When Minn Kota® sought to create its meanest motors yet, they didn’t have casual fishing in mind. They were thinking of all the ways anglers have punished their trolling motors over the last 90 years: chasing fish through stumps, stickups, roots, rocks, weeds and waves.
This kind of fishing isn’t for the faint of heart. Minn Kota’s QUEST™ Series is an ode to the adventure angler – the kind who will torture their trolling motor just for a chance at an epic catch. It requires more torque, more thrust and more muscle. Everything an angler needs to fish hard and hold their position without thinking twice.
That’s why Minn Kota made the QUEST motors tougher in every way: 50% greater torque (compared to a 24‑volt brushed motor when run on 24 volts at maximum speed setting) to give anglers immediate power to push through obstacles. 30% longer battery run time to maximize time spent fishing. And a design so thoroughly rugged, it’s garnered rave reviews from hardcore anglers around the country. See how Minn Kota’s trademark toughness takes on a whole new meaning with the QUEST Series.
Kevin VanDam: ‘It Fishes Faster Than I Can’
Take it from the best bass angler of all time: Minn Kota’s QUEST motors can move. Kevin VanDam fishes with Ultrex™ QUEST because of the added muscle and durability, which fit his run-and-gun style and the rough waters of his home lake. “There’s just so much more torque, so much more power. It fishes faster than I can,” KVD said. “Out here on Lake St. Clair, you never know what you’re going to get. It’s a rough place and you got to have equipment that’s going to hold up to it. This new motor is built for water just like this.” Watch VanDam give his full take on the brushless Ultrex as he fishes for smallmouth in Michigan.
Bob Downey: ‘This Thing’s a Tank’
Competitive anglers push their motors to the limit, especially in tournament action. Bob Downey competes with Ultrex QUEST in the Bassmaster Elite Series because its bigger, more rugged build holds up to the rigors of running all over the lake. “This thing was completely rebuilt from the ground up. Every piece in it is redesigned. This thing’s a tank,” Downey said in this QUEST rundown. “It’s got a beefed-up Lift-Assist built into the bracket. So that thing comes up and goes down with ease, making it less stressful on our bodies throughout the course of the day.”
Capt. Justin Leake: ‘It Does All the Work for You’
Minn Kota brought its QUEST design to saltwater with the all-new Riptide Instinct™ QUEST. It’s the only nearshore or offshore trolling motor with push-button deployment. At the press of a button, the motor can plunge or pull its long shaft – available in lengths up to 100″ – into the ocean. That’s a gamechanger for guides like Capt. Justin Leake, who fishes all over the boat. “I spend a lot of time sight fishing out of the tower, so being able to stow and deploy my trolling motor from the tower makes my life so easy,” Leake said. “Especially on these big trolling motors, not having to walk up there and fold that big thing in the boat. It does all the work for you.” See Riptide Instinct QUEST up close as Leake chases redfish in this ride-along video.
Jeff Clark: ‘Keeps You Running for Years to Come’
For saltwater anglers in the northeast, toughness is non-negotiable. Jeff Clark fishes the rocky bays of Rhode Island confidently with his Riptide Terrova® QUEST and its indestructible, carbon fiber-infused 87″ shaft. “The way we fish up here, we’re doing a lot of bottom fishing for tautog. We’re fishing over structure and sometimes we’re bumping along cover, and this is not sandy bottom,” Clark said. “This is shell-covered, seaweed-covered rock. So something to withstand impacts is very critical.”
Made for Adventure Anglers
Inland or off the coast, there’s a QUEST Series motor for every angler. Minn Kota introduced the brushless technology into its best trolling motors: Ultrex, Ulterra® and Terrova® in freshwater and Riptide Instinct QUEST and Riptide Terrova in saltwater.
- Ultrex QUEST comes with a responsive, programmable foot pedal so anglers can keep their favorite functions a toe tap away.
- Ulterra QUEST was made for larger multi-species boats and offers push-button deployment from the included LCD remote – helpful in the challenging waters of harsh, northern climates.
- Terrova QUEST also comes with the new, easy-to-read LCD remote but offers an intuitive stow/deploy lever and smooth-slide ramps.
- Riptide Instinct QUEST provides advanced saltwater protection motor and longer shafts for a stronger hold in deeper water.
- Riptide Terrova QUEST has the same corrosion-resistant components to withstand saltwater while offering manual deployment.
