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"Weedless" Minn-Kota Questions

nunnnunn Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 35,988 ******
edited June 2006 in The Fishing Hole!
My fishing boat is a very old Bass Hunter that fits in the back of my truck. It is powered by an equally old Minn Kota 65 electric motor, 17 pounds thrust. Great for ponds and small lakes.

Dragged it out after a several year hiatus and tried a small lake I have been in, but not in a while. It is a great little lake overstocked with small bass. Catching several is practically guaranteed, but I have never seen any big fish there.

Sorry, got off topic.

This lake now has a lot of these columnar weeds that grow straight up from the bottom to the surface. They look like green horse tails, and the individual fibers of these weeds is almost as fine as hair.

They choke my motor. I had to paddle over most of the lake, and paddling a short, wide boat is a bit of a pain.

Now, this motor is labeled "weedless" in two places. I thought it mean that it could be operated in a weedy invironment and remain weedless. It apparently means the motor is intended to be used in a weedless environment.

I checked Minn Kota's website, and they have two replacement props that are advertised to be "truly weedless." The fitment chart doesn't list the Minn Kota 65.

So, I have some questions. I asked Minn Kota, but so far have not gotten a reply.

Is there a "weedless" prop that will fit my motor?

If so, is it really weedless?

If not, is there a motor I can buy that will do what I need it to do?

Thanks.

Comments

  • COLTCOLT Member Posts: 12,637 ******
    edited November -1
    ...David, no t. motor is 100% weedless, but, a 40lb thrust and higher t. motor will slice and dice most weeds...Acadamy Sports would be the best place to ck on a weedless prop...[;)]

    ...Bass Pro actually...but considering where you are, Acadamy...[:D] until the one by the lake (Hubbard) opens...susposed to have been open "spring"...be doing good to open "summer"...



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  • snarlgardsnarlgard Member Posts: 1,310 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I just got a new Minn Kota with 40 lbs thrust and I love it
    I haven't yet had to clear the prop and I have taken it through a lot of weeds in the last two weeks.
    It will make my boat realy move through the water too.
  • nunnnunn Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 35,988 ******
    edited November -1
    Is it easy to reverse the control head? I mount mine on the front with the handle facing rearward.
  • COLTCOLT Member Posts: 12,637 ******
    edited November -1
    Nunn quote:Is it easy to reverse the control head? I mount mine on the front with the handle facing rearward

    ...not that I know of. There actually IS a direction for hand operated t motors...a bow mount, and a transom mount...and of course the control handle, faces accordingly...[;)]



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  • nunnnunn Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 35,988 ******
    edited November -1
    The bow-mount motors I have seen were on brackets for mounting on a big boat.

    I think I am just going to get a new motor. This one just doesn't cut the mustard with two large fishermen and gear aboard.

    Today, I took it into another lake I hadn't visited in awhile. Lake was down, and I found some serious mud flats just deep enough to snag the prop. The motor quit working. I figure it got hot and tripped an internal breaker, because it started again, but not until after I had to paddle the boat several hundred yards against a brisk wind.

    Someone said the Maxxum 40 pound was good. Any other recommendations?

    I need it to pull a Bass Hunter boat around, with maybe 550 pounds of people and gear. I need it to be relatively weedless. It must be a transom-mount motor, but I need to be able to reverse the control head and mount it on the front.
  • COLTCOLT Member Posts: 12,637 ******
    edited November -1
    ...Pay close attention whether or not it's a bow or transom mount...or you can wind up doing uncomfortable contortions.
    Man, I have never seen one you can change the motor head...may be one, but in 35+ years around bass fishing, boats...never heard of, or seen one.

    MINNKOTA...MINNKOTA! At least 40lb Thrust

    ....glad to see you getting back to fishing Nunn...[;)]


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  • snarlgardsnarlgard Member Posts: 1,310 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    most of the Minn-Kota's I have seen are bow mounted
    you just have to have something large enough to mount the clamp to if you get a one you can remove
    most I have seen have a short piece of 2x4
    you will love the way it will make a boat scoot through the water
  • nunnnunn Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 35,988 ******
    edited November -1
    I have had two Minn Kotas, both older models. The first was a Minn Kota 35, with I believe, about 8 pounds of thrust. The second is the one I use now, a Minn Kota 65, with 17 pounds of thrust.

    Both were easy to flip the tiller head 180 degrees. The little one just had a set screw. The bigger one has two screws through it and the shaft. Remove screws, turn head, replace screws. Easy.

    I did find on another site touting the Minn Kota Endura motors that the head is easily reversible, but I reckon I will have to find one in a store and look at it to be sure.
  • COLTCOLT Member Posts: 12,637 ******
    edited November -1
    ...David, if you go w/Minnkota...Acadamy carry's them...for a decent price on a new one.

    I had to go look at my Minnkota. Endura 50lbs thrust, composite flex shaft...gonna have to find the box, and see if it reverses...or find the screw and check it out.

    I got mine at Acadamey a couple of years ago...and I think, it was
    less than $200 with tax. I know that you can almost ski behind both little boats at the ranch with it wide open...[:D]


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  • nunnnunn Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 35,988 ******
    edited November -1
    I finally got an email back from Minn Kota. All their transom-mount motors have reversible tiller heads.

    I will probably order one from Jerry's and get a break on it, plus have it delivered here. Academy is a long way off and gas is still high.
  • COLTCOLT Member Posts: 12,637 ******
    edited November -1
    NUNN quote:I finally got an email back from Minn Kota. All their transom-mount motors have reversible tiller heads.


    ...learn something everyday! I have had 2-3(?) MinnKota's, main power for small boats...and never knew that! I bought one several years ago, got to the ranch...and while at the store buying it...I guess I got all bum-fuzzled turned around...figuring out "which" direction the handle and head needed to face...and it was all wrong for the liitle boat![:D] Took it back, and got one in the "right" direction...duh...[:D]
    Makes me wonder why they make a "bow" and "transom" mount, while the clamp is the same?
    ( SOMETIMES, "thinking" is NOT my strong suit [:D])



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  • nunnnunn Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 35,988 ******
    edited November -1
    Ordered one this weekend. Endura, and I don't recall whether it was a 50 or a 55, but it was the smallest one available with the Weedless Wedge 2 prop. I bet it will put my little 8-footer up on plane.
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