The right trolling motor for a jon boat has enough thrust for the boat’s loaded weight, a shaft long enough to keep the prop under water, and a voltage your battery setup can support. Below are the 55, 70 and 80 lb freshwater bow-mount trolling motors we carry, with current prices.
How to choose a trolling motor for a jon boat
Thrust
A common rule of thumb is at least 2 lb of thrust for every 100 lb of fully loaded boat weight, counting the hull, outboard, fuel, batteries, gear and people. Allow more if you fish in wind or current. Our trolling motor size guide walks through the math.
12 volt vs 24 volt
A 12-volt motor runs on one battery, which keeps weight and wiring simple on a small jon boat. A 24-volt motor needs two 12-volt batteries in series or one 24-volt lithium battery, and in exchange supports higher-thrust motors and generally longer run time. In the Minn Kota models below, the 55 lb motors are 12-volt and the 70 and 80 lb motors are 24-volt; confirm the voltage on each product page. See our 24-volt trolling motors and trolling motor battery setups.
Shaft length
Bow heights vary between jon boats, so measure from where the motor will mount down to the waterline. The shaft needs to keep the prop submerged when the bow rises in chop.
Bow-mount or transom-mount
A transom-mount motor clamps to the stern and is a simple option on small jon boats. A bow-mount motor pulls the boat from the front, which gives better steering control and boat positioning, but it needs a flat, solid mounting surface at the bow; some jon boats need a front deck or mounting bracket added first. Every motor below is a bow-mount. To compare the premium models, read Terrova vs Ultrex vs Ulterra.
55, 70 and 80 lb freshwater trolling motors
| Trolling motor | Thrust | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Minn Kota PowerDrive 55 Trolling Motor | 55 lb | $999.99 |
| Minn Kota Terrova 55 Trolling Motor | 55 lb | $1,649.99 |
| Minn Kota Maxxum 70 Trolling Motor | 70 lb | $1,049.99 |
| Minn Kota PowerDrive 70 Trolling Motor | 70 lb | $1,169.99 |
| Minn Kota Fortrex 80 Trolling Motor | 80 lb | $1,699.99 |
| Minn Kota Terrova 80 Trolling Motor | 80 lb | $1,899.99 |
| Minn Kota Ultrex 80 Trolling Motor | 80 lb | $2,499.99 |
| Minn Kota Ulterra 80 Trolling Motor | 80 lb | $2,799.99 |
Shipping is a flat $80.00 per order to US addresses, with 15-day free returns. Questions? Ask a parts specialist.