Fat Trout

For what its worth....when you look that prop up. it is listed for a range of Yamaha engines up through 115. My boat weighs 350# less than yours has 10 gallons less fuel capacity and is 7" narrower so less drag for me. I may be on the edge and you are on the other side of a prop that is on the top end of its range of use. As I think of it. When I trim up I notice a pitch change so I don't trim up a lot. I'm slipping a little I think. This was interesting btw https://www.boats.com/reviews/outboard-expert-finding-the-right-propeller/

My prop is a 13x19-K. I'd be curious what's on yours and what you end up with. Next time I have my boat out I'm going to bring up the RPM's on my Lowrance and pay much more attention to the actual performance info from the engine vs my analog gauge on the dash.

Interesting Point. I remember that having a big influence on a little boat with 25hp that I had ha ha. I have the same Yam motor on a similar model as Sea IV My tab isn't centered. Its one notch from center toward the driver side. That puts the tail of the tab toward the driver side and front of the tab toward the passenger side. He's still under propped but this could be making things worse.

Ha.....I get it. I've seen you post before. You know enough lol. As for the new boat thing. All I can say is that there is a devil wherever you go....new or used. I've seen issues with both....myself and with others. Where I agree with you the most is in the high end super expensive fiberglass class. Shocked...shocked at issues I have seen new buyers deal with for $100-150K boats. I'm hoping for you its just a prop thing and in your past before you know it!

sounds high. The prop may be the thing.

A foot! and with Batt and all that stuff. wow. with batt (on passenger side) and my buddy their too, I was ****ing about a couple of inches of steady out of level.....lol.

still seems weird. You mention the battery. That only justifies my lean more now that I think of it. In that case my battery is a size 29 and on the passenger side with no batt on the driver side. My buddy also outweighs me by 50 lbs. zero lean when I operate by myself. Also zero lean with me and my wife....who thankfully weighs less than my buddy lol. Just seems odd to me that your boat is that bad with the leand and mine isn't. Same design, same hull angles I assume..... I'm a little shorter......I would think if anything you would be more stable.

I have a 2015 18 Pro with a 115 Yamaha. You say your shaft is 20"? Are you measuring from the inside top of the bracket to the cavitation plate? Mine measures 25". My Cav plate is just about even with the tip of the keel....just a little higher perhaps. I can run wide open....granted I don't do it a lot. I can trim up too without issue....other than trimming up has its time and place and trimming up in the wrong chop gives a little more porpoising than I like. I have a stock Yamaha prop. I notice a very slight lean with me and another person in the passenger seat but I attribute that to prop rotation torque and its only slight and no bother at all. I don't notice any lean if its just me solo. There was a guy on here who had a 2014 or perhaps 2013 who said his had issues with porpoising more than he liked so he put nauticus trim tabs on. He liked them and said it also slowed his troll too as a bonus. I didn't want to put tabs on and so far in 2 seasons of use I see no need. However I mention it as a thought for you. I have to say....if you can't go WOT on a 20 footer your motor is set too high or shaft is too short. I'd have to think you are cavitating if you are going over on RPM's.....but geeze I didn't think they even made a 20" in 115HP. I can take pics and some additional measurements if it helps...just let me know what you need.

one bump for end of the season, otherwise I'll look to be back with this in the spring

I don't know if this makes you feel better or worse.....but this lake is just a stickler for details. speed, color, set back, flourocarbon (debatable of course). Feeding fish vs. staging fish.....ha ha well thats a different story. When I was learning a long time ago I learned a lot of lessons I didn't understand until later unfortunately. I say to myself a lot .....I wish I knew then what I know now lol. You have a good attitude, nothing wrong with being frustrated. Every time I pump my chest up with a good series of trips....this lake makes sure to knock me back into reality ha ha. Oh...and I've been "living the dream" in Mexico area for a long time.

always the possibility that those fish you caught aren't pen fish but also aren't natural....ie stocked elsewhere. As I understand the clipping game they were doing for the salmon river was finished a few years ago. you may be catching hatchery fish earlier that were planning to end up further east eventually.

Yep. either you start in the right place with the right Sh*t or you grind it out for 1.

So compelling until you added this line. I still agree with you tho

Yes....still for sale. Sorry for the delayed reply, the ad got buried and I thought I'd get a notification if someone posted but I didn't.

I never put a spoon behind a flasher....but you can. People do.... I just never do. Flashers are for flies and meat (for me). To avoid tangles. Keep the boat going straight when setting and be careful when putting flashers down into a spread. In a 4 rigger spread I put flashers on the outside riggers. On the 2 riggers on the same side with one set deeper than the other I try not to switch depths (passing one by the other) without pulling and resetting one. Depends on your boat width but you see the idea.

Water is crystal clear. I'd recommend running further back to get away from the hardware. 50' is about my minimum for spoons. For flasher rigs 15 is my minimum and 30-35 my max. lots of variables but you aren't going to spook fish more by being away from the rigger cable & balls but you can spook 'em by being too close.

I have a Marcum LX5 and for as little as I use it ......I still can't part with it. Flashers are just so much fun!

This. For my 10 color I have 30 feet of 30# mono between the lead core and braid backing. I clip my board and / or torpedo diver here.

I don't want cuts either. But for those saying they won't raise stocking back. I can at least point to the 1990's when they cut and then later raised the stocking. BTW, feel free to send some bait east. Its been hard to come by when I've been out in the Mexico Bay / Nine Mile Pt area.

Re-listed & Photos added

It may not matter a hill of beans, but I was pleased with this recent extended lake flip as my thinking is it will only help to further warm the overall bulk temp of Lake O's water. In my thinking that could be the first step (along with a decent winter) that may help to put a good kick into next years Alewife numbers.

Not surprising. It worked for them in the 90's. And currently there's a higher level of natural reproduction to contend with.