What size main engine do you have on the boat?
DT
I remember writing a similar post two years ago when I got my first boat. Will be interesting to see if you write the same follow up post in another month. We’ve all been there. You’ll get handy and learn many tricks along the way of boat ownership. Sometimes you’re pocketbook won’t be too happy but hey, that’s boating. 
X2 with Deertracker.
Here’s another way to ask the question. You’re asking if a kicker is a good solution. Another way to think of this is “here’s xyz problem, would a kicker or any other solution be the ticket?”
Kickers are a good idea if they will get your boat to do something you need that it doesn’t already do.
Are you unable to troll cranks at appropriate speeds? Are you unable to present live bait rigs at appropriate speeds? Have you tried any cheap/easy options like throwing out a drift sock or a 5 gallon bucket? Do you really want one more motor on your hands(up front cost and maintenance)? Is the kicker a solution for a problem that doesn’t exist?
My little 14ft has only a 25 on the back. When backtrolling rigs it runs a little fast depending on the wind. Throw a drift sock off the bow and voila, all the control I could ever ask for. $40 and stores easy.
For big purchases I’ll make a list of costs vs benefits. If I don’t know what the benefits would be, how could I possibly know if I really need them or not?
Go fishing, catch fish, learn the tactics, and then you will know whether a bow Mount, drift sock, or kicker is really needed.
I run a 17.5 fs with 115hp i put a 6hp kicker on it is ok on the lake but in the river with current it is not so good i would say you want atleast a 9.9
A drift soft wont get you home on the river if your main motor dies lol. there are some additional benefits not listed here or i should say some additional consideraions. A kicker motor can guide your boat should something happen to your main motor so provides peace of mind, how will having a kicker on the back of your boat affect weight distribution/ride/handling? Can you get a good price on a kicket motor? a low cost could factor into the benefits. Some other things to think about
If I remember right your boat is a 16′ with a 50 or 60 hp. I personally just don’t think it’s needed. Not sure how wide your transom is but it might be a tight fit.
Cons-More money, more weight, more work, more gas…
pros-?
Your motor should troll down just fine.
Like nhamm said, master what you have. Lots of time ahead of you.
A drift soft wont get you home on the river if your main motor dies lol.
This has happened to me once before! I don’t use my kicker motor very often at all, but since then I always make sure it’s tank is at least full of gas.
My kicker motor is a 9.9, and it is just “cold-blooded,” a real pain to start up. Takes an honest ten minutes to start every day, but once started it runs great. Just due to how long it takes to start, I really don’t use it too often. Maybe should take it in to get it tuned up… but that cost $$ that I don’t have enough of.
My kicker has gotten me home 3 times over the years when the main failed. I’ll never be without one for that reason alone. Eventually everyone has a main failure. When it happens do you want to be dependent on someone else to save your butt? Will someone even be available?
The one time I was truly stranded was terrible. I was way down a pool on the Miss and found out the hard way my gas gauge was broken. Neither of my engines were getting me out. Nobody was around so I had to wait a couple hours for a friend to trailer his boat and come get me. You could say my cell phone saved me. I would much rather be self reliant in those situations. I also use it to troll.
If I were you I’d upgrade my trolling motor/batteries, or get a drift sock. If you have a 16 ft boat a good trolling motor will get you where you need to go at the appropriate speed, has better control, and is much cheaper in all aspects (up front cost, maintenence, and gas vs charge).
I would agree with the size boat and outboard you are running you won’t benefit much from a kicker not to mention it may not be wide enough to accommodate a kicker. Buy an 80lbs 24 volt trolling motor and that will be more than you will need to pull or push your boat around.
I agree with mojo. Let’s say you want to pull cranks from 2 to 3 mph. You can get that speed from your outboard AND control it with your bow mount. Just putting the bow mount down will give you control and slow you down, if needed. Drift socks can help, as mentioned already.
You may not need to add anything at all to achieve what you want. Have fun!
Why would a bass fisherman use a kicker? Trolling creature baits?
I have a 14.5 ft boat and my last boat was 16ft and have always run a kicker. I found that a trolling motor wont make headway up stream in fast water. And we have all seen the news stories with the boat going over the dam, I don’t wanna be that guy ever! My buddy always says gotta have a backup for your backups backup. 
I am running a 7.5 hp and it will push me up stream with a full load at about 2mph.
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