No - I have an Ultrex and Power Poles. I use both at different times. The great part about the Ultrex is how well the foot peddle works and you can st a direction and the boat will go in that direction automatically.
I fish a lot of shallow water and the Power pole is used the most.
I use my Xi5 anchor mode much more than my Talon. I had the Talon a year before the Xi5 and I use the Talon much less after getting the Xi5. If I had to pick one I definitely go with the trolling motor with anchor mode. If I were rigging a boat today, I definitely would not put dual Talons/PP on my boat.
2016 Tuffy X-190
Yamaha F175, Mercury 9.9
Motorguide 80 lb Xi5
Garmim/Humminbird graphs and Talon
You only need one spot lock but you need to power poles. I will have a spot lock tm but never saw the need for two power poles
No. Fish in Florida are very trolling motor "shy". I would consider the Ultrex a disadvantage as a replacement to power poles in shallow water
Last edited by Whiteboat; 06-09-2017 at 07:58 PM.
PP and Tallons are already unnecessary for alot of pleasure bass boaters.I see alot of guys with equiptment for the show off factor only.But personally i would invest in the TM over the anchors.
I love my power poles and use them all the time. I don't have spot lock but in the future...
They may not be necessary for everyone's needs but my Power Poles get used every trip. Some days, I spend more time with the Poles down that running the trolling motor.Originally Posted by 597fitter
There is no real value to me personally for the Ultrex at this time when the majority of the water you fish is less than 6' deep and very weedy.
Power Poles are not a "show off" factor in my world but a necessity.
On a typical fishing day I lower/raise my Talons at least 25 times and consider them a vital part of my fishing. I will eventually buy a Ultrex and think they are a great tool but I won't give up my Talons. As or the show off factor, they are a tool just like electronics. You would have to really be craving attention to pay 4K to impress strangers.
Mike
Ranger Z520
Mercury 250 Pro XS
No
Aluminum boats are what I like and one place the spot lock will never replace the power poles is when you pull your boat up to the bank. Pull the boat up to the bank and drop your power pole. Boat is not going anywhere and unless you can get your trolling motor to hold boat in place on dry land, spot lock is useless.
If given the choice or poles or ultrex I'll choose the ultrex! As soon as I can come up with the money or if I ever get a new boat will have one. I was a marshal at the Dardanelle BassMaster tournament this past weekend and almost everyone of the guys that had a MinnKota had an ultrex and those that did not was due to them being hard to find or they would.
2024 Skeeter ZXR20
2024 Yamaha SHO 250
No, but you can have it sit in place on the water until you use the remote to have it come to the dock.
2024 Skeeter ZXR20
2024 Yamaha SHO 250
Have both, use both. Id hate to have to choose between them.
I have both. Spot lock is deeper open water. I fish Toledo and Rayburn, as well as Caddo and some other Cypress lakes. Poles always on Cypress lakes.
2014 Phoenix 721XP, 250 SHO, Bobs Action Jack, Dual Blades, 112 Ultrex, Garmin Echomap Ultra's Networked, NMEA 2000, 2019 Lariat FX4 F150 Supercrew 4x4
2001 Bumblebee 2100 Super Vee Mercury 225 EFI
1988 Hydrasport Kevlar hull 115 Tower of Power
I have a Talon and can't wait to get the Ultrex to link with my helix 12". I mainly fish shallow (Potomac) and can't wait to use it to cruise the grass lines. But I would never want to give up my Talon.
Do you have a Hamby's? I have beached my boat a few times to load and didn't have a problem. I don't like it but it is doable.
As far as sight fishing, people were catching bedding fish before power poles came along.
No
It makes them less important.
2016 Tuffy X-190
Yamaha F175, Mercury 9.9
Motorguide 80 lb Xi5
Garmim/Humminbird graphs and Talon
Agreed!
Hows battery life if you use the spot lock a lot? I can usually fish wind all day most of the time. And I fish into wind much more than with.
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