Minn Kota Talon Or A Power Pole? 2024

bird-dog reply :

I am trying to make a decision on which shallow water anchor to get. I have a 2008 Tracker 175TXW. I am leaning towards the Minn Kota. Besides the obvious, electric v hydraulic, which is better the Minn Kota Talon or the Power Pole? It seems the Minn Kota is easier to install and has a cheaper price tag. If I do go with the Minn Kota should I have two or will one be sufficient? Is either of them something I can do myself or will it require a shop to install.

Any help is appreciated.

Jay

Shawn Dompierre reply :

They both seem easy to install, if you have a jack plate that makes your life even easier...

They're youtube videos with DIY.

I'd like to know if one makes more noise then the other.entering the water..

Nice_Bass reply :

With a boat that light I dont see how you would need two.

Fishing Rhino reply :

Unless I'm mistaken, the housing for the Talon stays where it is even when deployed. The anchor pole telescopes down from the housing, which remains upright. With the Power Pole, the upright portion swings down and gets it out of the way for anyone fishing from the back seat.

Glenn reply :

You're absolutely right, Tom. The Power-Poles do indeed get out of the way. Power-Poles are also quiet - very quiet, and there's very few parts to wear and tear, unlike the Talon. You can also program settings via Bluetooth on your smartphone. I don't think Talon offers that.

Think of it this way - given the choice, all the pros go with Power-Pole.

win222 reply :

I have a Talon, and it works ok, kinda wish I had got the PP instead, the Talon gets stuck easy in the mud, but there is a nut you can turn to manually raise it, only takes a few seconds.

But if price and storage space are a concern, then I'd go with the Talon, plus the Talon will have a $100 rebate starting after April 1st, I only paid $1000 for my 8' Talon, and with the $100 rebate, it's not a bad deal, how cheap can you get a power pole? Can you install the power pole by your self? I think anyone can install their Talon themselves.

Shawn Dompierre reply :

On 3/28/2012 at 10:25 AM, win222 said:
Can you install the power pole by your self?

I've never installed one but after looking at this video I wouldn't be afraid to try..

slonezp reply :

On 3/27/2012 at 9:52 PM, nice_Bass said:
With a boat that light I dont see how you would need two.

The reason for 2 is not to keep you in place, but to keep from spinning around because of wind and current. The tracker being a tin boat IMO could benefit greatly from a second one depending on the conditions the OP is fishing

Nice_Bass reply :

On 3/28/2012 at 8:10 PM, slonezp said:

The reason for 2 is not to keep you in place, but to keep from spinning around because of wind and current. The tracker being a tin boat IMO could benefit greatly from a second one depending on the conditions the OP is fishing

Touche. Did not think of it in that sense. Anyhow, I dont want those ugly things sticking off the back of my boat!

slonezp reply :

On 3/28/2012 at 10:42 PM, nice_Bass said:

Touche. Did not think of it in that sense. Anyhow, I dont want those ugly things sticking off the back of my boat!

If I fished by myself, probably not a bad idea. They'd get in the way of my partner in the back of the boat, I'm sure. Also, I don't bed fish much. I don't have the patience. I've got the Ipilot. If I want to stop and fish an area, I hit the spot lock button and can work the area with minimal movement. In fact the higher the wind or current, the better it keeps you on spot. Plus I can anchor in 100ft of water if I wanted to. I believe you're limited to 10ft with the PP.

Sorry for the hijack.

Nice_Bass reply :

I dont bed fish at all either, not sure I would ever use the things if I got them for free bed fishing or not.

I think the only time i would use them is to relax and drink a beer out of the wind in some shallow cove.

Glenn reply :

You're right. If all you're going to use them for is bed fishing, than the Talon or Power-Poles are very expensive "toys". Bed fishing is the obvious use, but expand your thinking a bit and you'll realize they're invaluable tools. Both Keri and I have first-hand experience watching the pros use Power-Poles all day long - not once were they ever bed fishing.

I can see the wheels spinning now, so I'll give you a head start to get the ideas rolling: current and windy conditions (ever cursed at the wind as your trolling motor bobs in and out of the water in windy chop?); although none of the pros we watched were in those conditions.

Also, I don't know about you guys, but I don't recall ever fishing for bass in 100' of water.

P.S. Power-Pole has a 5-year warranty. Talon? Not so much.

Wildbillb reply :

Here is my question...............How tall are these darn things above the boat when not deployed? Will I still be able to get by boat in the garage without hitting them on the overhead door?

win222 reply :

On 3/29/2012 at 6:29 AM, Wildbillb said:

Here is my question...............How tall are these darn things above the boat when not deployed? Will I still be able to get by boat in the garage without hitting them on the overhead door?

The Talon has a fold down bracket, so it only sits a couple inches above the boat, but they say your not suppose to drive with it down.

This bracket to fold it down costs extra

ww2farmer reply :

On 3/29/2012 at 8:29 AM, win222 said:

The Talon has a fold down bracket, so it only sits a couple inches above the boat, but they say your not suppose to drive with it down.

This bracket to fold it down costs extra

That is one reason I would probably go with a Talon over a Power Pole if or when I buy a shallow water anchor. As I have height issues with the Power Poles. Another reason is I don't have the room anywhere in my boat for the Power Pole's motor, oil tank, and other stuff needed to run it. They may be better and what all the pro's use, but It wouldn't work for me.

Glenn reply :

Those are great questions about the Power-Poles. They're only about a foot above the motor when raised, if that.

Yes, you'll probably need to lower the poles slightly to get them into the garage. But once you're past the door, you can raise them back up. Very easy to do with the remote.

As for the oil tank and pump - the new Blades have a smaller tank/motor than previous models. I have a Ranger, which is notorious for having little room in the battery compartment, and it fits just fine.

ww2farmer reply :

I am not worried about getting it in or out of a garage, there are "other" places I need to go that I just couldn't with one. Your Ranger may have little room to spare, my tin boat has ZERO room to spare.

bird-dog reply :

I call my boat the Aluminum Cork; in a slight breeze it is moving. Where I fish most often I seem to always be battling the wind and tidal currents. I would like to be able to drift and then stop fish a piece of structure then continue on my drift. My intentions for getting one are to be able to stop and fish a productive area without having to constantly play with my TM. After reading this thread and the advice given, I think I may go with the Talon. Actually, two Talons sound like what would work best for my application. I also like that the Talon is all electric, so no hydraulics to have mounted inside the boat. My Tracker doesn’t have enough room to store a gallon jug of 2-cycle oil with the batteries, fuel tank and such. I also think I can install and mount the Talons myself. Not to mention the price is cheaper per Talon then for the Power Poles.

Thanks everyone,

Jay

Chris at Tech reply :

Hehe...I went on the cheap and got this one:

http://www.stickitanchorpins.com/

Will hopefully install it in the coming days.

Glenn reply :

If you want to go into tight areas while on the water-that is exactly why you should not get a talon. They do not deploy down and out of the way when on the water but the power pole does.

Also two talons do not work like two power pole because they are too close together, waste of money it does not work very well at all. But two power-poles work well at holding sideways in the wind because they create a wide footprint.

Also about the cost- beside better performance and features the sportsman II is less expensive than the talon. The talon retails for 1450 and the sportsman II is 1195 and you don’t have to spend another 169 for the tilting bracket. The power pole adapter plates are also less expensive and come with a powder coated finish not just the plain anodized aluminum169.00 verses 225.00. So when you add it all up you'll sill spend a lot more for the less effective talon than you would for the real thing.

TommyBass reply :

I'd say you'd be happy with both. I installed my Power Pole by myself using the brackets that go between your motor and hull. If you do one side at a time you can slide it in no problem, then do the spacer on the other side. Electronic hook up is a breeze.

I've seen / heard more issues with the Talon than I have the PP, but everyone is going to have something bad to say about both. To me, the powerpole seems to have more power, and it does lower out of the way somewhat. For instance, I fish an area where I have to go under a bridge, and my pole would hit it. I can lower it down a couple feet and slide right under. However, if the water was really shallow there, then you wouldn't be able to do that since your spike would drag.

The uses are endless, anwhere you'd drop an anchor in <8ft of water. I find it most useful for parking the boat at docks or beaching it. Fishing wise, as long as its shallow enough, I will drop it on wind blown points or brush piles so I can concentrate on fishing and not boat control. I also have an aluminum boat, and I know how tough it is in 20mph + winds. Its also good for holding you in a good spot while your retie your bait or do other misc chores in the boat.

Dinky reply :

I have only used PP so cannot comment on it vs the Talon.

Just make sure your jack plate is such that you do not have to remove the boat motor to attach the PP bracket to it.

My old jack plate was in two pieces and on my 1st PP --a 6'---I had to have the motor taken off to safely attach the bracket.

Regarding the hieght of the PP: the 8 or 10 foot models would have to be lowered to get into most garages, but as Glenn said it is no problem and then you can raise it back up inside.

As far as on the water-you can lower them to get under a bridge and can even allow them to drag in the bottom as long as it is soft. I know some pros who drag the bottom at times simply to slow down drift--somewhat like a shallow water wind sock. but of course this could cause damage if you are not careful.

PPs remind me of cell phones when they first came out....I never saw a use for them then, but now I can't get along without them.

Every time I have fished or marshalled with an Elite Pro and they have caught a fish in 8' or less of water the PPs immediately go down as soon as the fish is boated, then there is time to retie, etc before throwing back into the same general area.

I will do the same if I ever catch a fish!

Crappiebasser reply :

My new boat has 2 PP 8' and I wouldn't want another boat without them. I fished a tourney in January with 40mph winds. I sat on top of a point the whole day fishing a jig into the wind and never touched the TM. They are kinda in the way for anyone trying to fish from the back deck when up but you can lower them if needed.

bird-dog reply :

Good points on the Power Poles. Would I have to install a jack plate to put on the Power Poles?

webertime reply :

^{Talon's weigh a fair amount more (the parts that you mount to the hull/jackplate). Something to consider if you are mounting it to an older or tin boat. The motor and hydralics on a pp are in the boat, all the moving/heavy parts on a talon are outside. I've fished out of both and the PP was nice and did get out of the way for casting out of the back of the boat. The Talon owners I have fished with were very luke-warm about them.}

WookieeJedi reply :

Not to jack the thread, but could someone familiar with these things clue me in on how they are better than just using fore and aft anchors? I fish from a kayak or canoe right now, but have plans to build my own fishing boat, and I will need to accomodate these things into my design if they are really that good. On my first two bass rigs, I always kept an anchor up front, as well as one at the back. They seemed to do the job pretty well, except when I was on offshore structure in heavy wind, and I don't think these poles go down far enough for that anyway.

bird-dog reply :

Not to jack the thread, but could someone familiar with these things clue me in on how they are better than just using fore and aft anchors? I fish from a kayak or canoe right now, but have plans to build my own fishing boat, and I will need to accomodate these things into my design if they are really that good. On my first two bass rigs, I always kept an anchor up front, as well as one at the back. They seemed to do the job pretty well, except when I was on offshore structure in heavy wind, and I don't think these poles go down far enough for that anyway.

I haven’t made my mind up yet on which one I will get. But the advantages that I see are that you can deploy them quickly and you do not need to move from your place in the boat to anchor. So let’s say you are working a bank and you hook up with a fish on some submerged cover you didn’t know was there, you can deploy the anchor with minimal noise and under waster disturbance while never having to do anything but fight your fish and push a button. No moving around on deck getting an anchor from a hatch then setting the anchor. I fish Aquia Creek in VA and I am always fighting current from the tides or from the wind. I continually have to work the trolling motor to stay in one spot to dissect a piece of cover or structure. With this type of anchor you deploy it and forget about it till it is time to move. Again you push a button and away you go; no pulling up wet dirty anchor/ anchors onto the deck.

Jay

WookieeJedi reply :

The boat plan I'm going with is this: https://www.boatdesigns.com/20-Sweet-Caroline-dory-_-skiff/products/543/ My finished boat will look much like this with the exception of a raised front casting deck and a pole platform in the rear.. I need something that can fish local reservoirs, rivers, marsh, and even Lake Pontchatrain in the big water. Not too many designs can do that, so I decided to make it myself. As you can tell by the picture, putting the poles on the rear would involve some major redesign and balance considerations for the boat. I would be interested in putting them in if they were really worth it, I just need some user testimony from regular people (not paid spokes-folks) who own them and use them.

TommyBass reply :

Benefits vs an anchor? Much much faster and quieter. However, you are correct in that you are depth limited. I still use an anchor from time to time in deeper areas if the wind is setup right, but the benefits of the Pole are amazing. Unless you fish water that never gets shallower than 8 ft, there is no way you would regret buying one. I use them taking people bluegill and crappie fishing, so they can setup on spots easier, I use them catfishing at night to hold me down, and during my bass tournaments. Makes fishing more fun and efficient.

I do not have two, and although I would like to have two but I can't justify the money. The times when I need two have been rare. Usually its when its extra windy and I setup on a brush pile for crappie and want to angle my boat so three people can effectively fish it. In that instance I drop the pole then use an anchor up front to keep from swinging. I do the same catfishing. Most times bass fishing I can line up the boat, and its only me and maybe a partner, so its much easier to just worry about the front of the boat. If you sight fish a ton two would be helpful, but there isn't water thats clear enough here for that, and its only a small portion of the season.

The fast aspect comes very in handy, when I am floating down a bank in high winds. I simply drop the pole, pitch what I want to target, then lift it a foot or two, float some more, then drop at the next spot. I can effectively anchor unlimited objects down a windblown bank with only a couple seconds of anchor time.

Hooligan reply :

Power Pole is the way to go in nearly any situation. They're much more durable, have MUCH better hold and penetration than the Talon. I see guys getting blown around all the time with two talons down. The PP also has greater depth 10ft versus 8-4. There are a few other reasons that I'd go against the Talon- reliability, research, anchor weight, penetration, durability, materials, and construction. The Power Pole is just better.

In terms of one or two: One will hold you as a shallow anchor, but will not position lock you. You'll still be forced to correct with the trolling motor. Two will lock you down, in all but the highest of winds, and keep you facing the same spot.

Edit: Fixed while lucid. Sorry Chaps.

gpbassbuster1 reply :

i have a 2008 190tx, i went with the pp sportsman 2- now my problem is a place for the pump. not much room in there. i moved the battery charger to the side and now i made a place but... it is on top of the step where the bottom of boat steps up and goes horizontal to the bottom of transom- cant!!! drill there so i thought about gluing (5200 marine adhesive) a piece of black neoprene mat and the screwing the pump to mat (3/4" thick). you all think that would hold!

back to your point, i went with pp cause i think it looks better and you can move it out of the way. (besides honey said it was ok, bought it before she changed mind) now to figure out how to make it thief proof!

scrutch reply :

Power Pole is the way to go in nearly any situation. They're much more durable, have MUCH better hold and penetration than the Talon. I see guys getting blown around all the time with two talons down. The PP also has greater depth 10ft versus 8-4. There are a few other reasons that I'd go with Talon- reliability, research, anchor weight, penetration, durability, materials, and construction. The Talon is just better.

In terms of one or two: One will hold you as a shallow anchor, but will not position lock you. You'll still be forced to correct with the trolling motor. Two will lock you down, in all but the highest of winds, and keep you facing the same spot.

Ya got me a little confused with this post. Do you like PP or Talon?

Shawn Dompierre reply :

Ya got me a little confused with this post. Do you like PP or Talon?

Hooligan reply :

Ya got me a little confused with this post. Do you like PP or Talon?

DOH!

That's what I get for posting at beforeGod Thirty. Power Pole all the way. I think I was having a thought about the Talon's construction, erased it and left the end of it.

The Talon is better built, in terms of the control arm, but the overall build of the Power Pole is better for holding in deep water. I'll edit the post while I'm lucid.

12922

Minn Kota Talon Or A Power Pole? 2024

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