How to Choose the Best Jon Boat Trolling Motor

The best jon boat trolling motor is the one matched to four things about your boat: its length and loaded weight (which set the thrust), the height of its transom (which sets the shaft), the number of batteries it can carry (which sets the voltage), and the seat you fish from (which sets the mount). On most jon boats that points to a clamp-on transom motor with a tiller handle, on a shaft long enough to keep the propeller about a foot under the surface. This guide works through each choice with the sizing rules Newport publishes for its motors; it does not rank products.

This guide is general product information, not repair or electrical safety advice. Follow the installation, wiring, and charging instructions in your product’s manual, stop using any battery, charger, or electronics that overheat, swell, or smell of burning, and contact the manufacturer.

A flat-bottomed aluminum jon boat is light, sits low, and often runs in shallow, weedy, or moving water, so each step below treats the jon boat and trolling motor as one setup. If you are new to the gear, start with what a trolling motor is and how the mount types differ.

Step 1: Size Thrust From Boat Length and Load

Newport publishes two quick ways to size thrust, and when you choose a trolling motor for jon boat use, it helps to run both.

By length. The buying notes on Newport’s trolling motor collection page give a general rule: boats up to 12 feet work well with 36 to 46 lb motors, 12 to 16 ft boats are well served by 55 lb motors, and boats 16 feet and larger typically need 62 or 86 lb of thrust.

By weight. Newport’s motor thrust guide adds the boat’s weight to its maximum load capacity and allows 5 lb of thrust for every 200 lb of that total. The guide marks this as a recommendation only for slower fishing use, not for a primary motor.

Here is how they compare on a light aluminum hull, with made-up figures. Say a 14 ft jon boat weighs 250 lb empty and its capacity plate allows 850 lb of people and gear. Weight plus load is 1,100 lb, which works out to 27.5 lb of thrust by the weight rule. The length rule for the same boat says 55 lb. On a light hull the two rules can land far apart: the weight rule responds to how little the boat weighs, while the length rule does not.

Neither page says which number wins. Newport’s thrust guide says choppy water, upstream travel, current, tides, wind, or moving quickly between spots all call for more thrust, and many jon boats spend their days on rivers and tidal creeks. Keep the lower figure for calm, sheltered water; for moving water, treat the length guideline as the floor. If the trolling motor is your only motor, size up again and ask the maker, since the weight rule is written for slow fishing. Our full sizing walkthrough covers the weight method for other hull types.

Step 2: Match the Shaft to Your Jon Boat Transom

Jon boat transoms usually sit close to the water. Newport’s collection page says the 30 and 36 in shafts on its NV and X Series cover most fishing boats, jon boats, and inflatables, and that the propeller needs to run about 12 in below the surface for clean thrust without cavitation.

To find your number, Newport’s shaft length guide says to measure from the mounting spot on the transom down to the waterline and add 20 in. If you land between two sizes, it says to go larger, since a longer shaft can be adjusted and a short one cannot. If you are often in rough water, it adds another 5 in.

Two jon boat examples with made-up numbers:

• Low transom, calm water. The clamp spot sits 9 in above the water with the boat loaded. Adding 20 in gives 29 in, so a 30 in shaft is the fit.
• Same boat on a windy reservoir. Adding the extra 5 in for rough water gives 34 in, which rounds up to 36 in.

Thrust and shaft come as a pair, so check both on the spec sheet. Newport’s NV Series page lists a 30 in shaft for its 36, 46, and 55 lb models and a 36 in shaft for the 62 and 86 lb models, while its collection page lists the X Series as 55 lb on a 36 in shaft.

Measure with the boat loaded, because a jon boat squats at the stern with a battery, a cooler, and a second angler aboard. Going much longer than the rule is a poor trade in skinny water: the same Newport guide warns that an overly long shaft puts the motor head and propeller into rocks, weeds, and logs and adds drag. For the full method, including bow and kayak mounts, see the guide on measuring shaft length step by step.

Step 3: 12 V or 24 V on a Jon Boat

In Newport’s lineup the voltage follows the thrust. Its NV Series page says models up to 62 lb run on a 12V deep cycle marine battery, while the 86 lb motor requires a 24V system. Newport’s battery recommendations add that its 12V motors take one 12V battery, and that 24V setups use two 12V batteries wired in series or a single 24V lithium battery, which Newport does not recommend (see Step 6).

For most jon boats that makes 12V the default, since every thrust class the length rule assigns to boats under 16 ft runs on one battery. A 24V motor makes sense on a long, heavily loaded jon boat that fights current or wind for hours, but a second deep-cycle battery adds weight and takes floor space, and it counts against the same maximum load you used to size the thrust. The trade-offs between the two systems are laid out in our 12V vs 24V comparison.

This guide does not cover wiring. For safety, connect a single battery or a series pair only as the motor’s manual describes, and if you have any doubt, have a qualified marine technician do the work.

Step 4: Tiller Transom or Bow Mount

The mount decides where you steer from, so pick it by where you sit and fish.

• Transom with a tiller suits the most common jon boat layout: you sit on the rear bench and steer by hand. Newport’s collection page describes its trolling motors as mounting to the transom with a clamp-style bracket and steering by a tiller handle.
• Bow mount suits anglers who stand on a front deck and cast all day, because it pulls the boat from the front. Many jon boats lack a flat, solid bow deck, so this route usually means extra hardware and drilling.

If a gas outboard sits in the middle of the transom, the trolling motor goes off to one side, and handle reach matters. Newport’s NV Series specs list a 6 in telescoping handle; its collection page describes the X Series handle as telescoping and tilting up to 30 degrees either way, aimed at non-standard mount locations. Sit in your usual seat and check the reach before you buy.

Clamping, bracket plates, and drilling into aluminum are covered in our guide to mounting a trolling motor on a jon boat, and the broader trade-offs are in the bow mount vs transom mount comparison. Newport’s collection page also notes that its NV and L Series can be converted to a bow-mount setup using its own transom-to-bow guide.

Step 5: Fresh Water, Salt Water, and Brackish Creeks

Jon boats run everywhere from farm ponds to tidal creeks, so check the water rating. Newport’s collection page says all of its trolling motors are built for fresh and salt water, with stainless steel and zinc hardware. Its NV Series page adds a limit: “Our motors are saltwater compatible, but they are not corrosion-proof.” The motors need a freshwater wash and drying after salt water, Newport says, and should never be stored in salt water.

On a freshwater-only jon boat a saltwater rating is optional. If the boat sees brackish or tidal water even a few times a season, buy a motor its maker rates for salt water and rinse it after each of those trips. If you already own a freshwater motor, read about using a freshwater motor in salt water before you take it to the coast.

Step 6: Battery Type and Where It Rides

The motor maker’s battery rules come first. Newport’s battery recommendations say all of its trolling motors require a marine deep-cycle AGM, GEL, or lead-acid battery, and that automotive starting batteries are not compatible: using one can damage the motor and void the warranty. On lithium, Newport says it can be used on both 12V and 24V motors, but it does not recommend it because of an incompatibility between lithium batteries and the LED battery meters on its motors. Other makers set their own rules, so read the manual for the motor you choose. Our lithium vs AGM comparison covers the wider battery question.

Placement matters on a light hull. With the motor, battery, and operator all at the stern, a small jon boat sits low at the back; moving the battery a little forward can level it, but only if the motor’s cables reach, so check the cable length in its specs. Charge and store the battery as its maker directs, and if a battery swells, gets unusually hot, or smells of burning, stop using it and contact the maker. Battery guides are in our Batteries & Power section.

Who Should Look Beyond a Clamp-On Tiller

A clamp-on tiller isn’t for every jon boat owner. Skip it if you fish standing on a front casting deck and want both hands free; a bow mount with foot or remote control fits that style better, at the cost of more installation work. Look at the 62 and 86 lb class, and possibly a 24V system, if you run a jon boat of 16 ft or more loaded with gear on big water; that is where Newport’s length rule points.

Shortlisting the Best Jon Boat Trolling Motor for Your Boat

With thrust, shaft, voltage, and mount settled, compare any electric motor for jon boat use against those numbers. Our roundup of 12-volt trolling motors covers clamp-on transom tillers that fit most jon boats, and our full trolling motor roundup adds bow mounts and higher-voltage options. Every pick there is scored with the method on our How We Review page, and more guides are in the Trolling Motors section.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size trolling motor do I need for a 14 ft jon boat?

Newport’s length rule puts 12 to 16 ft boats at 55 lb of thrust. Its weight rule often comes out lower on a light aluminum hull; keep that lower number for calm water and lean toward 55 lb for rivers, wind, or a full load.

What shaft length does a jon boat trolling motor need?

Measure from the clamp spot on the transom to the waterline, add 20 in, and round up to the next available length, per Newport’s shaft guide; add 5 in more for rough water. On many low jon boat transoms that lands on a 30 or 36 in shaft.

Do I need a 24-volt trolling motor for a jon boat?

Usually not. Newport’s models up to 62 lb run on one 12V battery, which covers what its length rule suggests for boats under 16 ft. Its 86 lb, 24V motor needs a second battery and suits larger, heavily loaded jon boats.

Can a trolling motor be the only motor on a jon boat?

Some owners run a jon boat electric motor as the boat’s only power on quiet water, but Newport lists its trolling motors as secondary propulsion and writes its thrust rule for slow fishing, not as a primary motor. If the trolling motor has to do all the work, size up and confirm with the motor maker that the model fits that use.

How do you mount a trolling motor on a jon boat?

A transom motor clamps to the back of the boat, while a bow mount usually needs a mounting plate or trolling motor mount for a jon boat bow, plus through-bolts. Our dedicated mounting guide covers the steps and aluminum cautions.

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