Whether it is the primary or secondary form of propulsion on an angler's boat, a trolling motor is a self-contained unit that can be lifted up out of the water when not in use. Sometimes it's attached to the bow and sometimes to the stern. It has a variety of uses . When used as a secondary form of propulsion, it's used for trolling for game fish and usually mounted on the transom next to the primary motor. It gives the possibility for more precise positioning of the boat so that the person fishing can cast the bait where the fish are located

Trolling motors are generally designed with a DC electric motor that uses 12-volt deep cycle batteries for power. The motors are sealed into a watertight container at the end of a shaft and are submerged when needed. Tiller steering is most common, with speed control normally located on the top of the unit. Trolling motors controlled by hand attach to the boat with clamps.

For smaller watercraft like canoes and kayaks, trolling motors may be used as a primary source of automatic propulsion. Minn Kota, a company based in Racine, Wisconsin, is one brand of trolling motors. The company makes both fresh water and salt water motors in over a dozen different models, all of which have engine shafts made of composite materials designed for long wear. Minn Kota trolling motors for salt water are made with materials that resist salt water corrosion.

Minn Kota also makes the i-Pilot, which is a GPS-based control system for some of its trolling motors. It uses GPS technology for navigation and positioning that does not require hands-on operation. Used on certain Riptide/ Terrova models, it feature cruise control as well as a special option that allows users to obtain a fishing track of up to two miles and save it in memory , making it available for later use.

The Riptide series of trolling motors are saltwater trolling motors made for the harsh conditions of saltwater immersion. Any metal-on-metal interfaces feature composite bushings for isolation, which reduces wear and makes the motor very quiet. The tiller steering system is fully customizable in terms of tilt angle and length. And they feature the Lift-Assist gas-charged spring integrated into the bow mount, making it easier to lift the motor in and out of the water.

The Traxxis is a transom-mounted freshwater trolling motor from Minn Kota, with features designed to assist in deploying, stowing, steering, and depth adjustment. Transom motors have been reputied as being "tricky" to work with , but the Traxxis is created especailly for one-hand stowing with no push buttons or release levers. Like the Riptide models , the tiller steering is adjustable in terms of handle angle and length. In addition, it It also has a cam lock depth adjustment which is not typical for ordinary tension knob depth control. It allows the Traxxis' depth to be precisely fixed, with no slipping.