White Bass?

[J-Doc]

npierceuark and I ventured out Saturday morning and while we did not troll.............I'm really starting to think long and hard about it. LOL! F&F is about to convince me that it's a necessary thing.

We did find several big balls of fish in the middle of the channel in coves between the Horseshoe Bend and Hickory Creek area. By the size of the arches and the amount of them, I'm pretty sure they were whites.

I read a report online that the whites were staging on flats and feeding early and late. We found water as warm as 75 in the back of Monte Ne so I was completely shocked at how fast the water has warmed up in just 1-2 weeks. It's gone from low 60's to mid 70's in just 2 weeks or less.

I think the white bass spawn is long gone now and they have moved back up into main lake and by the end of the month, they will be all the way back towards Cliffty.

Oh and npierceuark kicked my butt at 5-1 on crappie. Used live minnows on bobbers and some free-lined. I'm new at crappie fishing and slow and steady wins out against trying to throw multiple baits. :-) We found a few wads of crappie but they were very picky. You had to drop the bait in front of them and they would hit it on the fall. Otherwise, they were very slow to bite. Looking back, I think we should have tried small crappie crankbaits. Probably would have worked.

[Feathers and Fins]

Doc just come out with me before you set up the cutter so you can see it and try it. Ill even help ya set-up the cutter if you decide its something you want to start doing. Its a lot of fun and turns slow days into productive days, one of the secrets to it is you are on your sonar all day so you are learning more about whats underwater than ever before. Trolling teaches me spots for other fish and fishing types.

[jolicious]

Doc just come out with me before you set up the cutter so you can see it and try it. Ill even help ya set-up the cutter if you decide its something you want to start doing. Its a lot of fun and turns slow days into productive days, one of the secrets to it is you are on your sonar all day so you are learning more about whats underwater than ever before. Trolling teaches me spots for other fish and fishing types.

Deos trolling mess up 2 storkes very much, or is there something that can be done in preparation that helps the motor? If I idle my boat for long, she'll start coughing and such until I allow her to "clear her throat" for a few hundred yards...

[J-Doc]

I will definately want to watch the master-troller in action!

[JohnF52]

Deos trolling mess up 2 storkes very much, or is there something that can be done in preparation that helps the motor? If I idle my boat for long, she'll start coughing and such until I allow her to "clear her throat" for a few hundred yards...

I have the same problem with my 2-stroke Evinrude. Doesn't stutter, just smokes until I cannot stand it. It likes to run at 2500 RPM and over. Had to troll into the wind. That is one reason I got a 9.9 hp 4 stroke.

[Feathers and Fins]

Im running a Merc Optimax 90 and no issues it every so often burps but that's it and that's only when I run ethanol which I try my best not to run.

[J-Doc]

Some local stations claim ethanol free. I don't believe that anymore after testing their fuel. I tested the station across from Frisco Park and it tested positive for ethanol.

Fishinwrench told me a simple test. Take a straight container (no curves in glass) and poor in fuel. Make a mark on container or measure. Add in some water. Mix up real good and let settle. Then ee-measure. If ethanol present, your fuel will be lower than measured originally because the ethanol will have bonded/attracted to the water molecules....thus seemingly less fuel. I measured about 10% less fuel. ...thus 10% ethanol.

I use Marine Stabil. That's all I can do. All my new fuel line and gaskets are ethanol compliant from the rebuild.

[LarryC]

I've had two different 50 HP Mercs that were excellent trolling motors but I had to use synthetic oil. My current boat has a 150 Merc which is impossible to use for trolling. I carry a 9.9 two stroke kicker. It is supposed to use 50:1 oil but I mix at 75:1.

I also upgraded my batteries this year to two of the biggest Trojans. They are lasting a longer than the Interstates they replaced.