Elec trolling motor vs. gas outboard
 

I want to find out what other's experience and/or opinions are relative to using electric trolling motors vs. gas outboards for vertical presentations. Boat control issues aside in rough water, do you feel that gas outboards spook more fish or electric trolling motors? I remember reading an In-Fisherman article a few years back that stated electric trolling motors actually make more noise underwater than outboards. Sometimes I have seen where those positioning their boats with gas kickers outproduce those using electric motors when using very slow vertical presentations?

What is your opinion/experience?

RE: Elec trolling motor vs. gas outboard
 

I can not say I have seen an electric spook fish. But I have had an outboard move a school fish more then one time. I would not go back to an outboard. I really enjoy useing an automactic pilot.

The Worm Dunker

RE: Elec trolling motor vs. gas outboard
 

Good question Bob. I'm interested in seeing replies to that one myself. Herb

RE: Elec trolling motor vs. gas outboard
 

I would think the electric would be less apt to spook fish however there are times when my electric does not have enough power to hold me on the spot that I need to be on. This usually occurs w/ heavy wind or current. If I need to run my electric at full power to hold a near vertical presentation, I know I will be out of juice soon and as such I will switch to my gas (a tiller). Don't feel it spooks fish much in rough water (wind), heavy current or deep water.

RE: Elec trolling motor vs. gas outboard
 

I have destroyed several electrics trying to run them at or near full power for extended lengths of time. I currently use a Maxxum 65lb and have been instructed by the repair guy to change my ways. No matter how much juice you have available they are just not designed for more than boat control or positioning.

As far as spooking schools I would have to think its a dead heat between a small 4 stroke and an electric. I know its a big price difference but Im tired of replacing electrics and not being able to troll at the proper speed. (PS I have a 17' with a 100 HP Mercury)

Mike

RE: Elec trolling motor vs. gas outboard
 

I suppose that like most things, it depends.

We had one day last year on Lac Seul where we were trolling along a small shoreline area in 3 - 5 feet of stained water. I was using a 4 stroke 9.9 and the other boat was using a minkota autopilot. The fish were more interested in presentation than running from noise. My bait was less than 10ft from the prop all day, and I caught many fish.

Had the water been clear, I imagine everything would have changed.

RE: Elec trolling motor vs. gas outboard
 

I suspect it has more to do with how much that school of fish has been harassed recently than anything else.
I have no delusions about sneaking up on fish with an electric motor any mor than with a gas kicker. I also recall that column in "Walleye Insider". Their testing a hydrophone pointed out that the quietest propulsion under water was the jet drive.
I live on a big reservoir. The number of days my 65lb thrust electric will control the boat are few. I still use my 10hp kicker more hours than my main engine every year. On this water, more than a single boat in a quarter mile of shoreline is considered crowded.
I also once worked with an avid SCUBA diver. He had observed, in a heavily-fished MN lake, that even the sound of a depthfinder would make fish bury their noses in the weed cover. A silently drifting boat, however, had no effect on the fish's activity.

RE: Elec trolling motor vs. gas outboard
 

I trolled for 4 years with my minn kota autopilot for walleye. If the wind was picking up I always trolled downwind so as not to run the motor full out. It easily kept me pointed downwind. I tried Salmon fishing with it one year and that drove me to a kicker. With all of the hardware out I couldn't get anywhere near the proper speed. I usually keep both mounted on my boat just in case.

Sparky

RE: Elec trolling motor vs. gas outboard
 

Thanks everyone for the responses. Just to add to this a little, I have seen the more you play with the speed control on an electric, the more it spooks fish.

Reason for the question is that I have seen on occasion where the guys backtrolling with kickers have outproduced the guys using electrics, everything else (color jig, bait, etc) being equal.

Phil, that was real interesting with what your diver buddy told you. When using vertical presentations over a defined area, it seems that sometimes turning everything off can produce more. From what you have said, however, I'm going to have to try that more often.

RE: Elec trolling motor vs. gas outboard
 

Would recommend that if you really think a trolling motor will spook fish due to noise they produce try this:
Start TM out of water and listen to the "noise"...
Start any kicker out of the water. Now that's "NOISE"
Can tell you that when I start up my 115, it will shake the leaves off a tree @ 100 yards and even my 5.5hp isn't much better!
TM noise that many articles refer to, is from stop & go and really not from constant running.
For me it's the stealth mode!
Noise to consider....