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Posts: 2691
Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin | I've been going around with a few guides about the negative effect trolling motors have on muskies and some other fish. Lots of people control their boats going into the wind. I always try and use the wind to help me move my boat with as little help from my electric trolling motor as possible. Do you fish into the wind with your electric or with the wind?
Pewaukee Lake muskie study was done years ago and Ralph told me he could use the big motor to drive up to muskies with a transmitter. When he dropped the electric the muskie would keep a distance from him.
With electrics getting better/quiet and more people fishing I thought we could get some good imput on this subject.
Do you think electric trolling motors have any effect on muskies due to lots of fishing pressure?
Do you work into the wind or use the wind when you can? |
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Posts: 536
| I think that it seems to be best if you manualy control the speed than having it always on constant! the less its running seems to be best imo |
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Posts: 531
| I fish some very very small waters. Sometime I will drop "anchor" with my Ipilot at a spot i havent casted yet and pull fish from right under the boat in 3-5 foot of water.
Also somtimes I will bump somthing with my trolling motor, where there isnt any log or rock...
I do not think it makes a major difference running electric motors vs drifting in wind in terms of fish activity. If you want to take it a step further maybe shutting off your electronics would help and not taking any steps in the boat... |
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Posts: 298
Location: Not where I want to be! | I don't believe the trolling motor running at a constant speed affects anything. The continuous low pitch din of a running motor has to be less disturbing to the fish than the on and off of a high thrust motor. It's approching slowly and passes by slowly. Ninetyfive % of the time I go into the wind, with imo good boat control, moving about .4 to .5 mph. Have had situations fishing wind blown points with I-pilot in spotlock mode and the fish didn't seem to care. With muskies being caught trolling 10 ft behind the boat in the prop wash would suggest to me that motor noise is irrelavent, as long as it is constant. That boat is approching and leaving slowly, with a continuous sound.
Edited by wavridr 2/4/2013 7:46 AM
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Posts: 1405
Location: Detroit River | In shallow water it might have an effect but not in deeper water. I've caught musky jigging right below the boat in 14+ fow with the trolling motor going at 75%. |
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Location: sneaking out to get on the water ;-) | I also run into the wind the majority of the time using ipilot. I dont think it bothers them at all. My numbers have gone way up the last couple seasons after switching to the terrova and fishing this way. Fish still come up and hit in the 8 and if you need to you can kill the motor and drift back instead of the wind blowinf you over a fish. |
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Posts: 20218
Location: oswego, il | The fish know its there absolutley. I would say how it affects them depends on their mood. Case in point, I was fishing a clear gravel pit, I could see the bottom in 12 feet and watch the shad dart forward and keep ahead of my boat. They were for certian affected by my trolling motor running on constant and these shad were just off the bottom.
Edited by ToddM 2/4/2013 11:59 AM
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Posts: 2687
Location: Hayward, WI | I run my into the wind whenever I can, which has bo be at least 90% of the time. I'm sure the fish can hear it. Does it spook some? I imagine it might spook a few fish but I feel like my boat control is much better fishing into the wind and should account for more fish overall than drifting with the wind and having less control.
I'm not a guide or pro and don't catch 100 fish a year but that's my take on trolling motors. I also turn mine on constant and make adjustments using the speed wheel rather than turning it off and on all the time. I do believe some very very good fishermen on here leave theirs off of constant and "pulse" and they catch a lot more fish than I do.
Like I said, it might spook some but I have a feeling it isn't significant.
Tucker |
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Posts: 457
| If I'm going after a specific fish that I already have the location of, I will try to go after her as stealth as possible ie.. no electronics and using the wind to drift to the spot. If I'm out searching for fish I'm running the trolling motor on constant and fishing into the wind. With that being said I'm no expert. |
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| Mikes Extreme - 2/3/2013 5:42 PM
Pewaukee Lake muskie study was done years ago and Ralph told me he could use the big motor to drive up to muskies with a transmitter. When he dropped the electric the muskie would keep a distance from him.
Could this be because he's approaching the fish from a greater distance with the big motor and as he's quite close to the fish he drops the trolling motor? In other words, the farther away you are from a fish the less likely it is to move, but the closer you are the more likely it will. He's close to the fish (more likely to move) and drops the trolling motor and it moves, but is it the trolling motor that spooks it or the fact that he's too close and ANY sound would cause the fish to move at that distance.
His observation would be more credible if he used the trolling motor to approach from a distance then lowered his big motor and fired that up close to the fish. If it's truly the trolling motor spooking the fish then you would expect the fish to react as soon as the trolling motor is turned on. I suspect this is not the case.
I don't think it has anything to do with the trolling motor. I think it has more to do with a given fish's tolerance to your intrusion. If it was the trolling motor then no one would catch one casting in the figure 8! |
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Posts: 1220
| I think the bow-mount noise is definitely bad, except for the times when the fish seem to like it. The moon phase stuff is mostly bunk, except when it's working really well. Pre-frontal bite is always bad, except when it's good. (I guess you are getting the picture) Perhaps the funniest one of all are the really expensive machines some of the bass guys put on their boat that are supposed to mimic the sound of bait fish swarming. You really have to hear one of these things, really...it sounds to me more like somebody droped their stereo in the lake and it is short-circuiting really badly. I once heard a top bass pro say, he only turns the darn thing on when he's skunked and hopeless. For me, it's pretty simple, if you want to sneak up on somebody, you should take your shoes off. The flip side is that almost nothing trumps boat control for ensuring that your bait is not where your boat is supposed to be and your boat where your bait is supposed to be. If the wind is blowing exactly where you wish to go, by all means use the wind. Otherwise, I think it's best to just use the bow mount. Naturally, if you are in a foot of water and tearing up the place...well you have to use your head too! |
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Posts: 253
Location: On the water | I was working down a shoreline with a twitch bait in seven feet of water and as I pulled the bait out to make another cast, there was a musky right under the trolling motor looking for the bait. I put the bait back into the water doing a figure 8 and the fish hit the bait. The trolling motor didn’t bother that musky. Good luck to all. Tom |
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Posts: 4343
Location: Smith Creek | No 65+ pounders have been caught since the advent of electric trolling motors. I do know of a fifty that was caught by a row troller by the name of Gelb.
Coincidence?
Probably not  |
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Posts: 1036
| I catch a ton of fish on my front down rods when soaking suckers. Trolling motor is almost always on and moving into the wind.
I haven't noticed fish being affected when casting.
When I used to fish up north a lot I saw lots of small muskies an pike hit my trolling motor. Crazy stuff. Middle of the lake 20 feet of water, no structure except a weedbed I'm casting and I keep hearing something clunking into my trolling motor. Then I actually saw a few come up and take a poke at it.
And I have notice up there that my transducer attracts bait fish. Little gills seem to like that thing. |
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Posts: 2384
Location: On the X that marks the mucky spot | Yes it can. Doesn't always but I've seen hot fish spook the second the TM gets turned on. |
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Posts: 2687
Location: Hayward, WI | Flambeauski - 2/4/2013 2:33 PM
No 65+ pounders have been caught since the advent of electric trolling motors. I do know of a fifty that was caught by a row troller by the name of Gelb.
Coincidence?
Probably not ;)
LOL.  I believe the connection has been made! |
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Posts: 2015
| I know of one fish that for sure was effected negatively!, fish followed the DB10 in the wind and then proceeded to try and eat the prop on the Terrova.....stopped the blade on 10 power and left a nasty gash on his head! |
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Posts: 5874
| If it's on constant, I haven't seen it spook fish. When I have noticed most, is when you suddenly turn it off or on when the fish is coming in. |
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Posts: 140
Location: Scandia MN | There is an unnamed bay full of deep cabbage on a large NE Minnesota lake where I will take people to observe large muskies loafing in the weeds. If I stay far enough away to avoid spooking them yet close enough to see the trolling motor makes no difference. It is on a constant low speed. I can literally get close enough to net them if the boat stays quiet and slow. To date I have yet to catch one of these guys so what I’ve learned is that it’s not the motor so it must be ME |
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Posts: 20218
Location: oswego, il | What lake is unamed bay on? |
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Posts: 2325
Location: Chisholm, MN | Just give us the first letter of the lake name please |
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| On the Keyes Outdoors show this past weekend, he mentioned that he tried not to use the trolling motor in shallow water because it could spook fish.
I don't motor troll but I know folks who do and they catch fish right in the prop wash of the outboard. You would think if the outboard didn't spook them, a trolling motor wouldn't. I like Junkman's answer best. |
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Posts: 2269
Location: SE, WI. | Here you go Mike; IMO; It is easier to have perfect boat positioning going into the wind. It is alot harder to have perfect boat positioning letting the wind push you. The only time I let the wind push me is when the wind is so strong, I can't go against it, and because I really want to fish that spot. When you turn the trolling motor on, fish spook!!! when you turn the trolling motor off, fish spook!!! When you leave trolling motor on, constant on, fish are fine with it because it is not a variable sound. Trolling motors are loud as hell, BUT when constant on, it becomes part of their environment, and fish are comfortable with their environment. Case in point, the minkota trolling motor commercial with the tank of bass swimming around next to the motor that is constant on!!! Year in, and year out, I have big fish come into my trolling motor, stare at it and hit it. They think it is food. Also, when figure 8ing, I always bring the lure next to my trolling motor prop...Why??? Because alot of fish sense competition is chasing their food, so it promotes a strike by following fish. This is one of the big reasons why I don't cast around many other fisherman. People do not know what to do with their trolling motor. If everyone left it on constant on, alot more people would catch fish!!! Always try and be somewhat quiet in the boat. Do not step off deck loud, Do not drop lures on the floor, any variable sound, will spoke fish...:o Bye the way, THERE IS NO QUIET TROLLING MOTOR!!! Guiding Pewaukee Muskies
Edited by jdsplasher 2/4/2013 7:04 PM
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Posts: 32886
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | What about screaming, " HOLY ^&%$, THERE'S ONE!!"
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Posts: 2269
Location: SE, WI. | Don't do that either...SIR...you will certainly draw other a - h0les
Edited by jdsplasher 2/4/2013 6:57 PM
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| About 5 years ago I had a 48" fish follow a bucktail while trolling motor was off. In attempt to make a deep figure 8, I accidentally kicked the foot pedal on constant which was also on speed 10. My immediate reaction was I messed that one up bad, but then seconds later while I was trying to turn TM off that fish crushed my bucktail that was basically high speed trolling. Never forget that hit and fight. |
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Posts: 537
Location: Gilberts IL/Rhinelander WI | I've had one follow a dawg only to turn off and swim within inches , nose to nose , with the trolling motor. It was on constant. |
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Posts: 572
Location: Maplewood, MN | I'm a believer in the fact that no noise is good noise. Some of my most productive days have been when my trolling motor has been off because of a dead battery; however, it makes for very tough boat control without a trolling motor. One of my buddies constantly has the trolling motor on high while we fish and it drives me nuts. We've also never put a fish in the boat with his trolling motor running high yet we put 3 in mine without a trolling motor. Could be dumb luck or could be onto something. |
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Posts: 140
Location: Scandia MN | ToddM & Kirby check your PM box - |
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Posts: 2691
Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin | When talking trolling motors the question was: Do you think the noise has a negative effect?
I come into each spot I fish with as much stealth as possible. Not coming in on plane, slamming the trolling motor down and casting.
By using the wind I slip drift only using my electric for adjustments to keep my boat exactly in the zone. Not long drifts with no positioning.
I agree with Jim and others who believe a trolling motor on constant is better than on and off. I like to keep it on low speed when the wind is strong so I can slow my drifts. High speed adjustments have had negative effects from fish from my experiences.
The muskie study that I mentioned was done with a small tuffy with a smaller outboard. Ralph would go out and locate the transmitter fish a few times a week. He could drive up to them with the outboard and get almost on top of them in 6 to 12fow. When he tried to use his electric to get close, the muskies would keep a distance from him moving as he moved. We talked about this multiple times on and off the water. He and I believe the muskies associated this humming noise as danger or a negative experience they had.
This is why I ask the question to all of you.
Now we all know that some muskies can be suicidal and don't care about anything but eating.
Other times they follow low and slow. These are the times I believe stealth is key to putting more fish in your net.
A slow constant is my choice if I can't drift exactly where I want. Boat control is a key point because it trumps everything. Now I believe a few drifts through good area is better than running a trolling motor on high hammering the spot. This is on lakes where fishing pressure is very high.
On lakes where you don't have to get in line to fish a spot I dont believe the electric motor has that much of a negative effect on muskies and other fish.
Bottom line is: If you fish water that is getting pounded every day and night you should keep in mind some stealth when figuring out a game plan working your areas. Never sacrifice boat positioning where needed to be completely stealthy but always consider the quietest option. For me, that's slip drifting instead of going into the wind with my trolling motor on high speed.
No best answer here people. Just opinions and options.
What's your views on electric trolling motors spooking fish or having a negative effect on them? |
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| I think it depends on the "fish". I have been in 4 feet of water on the Canadian shield---crystal clear water and had four footers "nipping" at the blades on my trolling motor at slow speeds. Crazy as it sounds----it has happened more than once. I even had a 50" plus fish follow my stainless prop at idle speed-----who said double 10's are big blades? -----John |
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Posts: 2687
Location: Hayward, WI | Mikes Extreme - 2/6/2013 8:41 AM
On lakes where you don't have to get in line to fish a spot I dont believe the electric motor has that much of a negative effect on muskies and other fish.
Bottom line is: If you fish water that is getting pounded every day and night you should keep in mind some stealth when figuring out a game plan working your areas. Never sacrifice boat positioning where needed to be completely stealthy but always consider the quietest option. For me, that's slip drifting instead of going into the wind with my trolling motor on high speed.
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There could be something to that. I fish NW WI waters primarily and might see a few musky fishermen while I'm out but I don't believe I have anywhere near the fishing pressure that several MN lakes do.
Do trolling motors spook more heavily pressured fish? Possible I suppose. That would probably be a question of can fish become conditioned and associate a familiar noise with a bad experience? If that's the case it would seem like Cowgirls, Bulldawgs, and Pacemakers wouldn't still work as well as they do across the musky range.
I may have talked myself in a circle and left without an answer. However, I guess I don't have an answer. Though the study is interesting, I'd still have to put my money on the trolling motor not making much difference in most situations. For the number of fish I've caught (muskies, walleyes, pike, panfish, etc) within just a few feet of the trolling motor it doesn't seem to hurt much.
For the study do you know how far away the radio transmitter can detect a fish, and how far away from the fish the trolling motor was dropped? Was he trying to approach the fish at a speed typical to what we'd move at while fishing? How close could he get?
We'll probably never really know the answer until more radio tracking studies are done. And if fish are turned off from the trolling motor some days we'll really never know.
Edited by curleytail 2/6/2013 10:54 AM
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| how can you explain baits in the propwash w/ 3 ft of line out getting hit???? |
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| I learned last year that fish are keenly aware of my trolling motor and avoid it at all costs. I think I am going to try a new trolling motor this year so the fish can't recognize the sound of my boat from last season. |
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Location: Grand Rapids, MI | Steve Worrall - Do you have any audio recordings of electric motors? Do you have any of the pinging from a graph? Just my opinion but having listened to both with a hydrophone, if I wanted to be stealthy I would first shut off my transducers. |
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| One summer day we were anchored off the mouth of a 20' wide coldwater stream where it entered into a warmer river. There was a downed tree 30' up in the creek and on my 3rd cast I was hung on a deep limb. After a few more casts we pulled anchor and used the trolling motor to retrieve my lure. We anchored back in the same place and on the very next cast I caught a 36 incher right where we had just motored. The stream was only 4' deep. That fish did not pay any attention to us at all. Each fish and each situation is different and you never know what will happen. |
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| Steve,
Would also love to know if you have any audio information. |
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Posts: 2691
Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin | Prop wash hits are kicker motor trolling. Not electric trolling motor noise. I have caught lots of fish trolling with my 9.9 pro kicker. Lots with very short lines. A lot of these fish I see hit the lures as they are trolled over tall weeds.
My question was mainly on the electric trolling motors.
I have spent 35 plus years on the water and come to the conclusion that electric trolling motors have a negative effect on muskies and gas powered motors actually don't bother the muskies as much. Actually I believe muskies use the disturbance to feed on bait fish moving away from the prop wash. My hottest trolling rod is almost always the rod closest to my kicker motor. Now this is on Pewaukee lake.
I can't count all the times I have had muskies moving away from my boat as I have shined at night. By the time I get the light on them they are already moving away. Carp, gar, bass, gills, etc always seem to just hang out. Muskies are just spooked by my electrics to some degree. I don't want to bring brand names of electric trolling motors into this. I have used all of them and run the quietest one to my knowledge.
I'm just curious as to what everyone's opinion is on this issue.
Gas motors are everywhere and I think the fish are used to them. Does electric motors have negative effect because of conditioning?
Can muskies become conditioned through bad experiences? |
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Posts: 767
Location: Ames, Iowa | I think on busy lakes at busy spots fish get conditioned to hearing larger boat motors. I'm not sure about electric trolling motors however. i'm concerned about them going on and off while I fish shallow water. I believe in stealth now more than ever and feel like I do my best fishing when I do the best job of boat control. I know that I try my best to read the wind before going out and thus know where I have to put the boat relative to structure to get the best and longest drift without using either motor to make adjustments. It's probably the #1 thing I think about before leaving the harbor or access. |
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Location: Grand Rapids, MI | I'm feeling you Mike but have some reservations on sound or feel from a TM having any negative impact on muskies, at least any more than a 14-20' boat would. The reason I believe this is that the lake would have to be a a muskie only lake with no other fishermen on the water. If this was the reality then I could see them associating the TM sound, or feel, with a negative experience. With enough reinforcement they could be conditioned, however, I don't think this could happen in most places. There are so many other boats on the water with TMs, some are on constant some are used in bursts. I would guess (no data of course) that muskies have more positive or neutral experiences with TMs around than they do without and certainly more positive than negative.
As far as spotlights, muskies really don't like them compared to other fish and they react similar to walleye in my experience.
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Electric trolling motor-Does negatively effect fish?