I run Navionics for running & an old Lakemaster chip for fishing. Sometimes I run with both units on Lakemaster. I just added a Navionics Platinum+ last month. For LOTW, Navionics will put the cursor on top of islands. Sometimes the contour lines are just aberations. I love the Navionics+ for WI & MN but it is lousy for LOTW as far as I am concerned. My Lakemaster chip is Version 3.

Was up July 24-29. High water, short feeding windows and hardly any follows. Fish hit 20-30′ from boat. Heard there was a huge shiner spawn and that has fishing mixed-up. The fish are fat this year if you find them. Wasn’t the best trip but not the worst either. Going back Friday August 22 for another try. Smaller baits and some chartreuse seem to be the ticket. I don’t think fisherman size down enough of the time. I have seen really big fish taken on small baits.20-30 years ago, muskie guys were not using this big stuff. The baits are bigger, the rods are longer, and the boats are larger and faster. Does the muskie care???

I don’t fish everyday as some. I build blade baits and have built rods. I updated my stuff about 2-3 years ago. I have been muskie fishing since the early 60’s when a 7′ rod was huge. As far as heavier dbl 10’s, I use a 8’6″ 3/4-3oz. Tica rod that is telescopic to 7′. My old boat limited me to 7′ rods. I also use a Tackle Industries 8’6″ 1-piece Mag-Heavy that is rated at 2-8oz. I also use this for jerk baits. Lastly, I use another telescopic 8’6″ 4-16oz Okuma for plastics & large crank baits. I use Revo Toro Winch reels on all three rods spooled with power pro. I happen to like the slower retrieve and can still burn dbl. 10’s with them. Reels are like women and fisherman use what they like. The Tackle Industies rod is really well built and is affordable. Oh, I still use a light 7′ rod to throw the little baits with. It feels like nothing when I pick it up compared with the others.

Stay with confidence baits, blades, cranks, jerks, & surface. I would use cranks and plastics on deep humps during the day if it is sunny. Blades for windy days. Surface in the evening & blades bulged near weeds. Try swithing sizes of baits from large to small versus worrying about color and remember don’t use it if the hooks are not razor sharp!!

FN

Get a Reata as big as you can afford.

Going to LOTW July24 for 5 days and then another 5 days Aug 22 and the a 2 day trip at LSC Sep 21-22 for ski’s

How much gas in the tank? I am running the same setup with a 4-blade SS 21P Trophy Plus prop. What was your RPM on top end? Still sounds like motor is angled up too much. Check which hole the pin is in?