Minn Kota® made waves earlier this summer with the announcement of its new and upgraded bow-mount trolling motors, complete with exciting new features and updates to Ulterra®, Terrova® and Riptide Terrova®, plus the all-new Riptide Instinct™. But the biggest news for bass fishermen was the upgraded Ultrex™ and the all-new brushless Ultrex QUEST™.
In the days since the announcement, anglers have been asking, what’s new for bass fishing’s best motor? It all starts with Minn Kota’s unmatched focus on helping anglers fish the way they want. As you’ll see, every new feature within the Ultrex family takes its inspiration from this fishing-first mindset.
Advanced GPS Takes You to the Fight
Ask any serious bass angler, “why Ultrex” and there’s a good chance “Spot-Lock” will be one of the first words out of their mouth. The most accurate GPS anchor ever, Spot-Lock has been keeping anglers locked on fish for years now and that same pinpoint precision is part of these new and upgraded motors as well. Fishermen have also come to rely on the responsiveness of the Ultrex foot pedal in tight spaces around docks or through narrow channels. The new foot pedal offers that same maneuverability, with new buttons unlocking even more boat control possibilities.
But what really sets these new Ultrex motors apart from their predecessors are two new GPS navigation modes, along with improvements to an old standby:
- Drift Mode is an all-new mode that works like a GPS drift sock, combating wind and current to maintain your desired speed and path so you can focus on casting instead of steering.
- The new Dodge Mode lets you bounce out of auto-navigation mode to manually steer, then resume auto-navigation without resetting your route.
- And an improved Follow Mode lets you choose a contour – depth, bottom hardness or vegetation – on your Humminbird® fish finder and your motor will automatically follow it.
As powerful as these new features are proving for anglers, they’re only part of the full playbook. Learn more about the advanced GPS capabilities of Ultrex here.
Lock onto Fish with Fully Integrated Sonar
Boat control wasn’t the only focus of the combined Minn Kota and Humminbird engineering team when they set out to build the next generation of trolling motors. Sonar integration was also critical in helping fishermen find their spots and get fish to bite. Out of the box, new Ultrex models easily connect with Humminbird fish finders so anglers can get on the water faster, no extra trips to the dealer or frustrating phone calls to customer service needed.
Not only that, Ultrex trolling motors come with a Humminbird transducer installed in the lower unit. Built-in MEGA Down Imaging® reads directly underneath the boat for ultra-detailed views of depth, structure and fish; while built-in Dual Spectrum CHIRP paints a 2D picture with incredible accuracy to target fish and watch your bait. Ultrex QUEST models give anglers the additional option of MEGA Side Imaging® for an incredible view of the lake bottom to the left and right of the boat.
But built-in sonar is only the beginning. With an optional dual mount bracket, fishermen can add two more class-leading Humminbird technologies to their Ultrex:
- MEGA Live Imaging TargetLock® locks on to structure at the push of a button for a real-time view of nearby fish and structure, even while your boat is moving or anchored using Spot-Lock®.
- MEGA 360 Imaging® helps you find your angle of attack, sweeping up to 125′ in every direction around your boat to deliver the clearest images you’ve ever seen of structure, the bottom and fish, even while you’re sitting still.
Bass anglers can combine these optional add-ons with built-in Humminbird sonar for the clearest picture of what’s below.
Stay in the Hunt All Day Long with Ultrex™ QUEST™
When the chase takes you to the roughest waters and toughest conditions, the all-new Ultrex QUEST rises to the challenge and then some. With a fortified industrial design, stealthy brushless technology and game-changing power, this ruggedly reimagined Ultrex helps anglers push through to the spots where they can really prove their mettle.
Trying to decide if Ultrex QUEST is right for you? Here are three reasons to step up to this next-level motor:
- Ultrex QUEST carves through vegetation with 50% greater torque*, added thrust and enhanced power output from the prop.
- Anglers can fish from sunup to sundown with 30% greater runtime and Minn Kota’s all-new ECO Mode. They can also see real-time battery life readings, low-battery alerts and remaining runtime displayed on their Humminbird fish finders.
- A stout, industrial design – featuring a shaft made of carbon fiber – pushes back when the lake tries to push you around. This rugged and resilient design helps account for the added thrust and torque with sturdier mounts, brackets, shafts and pivot points.
With so much to like, it’s no wonder pro anglers from Kevin VanDam to Lee Livesay are raving about Ultrex QUEST.
If It Ends with a Bass, It Starts with Ultrex
For nearly 90 years, Minn Kota has been assisting anglers in their pursuit of the hookset, helping them pick their spots and get there on their terms. This focus on fishing led to the first Ultrex and it drove every engineering decision behind the newly upgraded Ultrex and all-new Ultrex QUEST. The result is a motor family that builds on everything anglers loved about the original, confirming that when it comes to bass fishing, Ultrex is still king.
Ready to upgrade to Ultrex? Check out the specs to see how the Ultrex and Ultrex QUEST models compare and find the one that’s right for you.
* When run on 24 volts compared to a brushed 24-volt motor at full power.
