{"id":59,"date":"2019-04-16T00:46:26","date_gmt":"2019-04-16T05:46:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pontoonpatrol.com\/?p=59"},"modified":"2022-03-28T07:02:10","modified_gmt":"2022-03-28T12:02:10","slug":"can-you-put-a-trolling-motor-on-a-pontoon-boat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/can-you-put-a-trolling-motor-on-a-pontoon-boat\/","title":{"rendered":"Can You Put a Trolling Motor on a Pontoon Boat (With Sizes)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>If you own a pontoon boat and love to fish, you may be asking yourself if you can put a trolling motor on a pontoon boat. Trolling motors are great little electric motors that can move a boat quietly through the water, which helps avoid spooking fish. This makes them great for all kinds of fishing enthusiasts, who need to continue to maneuver their vessel while casting lines. But, you might be wondering if a trolling motor is appropriate for your pontoon boat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The good news is that, yes, you can, indeed put a trolling motor onto a pontoon boat. As long as you select the right shaft length and thrust (minimum 52 inches length and 55 lbs thrust), you should be good to go!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Trolling motors can be critical in your ability to lure in fish without scaring them away, and for staying on them. That being said, while a trolling motor can make a huge difference in your fishing day, it\u2019s important to make sure you\u2019re getting the right motor for your boat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/can-you-put-a-trolling-motor-on-pontoon-boat.avif \"  type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/can-you-put-a-trolling-motor-on-pontoon-boat.webp \"  type=\"image\/webp\"><img src=\"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/can-you-put-a-trolling-motor-on-pontoon-boat.jpg\" class=\" sp-no-webp\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\"  > <\/picture><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Luckily, we\u2019re here to help. We\u2019ve got the key pieces of advice that you\u2019ll need for putting a trolling motor on your <a class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/are-pontoon-boats-good-for-fishing\/\" data-lasso-id=\"478\">pontoon boat,<\/a> including what size motor you\u2019ll need and if you\u2019ll need to get a second battery, where you should mount the trolling motor, and whether or not you\u2019ll need special batteries to do so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Best Place to Mount a Trolling Motor<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-block-embed-embed-handler wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"lyte-wrapper fourthree\" title=\"Convert Your Pontoon Into a Fishing Machine\" style=\"width:420px;max-width:100%;margin:5px auto;\"><div class=\"lyMe\" id=\"WYL_zs6A1OL7dXw\" itemprop=\"video\" itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/VideoObject\"><div><meta itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/wp-youtube-lyte\/lyteCache.php?origThumbUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2Fzs6A1OL7dXw%2Fhqdefault.jpg\" \/><meta itemprop=\"embedURL\" content=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/zs6A1OL7dXw\" \/><meta itemprop=\"duration\" content=\"PT5M55S\" \/><meta itemprop=\"uploadDate\" content=\"2018-03-21T09:00:06Z\" \/><\/div><div id=\"lyte_zs6A1OL7dXw\" data-src=\"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/wp-youtube-lyte\/lyteCache.php?origThumbUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2Fzs6A1OL7dXw%2Fhqdefault.jpg\" class=\"pL\"><div class=\"tC\"><div class=\"tT\" itemprop=\"name\">Convert Your Pontoon Into a Fishing Machine<\/div><\/div><div class=\"play\"><\/div><div class=\"ctrl\"><div class=\"Lctrl\"><\/div><div class=\"Rctrl\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><noscript><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/zs6A1OL7dXw\" rel=\"nofollow\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/wp-youtube-lyte\/lyteCache.php?origThumbUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2Fzs6A1OL7dXw%2F0.jpg\" alt=\"Convert Your Pontoon Into a Fishing Machine\" width=\"420\" height=\"295\" \/><\/a><\/noscript><meta itemprop=\"description\" content=\"The popularity of pontoon boats is growing at a rapid pace thanks to their ability to accommodate several people while servicing casual boaters, water sports enthusiasts and fisherman alike. Wired2Fish&#039;s Ryan DeChaine takes us on a tour of his extended family&#039;s Lund LX220 Fish and Cruise pontoon, and how he rigged it to enhance the fishing experience. This is relevant rigging content whether you&#039;re in the market for a new or used pontoon or already own one. The featured pontoon has built-in fishing items like tackle and rod storage, rod holders, and livewell and baitwell. Adding a quality fish finder gets you on the fish, while modern boating equipment like trolling motors and shallow water anchors bring convenience, safety, ease of use and precise control to these large boats. We take a close look at how Ryan rigged the pontoon with a bow mount trolling motor. This rigout required a custom modification to provide trolling motor clearance of the third and centrally located tube while also providing easy install or removal of the trolling motor. Minn Kota\u2019s Ulterra delivers automated stow and deploy coupled with the ability to digitally anchor the pontoon with Spot-Lock \u2014 this has proven a huge convenience and boat control plus. Additionally, Ryan discusses the install of dual and diagonally positioned shallow water anchors using Minn Kota Talon Pontoon Edge Mount Kits. The Talons firmly lock the pontoon in place when fishing shallow water, and provide immediate pontoon anchoring when docking, loading and unloading guests, or just playing off the pontoon \u2014 all without the need for ropes or anchors. Visit https:\/\/youtu.be\/jaYYkxR5W8o for information on pontoon outboard engine selection. FEATURED PRODUCT: -Lund LX220 Pontoon Boat: https:\/\/wired2.fish\/LundLX220-Pontoon -Minn Kota Ulterra Trolling Motor: https:\/\/wired2.fish\/MinnKotaUlterra -Minn Kota Talon Shallow Water Anchors: https:\/\/wired2.fish\/MinnKotaTalon -Minn Kota Talon Pontoon Edge Mount Kit: https:\/\/wired2.fish\/TalonPontoonMount -Minn Kota Quick Release Bracket \/ MKA-32: https:\/\/wired2.fish\/QuickReleaseBracket -Humminbird HELIX 9 SI GPS: https:\/\/wired2.fish\/HELIX9-CHIRP-GPS-G3N -Humminbird LakeMaster Plus Digital Charts: https:\/\/wired2.fish\/LakeMasterChips -Mercury 115 Pro XS: https:\/\/wired2.fish\/MercProXS-115hp ========= ABOUT US: ========= Wired2fish is one of the most popular recreational fishing brands in the world. We have an extensive library of freshwater fishing tips, fun fishing videos, fishing tackle reviews and a lot more. We post some of the coolest fishing pictures and videos on our social channels. If you love fishing and are wired2fish like we are, we\u2019d love to have you be a part of our community! #bassfishing #wired2fish #fishing SUBSCRIBE for more awesome fishing tips! \u25ba\u25ba https:\/\/goo.gl\/44UcI6 \u2022 Come Fishing with Us! \u25ba\u25ba https:\/\/goo.gl\/ofGwBq \u2022 Our Most Popular Fishing Tips! \u25ba\u25ba https:\/\/goo.gl\/A0MvJb \u2022 Bass Fishing Videos! \u25ba\u25ba https:\/\/goo.gl\/bnPXPv \u2022 Crappie and Panfish Fishing Videos! \u25ba\u25ba https:\/\/goo.gl\/u3KlQ4 \u2022 All our Playlists! \u25ba\u25ba https:\/\/goo.gl\/A7HEkY \u2022 Wear Your Love of Fishing with Pride! \u25ba\u25ba https:\/\/goo.gl\/rlglKF ================================== FOLLOW US HERE AS WELL ================================== website: http:\/\/www.wired2fish.com instagram: http:\/\/www.instagram.com\/wired2fish_official facebook: http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/wired2fish twitter: http:\/\/www.twitter.com\/wired2fish apparel: http:\/\/www.wired2fishgear.com =================================\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"lL\" style=\"max-width:100%;width:420px;margin:5px auto;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/zs6A1OL7dXw\" target=\"_blank\">Watch this video on YouTube<\/a>.<\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>There are three main places to mount a trolling motor: bow, transom (rear), or engine. Each of these locations comes with its own advantages and disadvantages, which we\u2019ll look at here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bow mount trolling motors tend to be the most popular because they provide a significant amount of steering control when you\u2019re moving through the water, especially when compared with a transom (rear) mount. This increased boat control is due to the fact that a bow-mounted trolling motor <i>pulls<\/i> the boat through the water as opposed to <i>pushing<\/i> it from behind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That being said, bow-mounted trolling motors are often more expensive than alternative options and take up more room on your boat than a transom or engine mount would.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Transom mounts are quite popular among small boat owners because they are easier to install, take up less space, and are more affordable than bow-mounted trolling motors. To install a bow mount motor, you need to drill a plate onto the front of your boat. With a transom mount motor, on the other hand, you only need to clamp it onto the stern of your boat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, transom mounts offer less precision in maneuverability, which could be a problem, depending on where you&#8217;re using your boat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, there\u2019s the engine-mount trolling motor. As you might suspect from the name, an engine mount trolling motor mounts right onto the engine itself &#8211; to the cavitation plate, to be specific. These trolling motors are incredibly convenient, as they don\u2019t take up any space on your boat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That being said, engine mount trolling motors tend to be more expensive than alternative options and can also be more difficult to control than a bow or transom mount trolling motor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Size of a Trolling Motor do I Need?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>For trolling motors, more power is better. You\u2019ll want to get the most powerful trolling motor you can afford as it\u2019s better to have the extra power and not need it than to need it and not have it. As an absolute <em>minimum<\/em>, for every <strong>400 pounds<\/strong> of weight on the boat, you\u2019ll need about 5 pounds of thrust to move it forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Minn-Kota-Ulterra-Trolling-Bluetooth\/dp\/B01M5E489I?&#038;linkCode=li3&#038;tag=mindbuilders-20&#038;linkId=dcb2fc572461bd03e572b81696658720&#038;language=en_US&#038;ref_=as_li_ss_il\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" src=\"\/\/ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/widgets\/q?_encoding=UTF8&#038;ASIN=B01M5E489I&#038;Format=_SL250_&#038;ID=AsinImage&#038;MarketPlace=US&#038;ServiceVersion=20070822&#038;WS=1&#038;tag=mindbuilders-20&#038;language=en_US\" ><\/a><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/e\/ir?t=mindbuilders-20&#038;language=en_US&#038;l=li3&#038;o=1&#038;a=B01M5E489I\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\" style=\"border:none !important; margin:0px !important;\" \/>\n\n\n\n<p>Unlike your standard outboard engine, trolling motor power is measured in terms of pounds of thrust, rather than by horsepower. As you might imagine, the more pounds of thrust on a trolling motor, the more powerful it is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, trolling motors are also available in a variety of different voltages (12, 12\/24, 24, and 36 volts), which can confuse matters a bit. The higher the voltage rating of a trolling motor, the more usable power at the propeller for moving your boat through the water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Therefore, if you have a 36 volt trolling motor with 90 pounds of thrust, it\u2019ll be much stronger than a 12 volt motor with 50 pounds of thrust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Will I Need Special Mounting Brackets<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019ll only need special mounting brackets if you\u2019re going to buy a bow-mounted trolling motor. This is because transom (rear) trolling motors simply clip on to the transom and engine-mount motors clip onto, well, the engine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thus, mounting brackets are only needed for bow-mounted trolling motors. Usually, these mounts come with your new trolling motor, but you\u2019ll have to put some work in to get the motor ready for the water. Often, this involves drilling into the deck of your boat (a scary thought, we know) and mounting a special plate that the motor will connect to. This mount allows the motor to flip up and down into the water when you need it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even though it\u2019s a bit more work to install, many boaters prefer the increased maneuverability of the bow mounted trolling motor over the ease of installation of the alternatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Does a Trolling Motor Need Its Own Battery<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Since Trolling motors require electricity to generate power, they do, indeed, require batteries to operate. Although you <i>could<\/i> use the battery on your boat (which is really just used to start your outboard engine), doing so will quickly deplete its energy reserves and leave you with a boat that won\u2019t start back up again after a day of fishing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The solution? A deep-cycle battery installed specifically for your trolling motor. Especially if you are going to have a high voltage trolling motor, or you plan to use it for hours and hours during a day of fishing, you might even want to consider having multiple deep-cycle batteries on your boat to keep your trolling motor running.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/VMAX-MR127-Maintenance-40-100lb-Marine\/dp\/B0087FBT3M\" target=\"_blank\">VMAX\u00a0 12 Volt 100Ah AGM Deep Cycle Battery<\/a> &#8211;Amazon (our favorite)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>At the end of the day, trolling motors are great for anyone with a <a class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/can-a-pontoon-boat-go-in-the-ocean\/\" data-lasso-id=\"483\">pontoon boat<\/a> that loves to fish. Instead of scaring away all of the fish with the loud noise of your engine, a trolling motor allows you to maneuver easily through the water with minimal sound output. There are many different kinds of trolling motors, however, so it\u2019s important to choose the one that best fits your needs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you own a pontoon boat and love to fish, you may be asking yourself if you can put a trolling motor on a pontoon boat. Trolling motors are great<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":60,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[48],"tags":[],"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":48,"label":"Boating"}]},"featured_image_src_large":false,"author_info":{"display_name":"Peter","author_link":"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/author\/outsidedecider\/"},"comment_info":0,"category_info":[{"term_id":48,"name":"Boating","slug":"boating","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":48,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":50,"count":19,"filter":"raw","term_order":"0","cat_ID":48,"category_count":19,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Boating","category_nicename":"boating","category_parent":50}],"tag_info":false,"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=59"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8016,"href":"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59\/revisions\/8016"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/wp-json\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=59"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=59"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=59"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}