Trolling motors - foot vs hand control

I have limited experiences with hand controls but dont see many positives about them. best thing about a hand control is you can still fight the wind even when your fighting a fish.

I love my Motorguide remote control.
Clips to my shirt pocket with the lanyard so it's right there by my reel for easy adjustments.

I had a hand control on an old tri-hull bass rig I use to have. was easy to use and fish at the same time once you got use to it but I cant think of any advantages it had over a foot controle, unless you have a small casting deck that the foot controle doesnt fit well on.

Major difference I saw was in price. A hand control is cheaper than a comparable foot controlled unit.

I've used both, will never use hand control again if i can. Like to have both hands free, if the boat is drifting into some shite while you are reeling in, youve gotta stop turn the trolling motor and start your retrieve again. not good. especially when the wind is a blowin!

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What kind of battery life do you get with that thing?

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it is digital so battery life is tops.
I am running 24 volt and getting 75# of thrust.
Never had any battery issues in the 4 years I've owned the motor.

I have used both extensively, currently own 2 boats with one of each.

For most bass fishing where you are constantly manuvering around objects, I much prefer the foot control. Foot control is much better also if you are a flipper as it leaves your hands free. That is why you see most bass pros with foot control motors.

For saltwater fishing where you are usually manuvering on a relatively straight line, hand control seems to work pretty well. That is why you see most SW guides with a hand control.

A while back, foot control motors were certainly less robust and reliable than hand control motors, particularly in the steering systems. Today that is not the case. The new foot control steering systems are very reliable with just a little care.

Hope this helps

Have used both. I am shocked that foot controls are still made. there are zero positives.

With a hand control, you don't actually touch it with your hand. You kick it with your foot. the power stays on. You can run around the boat. Your hip doesn't hurt. You never over correct.

Foot controls suck major arse.

I like the hand control sooooo much more than the foot control and it isn't even close. I have never been in any situation that I preferred the foot control to the hand control when fishing.

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You would hate fishing with me in my dad's boat. I cuss the hand control trolling motor the entire time

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Not sure what it's called, but the long black attachments makes it work. Small hacky-sack kicks with the right foot to turn it. It's a beautiful thing.

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For Saltwater, hand controlled is probably better though.

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Me too, I have a foot control and stand 90% of the time I'm casting. If I'm not sitting when using the TM I could easily loose my balance. Wish I had a stick I could just knee around.