On The Hunt With The Minn Kota Riptide Instinct Quest

The Minn Kota Riptide Instinct Quest Goes Trolling For Tarpon, Jack & More

Like most outdoor writers, I’m wired in a way that seems to defy conventional logic, particularly when you consider how I primarily enjoy the outdoors. For the first 40 years of my life, I lived on an island with abundant fishing opportunities in one of the worst states for gun owners. My choices were to take to the freedom of the open seas or cut through a mile of red tape to maintain a career involving firearms. I chose the latter and continue to duke it out with New York State to restore the rights many have died for.

Angling In New York

Now, that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy getting a rod wet time and again, as nothing was better than getting out with Dad and my uncle to fish Jones Inlet, The Long Island Sound, or even Montauk Point. With water never being more than a few minutes away, I was raised a little lax with regard to targeting. The idea was anchor or drift where you can, and if the fish were there, we’d hit ’em. If not, we can always try again tomorrow. The idea of running a trolling motor for assistance never came into play, especially when you factor in the typical motor’s life expectancy when subjected to salt water. Truth be told if you’re blessed with unlimited time and patience, this method is just fine. However, if you’re a serious angler looking to capitalize on a specific phase of the season, or you need to fight the fish on their terms, you better have a good trolling motor.  

Let’s Troll—Minn Kota Style

Just a few weeks prior to this writing, I received an invitation to work with the Minn Kota pro staff out of Stuart, Florida, to get some in-person experience with their latest creation, the Riptide Instinct Quest. Due to my upbringing, I had little knowledge of the brand, so I did some digging before printing my boarding pass. What I found blew my mind, as my entire concept of a trolling motor was apparently skewed.

These weren’t piddly little kickers but rather advanced technological equipment capable of automating several tasks that would normally rob you of opportunity. Combining GPS correction and fish finder integration, Minn Kota’s latest products transform your boat into a fish-seeking Tesla. Furthermore, the Riptide series is sealed and ruggedized to stand up to corrosive saltwater, taking electric trolling motors far beyond lakes and ponds. I was so excited about the opportunity that I failed to notice that a targeted species wasn’t listed on our itinerary. That was because we were going after everything.

Questing For Jack Crevalle

Day one began under the guidance of Captain Cody Rubner of High Roller Guide Service. A marine biologist by trade, his knowledge of the adjacent aquatic life was impressive. He arrived on a Pathfinder 2300 HPS, loaded to the gills with the attitude to go after whatever we found running. It only took a few minutes of patrolling the Indian River Lagoon before we spotted a massive school of jack crevalle running parallel to the beach. The most common plan of attack is to loop wide using the outboard and then quietly cut them off to throw a plug in their faces.

To get it done, you need to be both deliberate in your motions and quiet in your approach. The Quest series is built with a brushless motor, which delivers on both of these fronts, and this particular model deploys with the push of a button—using this feature set, Captain Rubner was able to get the Riptide on course while he gave me the low-down on our tactics. It didn’t take long until my partner, Dustin, hooked a monster, and I quickly followed up with a 30-pounder, making this my first Florida fish and a brand-new species to add to my resume.

Wreckin’ False Albacore

We continued on with this cadre for five or six more runs, amazed by how quickly this motor pulled nearly 4,000 pounds of boat, putting us within mere feet of the jack’s noses. After pulling a third aboard, we sought deeper waters and targeted the false albacore that inhabited a well-known wreck just a touch offshore. In this scenario, we utilized the spot-lock feature, which essentially uses the system’s GPS to anchor you in place. Dropping a line directly over the wreck was critical, so we used the jog feature to change our position in 5-foot increments until we were right over what we wanted. Again, it was only a few minutes until I had an 8-pounder in my grasp, thanks to the clever application of some threadfin chum.

Oooh, Barracuda

In certain instances, anchoring simply isn’t an option. As I write these words, I think of the countless anchors sacrificed to the footings of the Throgs Neck bridge. Reminiscent of this scene, we fished the cooling water intakes of the Martin County Nuclear power plant in pursuit of barracuda, which was a bucket list fish for me. This is another species that takes pinpoint accuracy to net, as the lure needs to be cast into their line of sight and retrieved as quickly as possible. Using the Minn Kota, we were able to hold a position despite the swirling current generated by the power plant.

Needless to say, this would be near-impossible with an anchor, at least if retrieving it is among your priorities. It took a few attempts, but both Dustin and I were able to get one to play, making this my third consecutive new species to hit our deck. Our success came without a moment to spare, as we were pushing to the last minute before that batch of heavy storms in the distance rolled into our position. As we booked it back to camp, I sat in a combination of awe and regret upon learning just how much utility these trolling motors truly had.

Finding Tarpon Via Humminbird

The next morning, we awoke to clear skies but an ominous horizon. As daylight cracked over the bow, we knew immediately that if we were going to make something happen, it would have to be early, and we had zero time to mess around.

This day, I would be under the guidance of Captain Ed Zyak, a 26-year veteran of these waters, whose experience played immensely in our favor. His wisdom, coupled with the side imaging technology of our Humminbird fish finder, put us in a position to locate some legendary Floridian tarpon in no time flat. With the heavens ready to open up on us, we decided staying close to shore would be a smart move and one that had a better chance of bearing fruit, as the reduced beach occupancy would keep bigger fish closer.

As we scanned the channel, we marked several silver kings in a concentrated area and used the One-Boat network to keep us in what was shaping up to be an exceptional neighborhood. Plainly stated, this is an integration between the motor and fish finder to keep you in a set zone. This might have been the most interesting deployment of the motor that I witnessed. As the winds changed and the tide drew us beyond our limits, the Riptide automatically detected our position and wheeled us back within our perimeter. Each correction was gentle but powerful, pushing the 25-foot Ranger as if it were an inflatable raft.

Within minutes, we watched a 100-pounder engulf the blue crab we floated behind us, narrowly missing the hook. Sending out a second, it would only be another 15 minutes before his little brother decided it was his turn, but he wasn’t quite as lucky. Watching the rod bend in half and what seemed like 100 yards worth of line leave the spool, Captain Zyak started the outboard, hit the auto-stow on the trolling motor, and began the chase.

After a choreographed series of alternating tugs and cranks, a 15-minute battle brought the 70-pounder boatside. I’d like to sit here and write that my years of expertise are what kept the fight so short, but we know that’s not the case. No, the reason I went home with my biceps intact is that we were able to get after that monster without having to run to the bow to manually stow the trolling motor, as seconds on the clock equal yards of line we’d have to win back.

Fishing-Tech Takeaways

There are many ways to quantify the benefit of quality gear, but I think the best metric for this trip is to consider that I connected with four new species in less than 10 hours on the water. Minn Kota’s Riptide Instinct Quest got us where we needed to be, kept us where we needed to stay, and stepped aside when we needed it gone. Combined with top-tier captains and well-maintained equipment, there’s no surprise that we were as successful as we were.

Furthermore, we were able to share the feeling of accomplishment, as the motor didn’t compensate for a lack of skill; rather, it economized our efforts. I think Captain Rubner put it best when he said, “Technology fills the gaps between instinct and ability, allowing you always to be effective.” Having the right gear aboard made all the difference on this trip and has seriously changed the way I look at trolling motors. Drifting is certainly relaxing, but if you can’t put your boat where you need it, there’s next to no reason to leave the shore.

For more information, visit minnkota.johnsonoutdoors.com/us

Check out the Minn Kota Riptide Instinct Quest in action!

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