I am far from Mr. Fix-It but with ample help from the world wide web, I’ve been able to save quite a few bucks over the years (with Julie’s help as well). The latest internet search began as “Motor Guide 35 thrust button not working” and resulted in a new micro switch arriving in the mailbox from trollingmotorparts.com. Here’s the rest of the story.

Replacement micro switch on right, damaged micro switch on left

Midway into a Lake Storey outing last October, the trolling motor foot pedal cover on Dad’s 1987 Bass Tracker had an issue as there was no audible click when tapping it with my foot. As a result, there was no thrust when the Momentary (MOM) setting was toggled on. Fortunately, the Continuous (CON) setting was responsive, so I did have a functioning trolling motor. The downside was a lack of precise control as the motor needed to be either on or off, there was no fine tuning so to speak. This made it tough to stay on spots when the wind had other ideas. I would either have to attempt tripping the side switch to the CON position with the toe of my shoe or often bend down and do so with a finger. Then, I would need to use my foot to get the direction dialed in before toggling the CON back to MOM and hoping that whatever momentum the boat had gained was not so much that it put me on top of or past my target. Suffice to say, a lot going on and an annoyance which certainly cost me a shot at some fish in not being where I needed to be to get a cast where it needed to be. (Note: this trolling motor predates the modern feature of spot-lock that continuously adjusts thrust and direction to hold the boat in place with assistance from a built-in GPS unit).

The gray foot pedal button (right) no longer engaged thrust on the Momentary setting (red switch on left) 

I finished out the October 6 outing and made two more visits to Lake Storey with the big boat to end 2025 while contending with the issue. All told, I still landed forty bass while not at “the top of my game”, so it certainly wasn’t a deal breaker. 2026 open water fishing arrived at Lake Storey with a prolonged drawdown of the lake to accommodate construction of an extension of the lakeside walking path. This left the lone accessible boat ramp with an ugly dropoff at the end of the concrete which could do a number on an axle or trailer. As a result, I resorted to using the little johnboat and relying on manpower (rowing) when chasing bass. And that worked out fine but it sure is convenient to be hands free when it comes to boat control. A Lake Storey outing in the big boat on July 26 with the lake at regular pool convinced me that it was time to investigate a solution.

Top view showing the deteriorated rubber boot on the old micro switch (bottom) vs. new switch (top)

The internet pointed me towards a micro switch as the likely fix. Dismantling the trolling motor per a YouTube video, I discovered that the rubber boot on the switch mechanism had deteriorated. This was encouraging so I made the purchase online, received it several days later, and was eager to get back down to Mom and Dad’s to take a shot at the repair. Last Saturday, me and my boys headed down for a visit. I swapped the part, tried to engage the pedal cover and got no response from the motor. I was bummed and tore apart the setup again to check on the condition of the pedal cover to see if something in the housing was preventing the contact needed to depress the button on the micro switch. All seemed to be intact, so I took a break to watch the Cubs-Cards game and ponder my next move. I had the pedal cover and old switch in hand as took in the ballgame and came to realize that I had made an error. As I mentioned at the outset, I am far from Mr. Fix-It and had rotated the new micro switch 180 degrees when replacing. This prevented the raised ring molded into the housing from contacting the button. I had fallen prey to a basic do-it-yourself tenet. “Pay attention to how you take it apart because you have to put it back together.” So, round two of the repairs worked like a charm and I am pleased to report that the trolling motor is back to full functionality.

Switch removed

Switch replaced

Action shot as the fix allowed the prop to spin again

I am quite relieved that a $17 part did the trick ($23 with shipping). Otherwise, it may have required hauling the boat an hour for a repair that would cost considerably more than $23. Dad joked about sending him a bill, but we are all good. After all, he bought the boat close to forty years ago and there’s no paying back on the fish stories enjoyed from its deck. From here, it is a matter of putting the motor to use as I have yet to make my August visit to Lake Storey and keep up my streak of monthly visits. Stay tuned and talk to you later. Troy