Back Trolling vs. Electric Trolling motor (bow mount)

[Beavertail]

For you walleye guys out there....which do you prefer? I do both when bottom bouncing but prefer to back troll since that's where my fishfinder is mounted. Always wondered how many fish I spook with the gas motor though, especially in shallower water? Always curios about what others guys use and open to better ideas or set-ups.

[Terry]

I never found using the electric to increase my catch....

 

back trolling is ok if you have a tiller

 

my kicker motor does a fine job at slow trolling and a drift sock if needed going with big waves

[porkpie]

I troll with bowmount. I use a copilot from stern where my finder is mounted, but before that just used my foot pedal on the seat beside me. Much less backsplash in a chop, and almost as much control.

[Joeytier]

I use a small motor and can get 1.0 - 1.3 mph trolling in forward gear, but have not found the gas motor to affect my catch rate in shallow water.

[BillM]

I usually put the kicker down and steer with the bowmount.

[Beavertail]

Thanks for the feedback guys. This raises another question for me...so if the gas motor doesn't seem to affect the bite in shallower water, what's the point in using side planers for suspended walleye? Are they more skittish in open water? I'm new the walleye/boating scene, excuse my ignorance.

[BillM]

With planer boards you've just covering a lot more water.

Edited October 14, 2014 by BillM

[Terry]

Yup just water covered

[Spanky80]

I have a bow-mount Terrova with iPilot, and troll much of the summer with bottom bouncers and harnesses in 10 to 35 feet of water. Works great.