Pontoon Trolling Motor-#101 Minn Kota

Wasn't going to post until I'd tried it out.......put a 45" shaft Minn Kota 101 foot control on the front of my 20' pontoon. The little #55 that came with the boat just wasn't cutting it! All I can say is WOW! What a difference it made. I have 24" pontoons and the boat rides fairly high in the water, but the 45" shaft is still deep enough that it doesn't surface. Trolling around the banks this weekend on Toledo Bend, sometimes in white caps, wasn't an issue. Pulled the boat along just fine and I never had to up the power more than #75...and really didn't need it then, just wanted to move from "A" to "B" a little faster. Never did put it on #101 but once....just to see how fast it would go...and it will GO! This was with moving the batteries toward the front, and me standing on the front deck running the motor. Nose of the boat was sitting level.

Positive:
1. Plenty of power for trolling all day
2. Foot controlled with instant control over direction (getting around stumps, etc.)
3. Moves the boat with ease and holds it in place even in chop

Negatives:
1. Cost
2. Space - takes up quite a bit of floor space - Foot control takes up space
4. Batteries -3 extra batteries take up more space - add a 3 bank charger = more $

For me and what I do with this boat, it is perfect. I can even bass fish out of it if I wanted to. It works that well. For some...it might not but it does solve the question of being able to use a 45" shaft trolling motor on a pontoon!

I also like the FOB remote control trolling motors on pontoons and the GPS models that will take you back where you just came from.