Sk8man

Nice video ...it put me right in the mood (although I must confess I didn't have far to go after this winter:>) Good to hear the old Ray Charles music too. Good job!

The launch and canal are frozen over again.

In general the bigger the better for Lake O fishing. Usually 20 ft. boats are a bit wider as well which adds a bit of stability whether aluminum or glass boat. Another important factor is the hull design - you probably what something with a deep V hull to cut through the waves better whether either material as well.

Tim

It sounds as though either you need to have your idle adjusted properly or as Chas said see about another prop. I've never had any problem running two or 4 rigs with the 9.9 on my present boat or even when it was on the much smaller13 ft. Whaler. I also wonder if it would help to adjust the ANGLE the motor is set at on the transom and bring it UP a bit so it isn't "digging in" as much and make sure keep your big motor in the down position to induce drag if you are not already doing so. If the carb or injection system is adjusted right on a 9.9 it should idle down to near stopping without quitting or harming the motor but you may have to "goose" it once in awhile to prevent loading up if trolling at extreme slow speeds for long intervals. Pulling rigs usually SLOWS down a boat a little from the drag so it must be running unusually fast.

I know people use it but after 40 years of downrigging with the wire I'm a firm believer in it. I once tried some 50 pound braid on one of my thermocline rigs as a rig line and first time out it caught on the roller tip (slid to the side of the roller) and snapped off (with about $50 of stuff on it) so it made me leery of braid. I've never had a problem with 150 lb wire on my Cannons. There are numerous ways to get rid of the hum if it happens. I use a wine cork with a slit up the side and put it on the wire right at the top near the end of the boom and it deadens it. A piece of hard rubber could probably achieve the same result....its only at certain speed and isn't all that frequent on my rig anyway.

I don't believe DEC has any (or much anyway) control over that.

Given the location....bottom of the bow if it were me I'd take it to a good marine repair shop. If that ever came loose you could be in a world of ....you know what out there. The bow can take a lot of pounding.

BP captured it very well I've fished it for 60 plus years and just when I think I have it figured out those little green guys do a job on me.... it can be frustrating as h when you finally locate them.... bunches of big slobs and they won't hit no matter what you do or what you use to do it with. Kinda like ice fishing and watching them "nose" the bait only to swim away laughing...To be consistently successful there you have to fish it almost every day and "stay with them" as they move around a lot but certain spots hold them year after year although things have changed a lot (esp. different spots) since the Zebras and Quaggas showed up and the related increased water clarity.

Geez... maybe we could figure a way to "farm" raise them.... but then again ...it would have to be on somebody else's property because it would be an instant divorce in my household

That is a real "classic" statement and I think all of us can relate to it.

If you're fishing Lake O in the Spring I'd go with the small to medium sizes and mediums for Summer/Fall. I never had much luck with the real big ones but maybe someone else here has. If you are fishing the Finger Lakes I'd say grab the small ones and maybe a few mediums....smallest are the best there.

I haven't really had to replace a transducer and there may be "after market" types that I am unaware of but you used to have to get the one designed for your particular unit from Lowrance (because your unit is tuned to a specific frequency to match up with the transducer designed for that particular unit. Any transducer if located and angled properly should be able to mark fish on plane (unless you have a hydroplane and are exceeding the limits of the thing :>) Often times when transducer is going bad or is almost gone it will only mark gross objects such as a hard bottom and doesn't mark smaller stuff or fish etc. Thru hull transducers used to be the ones used for higher speeds and that is what you might be ending up with but my hunch is that for normal conditions a new replacement for your current one from Lowrance set up according to directions (location away from turbulence and correct angle on bracket set up etc.) should do the trick. You might want to email the tech folks (I know they are often slow getting back on phone etc.)

I have it on my 2 stroke 135 Merc Opti and no problem so I would imagine it would fit your 150 as well. They are just sort of hose clamps over rubber around the motor shaft with the quick disconnects pointing to the rear and the bands can be adjusted so it shouldn't be a problem. The distance on the rod between the motors should be taken up in the slip connection on the rod when it is installed.

Give us a hint.....what kind/model of depth finder?

Possibly the spray that is used for spraying electrical connections to keep corrosion from forming as it is designed to be used with the coatings. It also has a drying agent in it that dries almost immediately Sean. The stuff I use is called CRC QD Electronic Cleaner (Quick Drying Formula) I use it mainly for battery connections and on the lights hookup for the boat.

I used to have that problem with my other whaler and when I replaced the cable I noticed the problem the coating had worn off the cable and there was a place where it was gone (which I couldn't see because it was behind something) and it was hanging up there - replaced the cable and just like new steering

Man.....sounds as though those Cornell kids are more "hard core" than us

That could well be a major part of it. My old 1979 Evinrude 4 horse didn't like the real cold either but would run fine when it was above 40 or so outside with water temp in the high thirties. It repeatedly needed to be restarted and had idling problems but luckily my 35 Johnson ran fine and that was much before ethanol gas Just happened to think - It could still be a bad fuel connector at the tank or fuel line end or something partially clogged in the fuel line itself etc. I'd still try a different fuel line and bulb to make sure that isn't it.