Will "spot lock" trolling motors make Power Poles/Talons unnecessary?
My buddy recently got a MK Ulterra on his boat. I found it fantastic how it keeps you in place. So, I thought these types of trolling motors could make Power Poles/Talons unnecessary. Would be nice not to have all that extra weight in the back. What do you all think and why?
Last edited by Bass Pro Shopper; 06-04-2017 at 01:20 PM.
Alex Darsen - 2013 Phoenix 920/Mercury 250 ProXS
Fishing is not a matter of life or death.
It's more serious than that!
I don't see the necessity of them even with an ordinary trolling motor.
ABSOLUTELY NOT!!
you don't want your trolling motor running while trying to sight fish. Also power poles are worth their weight in gold while docking
Let's just say, I'm saving up to put a couple Talons on my Champ, but not an Ultrex. If I were dropshotting in open water all the time, it might be different.
2001 Champion 187 Yamaha 175
12' Talons, Lithiums and Garmins
All pulled by a Hemi
Hell no........
power poles will keep you at exactly the spot you put them down. Spot lock will keep you within GPS error range. Most say 7 to 16 feet. I would be easy to test spot lock on a windy day. Drop a marker buoy and see how close spot lock keeps you to it.
P01135809
I can understand not wanting the trolling motor constantly running while fishing shallow or sight fishing but do not understand having power poles just to dock your boat. I have two 25' ropes I use to tie my boat to the dock while I park or retrieve my truck/trailer. And I paid cash for the ropes!!Originally Posted by TBendBassin
All joking aside, I'll probably never put Power Poles or Talons on my boat but see where they have a purpose for shallow fishing. With 4 batteries, oil reservoir and 4 bank charger, my bilge access area is pretty cramped as it is a pain is the azz to get into the bilge area to work. I prefer fishing for offshore structure for smallies when they move out there.
2006 Triton TR-21 XD, Mercury 225 Pro XS, S/N 1B287870
Well I guess it depend a lot on where you fish. Toledo Bend is located in a very rural area and lot of the ramps are just that, a ramp and nothing else lol so there is literally nothing to tie off to so pull on the bank.I can understand not wanting the trolling motor constantly running while fishing shallow or sight fishing but do not understand having power poles just to dock your boat. I have two 25' ropes I use to tie my boat to the dock while I park or retrieve my truck/trailer. And I paid cash for the ropes!!
All joking aside, I'll probably never put Power Poles or Talons on my boat but see where they have a purpose for shallow fishing. With 4 batteries, oil reservoir and 4 bank charger, my bilge access area is pretty cramped as it is a pain is the azz to get into the bilge area to work. I prefer fishing for offshore structure for smallies when they move out there.
Depends on where you are here in east tn all lakes are too deep for power pole use.
An ultrex with I pilot is pretty dang handy too.. I can see poles being better bed fishing but for me ultrex hands down over poles or talons. Maybe if I lived some place else, but for me there is no question about it. They also hold much better than 7 to 12 ft. I'd say mine is closer to 3 to 6 ft at the very worse.. I've had mine long enough to test it out in many different conditions. Wind, current you name it. By far to me the best thing that's came out in a long long time. I can nose into the wind or the current and fish out of any place in my boat and not have the stress of holding my position in any depth of water.
I never said the ultrex wasn't handy... I just ordered my new boat a few weeks ago with an ultrex! Offshore fishing is my strength so I love the technology of the ultrex. Im just saying each one has their own separate strengths and ill never own another boat without power poles
Someone has already said it---- depends on what kind of fishing you do and the type of lakes you fish.
I love to bed fish and the twin anchors are perfect for that..... However for me the rest of the time they would just be an expensive stern ornament that gets in the way.
Ninety percent of my fishing the boat position is to deep for them to work anyway.
I have had the spot lock feature since it first came out and still love it. Will be upgrading to the newest version soon as you can find one..
I've had a Terrova for 3 years on my tin and just installed two PP Micro anchors. So, the answer is NO. They each have their uses.
I have the Ultrex and Talons, use them both every time I'm on the water,mould hate to be without either one of them.
I just got my Ultrex and I'm already kind of wondering how much I really need the pair of 12' Talons in the waters I spend most of my time in. But I fish solo about 80% of the time and the Talons are the bomb for launching and loading. I haven't tied up to a dock in two years and I like it that way. I'll probably keep the Talons because we are starting to spend winters in the south and I found the Talons to be very useful at Toledo Bend and I suspect they will be just as useful at Rayburn, Fork and the shallow Florida lakes.
Last edited by BoatBuggy; 06-04-2017 at 04:45 PM.
2013 Ranger Z520c, 2013 Yamaha 250 SHO
2018 Ranger RT198p, 2013 Mercury 150 Optimax
I have a talon and an ultrex on my boat and I wouldn't give either up. BUT if I could only have 1 it would be the ultrex hands down.
with that being said I fish in 12* ft of water 80% of the year. Both have a place and it depends on the angler.
Fishing the CA Delta which is pretty much fishing windy and shallow most of the time without Talons is very limiting. When I'm in more than 12ft of water I use the Ultrex. Both are invaluable.
Last edited by db220; 06-04-2017 at 09:53 PM.
They both have their place but I will not own a boat without Talons (which I use) or Power Poles.
Mike
Ranger Z520
Mercury 250 Pro XS
Most of the people putting down the Ultrex have never used one! How much time of the year do you sight fish? A couple of weeks? Depending on the wind direction you can lock it down and fish from the back of the boat, stay just off of a deeper dock forever and it will take you back to a saved spot within 3 ft. It only uses enough power to stay where you lock it and most of the time can't even feel it running. Guess what my vote is.
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