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Posts: 67
| 1) Going with the Terrova I Pilot. What shaft length would be best for an Esox Mag? Rigging an Esox......options are 45" or 60".
2) Do I NEED (or would you?), have two locators (one in back by tiler, one in front?). I was "hoping" I could get away with one nice locator (Humming Bird 798ci HD side imaging) in front, then a "cheaper" one in back. Opinions?
3) Battery for TM........27's? 31's? I dont know what those #'s mean, other then the bigger tyhe #, the longer the charge......correct?
Just a little insight on my fishing type. I am a weekend fisherman.......jigging for Eyes on WI River, Musky on the river, some up north Musky stuff......nothing hard core, but dont want to regret things down the road.
4) 3 bank on board charger, or is just a 2 bank enough?
Thanks in advance,
Chris
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Posts: 158
| Of the two trolling motor shaft choices I would pick the 60"
I would have two locaters. I actually prefer to have the good locater on the console. Depends on how you fish though....
Bigger the battery the better. IMO save time, hassle and money and buy em' at Wal Mart. The last fine, and have a warranty.
3 bank. Two batteries for the trolling motor, and one for the cranking battery/electronics.
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Posts: 433
Location: Cedarburg, Wisconsin | 45" or 60" shaft? What about the 54" shaft? Don't know how high the Esox mag is off the water, but I went with a 54" shaft on my X-190 and it works fine. I think 60" would be way more than you need. I look at it this way, when you fish you don't want to be "fencing" with your rod and the trolling motor. If you fish water like I do with lots of shallow rocks, you can't have the motor too far under or you are chewing up props. If you fish with a 60" shaft model shallow you have an ungodly amount of shaft sticking up in your way. As to having enough shaft for rough water, I'd venture a guess with that boat you don't plan on being in 3-4 foot rollers, and even then, I think the 54" or maybe even the 45" shaft would work fine. Most of the time the 54" shaft is too much for my boat, and only once was it a little short and I didn't stay in that area too long with the electric. Make sure you have a 24V system for the river where you are fighting current all day.
The only concern with the bigger batteries is whether or not they fit in your trays/compartment. Get them if they fit.
You would probably do best with the better locator by the tiller. You need the resolution looking for baitfish and trolling to see bottom makeup. Yeah, walleye fishing does require a good reading once in a while but if you are experienced setting up the unit reading bottom hardness is about the most important from what I see. Find the baitfish with the back unit then slow down in the area and work them over. |
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| +1
If your main station for fishing will be up front, a the really good locator should be there. Depending on the type of fishing, a GPS/depthfinder combo might be good in both locations if you purchased a tiller model boat. if console, then a basic depthfinder in the rear will do just fine.
For TM length, I would agree...get the longer one. If you get into any wind where you are dealing with some bigger waves, being able to keep the TM prop in the water is beneficial.
congratulations on your new rig by the way!!
Steve |
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Posts: 2323
Location: Stevens Point, WI | I second what B-Good said. That boat with a 60 inch shaft would be outrageous in my opinion. The 54 would be perfect. |
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Posts: 67
| I dont see a 54" option with 80lb I Pilot, 24V......I've got the book (Minn-Kota) right here.
Its a tiller Esox. |
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Posts: 2323
Location: Stevens Point, WI | The link it's working, check Cabela's.
You'll need to buy one without I-Pilot, then buy the add on. It looks like they aren't selling the 54 with I-Pilot for some reason.
Edited by TJ DeVoe 3/1/2011 3:57 PM
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Posts: 65
Location: De Pere Wisconsin | Depending on your height you may want to fish a little out of the boat before setting your graphs up. I am just over 6 foot tall and found after a while that I really liked to fish out of the back of the boat( I had an esox mag and before that an esox ltd). One really good graph and you pull up on your spot, stand up and start fishing -big motor is right there etc. ...just a thought. With the Terrova you really won't need to go up front except to drop the motor. One work station (to steal a MH term) and you save money and need to run back and forth. The only reason I ever had a bow graph was to see what the depth was 17 feet away.
The side imaging is something you will want to be reading as you are searching on a lake is my feeling.
54" on the Terrova will be way more than enough. A 48" will stick out a good ways if you are running real shallow.
You will love the boat! |
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Posts: 114
| Definitely put the bird in the back. Side imaging needs the boat to be moving to get clear returns. It would be wasted up front IMO. |
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Posts: 67
| Interesting points (one work station). I'm 5'8".
Also good point about puting SI on the front graph.......ummm.
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Posts: 67
| After buying the boat, the dealer told me if I buy the electronics from them (for Gander or Cabelas pricing), they will "rig" the boat for me......free.
Then, I just talked to a fishing bud (crazy hard core fisher guy)........he told me, "even for free, rig the boat yourslef"!
Any opinions there?? |
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Posts: 158
| Rig it yourself.
Not hard to do, and you can put things where you want them. And you control the quality. |
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Location: Not far enough north! | I just sold my mag. Mine was set up like this...
Motorguide 45" shaft on the front was plenty of length. Never came out of the water while fishing usually had about 8" still above the bracket. Two 27 batteries (interstate) Never ran out of juice in one day even in the wind.
Only need a two bank charger for troller batteries the outboard has an alternator so it charges the starting battery.
I had an hds 8 in the back and a humminbird in the front. Would have liked to have another gps in the front but didnt upgrade that one before I sold it.
I would rig the boat myself if I were you there are empty spaces on the back of the panels so all you have to do attach connectors and plug in for power.
Hardest part is running transducer cables under deck and behind panels...
Rick |
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Posts: 2323
Location: Stevens Point, WI | There isn't much you can screw up rigging an Esox Mag. Buy the electronics from the dealer, have them rig it. Go into the dealer and lay out the stuff how you want it rigged and where you want you want everything and they will or should do it the way you want it. If you feel comfortable rigging it yourself, then do so, otherwise, good deal if you'd rather them rig it. |
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Posts: 67
| The other nice part about rigging it myself.......I can go get the boat anytime and get "the stuff" I want as I figure it out. If the dealer rigs it, I have to pay right now (or when I pick it up) for everything.......I feel a little rushed trying to get what I want.......lots of decisions (all fun ones......LOL). |
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| I have a 09 esox mag and I run a 858 up front and a 998 in the back. Dont run a side imaging unit up front. It wont work while using your trolling motor. As far as your trolling motor the 60 inch is way to much for this boat and will only get in the way. I run a 48 in shaft w/ 55lb thrust. Plenty of trolling motor for this boat and I fish hard on weekends and can go all weekend w/out hooking up to recharge. No problems w/ power either. 2 bank is what I run and works great. If it were me I would just have the dealer rig the boat. Just point out where you want the mounts located. Obviously run side imaging ducer outside and if you want a high speed readout you should rig that ducer on the inside. Dealer will know this. You're gonna enjoy this boat. Great rig all around. |
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Posts: 50
| I too am in the process of buying a new esox mag. Ten years ago I bought my last esox mag and at the time I bought a 70lb thrust powerdrive and the only option was a 60 inch shaft. I had the shaft cut down to 48 inches and this was in my opinion a very good choice. I will do the same again even if I buy one with a 54 inch shaft. I just did purchase the 998 sidefinder also. My plan is for this in the back of the boat. Up front is going to be the 788hddi. From what I have been told, the transducer for the 998 should be mounted flush with the bottom of the boat. (Or else a big rooster tail when motoring at high speeds) But with it mounted this way, there won't be a reading from it when boat is going at a good speed. Ecmusky do you run your 998 this way? And if so, how do you get a depth reading when running at full speed?
thanks |
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Posts: 67
| My buddy was just talking to me about "glassing in the rear transducer". I'm all ears on this.
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Posts: 897
| As far as trolling motor length, I'd go 60" if those are your only two options. But, I think you'd be better served with a 54" as 60" is really long.
If you're runninng the boat out of the back you can certainly get by with one locator, but it's nice having something up front to tell you the depth. If you run the boat out of the bow, I'd get two decent ones. If you get the same brand, you may be able to swap units if you end up liking having the bigger screen up front vs. at the console. I've got my bigger screen (7") on my console because I can see a 5" screen just fine while standing up and I like a bigger GPS screen to look at while running around LOTW. Makes me feel "safe"!
Get as big of batteries as you can fit in the battery compartment.
Assuming you're getting a 24V trolling motor, I think you'd be able to get by just fine with a 2-bank charger. Just throw your starting battery on the charger every once in a while to make sure it gets a full charge. Mine does just fine being charged by the outboard. If you're worried about the starting battery dying, throw a set of jumper cables in the boat. I know they've saved my butt a few times.
The nice thing about rigging your own boat is you know where everything is and how to get at it if something isn't working. Comes in handy when you're up in the middle of Canada with no cell reception. Forces you to buy the tools needed for installation, too, which are usually the ones you need to fix whatever is wrong.
Installing a thru-hull transducer is about as easy as it gets. I used a two-step epoxy and had it done in 15 minutes. |
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Location: Des Moines IA | The difference between a 2 bank, and a 3 bank charger is 60$. Well worth that to go three bank in my opinion.
http://www.chargingchargers.com/marine-battery-chargers/marine-char... |
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| I do run the SI ducer flush w/ the bottom of the boat. Minimal tail if any at all. At high speeds (usually anything on plane) gives you pretty much no depth readout. Once I saw this I then decided to epoxy in the other ducer. Humminbird has a y split cable you can get that works for this. Will pull readouts from both. Re: your starting battery I run my electronics all off of my starting battery and don't shut my 998 off all day. The motor while running will charge your starting battery. I didn't charge my starting battery once last year until late october/november came. Then a day before Wisco gun opener she quit and had to use my trolling motor to get back to dock. Luckily I was only a few hundred yards away lol. W/ a new tuffy and I'm assuming new motor you wont have any charging issues w/ the starting battery.
--looking back on it I could really care less about the highspeed readout. I would be just fine w/ running the SI ducer and thats it. But I fish lakes I know inside/out so it just comes down to personal opinion on this. |
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| One more thing w/ the Humminbird locators. If you run two locators get the interlink system. I've got this setup on mine and its nice to have re: marking spots. It transfers the waypoints to both units so if your up front and get a follow or something you like on the sonar just hit your mark button and it saves it to both units. Real slick. |
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