I may have raised this question on the dark side, not sure. Anyway, my primary goal is to remain as quiet as possible when on the water, fishing solo makes this more difficult. Now when I’m poling down a shoreline it’s usually with wind/current so I’m guiding more then pushing. When I get to a spot to fish I steak out, climb down pushing my stick it pole in off the transom (just in case the push pole lets go). I’ll move forward to start placing my fly every 5’ until I can’t reach any further. Walk back, pull the stick climb up and do it again. Sometimes I can pole off the back deck but you get picture as I’m sure you’ve all been here.
The other, more efficient way is to very slowly push into the wind/current with my trolling motor shut it down then stick it from the bow. Same fly placement as above. Everything is the same except how I get to where I’m going.
My thoughts on pushing into conditions with the TM is the water/wind direction is pushing the sound/vibration down current where I’ve already fished. Stealthy? I’d like to know what you all think?
Let me add, I have the pleasure to fish with a friend who’s 80. He’s been a fly guide here close to 30 years. I take him with me on occasion to give him time behind the rod as he’s always chartering. Anyway, my TM method is how Capt fishes now as it’s getting a little more difficult for him to climb up and down to pole. Capt still catches a lot of fish!
Feel free to share your thoughts 
For me up here in Northeast Florida, when I fly fish solo, I often use the trolling motor to cover ground and when I get closer to my spot, I may switch to the pole for stealth. I often can get em on the troll if I keep it low and not make any noise however. In general, the skinnier, the water the more I pole
I can push with the TM slowly inching my way along but I just find it easier to shut it down and use my stick it pole. Constantly having to control the trolling motor, it can be a pain in the ass.
Best is with a TM if solo especially if blind casting. I can do it. It’s a PITA and much more so with a fly over conventional, but doable. I’ve tried with a pole and it’s too much of a hassle…
Vinny I think you’ll be fine doing that especially if there any noise from wind and waves and you have some grass around to deaden the sound.
I do something similar when throwing plugs and it’s not an issue. Go slow and keep the speed constant.
I use the TM solo, on all species, if you get proficient with it, it makes minimal noise. My TM remote is the small version and it attaches to the belt loop above my right pocket. It’s 8” and basically an easy reach to adjust, when the remote needs to be out of the way I slip into my pocket, easy to pull the lanyard out when needed. It’s a few inches away. Ergonomically it’s in a better place. The worse place to hang the remote is around your neck, it swings, when you bend it’s all over the place.
Setting a steady pace and slowing the motor down is key on the flats, mangroves, a good distance where you can target the mangrove slots. I don’t think it makes a big difference in the big scheme. There is a definite advantage on sight casting though on the pole vs TM on flat shallow. When solo I try to target fish in mangroves or cover, they don’t spook as much.
I’m 100% fly fishing btw.
I added the glasses for scale
@Loogie
You just described me to a “T”. My ipilot remote is on my left hip (right hand caster) hanging off my pliers belt. The remote’s attachment is just long enough to slide in my left pocket. I usually push into conditions at a snail’s pace, (sometimes I stop using my Stick it pole off the bow) as to not missing any spots I think hold fish, slots, depressions, drop offs, points etc….
My fear of the TM spooking fish is why I’ve become proficient at target practice from distance, usually 50-60’. I also am pretty proficient at getting my fly out of branches 
My remotes larger but fits. I also have the foot controller but never use it. Just something else to deal with🙄
Or, just make sure you bring me along to pole!
If its shallow and a hard bottom - jump out and wade.
If its deep - drift with the wind and pole from the bow.
If its deep and no breeze - Try to float with the current and pole from the bow
If no current, but the top of the tide and no wind - Wait until the tide starts falling and go with the tide.
If no current, but bottom of the tide - put my rods down, pick up my long bow and go look for pigs.
There’s a special place in heaven for pork
I TM all the time solo. Go slow, don’t change speeds, and don’t change directions much. When you think you are going slow enough, go a bit slower. I use the old school variable sped throttle model. I think it is quieter especially when changing directions and I can steer with my hip for hands free.
Thanks Tim
I’ll keep my thoughts about trolling motors to myself…
I fish solo a lot and have a pretty good system down. Pole from the bow with the rod resting on top of a stripping bucket all stripped out fly and leader in the cockpit. See your shot develop, pole between the legs and make the cast.
It’s a lot easier with a buddy but I’ve got a small group of people I’ll fish with and schedules don’t always line up, want to keep certain things to myself, and sometimes you just need to go pole around and clear your head.
Appreciate the honesty
What’s a trolling motor? 
I rarely have another person on board for most of the reasons @Nway93 mentioned, but I go about it multiple ways, depending on what I’m doing. Sometimes I’m polling from the bow, sometimes I’m staked out, others I’m polling from the platform. And sometimes I just drift. The two constants are my stripping bucket and my pole clip. The clip is on my Waist belt PFD and the bucket is loaded and ready to rock. I will say, if you are on the rear platform in clear, skinny water, you have to be comfortable with long shots. 60’-80’. I’ve got one spot I like to go to way back in the marsh, it opens up to some beautiful hard sand bottom, but the fish are incredibly spooky and it really requires some finesse and distance casts. Ya know, cause it isn’t hard enough just doing solo fly..
..But I’ve come to terms that I’m just a glutton for punishment.
Get out of the boat and wade fish with a stripping basket and a stringer.
You just got to Texas and already thinking like us…
Actually many of the Tampa Florida area fly fishing tournaments are won by wade fishing. Two anglers blind casting while wading beats both anglers sight fishing from the boat.
World Record Trout too!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIXhMRYHvhI
@MariettaMike we’ve got a guy here that does a lot of wading as well. He doesn’t fly fish, but he will enter both yakk and boat tournaments then go out and wade and if he doesn’t win, he’s generally top 3.
So just to give two simple reasons as to why I don’t wade, not where I fish anyway.
- Soft muddy bottom, not interested in sinking
- Most places I fish I see 3-6’ sharks, usually Bulls, Black tip, Bonnets and near the passes, Hammerheads.
Yesterday Capt Al and I were fishing the south side of the harbor. We were in a place called Pelican bay painting Mangroves. I placed a fly under some overhanging branches as retrieved, a 6’ Bull follows my fly out.
I’ll stay in my skiff👍