Electric Fishing Boat Motors, The electric motor for fishing boats has totally transformed fishing for anglers.
Electric fishing boat motors make things much easier for stealth fishing, so you can chase rising fish silently without using oars (and it’s much faster than rowing!)
Tired of carrying around a gasoline outboard? Want to get extra fish with a reliable electric fishing boat motor?
Continue reading to get helpful information and select your best electric fishing boat motor wisely.
In this post, you will learn everything you need to know about electric fishing boat motors. That way, you can make an informed choice among the seemly endless options on the market.
Mind you, the performances can be disappointing if you don’t choose correctly between the electric trolling motor and outboard for your fishing boat. So read the tips below to make sure you get it right!
Table of contents:
- Electric Fishing Boats: Two Motor Solutions
- Electric Fishing Boat Motor Size: How to Decide
- Electric Fishing Boat Motor Battery
- Best Electric Motors for Fishing Boats
- Final Thoughts
Electric Fishing Boats: Two Motor Solutions
If you have searched around, you will find people talking about two different types of electric fishing boat motors.
You can choose either electric outboards or electric trolling motors. What’s the difference?
- Electric outboard motors are designed for long range with higher power output (measured in kW or equivalent HP on the shaft) to fight against the wind or other adverse weather conditions.
This type of electric fishing boat motor can be used as the main engine to fish on the big lochs all day long as well as a backup engine when your main engine is packed up whilst fishing. It can also help you get to the fishing grounds more quickly.
- Whereas, trolling motors can only provide slow trolling speeds with limited power output (measured in pounds).
This type of electric fishing boat motor is more suitable for simply adjusting shifts, short tender trips in calm water, or slow trolling on bass fishing boats. It won’t last as long against the strong headwind, so if there is a gentle breeze, you might have to struggle ashore to replace the battery after a few drifts.
So what’s the best electric fishing boat motor solution for you?
Essentially, whether to go with an electric outboard or trolling motor depends on how long and how you want to use the electric fishing boat motor.
Here are two questions to think about before making the final decision:
- Do you need to go in front of the wind for a long time (or just need to adjust your drift)?
- Do you need faster speed or more range for long journeys?
If your answer is YES to either question, you will probably need an electric outboard for your fishing boat.
You will find the outboards in a different league entirely if you get a chance to try both types of electric fishing boat motors. Another benefit of electric outboards is that you don’t need to worry about the selection of batteries, chargers, and other parts separately (as required by trolling motors) since they are usually sold in a complete package.
Editor’s Note: The bigger motor is not necessarily heavier. In fact, the electric fishing boat motor weight depends largely on the batteries. Click to learn more about electric fishing boat motor batteries.
Electric Fishing Boat Motor Size
What engine size would be best for a 12-13 ft fishing boat? I am looking for advice on min thrust for an electric outboard for inland fishing.
Every day, we get tons of inquiries on the electric fishing boat motor sizes.
In fact, the electric fishing boat motor size depends on a lot of factors, including what size of water you fish for, the size of the boat, the shape of the hull, and how much weight you’ll be pulling.
Also, the motor size will be different if you just want an auxiliary electric motor on your fishing boat.
Generally speaking, a 3 HP electric motor is ample to cover most fishing needs for smaller boats.
If you want a more accurate answer, you will need to do some research into electric fishing boat motors.
An easy way is to check the recommendation chart provided by the outboard manufacturers.
For example, you can easily find a suitable ePropulsion electric motor according to your boat size with the chart:
| Electric Motor Model | Boat Type | Boat Size |
| Spirit 1.0 Evo 3 HP | Tenders | <10ft |
| Dinghies | <15ft | |
| Fishing boats | <13ft | |
| Daysailers | <25ft | |
| Kayaks & Canoes | <10ft | |
| Navy Series Outboards 6 HP / 9.9 HP | Tenders | <20ft |
| Pontoon boats | <20ft | |
| Fishing boats | <20ft | |
| Daysailers | <30ft | |
| Commercial boats | <25ft | |
| Motorboats | <30ft |