Fall Battery Maintenance
Today I drove to the boat access to experience the view. Almost ever angler has had that one or maybe two times they went to turn over their boat and there is nothing. Dead battery. In hopes of the trolling motor batteries would still be fresh from the last charge, I connected to the trolling motor batteries and nothing. Lesson learned for the second year in a row.
It does not pay to buy cheap batteries and charging them the night before would be a good idea, but we have all gotten lazy and hoped for the best the next day.
Its getting cold in Minnesota and the fall bite for Largemouth and Smallmouth is going to be HOT for the next couple of weeks. With nightly air temperatures dropping below 50 degrees for two nights in a row, fish will be putting the feedbag on for winter. Its important you bring the right gear and prepare your gear for the conditions.
10 simple tips to keep your batteries fresh:
1. When its getting colder out make sure to charge them after ever outing
2. Choosing a 10 amp charger over a 6amp to get a faster charge for those who go night fishing and plan on going in the morning again
3. If you are willing to spend a little more money, get a three bank charger verses a 2 bank so you can charge all batteries at once
4. Bring your starting battery in at night. This might be ideal for all but for me its easy and keeps my starting battery warm on cold nights
5. During winters, I’ve heard mixed opinions but personally I like to charge them once ever week or two
6. Make sure to clean off any corrosion on the battery terminals, baking soda and water works great for this
7. Treat your batteries with care as any kind of weather can affect the performance of an expensive battery. Anything from age of battery, how much the battery is used, humidity, and temperature.
8. Bring an extra battery in the truck (if you have one) for those who just have a 12 volt trolling motor, bringing two is always a good idea
9. Don’t undercharge your batteries, in time, if you continue to use half charged batteries they will not last as long
10. Check fluid level in battery adding distilled water is sometimes needed. If you have never done this before, have someone with experience give you a hand or watch over
The cold weather months are some of the best fishing. Don’t be that guy at the boat ramp who doesn’t even get his boat off the bunks. It’s embarrassing and worst of all if you don’t get to fish. So charge those batteries, take care of them, bring them in at night and get on some cold weather fish.
