Using kicker versus elect ric

If you run a kicker and have a front bow mount electric do you use or need a transom electric trolling motor? How often and in what instance would you use the electic over the kicker?

Thanks

I don’t have a kicker on my boat. (17 foot Cresliner, 140hp Johnson) I would like one though. I have a Minnkota with the Autopilot (?)in the front, that can be controlled with a key fob. That’s nice. But I wish I had a kicker for back trolling instead of trying to get the Johnson to troll down. But there are other, more pressing things to purchase nowadays. I do, however, have a transom mount electric that helps a bit, but it’s difficult to use effectively. Don’t know if this helps, but that’s my story.

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If you run a kicker and have a front bow mount electric do you use or need a transom electric trolling motor? How often and in what instance would you use the electic over the kicker?

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I have and do use what you are talking about. My favorite way to fish eyes in the Summer is to rig (lindy rig) for them. I had a Vantage on the back of my old boat and one on my new boat. I like to back troll as I feel I have superior boat control when trying to stay on a drop or contour. I’m also able to have precise speed control having all these things (speed and steering) at my finger tips. Could you back troll with the kicker??? Sure, but there are times I’m back trollig in 4-12 feet of water and I feel the electric does not spook the fish as much and I still have better boat control with the transom electric. I usually use the electric until aobut 2-3 footers then I will switch over to the kicker to back troll with.

Just my opinion from a backtrolling freak.

If you have any more questions feel free to shoot me a PM.

you can run them in conjunction with each other for far better boat control. the kicker is pushing you either forward or backward and the bowmount is used for steering. you can turn in a instant. you can also run the bowmount in the apposite direction to slow down your trolling speed. just having the bowmount deployed can slow you down some. there isn’t any set rules, it is what ever works for you. just because you don’t read about it in a magizine doesn’t mean that it won’t work you can’t try it out. i think they call it, thinking out of the box. i just read a artical in the walleye insider about using a small chunk of plastic worm to hold the minnow on the jig better, i have been doing that for twenty years now and when gulp came along, it is just that much better………….tom fellegy

I have a Minkota auto pilot and a back troll plate on my 70 horse. Fount that back trolling does not allow me to turn very quick….. but also found that by using the 70 to back troll gives the proper speed and using the minkota to do the steering works great.

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Could you back troll with the kicker??? Sure, but there are times I’m back trolling in 4-12 feet of water and I feel the electric does not spook the fish as much

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Rob a few years ago I took in a seminar by a guide on Devils Lake at the Rochester Sports Show, one of his other hobbies besides walleye fishing on Devils Lake was scuba diving. Guess what motor he says is louder under water.
He could not offer an explanation on why the electric motor was louder he only knew that it was.

Thnaks guys still trying to decide if I need to put an electric on the transom.

Still debating.