Stop poling and start trolling

Trolling motors enable fishermen to operate from the bow in shallow water, unlike having to pole from a platform.

Mike Taylor uses a 36-volt Minn Kota trolling motor with a remote-control piloting device when he is fishing for red drum in shallow water. A trolling motor with enough thrust for use on a large boat like his 24-footer can takes three batteries to operate, with boat weight the main consideration in sizing the trolling motor to the boat.

A trolling motor has replaced a pole and poling platform on many backwater redfish boats because they can maneuver anywhere except in deep grass and shallow oyster beds. While a remote-controlled trolling motor can be operated by the angler from anywhere in the boat and can even be equipped with an autopilot feature, Taylor spends most of his time on the bow, where he can see any object the propeller might strike before it hits.

About Mike Marsh 363 Articles
Mike Marsh is a freelance outdoor writer in Wilmington, N.C. His latest book, Fishing North Carolina, and other titles, are available at www.mikemarshoutdoors.com.

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