Thread: Spot lock or Power pole

I have both an Ulterra and 2 Talons. I'll give you my opinion.

Don't go with power pole. Look for a good deal on Talons. Much easier to install and they go straight down.

As far is spot lock goes....

Don't expect for spot lock to stop your boat from swinging around or to hold you on a tree vertical fishing. GPS is not accurate enough to do this. Spotlock works good for holding you still for cast and retrieve type fishing but not for situations where you need a very tight line. Spot lock works best when there is current or wind. You can setup into wind and the current or wind will help the trolling motor to stay "revved up". If it is dead calm. The trolling motor will not rev up fast enough to keep you from drifting. When you drift, it will spin up late and over compensate because it has drifted too far.

Shallow water anchors work GREAT and are perfect for staying dead still on a spot. If you have two, they will stop your boat from spinning and you NEVER know when the wind is going to shift on you. You can buy talons in 15 foot now. I have two twelve footers and LOVE them.

I bought the ulterra trying to avoid spending money on the Talons and I've discovered they really are two different things. Spotlock is just not good enough to work for me in all the situations I want to fish. It just isn't. When vertical fishing. One foot can make a difference between catching a 100 fish and not catching anything. Also, it is almost impossible to hold on a dock with just spotlock.

If I had to choose between the two, I would buy the Ulterra. Just don't expect it to do everything you want it to do. There are plenty of situation where Spotlock will not hold you where you want to be. You just can't set it and forget it. Even with the heading sensor it will not keep your boat from swinging or swapping ends under many circumstances.

Just my penny.

Spot lock is great on brush pile fishing. Yes it moves around a little until it gets the boat down wind but on a windy day I find it a must for brush piles. Absolutely hands free fishing with the brush always on the screen. If you position the boat first and then hit spot lock there is very little “jerking”. I find the movement or adjusting of position helpful while on brush. It helps you fish all around the structure with no buoy marker to tangle with. Fish are sometimes to the left or right and not dead center of the structure so the movement can help.

How often do you find crappie in shallow water Depth to be able to use Talons. I see the bass guys shallow all the time. But other than the spawn they are deeper. I have debated this heavily. I went with the Ultera, and for more than just spot lock. With stiff joints it is so nice to push a button and u it comes.

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Originally Posted by tahoe 50

How often do you find crappie in shallow water Depth to be able to use Talons. I see the bass guys shallow all the time. But other than the spawn they are deeper. I have debated this heavily. I went with the Ultera, and for more than just spot lock. With stiff joints it is so nice to push a button and u it comes.

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I have this opinion. I'm sure some people will disagree. I believe you can find a crappie shallow somewhere.... about 90 percent of the time. Structure. Structure. Structure. High Rock is full of it less than 15 feet.

I agree with you on the Ulterra benefits. I love all the other features. I was just honestly disappointed in the spot lock feature. I really was. Still am. There are just scenarios where it doesn't really work like I want it to work.

You just can't control the wind. There have been plenty of times I've been setup into the wind to only have the wind change directions and whip my boat around before the Ulterra could compensate. Trolling motors are just too slow to spin up from running slow or cutting off.

Regardless of the hype. Civilian GPS is large only accurate within 3 meters or close to 10 feet. In fact, GPS works better when you're moving. Due to the fact you have a consistent trajectory. Not when you're dead still. I'm just sharing my experience. I have the latest Ulterra model. I have the latest firmware. I have the heading sensor and there are far too many times the wind has overcome the Spotlocks ability to compensate. Heck, I've had it almost throw people out of the boat trying to compensate. Or worse yet, Reverse direction and throw water into the tree I'm trying to fish and scare all the fish away.

When I fish docks, brush or etc now. I find a spot where I can put down my talons and still work the area good.

Originally Posted by sundance

I have this opinion. I'm sure some people will disagree. I believe you can find a crappie shallow somewhere.... about 90 percent of the time. Structure. Structure. Structure. High Rock is full of it less than 15 feet.

I agree with you on the Ulterra benefits. I love all the other features. I was just honestly disappointed in the spot lock feature. I really was. Still am. There are just scenarios where it doesn't really work like I want it to work.

You just can't control the wind. There have been plenty of times I've been setup into the wind to only have the wind change directions and whip my boat around before the Ulterra could compensate. Trolling motors are just too slow to spin up from running slow or cutting off.

Regardless of the hype. Civilian GPS is large only accurate within 3 meters or close to 10 feet. In fact, GPS works better when you're moving. Due to the fact you have a consistent trajectory. Not when you're dead still. I'm just sharing my experience. I have the latest Ulterra model. I have the latest firmware. I have the heading sensor and there are far too many times the wind has overcome the Spotlocks ability to compensate. Heck, I've had it almost throw people out of the boat trying to compensate. Or worse yet, Reverse direction and throw water into the tree I'm trying to fish and scare all the fish away.

When I fish docks, brush or etc now. I find a spot where I can put down my talons and still work the area good.

Have you tried to adjust your boat scale so that it doesn’t throw you around too bad when it “corrects”

Originally Posted by DHC

Have you tried to adjust your boat scale so that it doesn’t throw you around too bad when it “corrects”

I'm not certain how to do that. I assumed the heading sensor setup process that involves making complete circles would learn details such as this.

I'll check it out. Thanks!

You would think that and I agree with you, but I had to do a lot of input when I set mine up. It's not your average T/M any more. But dang is it sweet. And all of the set up to use it with a Helix was so much fun. I downloaded the manuals about a month before I bought mine and put the on my phone so I could look at them on the water if I had a problem. And I am still learning about it.

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Originally Posted by sundance

I'm not certain how to do that. I assumed the heading sensor setup process that involves making complete circles would learn details such as this.

I'll check it out. Thanks!

That is (and I assumed since you said you had the latest Ulterra) if you have iPilot Link. I don’t think it’s available on the regular iPilot, or at least it’s not on mine.