I’ve been around the fishing world for a while… over 20 years, to be more specific.

I've learned a lot of things about fishing and boating equipment during that time. I have also developed some opinions about that equipment. Some of them are good and well worth the money spent, and some is just plain crap and not worth the money spent to package it.

This holds true when it comes to electric trolling motors. There are good models and there are bad models. There are also big differences between the famous brands of trolling motors. Let me explain.

There are only a small number of trolling motor manufacturers in the entire industry. Regardless of what brand you see on a trolling motor, it’s made by one of those few manufacturers.

If you look around, you’ll see that Minn Kota Trolling Motors and Motorguide Trolling Motors are the top in the industry when it comes too brand recognition and popularity.

Base on my own experience for many years, I prefer Minn Kota Trolling Motors and, in my opinion, they’re a lot better. Here’s why.

Functionality – The newest Minn Kota models are extremely functional. The features built in to the newest motors are purely functional. There is no fluff.

Durability – This is one of my favorite parts of the new Minn Kota motors. These motors last, and for a very long time. Under normal conditions, these motors will last far longer than you would ever expect. Even under extreme conditions and use they outlast the motors of years past by 100% or more!

Reliability – I never worry about my trolling motor not working. When I need it, it works. Plain and simple. It doesn’t get any better than that.

Design – Minn Kota has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars (possibly even millions of $$) over the past decade, perfecting their design, making it more useful and easier to use. The foot pedal is not anymore clunky and uncomfortable to use. Everything about the design of these motors is user-friendly.

Let me talk a little more about the durability factor, because this is what makes these motors better than the others.

Have you ever hit a stump or rock with your trolling motor? If so, you know that this can absolutely ruin a fishing trip… unless you’re running a Minn Kota.

Over a decade ago Minn Kota stopped making their trolling motor shafts from steel and started making them from a composite material that gives them a new element of "unbreakableness", if you will.

You no longer need to worry about hitting an underwater obstruction making the shaft bent in a weird angle, rendering it useless.

With the composite shaft, hitting a stump or rock simply causes the shaft to flex under pressure and then go right back to its original condition, plain and simple.

This is a no-nonsense engineering feat on the part of the Minn Kota R&D team. Not having to worry about bending the motor’s shaft means being able to concentrate on fishing, not on where the stumps are.

This one feature alone should be enough to sway anyone who’s on the fence about which brand to buy. Seriously. What would you rather have… a bent shaft or one that you never have to worry about? Enough said!

The other deal closer with the Minn Kota motors is the Weedless Wedge prop. Not a single weed can clog the prop. I know this for a fact because I have tested it myself.

Many years ago when I bought a Minn Kota with the very first Weedless wedge prop, Roland Martin had been promoting it on TV and in magazines, saying that he would eat the weed that can wrap this prop.

After installing my new motor, I headed to a local lake that gets matted with weeds in the summer, with the sole purpose of wrapping weeds on this prop so I could send them to Roland to eat!

I was a bit disappointed that Roland was spared from feasting my special weed salad. The motor was able to cut through the weeds, without wrapping a single one on the prop!

Listen. I could go on for way too long about why Minn Kota trolling motors are superior, but I think my point has been made by now.

There's no more time to waste. Get your Minn Kota motor now and get it on your boat. You’ll seriously wonder why you waited so long.