re: Transom Trolling Motor for 14’ Aluminum Jon Boat

I had a similar setup for many years, for me I would recommend getting the biggest you can afford - it will be well worth it in the long run. As stated earlier wind/tide can really make it hard to get around and in addition it will drain your battery quick. The other thing is that it will allow you to have a much greater range than a smaller one.

To mitigate the price you could take your time and look for a deal on a used one. (also consider a saltwater it will open things up for you to fish in different areas for relatively light cost difference)

Mounting the motor on the front makes it a lot easier to fish when you are solo, however if you are going to primarily be with your son/others then it may not be worth it.

As an accessory that is really cheap you can pickup some rod holders that clamp/screw on. Depending on the location you can troll to your spot instead of just running wide open. After installing them I had a number of trips where I came across a random school of fish which produced a great trip that otherwise may have just been a day on the water.