Follow Mode — How It Works
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Follow Mode — How It Works
Follow Mode is an advanced navigation feature that allows a Minn Kota trolling motor to automatically follow a selected depth contour, vegetation edge, or bottom hardness line — keeping the boat in the strike zone along complex underwater structure without constant steering input. It requires a compatible Humminbird fish finder connected through the One-Boat Network and represents one of the most sophisticated integrations between sonar and trolling motor technology available to anglers today.
Where Spot-Lock holds a fixed GPS position and Drift Mode maintains a controlled drift speed and direction, Follow Mode does something different: it uses real-time sonar data from your Humminbird unit to steer the boat along a specific underwater feature, automatically adjusting course as the contour changes beneath you.
How Follow Mode Works
Follow Mode works through the One-Boat Network — the communication system that links compatible Minn Kota trolling motors with Humminbird fish finders. When Follow Mode is activated, the Humminbird unit continuously reads sonar data and identifies the selected feature (depth contour, vegetation edge, or bottom hardness transition). It then sends steering commands to the trolling motor to keep the boat tracking along that feature.
The process is continuous and automatic. As the contour curves, the motor steers to follow it. As the depth changes, the system adjusts to maintain the selected depth line. The angler sets the target feature and the system handles the navigation — freeing both hands for fishing.
You select the feature to follow directly on your Humminbird unit's chart or sonar display. The motor then takes over steering while you control speed manually or through Drift Mode.
What Follow Mode Can Track
Depending on your Humminbird unit's capabilities and the sonar technology available, Follow Mode can track several types of underwater features:
- Depth contours — follow a specific depth line along a point, flat, channel edge, or offshore structure; the motor steers to keep the boat at the selected depth as the bottom changes
- Vegetation edges — follow the edge of a grass bed, weed line, or submerged vegetation; particularly effective for species that hold on the outside edge of grass
- Bottom hardness transitions — on units with bottom hardness detection, Follow Mode can track the transition between hard and soft bottom — a key holding area for many species
Why Follow Mode Matters for Saltwater Fishing
In saltwater, fish consistently relate to structure — and structure is rarely straight. Reef edges curve. Channel edges meander. Grass flat edges follow irregular contours that shift with tide and season. Manually following these features while fishing requires constant attention to the sonar and constant steering corrections, leaving little focus for the actual fishing.
Follow Mode handles the navigation so you can focus on the presentation. Key saltwater applications include:
- Reef and ledge fishing — following the edge of a reef or offshore ledge at a consistent depth keeps baits in the strike zone along the entire length of the structure without constant course corrections
- Grass flat fishing — following the outside edge of a grass flat for redfish, trout, and flounder; the motor tracks the vegetation edge automatically as it curves and shifts
- Channel edge fishing — working the drop from a flat into a channel or creek; Follow Mode keeps the boat on the edge as it meanders without manual steering
- Inshore structure fishing — following oyster bars, rock piles, and submerged structure edges that would otherwise require constant attention to navigate accurately
- Offshore depth contour fishing — working a specific depth break for pelagic species; Follow Mode maintains the depth line as the bottom topography changes
Why Follow Mode Matters for Freshwater Fishing
In freshwater, Follow Mode is particularly effective for bass, walleye, and panfish anglers who work complex structure:
- Bass fishing on points and humps — following the contour of a point or underwater hump keeps baits at the right depth through the entire cast-and-retrieve cycle
- Walleye on structure — following depth contours on main lake points, rock piles, and saddles between humps; walleye hold tight to specific depth ranges and Follow Mode keeps you there
- Weed edge fishing — following the outside edge of a weed line for bass, pike, and muskie; the motor tracks the vegetation edge as it curves and changes depth
- River and reservoir fishing — following channel edges and creek channels in reservoirs where the old river channel provides consistent structure
Requirements for Follow Mode
Follow Mode requires specific hardware to function:
- A compatible Minn Kota trolling motor — Follow Mode is available on the Riptide Instinct QUEST, Riptide Ulterra QUEST, Terrova QUEST, and Ulterra QUEST families
- A compatible Humminbird fish finder — APEX, SOLIX, and select HELIX series units with One-Boat Network capability
- One-Boat Network connection — the motor and fish finder must be connected via Ethernet cable through the One-Boat Network
- Appropriate sonar transducer — for vegetation edge and bottom hardness tracking, the Humminbird unit must have the appropriate sonar capability (MEGA Imaging or equivalent)
Follow Mode vs. Manual Navigation
The practical difference between Follow Mode and manual navigation becomes clear when you're fishing complex structure. Manually following a depth contour requires watching the sonar constantly, making steering corrections every few seconds, and splitting attention between the sonar display and the fishing rod. In practice, most anglers either fish or navigate — rarely both effectively at the same time.
Follow Mode eliminates that tradeoff. The system watches the sonar and steers the boat. You watch your line and work the presentation. The result is more time fishing effectively and less time managing boat position.
Using Follow Mode with Other GPS Features
Follow Mode works alongside other Minn Kota GPS features:
- Follow Mode + Drift Mode — Follow Mode handles steering along the contour while Drift Mode manages overall speed; together they provide fully automated structure fishing at a controlled pace
- Follow Mode + Spot-Lock — use Follow Mode to work along structure, then switch to Spot-Lock when you find fish to hold position precisely
- Follow Mode + Jog — while Follow Mode is active, use Jog to make small lateral adjustments to position the boat slightly inside or outside the contour as conditions dictate
Tips for Getting the Most from Follow Mode
- Select a clear, well-defined feature — Follow Mode works best when the target feature (contour, vegetation edge, bottom hardness) is clearly defined on the sonar; in areas with complex or irregular bottom, results may vary
- Approach the feature before activating — position the boat on or near the feature you want to follow before engaging Follow Mode; the system will begin tracking from your current position
- Adjust speed for conditions — Follow Mode handles steering but not speed; set your trolling speed manually or use Drift Mode to complement the automated steering
- Use MEGA Imaging for vegetation tracking — for the most accurate vegetation edge and bottom hardness tracking, MEGA Down Imaging or MEGA Side Imaging provides the clearest picture of underwater features
- Keep the One-Boat Network connection secure — Follow Mode depends on continuous communication between the motor and fish finder; ensure the Ethernet connection is secure and undamaged