boat in place with no effort required from the user . All the major trolling motor manufacturers now have this feature , which has made boat positioning ( even when fishing in the wind ) much less aggravating .
In addition to better boat positioning , trolling motors have also become more efficient and powerful . With less battery draw , the added speed helps anglers cover more water ; trolling motors are also significantly stealthier thanks to brushless technology in motors like the Lowrance Ghost .
With electronics manufacturers like Lowrance and Garmin now getting into the trolling motor game , anglers can integrate their same-brand electronics and front-of-the-boat propulsion seamlessly for a better experience .
Lithium Batteries
Until fairly recently , there were only a handful of options for marine batteries , all in the form of lead-acid batteries . And then came lithium , drastically changing the boat charging game . posits . “ That ’ s the fact that the power is more consistent throughout the day , meaning they ’ ll be just as strong after a long day of fishing as they were when you launched the boat . Lead-acid and AGM batteries slowly die down throughout the day and you have to turn up the trolling motor speed to keep up .”
Those factors used to influence how Burghoff fished in tournament situations .
“ When I was living in Florida , all of my days fishing on Lake Okeechobee always ended with me fighting to get through the grass at the end of the day because my batteries were exhausted ,” he says . “ Now , you have the consistent power all day long with lithium and you can go right through the grass at full speed at the end of the day . It ’ s the same thing when fishing heavy current .”
While lithium-ion batteries cost substantially more than traditional batteries , they ’ re worth a look for serious bass anglers . They ’ re celebrated for their durability and longevity and many offer much more extended warranties than other battery types .
There are now countless companies producing lithium batteries for marine use and they all include the benefit of more power while also saving weight in the boat .
Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit pro Miles Burghoff made the switch to lithium and runs three 12-volt , 100-amphour Battle Born Batteries for his 36- volt trolling motor setup while using an AGM battery as his cranking battery .
“ People talk about weight reduction and power , but there ’ s another benefit that really jumps out to me ,” Burghoff
Power-Management Systems
With the addition of new technology on your bass boat comes a need for more robust power ( and management thereof ). Electronics units are brighter with more powerful processors and more transducers are constantly running . That doesn ’ t even take into account the multiple units many anglers now run .
Consequently , power-management systems like Power-Pole CHARGE are required learning for the well-educated bass angler .
Keeping a charge on multiple batteries that power multiple pieces of important technology has become easier thanks to power-management systems such as the Power-Pole CHARGE .
CHARGE is essentially three devices in one . It serves as the battery charger , features an emergency jump starter , and helps to conserve battery power by sharing the load among all connected batteries .
Another built-in feature is the ability to charge on the go , as the CHARGE system is constantly charging anytime the outboard is running . And while operating the C-Monster mobile app , anglers get a real-time update of battery levels while also controlling the emergency start feature .
Burghoff is a big fan of the system and has had no issues with batteries since installing one .
“ In my younger days , I was always worried about dead batteries at the end of the day ,” he admits . “ That ’ s no longer a worry for me with lithium batteries and CHARGE . It charges my batteries on the water every time I run and make my little milk run of spots . Then , at night , I plug it in to top them off and it takes no time at all .”
The Power-Pole CHARGE works with all types of batteries , even for anglers who use a mix of different batteries , as Burghoff does .
“ It ’ s the best solution for charging both lithium and AGM batteries ,” he says . “ Everything works seamlessly , and I ’ ll never have to worry about running out of juice again .”
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