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Elites using spot-lock on the trolling motor #11603905 05/15/16 03:15 PM
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Frank the Tank Offline OP
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Can they use it in a tournament? Is it legal? If it is, why don't they use it? It would seem it would make deep cranking in the wind a lot easier.


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Re: Elites using spot-lock on the trolling motor [Re: Frank the Tank] #11603907 05/15/16 03:17 PM
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I don't see a lot of them that have a Terrova or XI5


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Re: Elites using spot-lock on the trolling motor [Re: Frank the Tank] #11603924 05/15/16 03:31 PM
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I am curious as well. Are the pros not running these?

Re: Elites using spot-lock on the trolling motor [Re: Frank the Tank] #11603949 05/15/16 03:48 PM
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They probably don't use them for the following considerations that come to mind on why I don't have one:

1. Those frill-rich models have electric steering (not manual foot/hand control). It robs power from the TM batteries.
2. The electric steering has a higher failure risk than manual steer designs (complexity-based, not a manufacturer slam).
3. Steering response is slower than manual foot control.
4. The mount (at least on Minn Kota I looked at) is nothing like the robust/rugged Fortrex mount, and may not hold up as well to the hard use the pros put on their TM.

I've never spotted a pro with one on any video I've seen, or in any photos I've looked at. That doesn't mean there isn't one, but the bell & whistle pimped out motors don't appear to have taken the pro field by storm. There's certainly got to be some reasons for that, they just may not be what mine are.

Re: Elites using spot-lock on the trolling motor [Re: Flippin-Out] #11604026 05/15/16 05:14 PM
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Originally Posted By: Flippin-Out
They probably don't use them for the following considerations that come to mind on why I don't have one:

1. Those frill-rich models have electric steering (not manual foot/hand control). It robs power from the TM batteries.
2. The electric steering has a higher failure risk than manual steer designs (complexity-based, not a manufacturer slam).
3. Steering response is slower than manual foot control.
4. The mount (at least on Minn Kota I looked at) is nothing like the robust/rugged Fortrex mount, and may not hold up as well to the hard use the pros put on their TM.

I've never spotted a pro with one on any video I've seen, or in any photos I've looked at. That doesn't mean there isn't one, but the bell & whistle pimped out motors don't appear to have taken the pro field by storm. There's certainly got to be some reasons for that, they just may not be what mine are.


You will most likely never see one of the guys that depend on the TM to make their living running one of these. I have one and the mount is the worst piece of flimsy Tonka Toy Carp in the world.

I have two TM's for my boat. I have the original foot-controlled MK 101 and the new iPilot Terrova (I think its called)

I like the Spot-Lock feature on the iPilot BUT I would never ever rely on it if my livelihood depended on it. Doesn't look like the MG TM mount is much better.

Last edited by Ken A.; 05/15/16 05:18 PM.


Re: Elites using spot-lock on the trolling motor [Re: Frank the Tank] #11604647 05/16/16 12:46 AM
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Funny this came up. I've got a MG xi5 that's about a year old that starting getting water in the head (sane thing happened to my buddy's xi5). There's no where close to me that works on them so I figured I'd buy another one to have as a spare for him or I. Mounted the new one this past week and it's all jacked up. It was never right from the first time I dropped it in the water. Evidently the circuit board has issues because it's an electronic problem - sometimes will react to the foot pedal, sometimes will stick on, sometimes won't spot lock, the battery light is solid red all the time. Needless to say I'm not happy at all with my wussy type trolling motor.

They are priceless when they work, but as someone said above, I wouldn't rely on one for my livelihood.

Re: Elites using spot-lock on the trolling motor [Re: Frank the Tank] #11604757 05/16/16 01:45 AM
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They are used by Pros fishing other species but not many for bass. Ott Defoe and some others are suppose to be testing them out to use when they fish open water. If even one uses one and does well, others will look at them. They are a totally different animal to use. If you have grown up on cable steer, you have to go through a learning curve. They'd have to think they'd get a real advantage in using one or get a sponsorship deal to make the switch. They carry spares on the boat so it's not like they'd have big worries of a failure.

Re: Elites using spot-lock on the trolling motor [Re: Frank the Tank] #11604772 05/16/16 01:52 AM
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Frank the Tank Offline OP
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What got me to thinking of it was watching KVD seemingly struggle to stay on his mark while trying to hit the right cast. Seems it would be very helpful to have it, but if they're flimsy, a pro would destroy it pretty quick.


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Re: Elites using spot-lock on the trolling motor [Re: Frank the Tank] #11604799 05/16/16 02:04 AM
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Where can you find footage?

Re: Elites using spot-lock on the trolling motor [Re: Bobby Milam] #11604806 05/16/16 02:07 AM
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Originally Posted By: Bobby Milam
They are used by Pros fishing other species but not many for bass. Ott Defoe and some others are suppose to be testing them out to use when they fish open water. If even one uses one and does well, others will look at them. They are a totally different animal to use. If you have grown up on cable steer, you have to go through a learning curve. They'd have to think they'd get a real advantage in using one or get a sponsorship deal to make the switch. They carry spares on the boat so it's not like they'd have big worries of a failure.


The only problem with both the ipilot and xi5 is you have to replace the entire motor to swap it out. Neither of them have a place in the bracket to disassemble and attach a new one. So this would mean taking off the bracket

Re: Elites using spot-lock on the trolling motor [Re: Frank the Tank] #11604815 05/16/16 02:14 AM
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The new Ulterra mounts are a lot stronger. I had a Terrova and the mount was a pain in rear, but you can get used to it..
As they continue to improve these eventually the structure fishing pros will start using them. The new one works twice as good as the Terrova.
I agree that the guys that fish shallow always will stick with a traditional motor. But if everyone remembers 20 years ago all of the pros used hand controls because the old style foot controls were unreliable. None of them ran LCR depth finders because they were so slow and undetailed and none of them used a spinning reel until the 90s.

Last edited by 9094; 05/16/16 02:22 AM.
Re: Elites using spot-lock on the trolling motor [Re: Frank the Tank] #11604824 05/16/16 02:19 AM
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Not to say they don't switch out TM, but all the elite boats are posted on the bassmaster sight, every one of them either has a minn kota fortrex or a motorguide tour or X5.

Re: Elites using spot-lock on the trolling motor [Re: Frank the Tank] #11604955 05/16/16 03:57 AM
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I seen quite a few with the XI5 at Toledo this week.

Re: Elites using spot-lock on the trolling motor [Re: Frank the Tank] #11605153 05/16/16 12:20 PM
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If they made a cable steer that could have a GPS added as an option....they'd sell a million. The drive by wire isn't impossible either. It's the wireless part that kills it. If they used a drive by wire setup like a gas pedal in a car, they could keep the accuracy of a cable and the option of GPS control.


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Re: Elites using spot-lock on the trolling motor [Re: Flippin-Out] #11605571 05/16/16 03:32 PM
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Originally Posted By: Flippin-Out
They probably don't use them for the following considerations that come to mind on why I don't have one:

1. Those frill-rich models have electric steering (not manual foot/hand control). It robs power from the TM batteries.
2. The electric steering has a higher failure risk than manual steer designs (complexity-based, not a manufacturer slam).
3. Steering response is slower than manual foot control.
4. The mount (at least on Minn Kota I looked at) is nothing like the robust/rugged Fortrex mount, and may not hold up as well to the hard use the pros put on their TM.

I've never spotted a pro with one on any video I've seen, or in any photos I've looked at. That doesn't mean there isn't one, but the bell & whistle pimped out motors don't appear to have taken the pro field by storm. There's certainly got to be some reasons for that, they just may not be what mine are.


I think this is spot on

While I have encountered a few situations in which I thought a Terrova or similar TM would be nice, most of the time they would be a hindrance

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