Fun trip

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Caught my biggest LM at Pelican, back in the 80's, it was 6 lb even and was 24" there were a lot of big bass in there back then. I hung one in Farleys in 97 that was a lot bigger, but he won out in the brush, I was a long time getting over that fish and the video is still in my head. Lots of sight fishing back then when Powell was closer to full, and pelican was all ways crystal clear. My grandmothers favorite eating fish was LM, they were fishing for food in those days, if it got caught it was eaten.
 
4LOJO said:
Ouch that had to hurt but I'm sure you'll like the new a lot more. I cussed myself and shook my head and wondered what the next brain fart would be can't remember off hand what happened but I'm sure it wasn't long:D
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I think I had the same thought. What’s the next big oops. I’m usually pretty dialed in on the process that think has me and my occupants covered. Gotta stay vigilant. We were cold and hungry and tired and it was getting dark. Fishing had been slow despite our best efforts. Just moving too fast and lost “situational awareness” for a moment. I can handle tucking my tail between my legs and forking out some cash.
I’m just glad it wasn’t something real dumb or life threatening.
 
Dorado said:
I’m surprised your motor didn’t pop up when you took off. I have done that more than once on my old crestliner, and it released under that much force, just dangled with the prop in the water a bit. Was a manual tilt. My new boat has power tilt, i better not forget now! I put a 9.9 Suzuki with EFI and electric start on the Ranger, it is much smoother and quieter than my old carbureted Mercury. No choke and easy cold start.
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Yeah. I’m not sure if the manual vs. electric tilt makes a difference in that. I suspect it must. So please learn from my mistake!
I’ve also gotten into the habit of putting the motor in gear when it’s not running. Specifically in reverse. The guy I bought it from (I confirmed this by the mechanic as a good standard practice) told me to always put it in reverse. I guess the prop will spin while towing or cruising and can cause damage when free spinning if left in neutral.
I wish it had popped up. That would’ve been a lot cheaper. Although that motor became harder and harder to start and I figured at some point I’d have to replace it (just not in the 1st year I owned the boat).
I guess it has a small port or tube or something that lets the gas into the carburetor. Over a short period of time using that particular type of motor, it was common that people would need to run the fuel out of it and clean pretty regularly in order to get it to start. The mechanic said the EFI just starts and goes. Super reliable and very little issues. So at least I’ve got that goin for me…of course… after I get over the $4000 to buy and have installed.
 
FishnFly said:
I think I had the same thought. What’s the next big oops. I’m usually pretty dialed in on the process that think has me and my occupants covered. Gotta stay vigilant. We were cold and hungry and tired and it was getting dark. Fishing had been slow despite our best efforts. Just moving too fast and lost “situational awareness” for a moment. I can handle tucking my tail between my legs and forking out some cash.
I’m just glad it wasn’t something real dumb or life threatening.
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That was the same trip of the Bullfrog Marina fire. Probably should have just gone home after that fire experience. But we stayed! Got colder and windier every day. Had generator issues on the house boat, out drive issues and towing in the snow over Vail pass and through Eisenhower on the way back to Evergreen. We still had fun and caught 25 or so fish. I think the next week was when Kevin caught 150+ Stripers in Bullfrog bay and the week prior was the eclipse.
I wish I had the flexibility to just go when the weather is right and not because it fits in the schedule. IMO though, any trip to Powell is better than just about anything else regardless of the conditions.
 
Have the Garmin reactor 40 on my kicker Yamaha 9.9. I love the thing but there are times the speed control won't control very well then days never have a problem maintaining speed? I think if it was EFI that would maybe help don't know? I'm sure your going to love yours.
 
4LOJO said:
Have the Garmin reactor 40 on my kicker Yamaha 9.9. I love the thing but there are times the speed control won't control very well then days never have a problem maintaining speed? I think if it was EFI that would maybe help don't know? I'm sure your going to love yours.
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Just looked that up. I didn’t even know that was as something anyone needed. My kicker is connected to my steering wheel and the throttle is right there as well.
I’m guessing this system ties into your Garmin sonar/charts to follow a track at a certain speed, hands off?
 
FishnFly said:
Just looked that up. I didn’t even know that was as something anyone needed. My kicker is connected to my steering wheel and the throttle is right there as well.
I’m guessing this system ties into your Garmin sonar/charts to follow a track at a certain speed, hands off?
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I'll PM you later.
 
4LOJO said:
Have the Garmin reactor 40 on my kicker Yamaha 9.9. I love the thing but there are times the speed control won't control very well then days never have a problem maintaining speed? I think if it was EFI that would maybe help don't know? I'm sure your going to love yours.
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Glad to know I'm not the only one with speed control issues. Steering and direction are spot on, but sometimes I just have to manually adjust the throttle.
 
FishnFly said:
Yeah. I’m not sure if the manual vs. electric tilt makes a difference in that. I suspect it must. So please learn from my mistake!
I’ve also gotten into the habit of putting the motor in gear when it’s not running. Specifically in reverse. The guy I bought it from (I confirmed this by the mechanic as a good standard practice) told me to always put it in reverse. I guess the prop will spin while towing or cruising and can cause damage when free spinning if left in neutral.
I wish it had popped up. That would’ve been a lot cheaper. Although that motor became harder and harder to start and I figured at some point I’d have to replace it (just not in the 1st year I owned the boat).
I guess it has a small port or tube or something that lets the gas into the carburetor. Over a short period of time using that particular type of motor, it was common that people would need to run the fuel out of it and clean pretty regularly in order to get it to start. The mechanic said the EFI just starts and goes. Super reliable and very little issues. So at least I’ve got that goin for me…of course… after I get over the $4000 to buy and have installed.
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You sent me down a rabbit hole! The idea that leaving your motor down and in neutral causes wear appears to be a myth (that’s what the internet says, can’t be wrong🤣).
Mercury apparently recommends leaving down, as it puts less strain on the steering mechanism when the big motor stays in the water vs. tilted up. makes sense to me, as the only thing spinning in neutral is the shaft. Since there is no load on the bearings, spinning when in neutral shouldn’t put any strain on them.
 
Dorado said:
You sent me down a rabbit hole! The idea that leaving your motor down and in neutral causes wear appears to be a myth (that’s what the internet says, can’t be wrong🤣).
Mercury apparently recommends leaving down, as it puts less strain on the steering mechanism when the big motor stays in the water vs. tilted up. makes sense to me, as the only thing spinning in neutral is the shaft. Since there is no load on the bearings, spinning when in neutral shouldn’t put any strain on them.
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I spend the majority of my life down one rabbit hole or another! So I feel your pain.

Mercury says to leave the kicker motor down while running the big motor??? That’s what caused the catastrophic damage (I think) or maybe it was that I had it in reverse and trimmed down when I took of with the big motor.

I feel like the mechanic and previous owner were speaking mostly about having it in gear while towing. Apparently the concern would be wind windmilling the prop at higher rates of rotation that it’s designed to spin and for long periods of time. I don’t know.

It’s probably not as necessary to put the kicker in gear while traveling at speed on the water, but I’d be real hesitant to leave the kicker motor trimmed down while traveling at speed with the big motor. Especially if you do what I did and leave it in gear.
 
I guess it’s time to own up why I was short on gas when we ended up towing a boat from the horn! Nights were cold so I lowered the trolling motor in the water when we shut down for the night so it wouldn’t freeze, we got in the cab and zipped up for the trip in the morning and started up lake, I noticed when I would trim where I normally do my big motor would cavitate and by the time we had traveled about 20 miles I was using a lot more gas than normal! We talked a little and decided something was wrong so we stopped, unzipped and stepped out and first thing we noticed was the motor was down! Fuel consumption was twice what it should have been and speed was a bit slower for the rpm’s as well. I felt pretty stupid but that’s the way life is getting as I get older. I didn’t want to say anything but enough of you have done the same thing so I will own up to it! I will say I would never do that on purpose, period!
 
Dworwood said:
I guess it’s time to own up why I was short on gas when we ended up towing a boat from the horn! Nights were cold so I lowered the trolling motor in the water when we shut down for the night so it wouldn’t freeze, we got in the cab and zipped up for the trip in the morning and started up lake, I noticed when I would trim where I normally do my big motor would cavitate and by the time we had traveled about 20 miles I was using a lot more gas than normal! We talked a little and decided something was wrong so we stopped, unzipped and stepped out and first thing we noticed was the motor was down! Fuel consumption was twice what it should have been and speed was a bit slower for the rpm’s as well. I felt pretty stupid but that’s the way life is getting as I get older. I didn’t want to say anything but enough of you have done the same thing so I will own up to it! I will say I would never do that on purpose, period!
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We've all been guilty of forgetting. I don't think I've ever gone 20 miles though;)
 
FishnFly said:
I spend the majority of my life down one rabbit hole or another! So I feel your pain.

Mercury says to leave the kicker motor down while running the big motor??? That’s what caused the catastrophic damage (I think) or maybe it was that I had it in reverse and trimmed down when I took of with the big motor.

I feel like the mechanic and previous owner were speaking mostly about having it in gear while towing. Apparently the concern would be wind windmilling the prop at higher rates of rotation that it’s designed to spin and for long periods of time. I don’t know.

It’s probably not as necessary to put the kicker in gear while traveling at speed on the water, but I’d be real hesitant to leave the kicker motor trimmed down while traveling at speed with the big motor. Especially if you do what I did and leave it in gear.
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Sorry, I thought you meant leaving your main engine down while using the kicker motor! Obviously, leaving your kicker down when under power would not be a good idea🤣🤣😊
 
Dorado said:
Sorry, I thought you meant leaving your main engine down while using the kicker motor! Obviously, leaving your kicker down when under power would not be a good idea🤣🤣😊
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I always leave my main down while using the kicker. Just not the other way around. Did I read that wrong?
 
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