GEARING UP
QUIET , POWERFUL PERFORMANCE
The Lowrance Ghost lives up to its name
By Tyler Brinks
PHOTOS COURTESY LOWRANCE
F or years , bass anglers had two main choices for trolling motor brands . It stayed that way for quite some time before more brands got into the game with sophisticated trolling motors that are improved in many key areas .
One of the newest trolling motors is the Lowrance Ghost , which was purposefully built to be quieter and more powerful than other trolling motors on the market . It also integrates seamlessly with Lowrance ’ s proven marine electronics .
Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit angler Jimmy Reese put Ghost to the test this year , and he says it ’ s met and exceeded any expectations he had when it was first installed on his Ranger boat .
Brushless Motor Technology
Brushless motors have been around for decades in manufacturing for things like conveyor belts . Over the past several years , they ’ ve become popular choices for power tools thanks to reduced friction . This helps to increase both speed and power , while also keeping them running longer .
Brushless motors have become part of fishing , too , and have brought those benefits to the water . They make a whole lot less noise , which is a huge plus when it comes to trolling motors .
What that means to bass anglers is stealth , and Reese says that ’ s a huge plus , especially in shallow water .
That element of stealth helped him stay quiet early this season when targeting shallow pre-spawn bass on Sam Rayburn Reservoir and while flipping and pitching at the second Pro Circuit stop of the season at the Harris Chain of Lakes .
“ The brushless motor makes it more efficient and is definitely quieter than other trolling motors out there ,” says the California pro , who ’ s run all the major brands during his fishing career . “ There are so many little differences with the Ghost , and all of them add up . Everything about it makes you more efficient .”
Integration with Lowrance Electronics
Since it comes from the same brand that produces some of the most trusted marine electronics in the industry , it makes sense that Ghost works exceptionally well with Lowrance chartplotters .
Lowrance units connect to Ghost with a simple plug-andplay attachment . It has different transducer options that are built into the head unit and works with their major technologies like Lowrance CHIRP , SideScan , and DownScan Imaging .
“ The HDS units are already flawless , and with Ghost , there ’ s no interference because of the brushless motor ,” Reese says .
Plenty of Power
Ghost utilizes a unique propulsion system that is said to give it up to 25 percent more thrust while also saving battery life . In their internal tests in June 2019 against leading trolling motors , it had a 60 percent longer run time without charging .
In the real world , where it counts on the water , Reese noticed the power immediately .
“ It ’ ll throw you out of the boat if you aren ’ t careful because it ’ s so fast ,” Reese says with a laugh . “ I measured speeds of up to 3.7 mph , and it consistently ran over 3 mph . That ’ s very fast and helped me several times during the season .”
Looking back at the completed season , he lists two examples of how the speed helped him be more efficient .
“ Early in the year , it was key for covering water while looking for bedding fish during practice and on the tournament days ,” Reese says . “ Also , at Lake Erie , I was cruising with my trolling motor on high while looking for any irregularities I could find while also watching my LiveSight . That extra speed makes it so much faster to search for new areas .”
66 FLWFISHING . COM | MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM | OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2020