Further North

@Brad Reid That's where I'm headed now, and I think your spot on with 2 - 2.5 HP. There were several older outboards with that lack of a true neutral...started in gear..."feature". More than one fisherman ended up in the water using them. I chase musky up here until I can't launch because of ice. Ending up in the water then is a killer...literally. I'm not taking that chance. Tohatsu does indeed cut off at 5HP and 55 lbs. Overkill, methinks.

@Brad Reid I'll look them up, thanks! I looked at the 2.3 Merc 4-stroke. They're 38 lbs, empty...much less than a 55# + battery, and 24 volt wouldn't even be close...but as you say, it's off center, a bit. ...but from what I've seen, I'm wondering if these canoes aren't stable enough to offset that? Hard to borrow a $900 motor.

@Brad Reid I'm pondering bumping up to 24 volt, wondering if 55# thrust will be enough for the rivers... Your thoughts? Considering the 2.3 HP 4-stroke gas motors too. Lighter than a 55# and a battery.

@Brad Reid Thanks, great advice! Here's the background: I bought a used S-14 a couple weeks back, it's got a motor mount, the off-center center seat and, of course the paddle lock holders...paddle locks arrived yesterday. I've got an 18 1/2 ft Crestliner CMV for bigger lakes and rivers, so the Sportspal will be the small lake and shallow river rig. I've got an older Endura 30#, but I'm concerned that it won't have enough thrust to deal with river current on the Chippewa, Flambeau, St. Croix, etc. when they are moving fast due to high water (like all season, this year). I also see the value, with a Grass Ninja, for blasting though heavy weeds with a motor with more thrust. I'm a firm believer of going big on trolling motors, because as you mentioned, I can run them at reduced thrust when I don't need it, saving battery life and not stressing the TM...but it's got the snot I need when I need it.

@Brad Reid If you had the opportunity to start from scratch, what pound thrust trolling motor would you go with?

Those look to be the right part numbers to me. If you want an extra layer of confirmation, as you local dealer. They should be able to tell you.

I hope it helps!

Sorry it took so long...I thought I had a picture, but I couldn't find it. Took new ones today

LOTW is a huge body of water...and even "...the Morson area..." can describe a lot of different areas. If you are fishing shoals in the big open areas to the west, you'll need completely different techniques than if you go a bit north and hang a right into Sabaskong bay with all kinds of islands, shoreline and structure.

This map has a few marked. ...this one, too. Top, left center:

Fish a lot. Pay attention to fisherman that are better than you are. That's all it takes... If that doesn't work...DuPont Sinkers...

Darn...I was kinda hoping you had a trick to tie Alberto's smaller. It's a great knot and way easier to tie than the FG.

Interesting, I've never seen an Alberto that's smaller than an FG. The Alberto requires doubling over both lines, the FG does not. On the FG, if you're weaving the braid, and setting the knot right, it's barely thicker than the leader, where the Ablerto is two thicknesses of the leader. The Alberto can be shorter, and works way better with some leader material (Knot-2-Kinky wire comes to mind) but I've never seen one smaller in diameter.

I always shut off the radio and open the windows as a start towing to listen for any unexpected noises.

Given water temps here, I'm surprised.

River fish orient into current. Is it possible that still water fish have evolved out of that? Sure. But I know how I'd bet.

Bed fishing for bass is, to me, like going to shoot clay pigeons, and setting the clay pigeon on the ground 5 feet away...or ground swatting a pheasant, or shooting a ruffed grouse off a tree branch. Moral dilemmas aside, bed fishing just doesn't seem sporting. Since I fish for fun, and not to feed a starving family, I choose not to do it for that reason. If others want to do it, that's their call, as long as it's legal. Re Bass on pedestal: If you think bass fishermen, or trout fishermen are obsessive on the subject...ask a a musky guy...

For a week or so. ?

If I remember right, you make these trips to just north of me. Water temps in a lake nearby were 55° over the weekend, bass were starting to spawn. Sounds like you're doing well despite the weather, and that's a nice walleye!

I fish Cornell Lake too (it's 10 minutes out my door), and for soft plastics, I'd go watermelon red flake. Lake Holcomb and the Cornell flowage are both part of the Chip...green anything'll work.

I haven't so much kept it as not gotten rid of it...if that makes sense? It comes in handy about twice a year...the rest of time it gets in my way...

Thanks - I'll check it out.

You won't be disappointed. Through a series of unfortunate misadventures, I wound up bumping up to a LXS610MLXF - the 6' 10" Legend Extreme ML. As much as I like my Avid X M baitcaster...the Legend Extreme is a better rod, for me.

I prefer the FG knot, but have had the problem mentioned with small diameter fluoro and co-poly leaders. I fish braid to leader because I like the sensitivity and durability of brad for everything but bottom contact in abrasive cover. As much as I like the FG know, it's not for everything...and I go to an Alberto when it's not working. The best example I have is this: I have a rod that is dedicated almost exclusively to Mepps #5, it is, IMO, the best search bait out there for pike and musky...and it catches plenty of them as well. Fair numbers of bass too... I have that rod rigged with 30# braid (brand not important) to a 12" - 16" leader of Knot-2-Kinky single strand nickle-titanium 30# wire. The FG won't old that, period. Nothing to grab into...so I use an Alberto. I tied that knot at the beginning of the season last year and it's still solid...I checked it, just for fun, before I retied this weekend, and I'd have broken the rod before the line, the leader or the knot broke.

I sent in a Calais DC a while back, had it back in less than a week, new gear, new bearing and a tune up, for $30.