Crappie Day Or Crappy Day...you Decide

[Tom Spence]

Well, I'll post this and let you guys laugh at me and maybe...eventually...I'll join you in your laughter. Met my dad at Pomme today to catch some crappie. First things first, 20 keepers between us. They weren't on fire by any means but we caught enough that each of us brought home a good mess. Anyway, I got there early so I put in and shot across the lake from Nemo ramp to throw a jerkbait on a point. I fish for a few minutes and am retying (how do you spell retying?) when I look across the lake and see dad on the courtesy dock waiting for me. I put down the rod, strap it down, fire up the big motor, and head for the dock. As soon as the boat is on plane water starts hitting me in the face. I quickly realize I left the trolling motor down. I get it up and pick up dad. He says, "I saw that." I say, "You always do." We get to our first spot and I find the trolling motor is steering pretty hard in one spot. Turns out I bent the shaft . It was barely enough to see without really looking at it, but bent it was. Got it home and tugged on it. Pulled the shaft bearing it looked ok. It still has a rough spot and it appears the bend is up between the top housing and the bottom of the tube the shaft sits in. Anybody think a Motor Guide shaft can be bent back to shape? I'll call George at Marine repair tommorow and see what he thinks. Hopefully, those 10 crappie won't be too expensive. Put a more detailed report on the fishing on the Pomme page.

[Don House]

Well, I'll post this and let you guys laugh at me and maybe...eventually...I'll join you in your laughter. Met my dad at Pomme today to catch some crappie. First things first, 20 keepers between us. They weren't on fire by any means but we caught enough that each of us brought home a good mess. Anyway, I got there early so I put in and shot across the lake from Nemo ramp to throw a jerkbait on a point. I fish for a few minutes and am retying (how do you spell retying?) when I look across the lake and see dad on the courtesy dock waiting for me. I put down the rod, strap it down, fire up the big motor, and head for the dock. As soon as the boat is on plane water starts hitting me in the face. I quickly realize I left the trolling motor down. I get it up and pick up dad. He says, "I saw that." I say, "You always do." We get to our first spot and I find the trolling motor is steering pretty hard in one spot. Turns out I bent the shaft . It was barely enough to see without really looking at it, but bent it was. Got it home and tugged on it. Pulled the shaft bearing it looked ok. It still has a rough spot and it appears the bend is up between the top housing and the bottom of the tube the shaft sits in. Anybody think a Motor Guide shaft can be bent back to shape? I'll call George at Marine repair tommorow and see what he thinks. Hopefully, those 10 crappie won't be too expensive. Put a more detailed report on the fishing on the Pomme page.

Well T1365, I'm going to say it will be a replacement. Call George and still get his imput, but I have done this one myself.. Once you bend a shaft getting it back is just about slim to none.. Well at least you caught 20 crappie and got a day on the water with your dad, look at it that way..

Hey are you going to CCM Walleye and Crappie Show on Friday and Saturday? Would like to meet you if you will be there..

Good Fishing

Don

[techo]

Been there done that. Hope it isn't too expensive. Not picking on you, but heard Dad is the best crappie fisherman in the family.

[Tom Spence]

Techo, you've seen my dad crappie fish. He's definately the best in the family. Don George said they'd look at it this morning and sounded confident they could fix it. I plan on being at Center City Saturday afternoon. Look forward to meeting ya.

[S&M]

Well, I'll post this and let you guys laugh at me

Okay........Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha, just kidding

Trust me your not alone, present company excluded. I've seen this happen on the water many many times from other anglers. I won't even idle with my big motor if the trolling motor is down.

Maybe this will make you feel better. My bone head mistake was over lookng that small but useful plug that releases and keeps water out of your boat. I can say with all honesty that when you are 10 miles from your launch site after discovering your taking water on, you panic

[Jason Essary]

If we are telling stories on ourselves, I was with my father when I was 15. We were moving, as I was on the trolling motor, and was just getting on plane when the nose of the old '78 ranger dropped down and the trolling motor started hitting the water. In the huge spray of water, my father could not get off the throttle and with in 3 seconds the trolling motor was ripped of the front and disappeared.

Bad news, fishing was done for the day, Good news he bought a brand new one that put the old one to shame.