Trolling motor or si,gps locator

So I bought a nice little used 16ft Lund tiller. It came with a 55lb Minkota trolling motor on the back, a 50lb motor guide bow mount (that I hate) and a lowrance elite 5x locator. Ultimately I would like to get a new bow mount minkota with the co pilot and spot lock, and a humminbird locator with side imaging and GPS. But I better not press my luck with the better half. My question is what order would you upgrade. Both are roughly the same amt of $ used on Craig’s list. I want an older humminbird locator so my lake chip works in it. Thinking like an 859,or 798 or something. I do have a 385 with GPS I just bought for winter that Im going to mount next to the lowrance for the time being. Any thoughts on what order I upgrade locator or bow mount trolling motor? Probably do one this year when momma cools down a little bit, the other next year.

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Locator. You have the tools to stay on top of fish, get the tools to find em first.

Tell us about your preferred styles of fishing and species?

I think nhamm nailed it. However that may not be true if you live on the bow mount standing and casting all day (bass/pike/musky)

Congrats on the new boat! Looks like a nice rig

I went th opposite direction and wish I would have gone the other way. Sonar is much more important

I’d agree with nhamm unless you fish rivers extensively. Then you might want the trolling motor first as I think spot lock is the single most effective tool for staying on fish in the river.

If you fish mainly lakes, absolutely get the graph first.

patk wrote:

Tell us about your preferred styles of fishing and species?

I think nhamm nailed it. However that may not be true if you live on the bow mount standing and casting all day (bass/pike/musky)

Congrats on the new boat! Looks like a nice rig.

Mostly I fish walleye, pike, and panfish. And occasionally bass. But mostly trolling plugs, and rigs/jigs. Thanks guys for your ideas. I think you are right the locator first, then troll motor.

Thanks, Drifter…,

I would have to agree on the locator first.

Hey, congrats on the boat!!

Seriously, judging by motor it’s 90s vintage but was it stored inside it’s whole life or what!? She shined up real nice, trailer too. The kiddos feel like they got a new toy as well?

Those wave wackers I see! might be pleasantly surprised how much you take to backtrolling. Bow mounts are nice but when you get that perfect wind motoring back is so precise it’s ridiculously awesome. Good luck out there.

If your boat floats and your have propulsion, your ready to catch fish… Gotta be on fish to catch them… Get a locator then improve boat control.

Lots of fish can be caught from an anchored position. Mobility creates efficiency, thus spot lock… But mobility without fish location is useless.

My 2c

I would actually go the opposite, you have the sonar/gps right now with the bird and lowrance and you hate the Motorguide bowmount, I would get the new minkota with spotlock/link, then next year upgrade to a helix 9+ so your old lakemaster card will still work with the helix 9+;
also, after purchasing an older humminbird unit like a 800 series or 900 series and seeing the SI differences between them and the new Mega’s, you’ll be kicking yourself for not going with a helix, just my 3 pennies

ShldHveBenHreYserdy wrote:

I would actually go the opposite, you have the sonar/gps right now with the bird and lowrance and you hate the Motorguide bowmount, I would get the new minkota with spotlock/link, then next year upgrade to a helix 9+ so your old lakemaster card will still work with the helix 9+;
also, after purchasing an older humminbird unit like a 800 series or 900 series and seeing the SI differences between them and the new Mega’s, you’ll be kicking yourself for not going with a helix, just my 3 pennies

Lol…… Hard hitting stuff ain’t it guys. For all the ladies reading this, when you ask a guy “what are you thinking about” because they look deep in a train of thought, and they say “nothing”. Chances are it’s something really important like this topic. Now you got me thinking again Bill.

Sonar/Combo unit first. IMHO

By the way most places have the Lowrance Hook7 with Downscan for sale at $399. Includes a mapping chip and I believe there is a $100 rebate good through June.

MNdrifter wrote:

Lol…… Hard hitting stuff ain’t it guys. For all the ladies reading this, when you ask a guy “what are you thinking about” because they look deep in a train of thought, and they say “nothing”. Chances are it’s something really important like this topic. Now you got me thinking again Bill.

either way, its a win win for you

Nice boat Drifter! You better get some use out of it the next few years because once your boys can drive I bet it’s going to be missing early and often!

I’d agree on the electronics first, and would bet you end up using the transom mount way more than the bow mount anyway.

BigWerm wrote:

Nice boat Drifter! You better get some use out of it the next few years because once your boys can drive I bet it’s going to be missing early and often!

I’d agree on the electronics first, and would bet you end up using the transom mount way more than the bow mount anyway.

Yeah buddy, That’s kinda why I went a little smaller also. Hoping the oldest can handle it when he gets a little older. I know I was backtrolling like a pro at 13. When we were camping I had a guy ask me how old I was when I came in. He couldn’t believe I was only 13. Lol. Many moons ago. This is my first boat that I’ve owned. I just needed something to do until ice fishing gets going again.

Maiden voyage was Wednesday……

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