Garnet

Sorry mines a 20 ft bass boat with a built in gas tank the gas cap is black about 2.75-3 dia. Garnet

Has anybody seen after market locking gas caps for bass boats. Mine is that larger platsic one with 2 vent holes. My gas was siffened last year with gas price so I'm excpecting a return visit this year. All 48 gallons. Garnet

Most dealers will let you try props until you get the right one. Find a dealer with lots of used props and learn the basics on motor height and pitch. When I buy new boats it's in the contract that I try props until I'm happy. You will need a jack plate is I remember right the 4 and 6 inch worked real well on those older Stratos. Garnet I went back and read your first post and thats the setup my buddies had on there Stratos. It's called drive the walk so just before it starts to chine give a sharp right pull without turning the boat and then every time it gets to that chine point giver another sharp right pull. You are just keeping the boat balanced I'm thinking you could get 3-4 mph more and great pilot will just scare the booy out of you.

The absulote best thing I ever read on fishing. "Those that control the wind WIN" From a salt water shore fishing book. Couple things Largie guys are addicted to there trolling motors and eye candy. Eye candy being that stump,that log, that dark spot. So get a crappie fishing book and those boys drag a logging chain to slow down. I took this and drag a logging chain and run the trolling motor at the same time. Couple keys get those weave clits so you can adjust your rope by pulling some chain off the bottom you can speed up. Also get your rope as close to the center line of your boat to go straight unless you want to slide sideways. Get drift socks and learn how to use them. Only fools drag then 25 ft behind there boat again those weave clits at different locations around the boat and you can fish some hellesh wind. Get your anchor out and use it. Couple hundred ft. of rope just back down on thoses spots and smoke then bad boys. Did I mention those clits so you can adjust your rope quick and easy. If you really want to no what you can do with anchors get a good walleye book. Also the trim on your motor is your best tempory anchor. In shallow muddy bays just trim that motor into the mud and fish that pad field raise your trim go to the next spot and repeat. I love wind. Garnet

It's that networking thing. There are people in your area with the knowledge that will help. Just be sure what you ask for is what you want. Garnet

If the boat is to lose for you just detune your setup. Lower your motor change your prop. Make that boat run 67mph comfortable. Not everybody wants every bit of top end speed. Garnet

Some tires will get a flat spot from sitting under inflated that will go away with heat. Garnet

Time for the farm boy approach. Get a wooden ruler and touch locations around your motor and listen at the end of the ruler. When you are close to the source it will be louder on the ruler. Real mechnic have a sthascope thing. Garnet

It's most likely installed badly. Turn fishfinder on and touch xdusr it should be pinging. If it's shoot thru hull it can be air bubbles or not directly in contact with water. If it's transom mount it might be out of the water sometimes or angled towards to boat. A strack could be bubbling the water. Garnet

Put your motor on slowest speed possible let it turn, if it stops turn the power way up if it doesn't go take a screw driver and touch the prop (don't do with fingers) if the motor takes off it has a dead spot in the armature. Most times fixed cheap. Garnet

Check your lower unit oil if it runs fine at idle and noise increases with speed. I swore it was motor but just the lower unit. Had a no it all mehcanic put the lower magnet screw in the top hole. Garnet

Not being a great mechnic I got the longest closed end wrench and duck taped one side and it worked for me. Still have one thats a pain going to try duck taping wrench to a piant stick. Garnet

I got my fizzer from a Farm Supply Store. Now I use a heavy wieght and just tow the fish back down. Works better. Garnet

If you are a serous fisherman than your standard preps good line knots ect. should be good. So the only diffference is a paid entry and buddy told you when to start. It's just another day try to act and react just like any other day and keep good notes before and after. Garnet

I have the curcail drop shot rod and perferr the Clarus css66x spinning rod for dropshoting. A lot os the dropshoting I do is 20= ft. Garnet

Trim your motor down so it's level helps get the older omc running. Garnet

Sounds like a little to much trailer in the water. Get your bunkes wet then pull out a little further let those bunks do there job. Garnet

just fish your game and keep good notes. The fish don't care if you payed entry fees. Garnet

E glass is 1 up from fibreglass they are good cranking rods I do own 1 but don't use it. Garnet

Deep cyles like to be charged fast put it on 6amp and charge away. Does it have a shutoff. Garnet

Well buddy when your wife picked you out. All your buddies said whats he want her for lets party on. Or her friends said what a dork she can do better than that. Picking boats it like pick partners what floats you boat. Buy the horse power and get a trailer thats 1 size bigger than nessary. Neogiate all toys this is the last time you will have any power at the dealership. Garnet

4 sparkies and make sure they change your fuel pump gasketts some lower unit oil, fuel filter over 2 hundred. Except for the fuel pump gasketts anybody can do this and a manuel will solve that problem. Garnet

I live in zebra mussle land and fish often so retying often is the game. When the spool gets down the casting performance is affected I change 2-3 weeks most times. Flouro is a 4 mocule product and is very dense so if it did get brittle (i've never seen it) it would show by discoluration and cracking. Mono is the only one that breaks down easy. It's a 2 molcule product and you will notice white dust and hard feel. I use Vanish because it's avaiable everywere and except springing off the spool 7-8 years ago have had no issues with it. I.ve posted a doz. on this board to repool several days in advance of a fishing trip. and coil spring is not that big of issue. Garnet

Don't really no the area you are from but there are guys that are crack at boat set up everywere. You likely have a prop problem along with motor hieght. 2 blade prop are fastes 3 blade not as fast and wieght senistive the more wieght huge dropoff of speed and holeshot. 4 blade not as fast but better at holeshot and very little dropoff of speed and good holeshot. 5 blade really slow compared to 3 blade, wicked holeshot almost no dropoff with added wieght. You need to set your boat up for what you do most if it's tourneys thats 2 big guys, ton of equipment and livewell full of water and fish(hopefully). This site goes everywere just post area and somebody will no who can help. Theres marinas that will lend props to try until you find the one. Garnet Garnet

LBH I'm working on Queen Bee right now as I'M L LLL LLLOser at geek stuff. Garnet