Deciding on the battery for your trolling motor when using a kayak or canoe is one of the most significant choices you have to make when kayaking or canoeing for pleasure or to fish.
You should give thought to the kind, load, capability, and cost of the most optimal battery for you since you will be investing a fair amount of money in an essential part of your kayak.
What Battery is Best for a Trolling Motor?
One good way to start out when trying to figure out what battery to use is to look for a 12V deep cycle marine battery that is rated with at least 100 amp hours. It ultimately depends on the specifications of your motor and the conditions in which you’re operating it, though.
In certain situations, you may have to significantly go against this guideline, which is alright so long as you comprehend the ramifications.
Given the size of your boat and the fact that you will only be fishing in shallow waters close to the cottage, it might be beneficial to find the most inexpensive, portable, and lightweight battery that you can. Yes, it will be the battery with the least amount of power as well as the one that carries the least capacity when it comes to charge.
If your situation is quite different than the one described (a 20-foot canoe with 3 anglers heading out on a week-long fishing trip powered by a 55-lb thrust motor), then you might think about having a 24V or 36V motor and battery, or even setting up multiple batteries wired up in parallel to provide the necessary power.
What is the Longest-Lasting Battery for a Trolling Motor?
The battery with the greatest Amperage Hour rating is the one that will last the longest when used in a trolling motor. You can come across batteries that have a 300Ah – 400Ah capacity relatively easily, but batteries in the 50Ah – 150Ah range are much more widespread.
Keep in mind that even though everyone that navigates waterways with a kayak, canoe, trolling motor, or other vessel wishes to have the longest-lasting battery, it might be more beneficial to factor in the cost of the battery. You can often purchase two batteries with a capacity of 150Ah for a lower price than one battery of a capacity of 300Ah.
What is an Amp Hour (Ah)?
The most commonly listed characteristic on a boat trolling motor battery is likely the amount of ampere-hours it can provide. The amp hour (Ah) denotes the amount of current that a battery can supply over an hour’s period.
For example, if you have a battery that is 50Ah rated, then it is able to support a 25 amp trolling motor (the amount of thrust generally corresponds with the amps drawn for 1 hour of maximum usage) for a total of 2 hours at full throttle.
In a normal situation, a 100Ah battery with a 30lb motor will last approximately 3 hours and 20 minutes if running at maximum speed, but when fishing it could last all day or even longer.
Why Can’t I Use a Regular Car Battery for my Trolling Motor?
You might use a standard vehicle battery in your trolling motor, but there is a possible chance of ruining both the motor and battery. A deep cycle battery is intended to discharge a larger amount compared to a car battery without going through any oxidation caused by the draining process. A car battery will experience harm if it is discharged between 50% and 80%.
The main purpose of a car battery is to turn on the motor. It produces a substantial surge of power, rather than producing a continuous flow of power over a longer duration. A car battery should not be depleted of large portions of its power, then recharged.
A deep-cycle marine battery lacks the high amperage of a car battery, but instead it is able to offer small trickles of electricity being released to the trolling motor through long-term usage, and then being entirely drained of its energy without becoming damaged by the draining process (whereas a car battery most likely would not be able to survive such a process).
You can run your trolling motor off a car battery, however, I’d recommend limiting the use to an hour or less before putting it back in the engine of your F150.
Best Trolling Motor Batteries For Kayaks Reviewed
1: Optima 8016-103 D34M BlueTop 55 Ah Marine Battery (Best Overall)
This 12V battery is rated at 750 cold cranking amps and requires minimal upkeep, making it ideal for 
use as a trolling motor battery or deep cycle battery. This Optima battery claims to have the capacity for up to three times as many charges as other batteries designed for use in marine applications.
The motor is supposed to be able to sit for extended lengths of time without being charged (up to two years), but it may not be compatible with all types of charging systems, leading to it losing charge and no longer working.
Generally, the top-rated trolling motor batteries come with a twelve-month warranty.
This battery can be installed in almost any orientation, which might be beneficial when you want to attach it to your kayak, in comparison to other batteries. This item has a weight of 43.5 pounds and measures 10 inches in length, 7 inches in width, and slightly less than 8 inches in depth.
This deep cycle marine battery will work well in colder conditions (has optimal starting power even in bad weather like a cranking battery) and benefits from having a reserve of 120 minutes, meaning it can run at 25 amps for 120 minutes before it will reduce its amp usage to a minimum level, which is a significant amount.
This Optima battery is an excellent choice for deep cycle marine batteries, displaying remarkable resistance to shock and vibration. It is the ideal trolling motor battery for fishing trips, as well as the top deep cycle battery on the market.
Pros
- Can hold up to 3x more charges
- Mount in any position
- Ideal for harsh weather conditions
Cons
- May not work with all types of chargers
2: Interstate Batteries 35 Ah AGM Battery
This could be an optimal battery for a trolling motor in tight areas. This Interstate battery is very small and lightweight, being only 7.68 inches by 5.16 inches by 6.14 inches and only having a weight of 23.1
pounds. This is a significant difference from some batteries, which are over twice the weight.
This battery is perfect for a trolling motor, being able to endure long life cycles, deep discharging, and making it an ideal choice for a fishing trip.
This device offers the advantage of being installable in any direction, allowing you some leeway in deciding how to put it in place on your ship for maximum efficiency.
The Interstate battery is an AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) lead acid battery that won’t seep and is an excellent option for powering a kayak trolling motor. This battery is ideal for operating a trolling motor, and it has ample power for smaller trolling motors or deep cycle mobility items.
Pros
- Lightweight
- Compact
- Multiple angle mounting options
Cons
- Not ideal for larger boats
3: Mighty Max Battery (55Ah) For Electric Trolling Motor
This 12V deep cycle battery offers top quality and resilience, with 55 amp hours of delivery, plus a 
calcium alloy grid built in and designed to decrease maintenance and bring superior results. The design of the battery adds strength against damage due to shocks and shakes.
This trolling motor battery from Might Max is the optimal choice since it works well under varying conditions, from high to low temperatures, resulting in increased longevity. But it is a budget trolling motor battery.
You can attach this Mighty Max battery in any orientation, providing you with maximum flexibility. It has been designed in a sealed style so requires absolutely no maintenance.
Although this deep cycle trolling motor battery provides a high-quality performance and an economical price, it is not the most lightweight option for a trolling motor. Be aware that, unlike certain other deep cycle marine batteries, this product does not include a wire harness or mounting screws.
Pros
- Maintenance free operation
- Multiple mounting positions
- Ideal for extreme temperatures
- Affordable option
Cons
- Mounting hardware not included
- Heavy
4: VMAX MR127 100Ah AGM Deep Cycle Maintenance Free Battery
This MR127 has a lot of strength due to its 12V 100ah battery. This might be the ideal selection if you’re in need of sufficient strength and extended duration for a handful of hours in the aquatic environment.
This deep cycle battery operates without needing any maintenance thanks to its thick grids on the inside and secure cell connections that can give long-term power and increased battery life. This particular trolling motor battery has a quick charging time and a solid ability to resist vibration, making it one of the top choices available today.
It has a low amount of internal resistance, which allows users to go fishing for a long stretch of time.
This deep cycle battery has a heftier weight than regular ones, coming in at 68 pounds, and it is also a bit broader than others, its dimensions being 12.1 x 6.7 x 8.2 inches. Fits Group size 27 box for marine batteries. A larger battery with low upkeep may make it difficult to fit in fishing gear, making it an unfavorable choice for kayaks on the smaller side. However, this battery may be a good fit for anglers on larger boats who take their fishing seriously.
Pros
- High power trolling motor battery
- Great vibration resistance
- Ideal for heavy kayaks
Cons
- Heavier than other batteries
5: WindyNation 12V 100 Amp-Hour Deep Cycle VRLA Battery
The WindyNation 12V AGM battery features an extended lifespan and offers 100 amp hours. It is perfect 
for trolling motor utilization and recharging regularly, as it offers deep cycle performance and an extended duration of performance. Ideal as a trolling motor battery with VRLA technology.
This item weighs 63.5 pounds and is slightly longer than other models (13-inches in length), so it would be wise to make sure there is enough room for the rest of your fishing supplies.
If you’re into kayaking, you may need a battery that is not as heavy as this one; however, it can provide enough power to run small bass boats and it comes with a handle for easy carrying.
This robust deep cycle battery has the ability to maintain a power level for up to 240 minutes. Nonetheless, the capacity of the battery may not make it ideal for trolling motor usage while kayaking since it might be too big and heavy.
Pros
- 240 minute reserve maximum capacity
- Ideal as trolling motor batteries
- Durable deep cycle battery
- Good battery life
Cons
- Large
- Heavy
How Much Can I Discharge my Marine Trolling Motor Battery?
It can be perplexing to understand the process of charging and discharging, but this is as straightforward as I can make it; Generally speaking, remember to recharge your deep cycle trolling motor battery when it hits the 50% mark. That’s the short answer with no explanation.
It is not recommended to keep lithium batteries when they have reached a full charge. Keep them at close to the highest charge point possible in order to lengthen their usefulness.
Lead-Acid batteries that are wet cell (which can be AGM or Gel) are made to endure heavy discharge cycles, and AGM batteries can endure discharges more effectively than traditional Lead wet-cell batteries.
Gel batteries are not as robust as AGM when it comes to heat and they usually don’t recharge as quickly. Additionally, they are more susceptible to changes in the environment such as intense temperatures and shaking/bumping.
It can be a hard decision to make about how often and when to plug in your battery for charging. Deep Cycle batteries are designed to be discharged significantly (reaching around 20% or lower of their original capacity).
It is better in the long run if you recharge the battery when its power is at 50% rather than 20%. The disorienting aspect is that if you repeatedly recharge the battery after it has only been used 5% or 10% of its capacity, the service life of the battery will be shorter than if all the recharges occurred once it was 50% empty.
Make sure you use the charger that is specified in the battery manual, as using the wrong one could harm the battery.
Conclusion
Selecting an energy source for your highest quality trolling motor does not need to be complicated. If you are aware of the voltage of your trolling motor and how much power is required for your vessel, you can select the correct option.
Bear in mind that having a small battery size is vital if you are kayaking, so as to make your stuff as lightweight and compact as it can be.
Putting a heavy battery into your vessel could influence how quickly you can go and how long the charge will last since it will add mass to your kayak or boat, thus more weight for the motor to pull.
When deciding which battery to choose, it is important to consider the degree of power your motor and boat need, as well as the length of your trips on the water, their regularity, and how you plan to charge it.
