Matt, how long has that fresh water motor been going for you? My general experience with fresh water motors in the salt has not been good!
It’s nearly new, so only a few months, and even then it’s only a few trips into saltwater.
I did put a zinc anode on it before it ever got wet, and I soak it in a 55g drum (well, the bottom end anyhow).
I got a 55lb thrust Minn Kota Endura-Max, it’s a great motor so far. And it’s literally HALF the price of the exact same Riptide version. There are a lot of folks using their freshwater motors in salt. In the end, you can often buy two freshwater motors for the price of the one saltwater---- when you are talking about the lower end transom mount deals. That math doesn’t work on the iPilots and such.
“Sire, it belongs in truth to the Church of God, in whose name I speak, to endure blows and not to inflict them. But it will also please your Majesty to remember that she is an anvil that has worn out many hammers.”…Theodore Beza
TM are nice, but you don’t have to have one in order to catch fish. If you have the money, get one, but don’t think it is necessary in order to put fish in the boat, because it isn’t.
All of the pro-trolling motor advice above and more. I’d recommend a bow mounted depth finder as well. Don’t have to spend a lot of money, just depth. You would be amazed at how different a bank looks when your trolling along and all of a sudden there is a dip - or a hump. It all looks the same from the surface, but what you see beneath makes you go “Hmmmmm…”.
Easy for me to spend your money, but if you’re digging in, I’d get that added as well. Good luck and let us know the results!
You don’t need one to fish live bait, but to effectively work a shoreline with artificialls you really do. With that said, they do open up another world of expense, batteries, charging. Sometimes I long for the simplicity of soaking bait, but moving and casting is my drug of choice.
x2 on Vinman’s comment about the depth finder on the bow. Very useful in scouting. I used to put them on my bass boats boats back when I fished the lakes a lot for LM bass, and had one on my salty Scout until I broke the mount one day. The salt is rough on them down here in the salt side, though, and much of the time, I’m fishing in less than 3 feet, so I haven’t gotten around to replacing it (and haven’t put one on the skinnier boat yet). It’s very nice to have (if not indispensible) when fishing deeper water (over 4 feet), though. It can change a day.
Gotcha Covered,
Lee Strickland
Strickland Marine Insurance Agency, Inc. https://stricklandmarine.net
843-795-1000 / 800-446-1862
I can definitely see the benefit of a depth finder on the bow with a TM. Just wondering if I should gain more experience before I enter the TM world or not. I am as green as green can be when it comes to salt and boat fishing.
If you are green you can reduce the learning curve GREATLY with the above advice - and a tide log. I learned anchoring - for about 2 years. My family and friends learned a/c was better than fishing on the SS Failure! LOL!
If its feasible for you, do it right out of the gate. Time on the water is your teacher. The more water you cover during that time, the quicker you’ll “get it”.
Then you can take DFreedom out and catch fish in front of him! It doesn’t get any better than that!