Your trolling motor is a major investment and is a vital tool for anglers. Making sure it’s in tip top shape is important. A good day on the water can be ruined by a trolling motor issue. If you have an unlimited budget you can carry a spare but we believe the best way is to do a little maintanance after each trip that requires little time but can prolong the life of the motor.
The first thing we do is check all of our electrical leads…at the plug, at the batteries and also under the foot pedal. A quick shot of oil to the plug and the battery terminals will keep corrosion down or eliminate it. The connections under the foot pedal can be protected with light grease. Take a Q-Tip and dab each lead. Don’t use too much and we recommend a clear grease for this application. The grease also helps give a better connection. Once a year we remove the foot pedal button and lubricate the switch with a commercial switch cleaner. Its good advice to carry a spare switch. They are relatively inexpensive and easy to replace.
Another thing we do is wipe the motor down. This serves two purposes. It eliminates corrosion but also allows the trolling motor to work more effectively. We use a product called Cover-All by Superior Products. We coat the foot, shaft and all visible parts with this protectant. It keeps mud and guck from sticking to the motor and also allows the trolling motor to cut through vegetation more effectively. It also protects it from scratches and keeps those units with transducers built in debris free, allowing the depth finder to work better. Cover-All stays where it is sprayed, protects parts from harmful UV, doesn’t drip and makes an old motor look like new as well. We spray the tension spring with it too, cutting down rust or the possibility of it.
Maintaining your equipment is critical and this Wired2Fish Tip will keep you on the water longer and protect your investment.
Editor’s note: Pat Welch of Mackinaw, Illinois added a great tip via feedback that we overlooked in this article. Good article about trolling motor care. I feel you left out a important thing to check. The prop for old fishing line. I take a look at prop after everytime out to see if I can see line and pull about once a month just to check, easy to do and could save on some costly repairs to damaged seals or motor unit. Great Job covering everything to do with Bass Fishing.
We agree with you Pat! Good catch.
