I am looking to upgrade my trolling motor for something with spot-lock & GPS features. I have Lowrance graphs so obviously the Ghost is at the top of the list, but the high price tag makes me hesitate. I also don’t know how much I will use Auto pilot and course lock since I have never even had Spot-Lock. I have heard that the prop on it sucks. I do like the pedal, and I like that I can use Ghost 360 since I have an HDS Pro. I also like that it’s brushless and that I could upgrade to a 36 volt system later on if I needed/wanted to. I like that I can setup routes and anchoring spots from my graph. 
 

I am also considering the Motorguide Tour Pro 24V. The TP has pretty much all the same GPS/Auto Pilot features as the Ghost, they are just harder to use since it won’t integrate with my graphs. I can still do Route Follow but instead of being able to setup the route on my graph I would have to run the route first and then I can use the Auto Pilot to “re-run” the route. I like that it is a cable steer, and everything I have found says it’s just as quiet as the Ghost. The pedal isn’t bad but it’s not my favorite. The universal sonar would still give me 2D and Down imaging, and I have heard that the prop on it is good. The big positive is that it’s $1,500 less than a Ghost which means I can upgrade from my Elite FS to a HDS Pro 10 at the console. 
 

For context I live in Arizona so my fisheries don’t have a ton of grass, but there is a lot of shallow water fishing. I currently have 70LB trolling motor and it moves my boat just fine, so the Tour Pro’s 82Lbs would be more than enough. I have heard a lot of negative reviews on the Tour Pro, although a lot were due to the motherboard issue a few years ago, it still seems like they are hit or miss whether you get a good one. I haven’t heard nearly as many issues with the Ghost. I like the responsiveness of the cable steer, although I have never actually ran a Ghost so I don’t know how much different the steering is.  
 

So…..help me decide, which one would you go with? Although I have been leaning towards the Ghost I really can’t decide, I go back and forth. I’m a believer in “buy once, cry once”, so if the Ghost is a better product I don’t mind spending the extra money, but How useful is 360 Sonar? Will I wish I could setup routes and anchor points via my graph?

Sorry for the long post, I just wanted to give you all the info I could in my thought process. 

Get the Ghost, and don't look back.

 

Buy once, cry once...

 

Better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it....

 

There is no substitute for cubic inches (okay, that's a vehicle reference...but you get my point...)

 

 

@Glenn did an on-the-water comparison of the Ghost, Kraken, and Tour Pro a couple years ago.  I recently looked at it because I'm kind of in the same boat.  In the near future I'll be upgrading to either a Tour Pro or a Ghost.  I'm also leaning towards the Tour Pro, not because of the cost though.  I prefer the cable steer pedal.

 

Also, if you can find the video comparisons, the Ghost is much louder underwater than the other two.  And its not even close.  Now whether you think this is a factor in locating and catching fish, I'll let you decided.  But certainly sound travels much better underwater than it does through air.  Just something to think about.

 

Also, @Woody B has a Tour Pro on his boat and he was able to answer a few of my questions about it.

I recall a video I watched when making my decision of underwater noise test of MK, Motorguide, Ghost and Garmin Force. The Force was the quietest to my ear and if I recall right the Ghost and Motorguide were the loudest. I only mention it because you mention noise in one of your paragraphs.

 

If that isnt a factor or super important to you go with the Ghost to integrate. You may not think you need the features but once you have them you may find you are wondering how you lived without them. Given we arent talking thousands of dollars difference between these TMs cost should be lower in your consideration in my opinion...a TM is a big part of the experience of fishing.  

I found the video.  Watch it and decide for yourself.

 

https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-videos/MotorGuide-Lowrance-Garmin-trolling.html

I have seen the video, but as others have mentioned, that’s a single sample size, in different waters, at different times, etc. There could be many reasons why it was loudest in that instance. Aside from that video, and people referencing that video, I haven’t found anyone talking about how loud the ghost is. I would agree if there were tons of people with actual in person experience saying the Ghost was the loudest motor they have heard, but almost every reference to the Ghost being loud is that one video. 
 

The Garmin is the same price as the Ghost and I would consider it as well since the remote makes the Auto Pilot features almost as easy as having it integrate with the Graph, but I haven’t been able to find one I could check out the pedal and stuff on. I guess since I looking to upgrade my graph anyways I could get the Garmin and then when I upgrade my graph just get a Garmin. It won’t match the graph at my console, but I guess that’s not a deal breaker. It would kind of suck not being able to share waypoints and stuff, but since it has the remote, when I add a waypoint at the console I could just add one to the bow using the remote at the same time. I know you can’t leave your trolling motor down when running, but would it hurt to leave it down when idling and side imaging so I could operate it that way with the remote? 

If you are considering upgrading everything, and going with one brand for TM & graphs, and networking them all together so they can "talk"....Whelp, it's very cool!

 

Something to consider.

 

 

40 minutes ago, DaubsNU1 said:

If you are considering upgrading everything, and going with one brand for TM & graphs, and networking them all together so they can "talk"....Whelp, it's very cool!

 

Something to consider.

 

 

Well I am considering upgrading one of my graphs and would like to have the Trolling Motor match my graphs, but I would prefer to not have to replace all my graphs and transducers, etc.  I only have a 7” graph at my console right now and a 10” at the bow, both Lowrance, so I was thinking of getting a 12” HDS Live or Pro and putting it at the bow and moving my 10” HDS to console. I definitely like the idea of having everything match, and would be willing to deal with not having the console match right away, IF, there is a clearly better option but it seems really subjective. I wish I could actually get some on water experience with each. Somebody needs to tell Basspro to setup trolling motors in a tank so guys can test them out and hear them, feel how they operate before buying. I bet if someone did that, they would increase their share of trolling motor sales just because guys can determine which one they like and appreciate being able to try them. 

4 hours ago, Scherbacj said:

Somebody needs to tell Basspro to setup trolling motors in a tank so guys can test them out and hear them, feel how they operate before buying. I bet if someone did that, they would increase their share of trolling motor sales just because guys can determine which one they like and appreciate being able to try them. 

 

100% agree with you here!  Hands on experience was a HUGE factor in me switching from Garmin to Humminbird.

 

I really liked my Garmin Echomap on previous boat.

 

In 2020 my brother got his dream boat, and fitted it with Humminbird Helix 9 and Ulterra. We fish a lot together...and at first, I did not like the Ulterra | Helix combo. But the more I fished with him, drove his boat, controlled the Ulterra, and used the Helix....well, you can see where I landed.

 

Like @gimruis I really wanted a true cable-steer trolling motor. There are downsides to the Ulterra, but the upsides (at least for me), make this a much better trolling motor for me.

 

Good luck with your search!

Glenn’s review was in 2019 or 5 years ago when the new brushless technology 1st came out.

Don’t know what Glenn is running on his boat today?

Every new bass boat I see today is running brushless TM’s with Lithium batteries. 
Ghost and Force very popular on boats out west. Garmin Force are easy to see with the coils under the head, Ghost is a smaller unit. If you have Lowrance electronics go with the Ghost.

Tom 

I think I’m just gonna keep it simple and get the Ghost and hope it isn’t loud. As long as it isn’t loud, I have no other concerns and think it will go well with my setup. Aside from that one video everyone who has one says it’s quiet, so I’ll just have to hope it’s not all owner bias. If it turns out it sucks, I’ll try to offload it and switch when I have had time to recoup some more money. Switching everything just isn’t a possibility right now, so it limits my options to Lowrance if I want integration with my graphs which seems like the way to go. If I didn’t care about integration with my graphs I would consider the Garmin or the Ulterra, but without integration it really limits the usability of them, which kind of defeats the purpose of getting the higher end motors to begin with.  

Last question, my current trolling motor has a 45” shaft, I haven’t had the boat long enough to fish in rough waters so I am wondering if the 47” shaft will be long enough or if I should get the 52” shaft and just leave it pulled up if I go shallow. I have a 17’ Lowe Stinger 178 which is a Mod-V and I live in AZ so crazy weather with rough waters doesn’t happen a lot. I can’t think of many lakes that have long flats of really shallow water, but I haven’t fished a lot of them for a long time so my memory could be off. Do you think the 47” will be long enough? I’d rather not have a foot of shaft sticking up half the time just because I am fishing in 5-6ft waters. 

I have a Ranger RT178 which is similar to a lowe stinger. I use a 52 inch shaft on my bow mount without issue.

I looked at it today and the 45” shaft already hits the ground when trailered, I think a 52” would be too long unless I keep close to a foot above the collar for normal use. Because that means the 45” sits a good 18”-20” below the boat as is.