I also went out for about 7 hours today, pretty much same report as targaman. 5 short walleye, 2 sauger. All on purple ringie with white tail. None on meat. Tried both about equal time each. Targaman is correct, lower landing was wide open when I left. Forgot boots this am, had to strip to my knees (from the feet up ) to put the boat in at 6:00 am. Ice chunks banging my knees. With south ramp open shouldn’t have to do that again (at least this year.)I had 40.5 degrees, but I was in playing in the willows…

Dave C, Mine is rated at 60 tiller , but the same boat with console is rated for 115 (same as the one you had). I agree that they seem to be underpowered. I rember trying an 11 pitch prop a few years ago and that would hit the rev limiter around 6100 or 6200 rpm while topping out. The 13 pitch I have now is around 5200 rpm topped out. So maybe the 12 pitch prop is the answer..I think that would put me at or around 5700 rpm and still get up on plane.

Tom P. Yes i have power trim . I use it a little to get up on plane, but almost always run it all the way down, or just a titch above all the way down.

Flatfish, My testing is always with just myself in the boat. The problem I am having is getting on plane with 3 people in the boat. With just me it zips right up in no time, but two other average build guys, and it takes 1/4 to 1/2 mile to plane out.
I really don’t know what a whale or dolphin tail is to be honest with you. I’ll try to do a little search on that tomorrow. Just to mention though, this is the wider 16 1/2′ alumacraft navigator. I think its 92″, and was new to their lineup in 2005 or thereabouts. Much wider than there “normal width” boat around 80″. Maybe this has something to do with it. I’m sure its not helping plowing all that water.

Mag165, My rpm recommended is 5500. I was running 5200 at the low motor setting and 5500 with the higher motor setting, which was fine except for the cavitating. One dealer thought my tach may not be accurate.
My brother has same exact yr. boat and motor, but a 50hp instead of 60hp, and he has same diameter prop, with an 11 degree pitch with no problem. What do you think of possibly a 12 degree pitch same diameter, with motor set at the lower setting it is now? It seems the Merc uses a smaller diameter with less pitch, the more I get to talking to people. The recommendation of a steeper degree prop (15 and 17 degree ) seem to be coming from different brand motors? While the Merc guys are right around 11 / 12 / and 13 degree pitch and 10+ “(smaller) diameter props. Thanks, Murf

Thats exactly what I was thinking on the way home with a lighter wallet…

Looks like you guys had a good day. That water looks pretty calm, I knew I should have slipped out today. Went yesterday , but not much luck. What pool you fishin’…….Murf

Just bought the Navionics hotmaps premium north chip from “JollyAnn Marine”. Came in two days… .
After spending two nights sitting out in my boat in the garage, I decided there has to be a better way to study lake maps then sitting out in my boat in the garage. .
Although its kinda peaceful out there. .
Is there any easy to use “reader” for my PC for the lake chips? I dont even need to do anything with them other then view them in different zoom modes. Although it would be nice to be able to mark key areas to try later while your out on that particular body of water. Any ideas???………….Murf

Lawrence, I also cant understand Petenwell. It seems with the slot imposed (15 to 20″) would have by now produced many , many, many more 20 to 28″ fish. I have been seeing more 17 ot 18″ fish, but it shouldnt take 10 years to go from 18 to 22″. ?? . I wish a biologist familiar with the water would pipe in here to shed light on the problem. It seems to be working at different levels on different waters, but Petenwell just seems to be remaining the same , or even getting worse. Unfortunetly it is one of my favorite fisheries as it is relatively close to home……..Murf

TSC , Thanks for researching ………Murf

I think you guys are on to something. I thought my back battery was a deep cycle, but they may have put in a cheap combo to keep costs down at the dealer last year. I’ll have to look…Thanks again ……Murf

Tom P. Sometimes the obvious is so …well…….Obvious!

I did find what I needed to know by starting at the other end of the cat, but I think your way of skinin’ is better.
I’m the type of guy you would cringe at if I was recruited to do electrical or computer related duties. I do have a few talents, just not sure they are too valuable

Wats, I hope those fingers are back in order for the next fair weather fishing trip. Its hard enough to keep them warm without having them pulverized first …….Murf

I’ve determined a couple of things.
1. Both the 125 and 334 are powered by the back battery.
Matt you are correct those voltage readings are not highly accurate. I switched units and had totally different readings from both units from their previous readings.
But I threw the charger on the back battery and both units read 14 volts. I assumed the couple extra volts wouldnt fry the unit. Those little fuses in line are suppose to take care of that little problem.
2. After charging my back battery a little while the 334 now runs. I assume as posted earlier, the 334 probably draws a little more with the chip and the gps searching.
3. Now I just need to determine if my battery is indeed shot, or a short,(which does not seem to be the case as I checked my tester with garage lights off and no low flicker of light). Or if I am just running too much off that lone battery without running my gas motor to recharge.
I’m making headway, “Life is Good”.
Getting near time, I’ll charge the back battery and try again next time. If problem occurs again I’ll probably need to yank the 1 year old battery and spring for a new one. It could be worse. I’d rather have to spring for a battery than wiring troubles. I’ve been down that road one too many times…….Thanks for everyones help. Good luck on your battery troubles TSC………Murf

I’m hoping its the back battery and not the lms334. Even though its brand new, I hate the hassles of returning and waiting for replacement. Plus I’m not 100% its the unit yet. I am going out to switch the units to see if they show opposit voltage readings at there different location. If they do show 12.7 and 11.4 in revers from where they are now, I will see if the chip works in its 12.7 volt location then I will know its battery related. If its battery related, I need to determine if I’m drawing off that one battery too many items or if my battery is shot or if my motor for some reason isn’t recharging the battery. I’ll be right back.

God I miss my canoe…….. ………Murf

TSC and Matt….

I just went out in the garage to check a couple of things.
First I tried hooking the alligator clip up to the positive side of my motor battery to make sure the light worked on my tester. It worked . Next I hooked to the negative side and grounded to the aluminum and of couse it did not light up . I assume that is how you are testing for a short Matt??
2. I turned on the back locator which is the lx 125 right now. Looked up the voltage on the screen and it is showing 12.7 volts.
3. Next I went to the bow to check the LMS 334. I turned it on and it seems to freeze up and then shuts down , just like yesterday. I just got it friday and hooked up the power to the power source provided by Starks last year on my previous bow mount locator. One thing seems odd, when I pull the lake chip out the unit will run on just sonar, but if you put the chip in it shuts down?? .
I left the chip out and checked the voltage. It shows 11.4 volts.
#4 Question. Did Stark wire the front locator to the 2 batteries in front or the back motor battery? If it is to the back battery why arent both locators showing the same voltage? or is the back locator mounted to the front batteries. I damn near need to tear the boat apart to trace the wiring.
5. Why does the unit shut off with the chip in but not while its out. Does the GPS mode need over 11.4 volts to run ? Someone told me they need to be over _______volts?, but cant remember what_______ was.
I’m starting to get a little . I hate wiring and electrical troubles.
Any ideas would be great………..Murf

TSC…I had almost the same thing happen to me yesterday but I had company in the boat and decided to leave when the rains came at 5:30 pm so I wasnt stranded in the dark. And I was ony 300 or 400 yards from the ramp….. BUT i could have also been 7 or 8 miles, in the dark, and by myself, as I also fish alone 1/2 the time.
I was fishing below Dresbach dam and just put a new lms 334-s on my boat and moved my lx-125 to the bow. I noticed my lms would shut off on its own occasionaly, but chalked it up to a glitch in the unit, which I am used to with anything ressembling a computer or electronics. I also ran both locators and GPS on the 334. The livewell was cycling every three minutes with a couple of chunky sauger in there. My trolling motor runs on the 2 – 12volt batteries up front. I am assuming nothing is tied to them other than the 74# thrust trolling motor. I ran that motor almost continuously for 10 hours at 1/3 power. Still showed 3/4 power at quit time. I am not sure if it is coincidence, but this has never happened until I put that 334 on my boat. I am quite sure they dont draw hardly anything, but we only would start the motor about every hour and run up to the dam for another 1 hour float. The motor only ran for a minute or so every hour. The last float down and the motor wouldnt turn over. My lms 334 also shut down. The motor is a new merc 4 stroke and clicked a couple of times and one roll over finally started. We let her idle for a half hour or so and everything was fine. My point is my boat is only 1 year old also, I cant imagine we both have bad batteries. But I cant believe that the 334 had anything to do with it . I have wing nuts on all three batteries, so a quick transfer of one of the front batteries would get me out of trouble. I also thought of the jumper cable thing, but its just one more thing to take up space. I hope someone with voltage or battery knowledge chimes in here to tell us if its possible to drain a new battery down with 2 locators and a livewell pump running all day. Except for the spring walleye run, I always run the motor more often and am constantly moving around, so it probably wont be a problem then. Keep us posted if you find out anything , I will do the same…………Murf

Thanks Wats and Dodge Boy, I can’t fish Saturday but if the winds arent as bad as they are predicting I may get out Sunday. Either way, with your ambitious efforts, I now have an option. Before you removed that ice there was no way I was able to get my boat in and out with a foot of ice. (Maybe could have got it in , but would have never got it out.. )…….Murf

Every year in Canada at least 1 time per person this happens. Like the other fella stated alot of times you can net both. Its pretty cool……..

They made us dump 1000 night crawlers . We had them in organic bedding purchased and made here in WI. After they made us go back into US and dump crawlers, we purchased the new night crawlers in Ignace. They were actually cheaper than in US. But what really got me was after I purchased the night crawlers I asked them where there worm bedding was. I went to the shelf he pointed to, and there were 20 bags of the same exact bedding made in Wi that we just dumped out 2 hours earlier…… …You ever try to reach the queen on a cell phone on a weekend in Canada???… Not an easy task.
Good luck on your Canada trip and be safe…We have been crossing for 25 years and all we have ever needed is our drivers license. But there is always a first… …Murf

Great looking family Wats……Nice truck too! Its great you take the kids out like that. It would be so easy to ditch them knowing that you could have better fishing by yourself or with a bud, but your time spent with them now, will never be forgotten by either them or you. ………Good Fishin’ ……..Murf

Bret , it looks like you shot that northern with a .45 caliber handgun. . Whats that big hole 3/4 of the way down his side???? ….. ….Murf

Nice fish Bret….I should have stayed with you instead of exploring.
While Bret was wrestling with that channel cat I had my hands full on the other side of the island .. …. …..Murf

Nice Bird Zimmy!
I had this season also , but didnt put as much effort into it as you did. I shot a decent bird in the 2nd season , so didnt hit it quite as hard with the weather being so pleasant I always start with the bow too, but not a bit too proud to pull the pump gun off the rack as the clock starts ticking the last day or two. I would have shot a lot less turkeys in my life if I would have stuck to the bow all five days. Sometimes its just not in the cards……..Persistence and Patience paid off for you …not two of my strongsuites …..Congrats …….Murf

Nice Bird Zimmy!
I had this season also , but didnt put as much effort into it as you did. I shot a decent bird in the 2nd season , so didnt hit it quite as hard with the weather being so pleasant I always start with the bow too, but not a bit too proud to pull the pump gun off the rack as the clock starts ticking the last day or two. I would have shot a lot less turkeys in my life if I would have stuck to the bow all five days. Sometimes its just not in the cards……..Persistence and Patience paid off for you …not two of my strongsuites …..Congrats …….Murf

Ryan , I know my email called out the Berkley sensation in the solar for color , but who knows how she interpreted it ??? Anyway I’m glad it is available , now I just need to get my hands on some …around LaCrosse I cant seem to find any either ???

Tony, Dont it make ya wonder sometimes?? How or where these salespeople get there info. Keep in mind this is not retail I contacted , but the company itself. …I’ll keep my eyes open locally, if I cant get it locally I’ll try your source..thanks Murf….I need to go fill my 2nd turkey tag now , I just heard a couple gobble out my back patio down in the valley…later

Now I’m really …..I emailed the company because I couldnt find it. The gal emailed back and said they no longer make it and have no intention of making it again???? ……….That was about 4 weeks ago….Murf

Geechj….Turkeys are birds,(not real smart) blinds in themselves will not spook turkeys. Its movement that spooks them. I have shot a couple out of a blind with my bow. Set the blind up in the middle of a clover field 1/2 hour before light. They walk right by it as if it has been there forever. BUT….Do not leave a nylon blind up over night as it will not be tight in the am and the blind will flop a little in the wind. I had this happen a couple of times and spooked birds each time. The blind must be motionless. I would stay away from the blinds with the leaves that flutter (IMO) they also spook birds. Other than they are hard to hear out of and see out of they are a good rain day option…….Now that I think about it I have this season also . Got a decent bird in the second season, may get out this weekend. In regard to decoys the more the merry for me. I usually use 1 jake and 3 hens. Would use more if I could carry more . I do not know of another sport that require so much gear!! Although if I’m in fairly heavy cover, alot of times I wont use a decoy at all. They generally dont see it anyway until the pipe is leveled on their head at 15 yds.

Good luck with your bird hunt …..Murf

Geechj….Turkeys are birds,(not real smart) blinds in themselves will not spook turkeys. Its movement that spooks them. I have shot a couple out of a blind with my bow. Set the blind up in the middle of a clover field 1/2 hour before light. They walk right by it as if it has been there forever. BUT….Do not leave a nylon blind up over night as it will not be tight in the am and the blind will flop a little in the wind. I had this happen a couple of times and spooked birds each time. The blind must be motionless. I would stay away from the blinds with the leaves that flutter (IMO) they also spook birds. Other than they are hard to hear out of and see out of they are a good rain day option…….Now that I think about it I have this season also . Got a decent bird in the second season, may get out this weekend. In regard to decoys the more the merry for me. I usually use 1 jake and 3 hens. Would use more if I could carry more . I do not know of another sport that require so much gear!! Although if I’m in fairly heavy cover, alot of times I wont use a decoy at all. They generally dont see it anyway until the pipe is leveled on their head at 15 yds.

Good luck with your bird hunt …..Murf

8 1/2# …when will the true weight be posted?…..us fisherman are so impatient!!!