Power Poles AND a trolling motor?
We put Power Poles and a trolling motor on our Atlas Boatworks 23F bay boat. Now that we’ve been fishing on the boat for several months we thought we’d ruminate on whether we actually needed both.
Both a trolling motor and Power Poles are expensive options to add to a bay boat, so the question is, do you really need both?
Power Poles
Power-Pole shallow water anchors are an essential tool for anglers fishing in shallow and back bay waters. They offer unmatched convenience and precision when positioning the vessel in shallow waters. These hydraulic anchors deploy silently and quickly, allowing you to secure your boat without spooking fish. Whether you’re sight-fishing for redfish on a grass flat, targeting snook near mangroves, or holding steady over a productive oyster bed, Power-Poles provide stability and eliminate the hassle of drifting. Their versatility and ease of use make them ideal for maintaining a strategic position in areas where traditional anchors might disturb the ecosystem or be impractical.
One or Two Power Poles?
We have 2 Power Poles on our Atlas Boatworks 23F demo bay boat. We went with 2 because when you one have one you have a tendency to swing around when you are in a current or wind. With only one point fo contact with the bottom, the boat is free to rotate. When you have 2 poles down the boat is pinned in the position you drop the poles in.
One note about dual Power Poles. We went with the “One Pump” system, a brand new option that operates both poles off a single pump. We love the idea as it limits the complication of mounting two pumps and gives you half as many parts to break. The one downfall we have found is that you can’t operate the poles independently of each other. They both go up and down together. Sometimes, in a strong current, it is nice to drop one pole, let the boat swing around, and then drop the other to lock the boat in place. You can’t do that with the One Pump system as both poles operate together. That’s really been the only downfall we’ve found and is a pretty specific use case.
Trolling Motors
A GPS-enabled trolling motor is a total game-changer when fishing off a 23′ bay boat. We went with the Minn Kota Terrova trolling motor. With spot lock, you can hold your position over a honey hole without messing with an anchor, even in wind or current. It’s like having an invisible deckhand keeping you steady. You can also set up routes to cruise along drop-offs or grass flats, so you stay on track without constantly steering. Plus, the quiet adjustments mean you won’t spook the fish, letting you focus on making the perfect cast. It’s all about fishing smarter, not harder.
Spotlock is amazing, there are no questions. However, if you truly want to stay in one specific place, you’ll need contact with the bottom.
With the wind and current changing velocity and direction, the trolling motor is reacting to those inputs and adjusting accordingly. The reacting part means that the boat has to move before the trolling motor realizes it needs to adjust. That’ll put you bobbing a foot or so in any direction. Still better than a real anchor or having to manually adjust the trolling motor, but not as exact as if you were pinned to the bottom.
Pros and Cons of Power Poles and Trolling Motors
Power Pole
Pros
- Holds the boat in an exact spot
- Easy, silent, hands-free deployment
- Comes in different lengths (depths)
Cons
- Clutters transom of the boat. It can be difficult to fish around.
- The boat can spin in the current
- It only works in shallow water
Trolling Motor
Pros
- Works in any depth of water
- Spotlock
- Remote control adjustability
Cons
- Requires additional batteries and chargers
- Requires manual deployment (there are new auto-deploy models)
- Takes up space on the front deck
Conclusion
We fish in our Atlas Boatworks 23F bay boat in all kinds of situations and places. Sometimes it is a shallow flat and other times it is a deep mangrove channel. For our type of fishing, which varies wildly, we don’t feel like having both Power Poles and a trolling motor is overkill. We use both on a regular basis. Could we get away with only one or the other? The short answer is yes, but it would be less convenient. It is not a deal-killer, but it is less convenient, for sure.
If you have a pretty steady scenario that you find yourself fishing in, then I think it would be totally reasonable to pick one or the other. However, if you fish in a lot of different places and scenarios or want the most versatility possible, then we recommend having both Power Poles and a trolling motor.