Best Trolling Motors for Kayaks (Freshwater And Saltwater Models)
As a kayaker who enjoys fishing, you know how much of hustle it can be to control your kayak and also fish at the same time.
For one, it takes a long time to manually kayak to deep waters where there are more fish.
For another, since you are angling and your kayak is free floating it keeps shifting and you may find that you miss your goal entirely.
Although this may make purists run off screaming, you should consider installing a trolling motor.
This is an electronic engine that is attached to the back of your kayak transforming it into a much faster and more stable vessel.
4 Best Trolling Motors for Kayak Reviews
To make it a little easier for you to buy your own motor we have reviewed some Top trolling motors.
To ensure that we give you a balanced opinion we give both pros and cons of each of the following 4 motors.
#1. Minn Kota Endura C2 30 Freshwater Trolling Motor
This trolling motor will transform your kayaking experience. Day after day you will be able to explore, angle and do whatever else you like to do in the water. Here are the features that make this trolling motor exceptional.
- It has a 12-volt fresh water transom-mounted motor.
- It can thrust to a level of 30 and has a shaft that is 13 inches long.
- You get ergonomic steering and controls making your kayaking lots more comfortable.
The one thing you don’t want your kayak to do is spook fish. There are some motors that are loud and therefore their owners catch very little if anything. This one is silent and you can be sure that fish will not detect it.
- You get 5 forward speeds and 3 reverse speeds for better control and quicker movements.
- It is made to resist warping, flexing and it will not suffer UV damage.
Cons
- It doesn’t work very well on larger kayaks when there is a strong current.
- This trolling motor is not designed for big vessels.
#2. Saturn 55 Lbs Short-Shaft Electric Tolling Motor
This trolling motor is loved because of how versatile it is. As you can see from its name, it can be used on a variety of vessels.
That is not the only reason enthusiasts are buying it. When you consider the following features you will understand why it6 is perfect for your kayak:
It has an adjustable angle throttle for better control which can be adjusted to 10 different positions. In fact, it allows you to tilt your kayak to almost 45 degrees.
There is a reason why this motor is so versatile. According to me, What makes this particular trolling motor extremely unique is a 26″ custom-cut short shaft to better fit transoms of inflatable boats, rafts. KaBoats, kayaks or canoes. You would not find 55lbs Electric Trolling Motor with a short shaft anywhere else.
You have a battery level reader which tells you how much power you have left in your battery at any one time. It will also tell you when it is time to charge the battery.
The shaft is made of a composite that is stronger than steel or aluminum, which gives it a longer life.
You can use it in the ocean although if you want it to last you should make sure to rinse it out with fresh water after every trip into salt water.
What is not to like?
Like our first trolling motors, this one seems to be well loved but there has been some feedback on things that can be improved:
People who use it in shallow waters report that since they hit objects the shaft gets bent before long. You should buy this particular motor only if you kayak in moderate to deep waters.
#3. Intex Trolling Motor for Intex Inflatable Boats
If you own an Intex kayak then this is trolling motor for it it can go on any Intex boats and kayaks. Here is what you will get:
It is very quiet and it is powered through a digital maximi8zer controlled module and water cooling system.
This allows it to have longer running times you will be out kayaking for longer than with the other models that we have already discussed.
You have better control of your kayak even in changing environments.
The motor has a function that limits how long the boat takes to go from OFF to ON which increases its lifespan.
What is not to like?
This motor has great features but there is one problem:
- The quality of service is not well.
#4. Newport Vessels NV-Series Electric Trolling Motor
This one is also quite versatile and it has some good features:
- It is designed with top quality materials and will last a long time.
- It has a 30-inch shaft, and you get 36lb of thrust.
- It has an eight-speed control system which allows for faster and smoother kayaking.
What are its cons?
- That salt water destroyed the motor.
- This one is meant for freshwater use only so if you use it in salt water you must rinse it with fresh water every time.
Why do You Need a Trolling Motor in the First Place?
If you know any screaming purists, explain to them that they will get the following benefits if they motorize their kayaks:
You can fish wherever you want. The motor means that you are not confined to a certain radius due to fatigue.
You can move faster between locations which give you the chance to catch more fish. You can leave in a hurry. Imagine you see a storm coming in or you forget the time and it quickly starts turning dark.
You will get to shore much faster if you have a motor on your kayak.
You can fish longer. You are able to get to fishing spots faster and you can also fish till later because it takes a short time to get home.
What to Look for When Choosing a Trolling Motors?
There are many motors on the market but since you want nothing but the best trolling motors it is important to know what you should be looking for. Don’t buy a trolling motor simply because a friend recommends it. Take the following into account.
Your Kayaking Environment
There are two types of trolling motors that are available. There are some that are made out of special materials that are not affected by salt water, but there are others that are made for freshwater use only.
If you buy a freshwater trolling motor and use it in salt water it will rust in a very short time and become completely useless.
It is important to mention that it is very hard to find a trolling motor that is designed to be used in all kinds of water so make sure that you choose right. Deep waters also require that you have a longer shaft length.
Kayak Size
Kayaks come in different sizes and in order to find the right trolling motor you have to take into account the size of your craft.
If you are not sure which motor is best you can ask at the retailers that you buy from or someone who already has a motorized kayak. Here is what www.kayakcritic.net has to say:
The size of your boat will go a long way in determining what type of trolling motor you will want to put on your boat.
For instance, a 12-volt, 55-lb thrust motor will probably be all you need if you have a 16-foot aluminum boat or kayak.
But, if you’re running a 19-foot bass boat or a big deep-V walleye boat, you will ideally want to select a 36-volt motor with around 100-lb thrust or better.
Controls
What controls are you most comfortable operating?
Kayak trolling motors come with two types of controls those that you can control by hand and those that you can control using your feet. It is up to you to choose the kind you are the most comfortable ones.
Water Depth
The depth of where you will be fishing makes a difference. If you will be fishing in very deep waters or where there are rough currents or rough waters you need a trolling motor with more thrust.
Additional Features
Technology allows for trolling motors that have a lot of cool additional features.
There are some that have navigation capabilities, others that can find schools of fish for you, there are some that can hold your kayak in one place there are many of them really.
The thing you should know if you want to benefit from these features is that you have to have a kayak that is compatible. Think about it like computer software if the computer is not compatible you cannot use the software.
You may have to ditch your current kayak for a newer model and this can cost quite a bit. However, if you are serious about improving your kayaking experience then you will not mind spending the extra cash.
Final Verdict
Now that you know the pros and cons of top 4 trolling motors you can make up your mind on which one is best whichever you choose will add that much more power to your kayak.
Sources
- https://www.dmv.org/boat-registration.php
- https://www.trollingmotors.net/blogs/selection/86945735-understanding-mount-types
The Team That Worked On This Review
Elena
Senior Editor
Eric
Web Researcher
Kathy
Writer
Albert
Writer
