Jim Elam

Ulrich

Equipment - Rods/Reels/Line/and all the other toys OzarkAnglers.Com Forum Motorguide Xi5 Started by Jim Elam, 25 Dec 2015 Reply to this topic Moderation Actions 1 post in this topic Jim Elam 53 Fishing Buddy 118 posts Posted 25 Dec 2015 · Decided to get rid of my old Minn Kota Edge and get the Xi5 in July. I fish a deep V aluminum multi species boat 17.5 feet, and got the 24 v 80 lb thrust model with pinpoint GPS and built in transducer. You will need the ducer in the TM cone if you want a front signal source for your front graph as adding a transducer and cable won't work on motors that rotate and deploy like this one. I have found the transducer to be as good as the one that came with my HDS unit. Mounted the motor on a MG detachable base. It is solid and handy, but I'm sure you could break it if you tried hard enough. The base does not have a good area to place a padlock on the detach mechanism, so it could facilitate theft under certain conditions if you get lazy and fail to remove the TM from the boat when needed. Takes me less than a minute to remove or mount the unit on my rig. Overall I like the detachable base. I mostly fish alone for bass and enjoy fishing NED rigs and jigs, crank baits, some deep spoon/vertical jigging /drop shot with electronics, and thought this TM might really be helpful with these techniques. Additionally I like to sight fish with a fly rod for carp in the summer, and the ability to cast from various points in the vessel while the TM held my boat position interested me. I also take my children from time to time, and anything that could free up my hands when they were along seemed attractive. Cost was...well, more on that later... Install was straightforward. The motor looks weird because it hangs way out off the bow, but once I got my head around the fact that this is by design it was not a problem. Just have to double and triple check before drilling and bolting to make sure the motor will deploy and operate with adequate bow clearance, then mounting was simple. Have to be a little more careful when docking the bow in wind or waves because of the TM than before, not really a big deal. Control is accomplished with a wireless foot pedal and a handheld remote. The foot pedal is different from a cable system. I had to get used to a little less feel and a tendency to over control if not careful. Not a big deal, but I definitely like a cable control better. I was amazed at how frequently I relied on the handheld remote at first, as I thought I probably would not use it much. It is very simple and works well. There is occasionally some trouble getting the TM to lock in on which control device to prioritize, likely driven by operator error. This is infrequent and easily solved. Operation has been fairly intuitive. Youtube has been helpful on learning some things, however, most of what I do with this motor is what I did with the old cable control models I have used since my teens. There are really only 2 functions that I use beyond what I had on my conventional TMs previously, and they are both worth the $1500 investment in this TM. They also justify the slight loss of feel when giving up the cable control system IMO. They are as follows: 1) Anchor lock - WOW! All I can say is this feature simplifies so many things that I can't really imagine going back to the old motors now. The TM does exactly what is advertised, and I have found the utility of this feature alone to be worth every dollar I have spent on this piece of equipment. It is particularly useful in moderate wind or current when inattention to boat control even for a few seconds could have you in a pickle. Also great when you need to help a co-angler with a fish or a tangle, when you need to attend to a child or novice, and when you want to really work an area thoroughly (great for NED rig fishing and vertical jigging). It is also handy if you happen to have mechanical problems or live well issues that need attention while in the wind. The utility of this feature is tremendous because the function is reliable and very precise. The ability to move the boat in small increments is quite useful as well. 2) Heading lock - this feature compensates for wind and current when you want to, say, fish a bank at a certain speed with your favorite crank bait, etc. You can even combine this feature with a cruise control feature to precisely control your speed while on the desired heading. Nice. If I trolled much this would be even handier. You can make heading adjustments quickly on the fly, so operation is simple. Of course there are other more complicated features like course and spot recall, and you can even link it to your HDS touch screen MFD, but I didn't do that because it already does what I need and I don't need to make things more complicated. Your milage may vary on these features, but they aren't really needed in my kind of fishing. Overall, the precision and simplicity of the unit and its ability to allow me to fish from multiple spots in the boat makes it a great bargain compared to a $700 cable controlled model IMO. I would definitely buy again. It is without question the most useful piece of equipment on my boat. Summary: Pros - Works as advertised, easy to install and operate, very reliable (so far), very battery efficient, very quiet, anchor feature has tremendous utility, Heading lock and cruise control features are useful and simple, multiple other features that could be handy depending on application Cons - No feel with foot pedal, TM head is difficult to see at night, TM is bulky and hangs over the bow more than others, pretty pricey, long term durability not yet proven I hope this is helpful. PM me if you have other questions that I might be able to help with . Jim

I really enjoy using light gear for carp at Stockton. THere are tone of carp under 5 lbs and they are much more fun to fight on light gear (3-5 wt) IMO. THat said, you will have more luck fishing bass streamers on the heavier wt lines, especially when wind is a factor. Blacknosedace gave great advice. Also remember that you don't need a boat to chase carp. Especially when the lake is a few feet low. Carp love smaller crayfish flies and buggy looking stuff. Look up the Eagan's headstand, Montana Hybrid, Carpalicious, etc. Truthfully, if you find feeding carp it is usually about approach and presentation more than the fly itself.

That makes me feel a little better. Decided to work drop offs and bluff ends near channel swings looking for a few really solid fish. Completely neglected the NED today and committed to jerk bait and wart. I couldn't buy a bite from 730 to 5. Even slung the rig a bit. Nada. Will be be taking the finesse gear next trip...

About got washed out Saturday by one of these individuals. Had motor problems and using TM to get back to the ramp while fighting the wind. I'm within casting distance of shore and a large cabin cruiser buzzes me on plane about 80 feet away. His wife and kids are waving hello as the wake plows my bow under, then the TM recoils in and out of the water rhythmically for the next 20 seconds. There is no shortage of stupidity and ignorance out there. If you have the dough, you can drive whatever you like on the lake regardless of your lack of experience or training. Times have sure changed. I remember my father grumbling when we saw more than 3-4 other boats on the lake on a Saturday in the 70's and 80's. Geesh...

I like a separate rope with a little stretch to it rather than the winch strap. Reason is I can easily keep the boat on the rope and lead it away from the launch area and tie off, which can be handy when the ramp is busy or when the wind is an issue with the launch. That is the only advantage I have found. Disadvantage is tangle, rope break, etc. Sure is nice to have a fishin buddy though...clearly faster and better

Man I thought I was way overboard. Thanks fellas...ammo for the next rod/reel negotiation with mamma. You boys know how to make a guy look good!

What cracks me up is the guys who act like everyone who doesn't use Loomis or similar price point stuff can't fish. I am so lucky to be able to choose what I want to fish with. I have a few $30 spinning reels, and a few $130 spinning reels. Also a few $25 homemade rods, and a few $150 higher end jobs I got on sale. Not a huge difference in most of these items IMO. Fishin's fishin. OTOH, nothing wrong with a guy using high priced stuff if he can afford it. Just don't put the rest of the world down for not using the latest and greatest...

Patagonia (Capilene 4 - heaviest weight) - expensive but incredibly warm and dry, great at wicking moisture away. Mine is still going strong 10 years later.

Don't make the mistake of buying Clam outdoors insulated stuff. Its warm but the sleeves get damp in heavy rain. Definitely not completely waterproof.

Agree. Xi5 is a great tool for trolling etc. Very accurate speed and directional control, battery life, ease of use. Jim

These are great suggestions. Don't be afraid to tie the flies in various sizes and under most conditions, tie them sparse. There is usually a size and color that out produces everything else. A little flash is good, but just a little.

These are great suggestions. Don't be afraid to tie the flies in various sizes and under most conditions, tie them sparse. There is usually a size and color that out produces everything else. A little flash is good, but just a little.

Second on the Cuda. I have had mine 15 years and it can handle about anything. I use a pedestal base and it is rock solid. I have had several vises over the years including the Renzetti Traveler and others. Dynaking is better than anything else I have ever used, by far. OTOH, it is pricey. You get what you pay for though...it will last a lifetime.

Wow, that sounds a little like some of the traffic enforcement in the Springfield area. They will pick off the people 7 miles over coming out of Millwood or Rivercutt at $150 a pop while folks have to dodge red light runners who are texting through the intersection at Campbell and Republic. Gotta generate revenue, ya' know...

Decided to get rid of my old Minn Kota Edge and get the Xi5 in July. I fish a deep V aluminum multi species boat 17.5 feet, and got the 24 v 80 lb thrust model with pinpoint GPS and built in transducer. You will need the ducer in the TM cone if you want a front signal source for your front graph as adding a transducer and cable won't work on motors that rotate and deploy like this one. I have found the transducer to be as good as the one that came with my HDS unit. Mounted the motor on a MG detachable base. It is solid and handy, but I'm sure you could break it if you tried hard enough. The base does not have a good area to place a padlock on the detach mechanism, so it could facilitate theft under certain conditions if you get lazy and fail to remove the TM from the boat when needed. Takes me less than a minute to remove or mount the unit on my rig. Overall I like the detachable base. I mostly fish alone for bass and enjoy fishing NED rigs and jigs, crank baits, some deep spoon/vertical jigging /drop shot with electronics, and thought this TM might really be helpful with these techniques. Additionally I like to sight fish with a fly rod for carp in the summer, and the ability to cast from various points in the vessel while the TM held my boat position interested me. I also take my children from time to time, and anything that could free up my hands when they were along seemed attractive. Cost was...well, more on that later... Install was straightforward. The motor looks weird because it hangs way out off the bow, but once I got my head around the fact that this is by design it was not a problem. Just have to double and triple check before drilling and bolting to make sure the motor will deploy and operate with adequate bow clearance, then mounting was simple. Have to be a little more careful when docking the bow in wind or waves because of the TM than before, not really a big deal. Control is accomplished with a wireless foot pedal and a handheld remote. The foot pedal is different from a cable system. I had to get used to a little less feel and a tendency to over control if not careful. Not a big deal, but I definitely like a cable control better. I was amazed at how frequently I relied on the handheld remote at first, as I thought I probably would not use it much. It is very simple and works well. There is occasionally some trouble getting the TM to lock in on which control device to prioritize, likely driven by operator error. This is infrequent and easily solved. Operation has been fairly intuitive. Youtube has been helpful on learning some things, however, most of what I do with this motor is what I did with the old cable control models I have used since my teens. There are really only 2 functions that I use beyond what I had on my conventional TMs previously, and they are both worth the $1500 investment in this TM. They also justify the slight loss of feel when giving up the cable control system IMO. They are as follows: 1) Anchor lock - WOW! All I can say is this feature simplifies so many things that I can't really imagine going back to the old motors now. The TM does exactly what is advertised, and I have found the utility of this feature alone to be worth every dollar I have spent on this piece of equipment. It is particularly useful in moderate wind or current when inattention to boat control even for a few seconds could have you in a pickle. Also great when you need to help a co-angler with a fish or a tangle, when you need to attend to a child or novice, and when you want to really work an area thoroughly (great for NED rig fishing and vertical jigging). It is also handy if you happen to have mechanical problems or live well issues that need attention while in the wind. The utility of this feature is tremendous because the function is reliable and very precise. The ability to move the boat in small increments is quite useful as well. 2) Heading lock - this feature compensates for wind and current when you want to, say, fish a bank at a certain speed with your favorite crank bait, etc. You can even combine this feature with a cruise control feature to precisely control your speed while on the desired heading. Nice. If I trolled much this would be even handier. You can make heading adjustments quickly on the fly, so operation is simple. Of course there are other more complicated features like course and spot recall, and you can even link it to your HDS touch screen MFD, but I didn't do that because it already does what I need and I don't need to make things more complicated. Your milage may vary on these features, but they aren't really needed in my kind of fishing. Overall, the precision and simplicity of the unit and its ability to allow me to fish from multiple spots in the boat makes it a great bargain compared to a $700 cable controlled model IMO. I would definitely buy again. It is without question the most useful piece of equipment on my boat. Summary: Pros - Works as advertised, easy to install and operate, very reliable (so far), very battery efficient, very quiet, anchor feature has tremendous utility, Heading lock and cruise control features are useful and simple, multiple other features that could be handy depending on application Cons - No feel with foot pedal, TM head is difficult to see at night, TM is bulky and hangs over the bow more than others, pretty pricey, long term durability not yet proven I hope this is helpful. PM me if you have other questions that I might be able to help with . Jim

True. In fairness, I saw only good behavior except for one guy. Really got a kick out of the guy who cut in on me honestly. Im sure he was not a bad guy, just had a bad moment. Heck, he was fishing couldn't be all bad... Would be nice if everyone was willing to observe a 50 yd buffer though. I don't mind fishing behind you if you want to pull around me. But pulling between me and the bank to fish the water I'm fishing? If I had wanted to go to the trout park, I would've. People just seem to lose their heads when a shot at cash is on the line...

Same deal here on Monday. Finally caught on and ended up putting lots of fish in the boat until the crowds hit the water. All on the bait that shall remain unnamed...

You are right. It is all about what you let bother you. We caught lots and hade a great time Saturday, but I do think the events should generally promote things like C&R, safety on the water, and etiquette. Lots of other sports have shown this to be successful if prioritized. Oakley and Johnny will still make lots of money...

"The old Codger and I call him this to his face at 86 yrs. young was ready to go to fisticuffs." LOL! I mentioned that my father would've probably at least verbally assaulted one of these individuals to my fishing buddy. He would've reacted the same was as Bills Old Codger had he still been kicking... Here is one example from Saturday. My buddy and I were in the mouth of the James and some guy in a g3 literally passed 40-50 ft away from us on the bank side, I'm guessing we were 80 ft from terra firma. I was absolutely blown away by his rudeness/sheer stupidity. Slipped in behind him and picked up several bass where he had fished, no harm done. It was just mindblowingly unsportsmanlike. That guy couldn't have caught cold...still, pretty annoying. I think that the big bass aspect and the opportunity for otherwise inexperienced anglers to win money alters the moral code of some of these guys. This fellow was obviously looking to cover water and get a reaction bite , and seemed comfortable doing whatever needed to protect "his bank"! I do think that entrants should be subject to DQ with video evidence of this sort of behavior. As Bill said, other events use this approach. BTW, I HAVE NEVER COMMENTED IN PRIOR YEARS ABOUT THE OAKLEY EVENT. NOT PART OF THE SAME GROUP THAT HAS BEEN MENTIONED. THAT SAID, I COMPLETELY AGREE REGARDING THE RUDENESS OF MANY OF THE ENTRANTS. STAFF - YOU NEED TO EITHER LIMIT ENTRIES OR THREATEN DQ FOR STUPIDITY. JUST BECAUSE ITS ONLY ONCE A YEAR AND IS UNIQUE IS NOT AN EXCUSE. EITHER THE EVENT OPERATORS OR THE ENTRANTS NEED TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE IMPACT THE EVENT HAS ON OTHERS. ONE OR THE OTHER. MAYBE THE EVENT COULD BE VIEWED AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TEACH WEEKEND WARRIORS PROPER ETIQUETTE ON THE LAKE, RATHER THAN SIMPLY AN UNABASHED CASH MAKING PROMOTION. THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX A LITTLE. Seriously, It felt a little like opening day at the trout park...

You guys are on a different plane than me on this Ned setup deal. I get wHat is on sale at the outlet in braid under 12 lb, then pair it with 6 or 8 lb FC that is on sale. Just have to make sure the FC diameter is larger than the braid so the GT knot bites well. Seems to work pretty well as long as knots are tied carefully. That red label seaguar is good stuff but the knots are tempermental. Can't tell much difference between the FC products otherwise IMO.

Thanks - that was helpful. Very good illustration.

What he said... My Revo SX is and underachiever. It is temperamental with wind and lure weight, and you have to fiddle with it to dial it in when you change baits or wind conditions. I honestly like my PQ's better (a lot better). I'm an old Ambassaduer fan, but the Revo is inferior to the PQs and the Lew's IMO. Honestly like my old 4600 CBs from 1983 better. None come close to my Lew's. They are simply the best reels I have ever cast. That said, I don't own a Curado or Tatula. I can't imagine a nicer reel than a Tournament MG or Tournament Pro though. That said, I sure hope you like that Tatula.

Regarding the float n fly comment above, I have had great luck in the winter up the James river just below Springfield with a half a zero wacky rigged under a bobber on SM and Ks. Also in a local pond. I'm guessing they would work well with a drop shot presentation as well. That Fattyz deal can be pretty effective at times in deeper water on a 1/4 or 5/16 mushroom head. Cabelas makes a good head for that bait that has a keeper on it. Fishes like a shaky head but with the larger profile. That jig head can't compete with Dave's on a Ned because it is too big, but on the larger Fattyz application it is just right.

Agree it is probably a sunlight plus heat issue. Elaztech can take a "set" resulting in a bent bait. Have heated them to a boil many times without much trouble, and removes the set well (usually requires no stretching). I have never actually tried to stretch one after boiling it though. Probably won't now...