Cable-Free Steering
Another difference between Ghost and previous generations of trolling motors is the trolling motor cable – or lack thereof . Using a cable-free system , Ghost instead uses fly-bywire steering that feels similar to a cabled system without the chance of wearing out over time . Through a season of hard use , Reese says it passes the test . “ Usually , by the end of the year , my trolling motor cable is destroyed ,” he explains . “ That ’ s one of the first things to fail on a trolling motor since we ’ re pulling it out of the water and deploying it so many times over the course of a season .”
Configurable Battery System And Foot Pedal
Most trolling motors on bass boats are either 24- or 36-volt systems , and one must buy the right motor for their battery configuration ( or vice versa ). Ghost is compatible with either , and anglers can rig it on their boat and not have to worry about purchasing an extra battery or getting a new charging system . The same Ghost motor will work with either configuration .
Lowrance Ghost is designed to pair seamlessly with their exceptional electronics .
“ When you ’ re fishing around a bunch of anglers and you reach down to mark a waypoint , everyone sees that and knows you ’ re marking something good ,” Reese says . “ With Ghost , you just touch the button with your foot . I can think of several times this year where I did that , and it makes it so easy to save a waypoint , and you can go back later and label it or adjust the icon .”
Anchor Mode is the precise GPS anchoring that keeps your boat in place , right on a waypoint , or your current location .
“ The Anchor Mode on Ghost is spot-on ,” Reese adds . “ It ’ s a must on bass boats , and I can ’ t say enough about it . It is a great feature .”
Stowing the Ghost
One of the simplest things about Ghost is something Reese has learned to love : how easy it is to stow and deploy the trolling motor . It has a dual-action gas spring to make the process easier , while also reducing noise as it ’ s lowered into the water or stowed on the mount . There ’ s also an automatic alignment , so it always lays right where it needs to be .
“ It ’ s a little clip , and when you pull the trolling motor out of the water , it lays perfectly ,” Reese says . “ Click and boom ; it goes in easy . You don ’ t have to worry about it slamming down and breaking your rods because you don ’ t put it down right . I know , because I ’ ve done that with other trolling motors .”
The mount is also built to withstand abuse with a 360-breakaway system that will protect the shaft . It helps to withstand abuse from impact as it deflects and then repositions itself if needed . A stabilizer bar is also added in and helps to reduce damage from rough-water boat rides .
“ Every feature they added to Ghost was thought-out , and you have so many features at your fingertips ,” Reese says . “ Or , in this case , right at your toes .”
Another available adjustment is the foot pedal itself , and there are quite a few ways to customize it . The switch to operate the motor can be on either the right or left , depending on personal preference .
There are also several shortcut key options and monitors built in with LED lights and beeps to keep you aware of what Ghost is doing , while also making it easy to monitor your batteries with the built-in battery-level indicator .
The buttons on the pedal allow you to switch to Anchor or Heading mode , lower or raise your Power-Poles , and create waypoints .
The latter is something Reese says is very simple – but invaluable – for the tournament angler .
OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2020 | MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM | FLWFISHING . COM 67