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So I realize this might not be the same for the big lake but I was up on Leech this last week. I love using my trolling motor to go 1.6-2.0 mph to do walleye trolling. However a few days of that on leech and winds I obviously can’t last too long without upgrading batteries to lithium etc. 

So I throw the kicker down and it does awesome holding the speed. I hadn’t used it much if at all really even though I spent the cash on it. Anyways I did not catch a single fish when I had the kicker going. Maybe stupid luck? I fully admit it’s probably that. 

I didn’t run planner boards either time. Long line and usually over 100’ back. Only thing that changed would be the motor. Anyone have more knowledge on this and can offer suggestions on it from experience? 

Not too sure about Leech Lake, but I always trolled flatlines for walleye using my big engine on Lake Erie with good results.
Save up for the lifepo4 battery- the performance is amazing and the weight reduction is significant.Best boat related purchase I've made in awhile.

Which lithium did you go with?

Ampere Time from Amazon. Did alot of research and this battery was well reviewed. I have had them since last year and have zero complaints. I bought 2 12v for my 24v system, but you can also buy a single 24 or 36 volt unit.

I stopped by a couple of Lithium Battery places when I was at the ICAST show last month. I told them I wasn't shopping, just wanted some general info. There were a dozen or more battery sellers, none of them were NAME brands like AC Delco, InterState, DieHard, Dura Cell or others and none were made in the USA. Basically, the purveyor bought them from China with a blue, green, yellow or other color plastic case and slapped their own stickers on them. I got the feeling the guts on Brand X is likely identical to Brand Y. If I were shopping for lithiums, I'd check how long the company has been in biz (longer the better) and their warranty period.

Unfortunately, almost all of the lithium cells are Chinese made. There is a guy on Youtube named Will Prowse that does extensive teardowns and testing with some amazing equipment. He has taken many of the Chinese batteries apart and some are quite well made - others not so much. A good point of reference if in the market for lifepo4 batteries