Pros an Cons: Kicker Tiller vs Helm Control

[Dwk5299@gmail.com]

New to trollling. Want a kicker for walleye mostly and debating the two, tiller vs helm control without any real experience.
Any and all opinions and advice welcome thanks

[S.Larson]

There are no cons to a tiller kicker,..


You can put a tie bar on for steering and a troll control or i troll type unit for the throttle control,...


And still have the tiller handle for the times you might want it,...


Personally I prefer the kicker on the starboard side to use the tiller handle for hand lining, And sometimes for old school back trolling.


Kind of like have both that way,...

[tsbrewers]

I just went through this myself. I added one to my boat this fall and did a bunch of research too. The general consensus is that the tiller version is better. it can be rigged to do everything a remote style can, but can also be used as a tiller.



So, I bought a remote one. I found a used one in my price range that was a remote style and for the fishing I do, it was what I wanted. If I was going to go pick a new one up off the shelf, I probably would have gone tiller too, then did the tie bar and remote throttle "mods".

[tate05]

I’m on my second boat with a kicker rigged on the port side and remote steering. For walleye trolling, if it’s even being used, I merely start it and kick it into gear. I like being able to do that and point the wheel straight at the helm. All of my steering is done with the Ulterra from that point on. If I’m musky trolling at higher speeds I sit at the helm and watch my graph as I steer. A lot of your decision may depend on other ways you plan to fish. Depending on the boat you are rigging you may find yourself backtrolling. That would be a case for a kicker with a tiller handle. Myself, I’ve never had the desire to backtroll in a 20ft glass boat that tracks perfectly.

Just my 2 cents.


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Originally Posted by S.Larson

There are no cons to a tiller kicker,..


You can put a tie bar on for steering and a troll control or i troll type unit for the throttle control,...


And still have the tiller handle for the times you might want it,...


Personally I prefer the kicker on the starboard side to use the tiller handle for hand lining, And sometimes for old school back trolling.


Kind of like have both that way,...

Agreed. Link it to the main engine and good to go. Add a Troll Master or similar and even better. I generally steer the kicker from the helm and have the Troll Master on the dash. I use the kicker as a tiller quite often for getting around when I'm fishing shallow lakes and need to keep the main engine trimmed up because of shallow water or obstructions.

[Dwk5299@gmail.com]

excuse my ignorance but once a kicker tiller is connected to say a trollmaster or iTroll type setup, (which this southern Missouri boy knows nothing about) and even linked steeering to the big motor, is the kicker then married to that boat. Is it a big deal if you wanted to take the kicker and put kicker on a smaller jon boat per say.

my is a G3 angler and has a 25" transom, is it critical that my kicker have a 25" shaft too or can you get by with a 20" shaft? Thinking about have a small outboard with mulit uses, kicker, or main drive on a small jon boat.


the price on a tiller with remote controls is quite a chunk. but I also don't want any regrets I got all winter to get set up. thanks.

[tsbrewers]

Nope, not at all. You can go from using the tiller, to sitting at the console and back in 15 seconds. The most common way to connect the two motors together is a simple bar that comes off with a quick connect fitting. The remote throttle doesn't affect anything either, you can still use the tiller handle and the remote throttle without doing anything.

[redgoose99]

I went from helm to tiller control when I purchased my new boat last year and have been very pleased. I have a tie rod, which is very easy to remove, to tie the kicker steering to the main motor. However, it rarely steer the kicker when trolling. The majority of the time, I have the kicker pointing straight and use the trolling motor for steering of the boat.

An itroll or troll master is very helpful in fine tuning speed control of the kicker.

I have on a rare occasion disconnected the kicker steering tie rod and used the tiller by itself to backtroll. It is not my first choice of techniques but the ability to do that it nice if fishing and the trolling battery is are run down from conditions or because the breaker on the outside outlet the boat get plugged into gets tripped and the TM battery don't get charged overnight.

The final advantage is that I no longer swivel the captains chair so that the back of the chair hits the throttle control, bumping forward and causing the kicker to speed up. This was an issue with my previous boat. Extremely irritating.

There are no disadvantages to tiller control kicker, and it definitely adds some flexibility to you boat.

[watertank]

I am on my 8th Lund, last 4 have had kicker motors 3 were dual control and one had a tiller model. My latest is a Lund 1775 Impact Sport -Mercury 115 ProXS/9.9ProKicker. It has dual controls for the motors that are tie barred together. My only suggestion is that if you decide to go with a dual set-up, get Hydraulic steering. All my previous dual units (bigger motors)have had Hydro and I just missed adding it. I will be adding it before spring.

[Bobby Winds]

Many use a kicker locked into going straight, then using their front bow TM with iPilot to steer the boat in the direction you want. No need to sit back there and control the steering or fight with steering wheel to steer the boat. A remote hanging around your neck will to it ALL.......

Personally I don't even use a kicker, just the bow mounted TM for slow trolling Lake Erie with worm harnesses OR for perch fishing using the Spot Lock feature to hold me in place. I haven't used a anchor in over 3 years.

Bob