lilsweepr

Got to try out the big foot today and what a game changer. The wind was blowing but I could still fish thanks to the switch. Now when it's windy I won't just be a guide running the motor. I like that i have it on the piece of carpeted wood cause i was able to move it to the side i was facing. The boy and I caught five. talked with someone else when we were leaving and they got skunked. I get tickled that i have the limited range but still catch as much or more than most of the big boats we talk to. Iceman71, my FF performed fine. No problems at all. Roll Tide!! pointhunter75, 6 more days

I mounted the transducer to the trolling motor. Bought the mount at bass pro. Just using electrical tape on the shaft for the cord.

I took a pic since i have it in the carport ready to go. Where the splice goes to the FF it actually goes to a quick connect as i thought i might be disconnecting it after each trip which has not been the case. I have an inline 3 amp fuse on the line to the FF.

Mine is connected to TM then to splice with FF and plug.

This made me go try out mine as I am not going till in the morning. Mine seems to work fine. How is yours spliced in? I spliced the FF in the splice with the trolling motor to the plug. The big foot switch is spliced separately up the negative side of the TM.

Got it for 21.99 + taxes from Bass Pro Shops. It installs on the negative wire of the trolling motor. Just a couple of butt splices and it's good to go. I used heat shrink to neaten it up a little. I mounted it to the carpeted board so it wouldn't move on me. It has the holes for screws. I remove my trolling motor after each trip so this gets moved along with the FF wires. I have a coworker who got one also and he is wanting me to install his after he saw the pic of mine. Haven't tried it out yet more than just sitting in boat on the trailer.

Got my Big Foot switch installed today: Now i am ready for those windy days.

Canam13, check out my post on page 125 post #1868 for a pic of my setup. I have the inline fuse spliced between the FF and the TM plug. The inline fuse for the TM is in the rear at the battery. I have had no problems from either. I did replace the original rear fuse with the flat style. i have the Elite 3x and I think it works just fine for me. Still learning to read it. Having used a monochrome one before, I believe i can actually see this one better and also differentiate between the bottom composition better. I wanted a FF that had GPS builtin but did not have the money to afford it so I made use of an older handheld Garmin that i have. Been working fine so far. Right now the only thing I would do different and plan on changing is to get a digital trolling motor so i can have variable speed control. There has been times when i just needed half the speed i was going, or needed a half more. Also the electrical consumption is supposed to be 4-5 times less than the non-digital variety of the same lbs thrust. I have not had any problems with running out of battery yet but I do have a couple of places I would like to go and feel like I would make it back without paddling. I will be adding the Big Foot switch to my trolling motor this weekend. Could have used it last weekend for sure. As far as waterproof goes, I would make that a requirement. Do they have units that are not? You are not getting back fast if a rain shower pops up. Hope this helps.

I originally thought about using pvc pipe. I thought I might mount a platform on top with fishfinder attached and the pipe would fit in rod holder. Would make removal of whole unit easier. I settled on mounting the metal base on the outside of the rod holder. Thought I might still be able to use rod holder but have been using it for the extra cable storage. I can see that you have seen my pic a few posts back. I have yet to mount anything where I would have to puncture into the plastic. I would like to mount my paddle to the outside with a paddle holder but I just cannot get my nerve up to do it.

Yes, you can. BUT make sure you use the right fuses for each item. Don't want to burn up your gear on your first outing. Carry extra fuses also. I find using old medicine bottles handy for that purpose. I have the 27 battery also but got a little bigger battery box that has the adjustable divider in it. The extra fuses fits in this void just right. Good luck, I am headed to bed now so I can get up with the sun and go in the morning.

Here is the pic of my setup. I run my trolling motor up front with the trolling motor power and fish finder power into the plug at the front of the boat. I have the inline fuse for the trolling motor spliced into the wire before it joins the TM wire because it requires less amperage. It's stuffed behind the unit in the picture. The inline fuse for the TM is in back at the battery.

I'm still learning to read it myself. I had the fish id on at first but after watching one of bassresources video s I turned it off my last trip. Notice in this video if the link worked, that the fish finder says a speed of 5mph. I have only gotten up to 2.1 mph according to my GPS and that was getting back to the ramp. That, I believe, will be why we won't necessarily see arches. Has anyone seen the arches that we are expecting?

Here's the pic as requested: I got it from Bass Pro Shops. It was designed for several lowrance models. It was more expensive, $25, then I would like but it's the only mount I know of. I see it as the little piece of plastic costing about $23 and the metal clamp $2 from the hardware store. I ran the cable up the trolling motor shaft and used electrical tape in two places to hold it. Could have used zip ties but I did not want to flatten the cable any and I can replace the tape as needed. Because you cannot cut the cable I left it wire tied and place it in the rod holder behind my transducer mount. I left the power cable full length also so I can sell it easier if I ever need too. I spliced the power cable into the trolling motor power with an inline fuse.

I'm running a Lowrance Elite 3x with a handheld gps beside it. I would like them combined but I had the gps already and did not have the money for the Elite 4 so I have what I have. It has worked out alright for me. I can also say that I can testify that the FF has helped me catch fish. Here's how I have them mounted:

Thanks, I just checked that out and they still have them at $29.99 + $13 shipping. Or i have had one bookmarked probably since January on www.northlandmarine.com for $35 + $7.99 shipping. Same price you see. I just haven't pulled the trigger.

I have my Lowrance Elite 3x running off of my deep cycle battery along with the trolling motor and have not seen any less runtime because of it. I just made sure I had an inline fuse for the FF before the splice into the power wire for trolling motor.

I got a version of this from Bass Pro Shops: The one I got only has two wires just like the trolling motor - Minn Kota 30lb. I spliced that in on the end of the trolling motor wires and have it mounted on the front. Just plug in to receptacle and Plug wires in back to battery and all is good. I do recommend changing the built in inline fuse to the flat inline fuse that has a cover to make it waterproof. The round one that comes with it has been known to melt. I had that happen to me but have had no trouble out of the new one. Easier to change out fuse also if i ever need too.

Come to think of it, my factory inline fuse melted also. Luckily I was with another buddy who was in his raider and happen to have and piece of wire and i used that to limp back. My son had to make sure it stayed attached. I replaced that inline fuse with a flat inline fuse and have had no problems. The original round one had a problem with the rubber insulator early on, it had gotten ripped so i had to make sure it was still ok every fishing trip. no problems out of the flat style i have gone to. The fuse for the FF is the flat style also. lot easier to change also and they are enclosed to try to make them waterproofed.

Here is a picture of what I commented on earlier. Notice the spliced in wire to the trolling motor connection. My transducer is attached to the trolling motor. The extra wires, power and transducer cable, are still rolled up and stuffed into the rod holder behind the electronics. You can cut the power cable without harm but not the transducer cable. I chose to not cut anything in case i wanted to sell it later. I do not travel with the electronics attached. I put them on at the ramp or side of pond and remove them before heading home.

I had thought about going this route also. I really did not think it would be this hard to find an old broken transom mount trolling motor but boy was i wrong. i am about ready to pull the trigger on the minn kota mount and do like cdemarse to make it "bounce" over objects.

I like that. I have been keeping my eye open for an old broken trolling motor but have been unlucky so far. I will try to remember this if I locate the trolling motor. I like the idea of being able to just raise the rudder if needed instead of removing it as we do now.

Lost-My-Bait, To add to this, I have my minn kota 30lb on front, head turned as described and also have the plug mentioned above to utilize the built in wiring. I have the fuse for the trolling motor at the battery in the back. I have a fishfinder i put on a mounted piece of metal on the right rod holder and spliced the power into the plug in front. i put the inline fuse for the fishfiner on the wire going to the plug. I have not had any problem with the "main" fuse since adding the FF. I was afraid to just rely on the "main" fuse for the FF because it requires a lesser amp fuse. Spare fuses are kept in a prescription bottle(emptied) that I keep inside the battery case. I made a rudder out of pvc and even made a fishing buddy one.

I got the one from Bass Pro Shops and I really like it. http://www.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-Pond-Boat-Cover/product/1411061227/ It fits nice and snug. The only place it has a way for any kind of animal to get underneath is where the front transom mount curves in(one of our cats showed that to me). When water has gotten on it it has just puddled till I lift it up and drain it off. It doesn't leak thru at all, at least not yet anyways and it has had a lot of water on it. Even with the seats holding it up there is still enough slack in the middle for the rain to puddle in but I am looking to find maybe some fiberglass 1" strips to make a bow from seat rail to rail to hold up the middle. It is like tent material. I picked it up in person and the funny thing is it doesn't specify the Bass Raider BUT the picture on the box is just that, the Bass Raider 10' model. I thought that was kind of funny as seeing they don't even sell that model.

I use the right hand retrieve for baitcasters and left hand retrieve for spinning reels. Tried a left hand retrieve baitcaster earlier this summer, gave it to my son. I believe it's how you grew up learning it. Even tried to move the knob on spinning reel for right hand retrieve and put it back within a few casts. if it ain't broke, don't fix it.