Best Bowrider Trolling Motor Mount

Bowriders are most known as recreational family boats as the open bow design allows for more space ahead of the helm for relaxing. However, they can also be used for fishing and you can find bowriders with great fishing-friendly features. But once you get to the perfect spot, you don’t want to disturb the fish by firing up your main engine. It’s best to get an electric trolling motor. 

There aren’t many bowriders that come with them, but with a bit of guidance, you can find the right trolling motor mount for your bowrider.

There seem to be a million choices out there, but after extensive research, we’ve compiled some of the best options based on price, user reviews, durability, and ease of use and installation. These are some top contenders that may be best for your particular situation:

Best Bowrider Trolling Motor Mounts 2022

Product	Prominent Feature	Rating	Price	Pros	Cons
RM Industries Pro Controll EX Mount II	Great for low HP trollers	2 stars	$49.95	Super easy to use and inexpensive	Can’t handle high HP motors
Motorguide Universal Removable Mount for Trolling Motors	Bow mount makes it easy to see what’s underwater	none	$132.56	Simple	Expensive
EZ Mount Trolling Motor Mount	Great rating and inexpensive; the best buy overall	4.5 stars	$64.99	Inexpensive and easy to use	Could need replacement after only one season
EasyTroller Trolling Plate-Standard	Mounts to stern drive and uses main engine	4.5 stars	$144.99	Looks bulletproof	Uses boat’s main engine
Minn Kota Transom Trolling Motor Mount	One of the cheapest options	none	$24.95	Very inexpensive	Not as strong and durable as other options

RM Industries Pro Controll EX Mount II

Features

No Tools Required

The RM Industries Pro Controll EX Mount II can be mounted to your boat without using any tools. Simply hand tighten the screws until the mount is solid.

One-Year Limited Warranty

The RM Industries Pro Controll EX Mount II is built with rugged and durable materials and includes a one-year limited warranty. 

Universal

The RM Industries Pro Controll EX Mount II is universal, so it fits almost any boat.

Pros

• Reasonably priced
• Available at WalMart so you can physically see what you’re buying
• One-year warranty

Cons

• Since it’s not as robust as some other mounts, the RM Industries Pro Controll EX Mount II can’t handle high amounts of horsepower
• Not highly rated among users

Motorguide Universal Removable Mount for Trolling Motors

Features

Universal

Since the Motorguide Universal Removable Mount is universal, it fits most boats and motors. 

Complete Kit

The Motorguide Universal Removable Mount comes with everything you need to install it. 

Super Easy to Use

With its single-pin operation design, the Motorguide Universal Removable Mount is just about the easiest thing in the world to use. 

Pros

• Bow mount makes it easy to see what’s underwater
• Simple to use single-pin design
• Universal — fits almost any boat or motor

Cons

• Expensive
• Some users reported it was not durable
• Some users complained that the locking pin was too tight

EZ Mount Trolling Motor Mount

Features

Very Highly Rated

The EZ Mount Trolling Motor Mount comes highly recommended by real-world customers. Almost everyone who buys it likes it and would recommend it.

No Tools

The EZ Mount Trolling Motor Mount doesn’t need any tools to mount to your boat. Simply back off the adjuster screws, slip it over the gunwale, and lock it down with the quick-release tension adjuster.

Mount Anywhere

The EZ Mount Trolling Motor Mount can be mounted in the bow, on the transom, or anywhere else you need it to sit. This makes it extremely flexible for anglers who need options.

Pros

• Inexpensive
• Highly rated
• No tools

Cons

• The adjuster screws can be overtightened and may damage your boat
• Fastening system will need to be checked before use every time to make sure the mount is secure

EasyTroller Trolling Plate-Standard

Features

Uses Boat’s Main Motor

This mount style is a plate that mounts behind the boat’s main prop, allowing you to use your boat’s main engine for trolling. It’s designed for trolling in rougher waters where an electric trolling motor isn’t practical.

Easy to Use

Once the mount is installed, it deploys with a lever.  

Built-In Safety

The EasyTroller Trolling Plate’s patented design compensates if you forget to pull it up when you’re done trolling with a hinge plate that has a little give, keeping things from breaking.

Pros

• Uses boat’s main motor
• Simple, patented design won’t break
• Easy to use

Cons

• Relatively expensive
• Not as useful on small, calm bodies of water
• Using boat’s main engine is noisy

Minn Kota Transom Trolling Motor Mount

Features

Super Inexpensive

The Minn Kota Transom Trolling Motor Mount is the least expensive option here. But does that mean it’s a steal?

No Tools

The Minn Kota Transom Trolling Motor Mount doesn’t need any tools to be mounted to your boat. Simply clamp it on and go.

Black Plastic Frame

The light black plastic frame goes with all colors.

Pros

• Great price
• No tools required

Cons

• Won’t handle much power
• Transom mount only

Bowrider Trolling Motor

Selecting your bowrider trolling motor mount means taking care to pay attention to the details, just as you would while fishing. 

Trolling is as much art as it is science. Typically, the captain will use the boat’s main engine only to get to the general area they would like to fish. Once there, they shut the main engine down and deploy the trolling motor. 

This approach allows for stealthier running since trolling motors run much slower, move much less water, and are usually electric. Trolling allows the boat to “sneak up” on unsuspecting fish where they like to hide, whether that’s among low-hanging branches, in sunken structures, under downed trees, or around similar underwater hiding places. 

Boaters can’t just cruise in under power and make a huge wake — the fish will scatter in fear. This likelihood is why it’s important to have a good, solidly mounted trolling motor if you want to use your bowrider for fishing.

Bowrider Trolling Motor Mounts

A good bowrider trolling motor mount doesn’t have to mount at the bow. In fact, a lot of bowriders aren’t set up for fishing like a dedicated inshore fishing vessel, a lot of which have features like a fighting chair and a flat deck in the bow, along with foot controls for the trolling motor. 

If you use your fast bowrider the way most people do — that is, for lots of different things — then a trolling motor mounted to the forward gunwale is going to be in the way a lot of times. Additionally, if you tend to fish from the transom, it’s going to be a big pain to go to the bow every time you want to reposition the vessel.

It might make more sense to mount your trolling motor on the transom so that you can enjoy full control from the comfort of your favorite zone of the craft, allowing other members of the family to relax and drink refreshing beverages in the bowrider seats.

Buying a Trolling Motor for Bowriders

When you’re shopping bowrider trolling motor mounts online, it can be hard to dial in the search. Be careful not to accidentally select a mount style that isn’t intended for your bowrider. 

Trolling motors are often built and marketed for use on much lighter boats, such as inflatables or kayaks and canoes. A trolling motor mount engineered for these lightweight boats won’t last long on a bowrider, if at all.

Bowrider Trolling Motor Mounts that Perform

When you search for more information on “trolling motor on bowrider” or a similar phrase, you’re going to want to know how to cut through the noise to the results that matter most. The bowrider trolling motor mounts in the table above represent some of the best options for trolling motor mounts.

The list runs the gamut, from simple plates that bolt onto your stern drive and use the boat’s main power unit (such as the Easy Troller Trolling Plate) to those that are made for a whole separate trolling motor (such as the EZ Mount Trolling Motor Mount).

Simplicity in Principle

The first option is probably the easiest, at least in principle. Once you’re in position on the lake, you simply throttle the engine back to idle, lower the trolling plate, then ease the throttle forward, and you’re trolling. For user-friendliness, it’s unbeatable. 

The problem is that it requires your boat’s main engine to remain running, which means you’re going to be a lot louder than if you had installed a dedicated electric trolling motor. Additionally, when you inevitably have to reposition your boat, it means firing up the engine again, and that could spook the fish.

Silence is Deadly — for Fish

For silence and effectiveness, you can’t beat the EZ Mount Trolling Motor Mount from Bass Pro Shops. It allows you to run dead silent with your electric trolling motor (not included), and you can mount your trolling motor literally anywhere you can get this clamp to work. 

Mount it to the gunwale as far forward or aft as you like, or mount it on the transom near your main engine’s prop — wherever is most convenient for you.

What’s the Best Bowrider Trolling Motor Mount?

It all depends on your situation. If you want silence and ease of installation, you probably can’t beat the EZ Mount Trolling Motor Mount from Bass Pro Shops. 

If you want to go super cheap, get the Minn Kota Transom Trolling Motor Mount — after all, it’s only $24.95. 

But if you want to use your boat’s main engine for all trolling duties (perhaps you usually fish in rougher waters than small, calm lakes), it makes a lot of sense to choose the Easy Troller Trolling Plate from Cabela’s. 

Whichever you choose, remember that rule one is to have fun out there.