatly appreciated.


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[Majesticman]

Use a drift sock

[johndeere5045]

I do it all the time. It helps a bunch.

[Sawdustsavage]

Has anyone tried using the electronic spot lock of a trolling motor along with an old style anchor off of the back of the boat to prevent boat swing when wind changes direction?

I have a first generation Terrova trolling motor. The spotlock/anchor accuracy is not that great. I might be able to manage the movement up front better if I could keep the back of the boat from swinging to compound the problem.

Any thoughts or wisdom shared would be greatly appreciated.


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I tried it. My spotlock sucks. I got rid of it. Main problem with conventional anchor and spot lock it still won't hold you near close enough to vertical fish which is why bought it. Mine was the older model as well. Pissed me off that Minkota improved it but you have to buy a motor with it installed. Guess that's one way to make money. Screw your loyal customers that trusted your word.

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[catchNgrease]

I tried it. My spotlock sucks. I got rid of it. Main problem with conventional anchor and spot lock it still won't hold you near close enough to vertical fish which is why bought it. Mine was the older model as well. Pissed me off that Minkota improved it but you have to buy a motor with it installed. Guess that's one way to make money. Screw your loyal customers that trusted your word.

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What did you buy to replace your minnkota with the junky spotlock

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[jawjatek]

Yikes. I was vertical fishing big columns under an I-75 bridge in windy conditions Saturday, and my Terrova spot lock worked well, but I had to "help" it when the boat would swing toward the column to avoid banging my tin boat by giving it a shove. Sorry to hear the older ones can't be upgraded, 'cause the new one works great IMO. This was 24V 80lb thrust on a light 17' Alweld with Yamaha 50 - not a heavy boat.

[catchNgrease]

Yeah the GPS loses it's signal under bridges. It is not recommended to use spotlock under bridges.

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[USMA65]

After three back surgeries and a broken back, I fish from the back of my Lund tiller. I was getting ready to buy a Minnkota with Spot Lock, in hopes of my having to lift anchor days would be over. This is making me rethink the investment and just become a troller!!!

[wicklundrh]

After three back surgeries and a broken back, I fish from the back of my Lund tiller. I was getting ready to buy a Minnkota with Spot Lock, in hopes of my having to lift anchor days would be over. This is making me rethink the investment and just become a troller!!!

As we say in walleye fishing: If you want great spotlock, purchase a Motorguide XI5. If you want a unit that works great for trolling, purchase a Minn Kota with I pilot.

The motorguide is much better than the Minnkota at spotlock or anchor lock. On the other hand, the Minnkota is above and beyond when it comes to trolling. If however Motorguide would actually produce a handheld remote with a screen on it so you could tell how fast you were going, what setting your TM was in, and so on, I think they might start to edge out MinnKota.

That said, Lowrance has a trolling motor coming out in 2019 and I beleive Garmin has one in the works as well.

[jawjatek]

Yeah the GPS loses it's signal under bridges. It is not recommended to use spotlock under bridges.

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Didn't lose the signal because the bridge is so high, its way up there.