Sk8man

Use the special MARINE STABIL it is about $20 and covers about 320 gallons> It is triple strength compared with the red stuff.

A few things come to mind in addition to whats been said - 1) Try new plugs if they weren't brand new, and recheck the gap, 2) Was the fuel ethanol (water accumulates in it) gas? If so, put NEW non-ethanol fuel in your tank (at a marina?) and try it, That lean and rich mixture knob should be OK in the middle to start with until you identify other possible contributors. Check the fuel filter if it has one that is accessible to see if it is clogged. The mixture may have been too rich in terms of the 24 to 1 since it is a motor that has had some previous use I'd go with 40 to 1 as it is still in the ball park (esp. since you had that slick out back). If your gas line to the tank was old or stored for a long time it may have had old fuel or contaminated fuel in them that went to the motor and hasn't worked its way through the system. Try a new gas line. I'd do one thing at a time so you can see the results and hopefully identify the problem. If the engine sat for a long time the carburator may need to be cleaned by a competent mechanic. If the lean/rich mixture is set right you shouldn't have to mess with it much under normal conditions even when idling or slow trolling (but right now the temps are far from normal operating conditions).

Keeping them away from the kicker or your main engine is always the PRIORITY. Other than at very slow speeds you will always experience a degree of "blow back" or angle to the wire on the riggers. As Don said you just have to "estimate" a little where they are in relationship to the counter and your depth finder....unless you are going very fast this will be close anyway. They will look different when you are going with, against, or diagonally across currents. Most of the time I keep mine at 45 degree angles to the transom but I have 4 ft. booms and an 8 ft wide transom also (without ever having a tangle). This also worked with these same downriggers though on my little 13 ft. Whaler and I never had a problem with the kicker or larger motor. If it is possible to extend the boom length somehow this could help out if you have trouble with that present location.

Like the guys have already said there is no doubt that if you can find the Seneca perch it is the way to go but I had considered the above before making my suggestion about Cayuga. Seneca is a big body of water and you can spend all day looking for the perch if you aren't very familiar with it (especially the northern half of the lake which contains most of the shallow water. Fishing for perch in 50-60 ft. of water is usually not the most desirable or effective way to do it ( but i'll admit there are exceptions) The north end of Cayuga is shallower and has a much more defined weed growth and soft bottom which holds perch in more circumscribed areas than Seneca in the area I mentioned between the park and Canoga and it is only about 13-15 ft. out in the middle near the buoys. This lessens your time finding them considerably. There are some very good sized perch that inhabit that area especially toward Canoga (out from the cottages) and you don't have to travel all over the lake to find them either. Just something to consider. Good luck wherever you decide to fish as the little "greenies" often present a challenge even when you find them (especially in clear shallow water :>)

If the ramp is open at the State Park at the north end (Seneca Falls) it might be worth a shot fishing the west side from south of the park to Canoga at the what would be the outer edge of the weeds 8-15 ft water till it drops off. Minnows and spikes

You may already do this but you should run each spoon briefly at the side of the boat to get and idea of how your speed is affecting the action of them... some spoons need to be "tuned" and others the lead needs to be lengthened. At least it gives you an idea of how they are running at speed ( I know that it is not exact because of the depth difference and length of lead) I have found some spoons that I have had to either add a split ring or take one off too. I know some purists would never BEND a spoon but I've been doing it for many years on SOME spoons (e.g. Suttons, homemade spoons, and other light flutter spoons) to get the action I want but yes the spoon may work differently later on at a different speed. Another thing that could be a factor is hum from your downrigger cable spooking fish in the shallows at certain speeds. One of the things I've done for years is I attach a wine cork that has a slit up one side right on the downrigger cable near the boom and it seems to help "deaden" the noise and you can just take it on and off as needed or if you can't get to it in time it drops off at the head of the boom when it is reached without a problem. In the old days you could drink the wine too beforehand but I wouldn't do it nowadays

If you use the small dipseys and set the setting PAST 3 the dipsey will often keep coming right out of the water and won't stay down...haven't tried doing it with the bigger ones so don't know there.

Nice fish. Looks as though the lampreys are at it again too.

Tuna's Reel Troubles reel repair has the carbon fiber replacement drag washers for them. He's real good about shipping quickly etc. http://stores.tunasreeltroubles.com/StoreFront.bok

Launch at north end of Canandaigua is open as of this afternoon.

Neither do I but it will be on Seneca Kev

Broadhorizons - Make sure that the measurement is for the same dimension that is inside diameter vs, outside diameter. Sometimes places list one or the other without regard to specifying it.

That would probably be the ONE TIME that the wife would decide to be out there with ya

Good advice.....ice thckness is only ONE factor to consider. because when streams run into the lakes currents are set up that reach for large distances laterally and ice also rots in spots from gas pockets, bubblers used near docks etc. Even a float suit offers only limited protection from hypothermia which sets in VERY quickly. I found out just how quickly this year that 35 degree water makes your legs feel paralyzed and it takes you forever to warm up....not a great way to end the season let alone WORSE things that could happen. You almost always hear about people going through at the very beginning and end of the season which is when the ice is most likely to be compromised..it's not worth taking the chance.

There is a remote chance that I might have close to the record here at least for longest time in the derby....my first was about 1968 when I returned from overseas (military) and I've only missed about 3 or 4 since that point (in the hospital for one of them) The first few I still fished from shore with sawbellies (along the seawalll at the north end and off the Bellhurst dock) as I diidn't even have a boat back then Of concern nowadays is the number of entries though which have decreased over time ....I remember one year we had 2800 plus entrees if my memory serves me correctly vs just over 1200 or so last year. On the good side it isn't nearly as crowded at some of my favorite spots I look forward to the possibility of tangling lines with the Blueghost and Adm Byrd though

Hooked On Kings- Sounds good to me pardner. Always a lot of fun at the Point....in the old days you didn't have to be so careful of the beers either :>)

Not sure where exactly you are referring to over there but here on the south side in the US. As soon as the ice is out of the channels of the bays and launches its fair game :>) Its usually near shore stuff so you don't have to travel too far out in the lake to score big...you do have to be very careful though as the water temp is still in the mid to high 30's for most of the lake and there are very few boats around this time of the year no matter where you are fishing. My hunch is it may be a little later there before ice out?

There is still smeice in the middle esction of the channel at the north end launch ramp. It could go out tomorrow though if the hgh 50's predicted occurs. The outer part of the channel toward the lake is totally clear

My sense of it is that if you run your paddles closer say 6 ft. there shouldn't be a problem as long as you are using something like flutter spoons on the top ones.If you use something that "digs" down or diver stick baits there could be a tangle. I used to stack my downriggers and never had any problems except when I was using the old large dodger/fly combos and had a big rainbow go into the other line.

Don was right about the things he said regarding the way the handle bad weather aapproaching but when you have lightning happening it is imperative to get in as quickly as possible. It looks as though the motor you have selected is one designed for sailboats and therefore it is in all liklihood a longshaft motor which is good from the standpoint of steering if it matches up with our other motors lower unit etc. The weight of the motor (for a 4 stroke is good too). Something you may not think about though (until it is encountered) is that when you quit trolling and then put the trolling motor in the upright position you don't want it (lower unit and prop) to be dragging in the water when you are hauling butt back to shore. I have a long shaft (25 inch) 9.9 electric start on my whaler on a motorbracket which gets it up a little bit and when I am at speed with the big motor it just barely clears the water in the upright position. If your transom is low and /or you are not using an adjustable bracket to mount it you may need to check things out before hand in case you need a shorter shaft motor. I did notice that on second glance that the 5 horse pictured in the URL you provided is 20 inch which I believe is closer to standard than my 25 inch so you may be alright.