Jesse Wiggins
As a lifelong resident of Alabama, Jesse Wiggins grew up hunting and fishing in his childhood hometown of Addison. Now, as an adult, Jesse lives right down the road in Cullman and has made the transition from fishing as a fun hobby to a fulfilling profession, one that he excels at. Jesse is now a professional angler in the Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour and lives for the competition that his tournaments provide. We talked to Jesse about what motivated him to upgrade to lithium batteries and how they have powered up his professional bass fishing career as well as his hunting.
Jesse’s power system includes:
Jesse’s main use for his batteries is to power his bass boat, but he also uses them to power his golf cart and as an emergency backup source of power when he goes hunting. Jesse’s 36V Bass Cat Cougar boat with a Mercury motor uses three 12V RB-100s to power the trolling motor and one RB-100HP to power the cranking and electronics, such as fish finders, on-deck.
Why Jesse switched to lithium batteries:
"I originally relied on lead acid batteries, but they did not retain their power for as long as lithium, and more than anything, they were far too heavy. Lithium technology is constantly advancing, and I saw through others that they were a lighter and stronger choice, which are both important when it comes to navigating through the water for longer periods of time during tournaments. For me, they helped save considerable weight on my boat, and they also saved me time, as the lithium batteries charged much faster than my old lead acid batteries did.”
Why Jesse chose RELiON:
"I had constantly heard good things about RELiON from other anglers over the past several years. Also, RELiON’s lithium batteries are approved for a Mercury outboard motor, which I rely on, making this the best brand for me.”
How lithium batteries have helped Jesse challenge his limits:
“One of my largest concerns when going out on the water is knowing that my power system will not fail, leaving me stuck in a tough spot. With lithium batteries, I have complete peace of mind when I place my boat in the water, knowing my power system is top of the line. This confidence allows me to spend less time worrying about worst case scenarios and more time focusing on improving my fishing during competitions and practices.”
Jesse’s advice for anyone thinking about switching to lithium:
"Don’t think you are saving money by purchasing a lead acid battery. That initial lower price adds up after multiple sets of lead acid batteries are needed to replace that first set you purchased. Do yourself a favor and go with lithium from the start because they save you money over the long run, last longer and offer additional benefits like charging faster and weighing less.”