Last updated on August 1st, 2019 at 11:24 am

Without a doubt, installing an electric trolling motor onto your fishing boat is one best investments and most useful pieces of equipment that you will ever add to boat. But, how do you go about selecting the top electric trolling motor for sale online? We have outlined below some of the key features and characteristics that you need to consider when looking at the top electric trolling motors for sale online.

Top Electric Trolling Motor For Sale Online Usefulness

An electric trolling motor is an invaluable fishing tool. The top electric trolling motor for sale online can be used not just for trolling, but also to hold the position of your boat along an edge or piece of underwater structure. It can also be used as a backup motor.

1. The primary motor in moving your boat
2. A backup motor in case of a failure of your gas motor
3. Used for trolling where legal
4. Moving your boat a short distance to fish a new spot
5. Moving slowly along a piece of fishing structure while you fish or
6. Holding your boat’s position on top of a piece of structure.

These and many other uses make the electric trolling motor a valuable tool for fishing.

Best Electric Trolling Motor Features

There are four main features to consider when looking to purchase an electric trolling motor. They are:

1. The Tube/Shaft Length – The shaft of the electric trolling motor should be long enough to fully submerge the propeller about one foot down into the water. You should take into consideration that if the electric trolling motor is on the front of the canoe or boat and you are in choppy water, that the propeller still needs to be submerged in the water to maintain control of the vessel. If the shaft is too long, when you stow the electric trolling motor into the canoe or boat it might be in the way of the electronics, rod holders, front seat, or even possibly stick out past the side of your boat. You should reference the tube/shaft length guide in the OEM’s sales book or, if possible, try to measure a boat that is similar to your boat that already has an electric trolling motor installed in order to get a solid idea of which length shaft you should have. You can learn more about electric trolling motor shaft sizes at and the best trolling motors available at TrollingMotorHQ.com.

2. Trolling Motor Voltage – Most electric trolling motors for bass or muskie fishing come in either 12 or 24 volts. This refers simply to how many 12 volt trolling motor batteries that you wire in series in order to develop the required voltage for the size trolling motor that you have.

With higher voltage, you can use a more powerful motor. Another plus of using higher voltage is that it increases the running time of the motor between battery charges.

Here’s a quick video showing you how to wire batteries in parallel for your electric trolling motor.

3. Pounds of Thrust of Best Electric Trolling Motor – The pounds of thrust refers to the output of power of your electric trolling motor to either pull or push your boat or canoe through the water. The current, wind, and weight of the boat, should all be considered when selecting how many pounds of thrust that will be needed for your unique bass or musky fishing situation.

The actual pounds of thrust of your trolling motor are directly tied to the voltage amount that you have available. 12V systems can produce up to about 55 lb. of thrust. Next up, 24V systems can generate up to about 80 lb. of thrust. Moving up to 36V, they can garner up to about 105 lb. of healthy thrust. As a general rule, if your boat is a lighter 14′-16′ bass fishing boat, then a 40-55lb thrust will work fine. Let’s say you have a heavier 16′-18′ muskie fishing boat, then a 70-80lb thrust trolling motor should work fine. Lastly, heavier vessels over 18′ might need up to 105lb of thrust.

You should also be sure to consider how much space you have available in your boat to keep your marine batteries. Some of the larger fishing boats can take up to five 12V marine batteries to power electronics, the electric motors, and starting motor.

4.Where You Mount Your Top Electric Trolling Motor

Stern Mounting Your Electric Trolling Motor

If you are planning to use an electric trolling motor in place of your boat’s primary motor, or if you are using it primarily for moving or trolling only very short distances, then you should it on the back (transom) of the boat. Some people find that transom model trolling motors are more simple to operate because they are controlled very similarly to an outboard boat motor.

Bow Mounting Your Electric Trolling Motor

We have found that it is usually best to mount the electric trolling motor to the (front) bow, because it is more efficient for the motor to pull the boat through the water rather than to push it. With bow mounting, you will minimize over steering, you will also get maximum boat control, and when muskie or bass fishing from the bow of your boat you might be able to see and detect underwater obstacles or terrain such as stumps or rocks. Vessel control tends to be much easier when pulling the boat as opposed to pushing it.