The shift to lithium battery power for bass boats is underway, and many boaters have already made the switch. There are many benefits to running lithium, and most of the time, the reasons mentioned have to do with the drastic weight savings and incredible power for trolling motors.
Those are great benefits but have been widely mentioned and have become common knowledge. According to California tournament angler Ken Mah, there are many more reasons to use lithium. One of the biggest benefits he sees is how well your electronics perform with lithium power. Our electronics, especially forward-facing sonar, have become crucial for many bass anglers, and running lithium has allowed Mah and others to get the most out of their electronics and keep them performing flawlessly all day long.
Reliable Power is a Must
Good power is critical for keeping you fishing all day, and Mah says lithium has become a must for him. He runs three Bioenno 12v 100aH batteries for his trolling motor and another dedicated to his electronics.
"The importance of all of the things we have put on our boat has made lithium a necessity for me, and it's no longer a luxury item," he said. "The prices have come down on lithium, and they are now not that much more expensive than a quality AGM battery, but they offer much better performance."
On his boat, Mah runs two Lowrance Active Target 2 transducers and three Lowrance units up front. He has one single battery that powers just all of that.
"I have them connected to that battery, and my back graphs are still connected to my cranking battery," said Mah. "The back graphs are really only used when idling or running the boat, so they do not have to be on the same battery as the front graphs," he said. "Having a dedicated battery for my forward-facing sonar transducers and graphs up front means there is no power loss even if I run them all day."
Another thing that Mah has noticed is the performance of his graphs. With other batteries, there tends to be a slight weakening of power after a long day of fishing. Mah had a perfect analogy to what happens, likening it to your eyesight slowly worsening.
"It's like slowly losing your vision a little bit, and you don't realize that it's gotten that bad until you go to your optometrist," he said. "Then they check your eyes, and you can see clearly again; that's the same effect on your screen. The power loss is gradual, and you have a dim picture before you know it. You don't have that same loss with lithium power, and it's clear all day long."
Keeping You on the Water
With the cost of everything bass anglers put on their boats and the often limited time we get to use them, staying on the water as long as possible is critical. This is yet another reason why Mah loves his Bioenno lithium batteries.
"The amount of money that we all have invested in our boats and electronics is quite a bit nowadays, so why would you want to limit your performance by going with inferior batteries that could cut your fishing day short," said Mah. "That's like having a Ferrari and putting slick tires on it or using cheap gas. Plus, Bionenno batteries are assembled here in California, and I know that if I ever had a problem, the support and backing are right here."
Mah uses Bioenno lithium to power his Power-Pole MOVE trolling motor, saying the performance has been incredible. The added peace of mind has been a lifesaver when traveling to tournaments.
"I know that when I'm traveling to a tournament, I have confidence that I'll get a fast charge," he said. "I also run a Power-Pole CHARGE, so I am charging while I'm running the boat, and if I had to, I can fish two days in a row without having to charge. That means I could camp somewhere without power if I had to without having to haul a generator around with me. I wouldn't need to take an extension cord with me, and I'm confident I would still have power at the end of the trip."
There are many benefits to lithium battery power for bass boats, and there are plenty of reasons to make the switch besides just the weight savings compared to other batteries. These batteries offer great power that doesn't slowly weaken throughout the day, so your electronics will run flawlessly all day long.
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