On the West Coast, few bass anglers can rival the tournament success of Greg Gutierrez or "Double G," as he's known by many. He's been at it for decades with many wins, including just recently at the BAM Super 60 on Don Pedro. Over the years, he's seen many improvements in fishing tackle, gear, and electronics, but going to lithium batteries is one of the biggest things that's changed things for him. The switch was for the better, and he sees many benefits to lithium power.
Three Main Benefits of Lithium Batteries
The weight savings of switching to lithium are often mentioned when discussing batteries, but there are many other plusses. The three that Gutierrez pointed out are longer-lasting power, brighter electronic screens, and faster charging.
One significant aspect of lithium batteries is that they go full speed until there is no power left, unlike other batteries that will gradually lose power throughout the day. Gutierrez likes to fish fast, and lithium batteries can keep up with his fishing style.
"I like to stand on that trolling motor when I fish," he said. "I remember a tournament we had in Oregon, and I was in heavy current and wind and on spot-lock all day long, and the batteries held me strong all day. That was even before I had one of the newer trolling motors that are better on power. I stood right there in the teeth of that heavy wind and was able to fish all day long, and that's when I realized how good the Bioenno batteries are."
Gutierrez runs a dedicated single Bioneno 12v 100aH battery for his electronics and says that isolating the power is the way to go. "It keeps everything crisp, and my screens stay bright all day long," he said. "Now we have our graphs and Active Target, and everything and power has never been more critical. Some run everything off of their cranking battery, but this is the way to go and keep them performing their best."
Charging speed is another key when fishing all day and getting ready for the next tournament day. "I run a Stealth 1 charger that charges my boat when I'm running, but when I get back in, I just use the regular chargers from Bioenno," he said. "I can get them fully charged in a couple of hours, whereas a lead acid battery will start with a big power push, take all night to trickle in more power, and still won't always be fully charged in the morning. Even if the light is green, you may only be 85 percent or so charged with those batteries, where lithium will show the correct charge state."
While he's primarily fishing tournaments, he says the charging speed and efficiency are something all anglers can benefit from. "I talk to a lot of club anglers and guys who go camping for trips and have to bring extra batteries," he said. "A generator won't fully charge lead acid batteries correctly with a generator. There's just not enough there. With a lithium battery, your efficiency is much better and the way to go if you have limited time or insufficient power to charge a battery on a fishing trip."
Always Have a Backup Battery Plan
It's one thing to lose power and miss out on some fishing time during a day of fishing for fun, but it's a lot more crucial when big money is on the line. That's why Gutierrez has always been a proponent of having everything properly rigged and with a plan in place.
"32 years as a firefighter taught me always to have a backup plan," he said. "When running 12v batteries in the past, I'd always want an extra battery just in case I needed to swap run out. Now, I run a 36v Bioenno battery and have two of them in there, so if one were ever to go out or lose power, I have a backup."
Gutierrez also hinted at a new battery coming out that will be a 100aH 36volt in the size of a smaller package, so he can get even more power and save more space in his compartment. Bionenno makes batteries for many purposes, and that's why Gutierrez trusts them.
"They have years of experience doing this and have plenty of knowledge on what setup you need," he said. "It's relaxing to know that their product is so great that I know it's one less thing I have to worry about."
Over the years, as a professional angler, Greg Gutierrez has seen many trends emerge, including the power shift to lithium. He believes it's one of the best changes for boaters, and there are many reasons why he now runs Bioenno lithium batteries.
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