fish'n Jim

About 40 odd years ago, I made some bucktail light wire jigs for bass that swam. I think they were 4/0 aberdeen hooks. This was before you could even get hooks for that, early '80s. I heated and bent the eye 45 deg forward and twisted it 90 before I poured them. I used a half worn trailer in those daze, and was especially good in cold water - a dying shad imitator. They use a lot of swim jigs now and swim baits with FFS, etc. I was pouring up some drop weights and a few of those old jigs were in my supplies. So I fished them out and tied them up with my 50 year old bucktail and added a flashabou back line. I put them in the boat to use at Hartwell this winter, but I went Mon. to Norman and it was slow, so I tried one. Ended up catching all my fish on that one jig. They wouldn't touch the drop shot. You don't have to have the latest and priciest lure to catch 'em. I used to use 1/4 oz lead heads and twister tails, a la walleye fishing, when I first started Redman tournaments and took second in my second year opener. Catches big fish too. I let my back seat use my rod and jig and he caught a 5 and made a top ten check. It's been all down hill since, so we won't go there...

Some of you maybe interested in this. I've had one on both my last two boats and trucks. When you're towing with the cover on, you can't see behind the boat especially if you have a hydraulic jack plated 250, powerpole or Talons sticking up*. The small cars like to get right up behind and "draft" you. You can't see them. The cover balloons a bit too. When you signal lane change they shoot out from nowhere and have to be watching for them. I've had several close encounters towing. Originally, I asked my motorsport place to put a wireless back up camera in the outboard and a display in the cab. Use a waterproof wide angle camera. The first one we put in the cowling, but that made take the cowl off more tricky with the cable - had to leave a bunch of slack too. The current one is in the lower cowl. You need a set of wireless video transmitter and receiver, the RCA kind. And a 5-7" back camera display . All that and the wiring and cables won't be $100, because all this stuff comes from Amazon. The down side is some of it's not real quality so you may have to replace some items. I buy two of each or use two sources. The camera cable goes to the transmitter which you mount in the boat, preferable up front in the bow well. You mount the receiver under the rear bumper where it can get signal, not behind a frame rail or other obstruction. Run a separate feed to the transmitter and install a fused switch by the battery compartment. Do the same for the receiver. You can get nice window sucker mount separate that's better than the ones that come with the displays. I put the display in the upper right hand corner of the windshield near the headliner, so it's not blocking any views. Run the wires and cable in split loom and under the vehicle. Find a convenient passage that's waterproof to the cab and install on a switch and fuse the power line from the battery. It's light gauge wire, 20-24, so only a few amps are plenty. Easier to explain on a diagram but I don't have one, they come with the parts. Next time I'll try a completely wireless system without the video cables, but I didn't find one that mounts on the windshield yet. * - I'm going to go see the cover guy and see if he can modify my cover to allow the talons to pivot down and have the cover hold them. I have the hinge brackets on, so I can go under places, like low bridges, etc..

Today, I checked all the settings and the forward was still messed up. I put in perspective and the middle beam is black/not working. I called Garmin and the same guy was at chat and he gave me the run around. Said you have to recalibrate every time you go to perspective, but it's not in the no manual? They want the same price for the transducer as the whole unit? Must have been replacing a few. Now they want me to call them from the water and take picture to verify it's not working? My trust in Garmin has waned dramatically. I figured out that when I changed it back from perspective the last time, I missed the correct line up as I had the xducr in the wrong orientation. Easy to do without the paper in front of you because they don't label the marks on the mounts. You have to guess which one it is. They mark the installation paper but not the mount nor the xducr.

Well, looks like I had the Xducr turned the wrong way for starters. I'm making a copy to keep in the boat. Maybe I can adjust it now????

It got rid of the ghost tree and the bright bands for sure. So it was pointing too far down. The flat side lines up square with the TM shaft now. But it 'confused' the orientation. Orientation was OK before I "notched it". I had to manually set to forward, it kept going to perspective even though the Xducr is upright and that looked all messed up - looked like a time warp. It was showing a bright band in perspective before blotting out everything in that region. I tried turning the Xducr upside down since there's no indication and it was worse. I played around with some of the settings and got it totally screwed. Today, I read the "recommended" settings, so I went too far with some. Why would they put an adjustment item on then tell you not to use it? It looks to me like the bottom is reversed and I get an "aurora borealis" in the water column. eg: Instead of sitting in 15' and seeing the bottom sloping up when pointed toward shore, it slopes down away from the bottom corner then up. I didn't have that before. I turned the 'bottom' on and that helps orient you, so you don't just get the fuzzy line. I can go back, if needed. I chatted with Garmin and they say this thing needs 'constant adjustment' for water clarity even on the same lake. (WTFKOBSIT?) The factory Utube videos are no real help. No operating manual for this unit. They call the installation, the operating manual, then palm you off to the chartplotter manuals. What we need is a troubleshooting guide. Does this, do that, for these water conditions, do this, etc. Things they could do automatically but chose not to. I downloaded and installed the updates, did the GPS cal*., so I'll have to take to the water again and start over, when I get some time - next good weather. *- It was on the local GPS, not network, before so it was getting a good signal. I'd calibrated the network GPS before, so it lost it somehow. Going back to basics. I'm going to reread everything and see if I got something else messed up first. When you see the "pros" screens on BASS channel, they look perfect, like a video game, but who knows if that's photo shopped or not? Of course some factory guy probably set them up. I'm not convinced(yet) this "plus" version is all it's cracked up to be. At least I could operate my first gen system without much intervention. It wasn't great, more grainy, but I could see under docks, fish, etc. Makes me think somethings wrong with it. I see they dropped the price again. My main frustration is you can't determine if something is not working and needs fixed or it's simply just out of adjustment, not installed right, or not adjusted for the conditions? That's a circular trap in itself. Reminds me of the early daze with just flasher sonar. You didn't know when you got a signal/blip if it was real or not ro what it might be, animal, vegetable or interference. When they went to LCD, they used fish icons for arches, but who knew if that was right. Since these new ones, U R pretty sure when it's a fish. When I first got this LVS, I could see them swimming around and their size but the constant low voltage thing made it short term prospecting at best. Good news I did manage 4 keepers in the cool and windy waters on Norman.

Thanks. I'll adjust the Xducr and try settings when I go Mon.

It was beau coup better this spring than fall. Really hot summer (100+) 2 week period changed things/kept me off the water, plus boat & trailer issues/construction at the house/health issues, => life got in the way. Fished more and farther away than past years, made it back to Champlain finally. Big fish #s were down all over. But I broke a few off, so 1 never knows. I wouldn't throw 2025 out for eating crackers in bed... Ain't over yet!

Are you saying to rotate/turn the LVS transducer up one notch above the A, B, or C mark on the mounting bracket? The plastic ultrex jam nut is letting it slip down a lot, so the unit isn't always the same height. I need a fix for that, too. I upgraded to a plus system(2nd gen) when I replaced all my electronics back to Garmins late last year. I haven't messed with it much. I had to put a huge lithium battery on to stabilize the voltage so I can run it all day, if needed. I always liked Garmin because you just turn it on, and don't have to mess with it. I'm fishing not tuning/playing with electronics. Not with LVS, apparently. But it's 'new' and learning curves required. Seems this new one has some issues I didn't have before. In forward, the bottom near the top(farthest) is real fuzzy/indistinct. I get an interference a fixed distance from the transducer that looks like an angled away tree trunk, but it stays a fixed distance so it's an artifact of the sonar beams overlapping, not real. In perspective, I get a too bright zone about midway and not much detail. The "rays" are very segmented. Something's not right, but messing with it, isn't my forte. If I can't get any hints here, I'll call Garmin tech over the coming winter months. I'm on the H2O all year. I got a message this week the GPS isn't calibrated, but I'd calibrated it a while ago. And it was using it's internal gps. They told me the separate GPS on the network is just so they all use the waypoints are same coordinates, doesn't affect performance. I'll have to get the cal. procedure out again, next trip. ps: I was at Hartwell for 3 days during the last college open in late Oct. Every practice boat was exclusively using FFS almost to a fault, plus they were coming up/encroaching on me. Whatever happen to "sportsman" society? I don't think they're learning how to fish in my opinion - just video game fishing. I also think they 'over practiced', as the tournament wasn't until the weekend. Lake was crowded on Tues in late OCT??? Of course, if I was in my 20s, and could fish instead of not go to college???? I'm noticing, spots are not taking the minnow baits I'd been using successfully all over for a few years now. They would hit but not eat BB swim baits. I guess after getting caught and relocated many times, they're turned off. I'm having to adjust to the pressure and that's a huge lake - my "local" preferred. Not all bad, there were some nice guys, too. This week it was more like NOV, a few or no boats, but more as the day warmed. Fish were still 'off' and a weather change and I was plying unfamiliar areas searching. I've had to expand my range as the tournament pressure rearranged the fish. Places I could rely on are barren now. But spots are roamers. I used to fish tourneys, so I'm not opposed - just saying.

When you build any rod you need to check it with the intended reel/handle/guides on it. Use masking tape, and if it's top or back heavy then move the reel location a bit. That'll locate the proper place for the handle. I cut the blanks before I build it. Only if I want a certain length I can't buy, but can really mess up the action/flex, if not done right or pick the wrong blank. There are other ways to add weight than just glue some in. That's probably better for a factory rig that's not balanced or reel - rod bought separate. Build it right you won't need weights.

I haven't been to Lanier for over 15 years, but fish Hartwell, Keowee, Jocassee, James, Hickory, Russell, Rhodhiss, Norman, and Wylie. I liked Lanier/did well, just not a day trip for me. A lot depends on the the day of the week and time of year. I cycle south in fall and winter, then move north for the summer. Mostly for comfort, but they can disappear or go to deep. I've noticed at Hartwell, which I fish the most (weekly - half the year), it's getting harder to catch good spots (>3#) close to the tourney ramps. A lot of my old milk run places are now community holes/picked clean. I've been going farther west. I had a 5#er this year which are hard to find. Lot more 4s. I like Norman for numbers and size, but it's a ski boat/cruizers mecca, so pick your week days. Road(150) construction over there now too. NC state record spot came a few years back from Norman. The one on the DNR is old, and I thought/heard there was a 9 that came from there, but may not have been officially recognized. Angler was fishing with a guide. It's also big, deep, lot of baitfish, and clear enough to grow big fish. I lost a giant last year. My regular holes seem to hold up OK, not as pressured. Hickory is still good, you just have to know where to look. Sleeper category. This time of year, the water is "boiling" >90F, so not going to be shallow. Follow the bait schools. I'd give Keowee and James a honorable mention. James is "down" right now since the flood last year. I went over there a couple months ago and it was way off. I live near Wylie, but in my opinion this lake is done. It was great when I first came but development killed the spotted bass golden goose. I haven't been on it for several years because the county started charging me to launch, but never open the temporarily closed ramps, and charges me property taxes for recreation? NC ramp is free? They recently removed the fee for residents, so I might try again this fall. Water used to be clear, but is muddy/stays muddy longer a lot now. Duke frowns on weeds and the hot water discharges(winter) have been stopped. My go to's: drop shot trick worms or use fish heads with Keitech shad. Spots are the fresh water equivalent of pelagic fish. They roam and occupy the open water, more than LMB/SMB. Here today, there tomorrow fish. Follow the baitfish. I used to live on the OH river and there were plenty of spots but it's even more difficult to locate them in flowing water. You had to stick to known areas and wait for them to come to you/milk run. I caught 18+#(5 fish) in 20 minutes late one Nov. and then it was over as fast as it started. FFS is a blessing here. I've seen it at Hartwell, et al, when it's off color, a whole school of bait may move right by your boat and you'd never know from just looking down at the water or down view, or at the bank. I don't rely on it, but it's a good aid for finding spots. I'd classify myself as a confirmed long time spot-a-holic - over 45 years.

I was up the big pond for almost 2 weeks and the fishing was a bit off by my standards, which are more than 11 years old since last. I'm also that much older and less sharp/hard core. I used to compete up there back in the '00s, but haven't been back since '14. Local lore was the spawn was late and weeds didn't grow in the high water. First time I recall seeing the south end 'muddied' like coffee. It used to get this grey silt up, that quickly dissipated in the past but this was coffee with cream and no weeds to filter it out. I fished the cleaner areas and had to go all the way out past the bridge to find some. Third day it was getting reasonable but left for Platty. I found some SMB still spawning up the 'nort' end. One LMB also with tail scars and general lower weight. Water was around 75+-, and in the '60s one day. It was ~82, south. Usually can target the 6-8' depth weed lines, but I was keying on 10-12'+ with the bright skies and fluctuating water temps. It cooled off quite a bit, low 60s and water temp dropped, 5+ deg for a few days. Nice to fish in but UV10+ sunburn alley. I bought some UV golf sleeves for my sunburn arms, and they worked good. The south end was no coontail/milfoil mats much same in the north, all submerged and not high/dense enough to focus on dark spots. Celery root has taken over despite their "eradication" efforts of the past decades. I had to key on rock and steep banks to find the fish top side. Eel grass was productive south. It was futile to fish anywhere less than 3-4', with clear water and high skies. So missaquoi day was a bombout. SMB also mixed in south. They'd freak at the boat in the sunlight and made landing tough. Lost several that just tore off last second including a couple giants. More prevalent on sunny days, than overcast. Land rate improved on overcast days. North, contours at 10-12' with pike weed strands produced on my drop technique. My old waypoints saved the day, but couldn't always get around even with ramp hopping. I can't take the pounding at my age. I took one shot adjusting the GPS and shocked my ribs and neck stiff. I had to reverse course. I shoulda stayed were I was catching 1-2s, out of the wind, but the lure of old waypoints spurred me in on the inland sea. Didn't get any cross wind days. Whatta difference a day makes. Listened to the weatherman. I know better. I normally expect to catch a 5+ in each specie on a trip like this, but only managed a 3-15 LMB AND 4-1 SMB, The LMB was of the right frame size but beat up from recent spawning out. Lots of kayakers, for the BASS event. Wish them luck because that's a long way to drive to get skunked if they can't get away from the banks unless the weather pattern changes. I saw FLA and TX plates on kayak rigs in the launch areas.

The rest of the story. Two weeks ago, what's the chance of launching on Lake Champlain at 9:30 AM on a Mon, and the guy launching in the boat next to me started taunting me for escaping the heat. He was from SC also and was in a 2016 Ranger? Slim or none? He acknowledged they had hub issues back then. I didn't know that. My last was a '09. The last old hub bit the dust as well, lost its brake lining. I caught it before it was catastrophic, just eating up the tire, and ordered new. Now I got to swop out in the 100+ heat. They used these "organic" brake shoes, and they didn't bond them right, left a space between, and the steel back plate rusts in between and eventually delams. Once they get to a smaller thickness than can fall through the "crack" when the caliper is relaxed, then it's steel on steel until the backing plate falls off, too. Ironically, I was cutting the grass one day last year and I found a rusty caliper shoe laying by my driveway entrance. I figure it came from somebody else's vehicle. DAH! Dexter has not responded to my inquiry about the suitability of daisy chain brake lines. I got a new pair of shoes as a stock item. And they're different. They managed the issue. I just happen to have a 10 year old trailer without many miles and original brakes/hubs. I'll go back to my twice a year brake/hub inspection protocol I used throughout my tournament days with the old "cool" hubs. Beat having the numerous road failures. These 'lifetime' hubs are a bad joke. Can't repair and costly to replace. The first two failed on the rear axle, but just slung grease. I tried to repair but couldn't get the support bolts out to get the rotor off. They are some sort of one way fastener and the impact just spun 'em. It also voids "warranty" to take apart, but well over of 5 year (lifetime) warranty period. If I'd known that, I'd changed to a different hub, but stuck with it now for another cycle. One of those inferior designs that they make all their money supplying after sale parts to replace them. Been there, done that many times. Otherwise, the old boat performed flawlessly on the big pond and the 2300 trek back and forth.

It may not be U. This time of year, it's always an "Oxygen" game. Stagnant ponds and high temperatures rob the O2 and algae run backward at night, consuming oxygen not making it. There maybe a thermocline near the bottom but without a boat and equipment never know. Back in OH, growing up, we'd drag a worm across the pond bottom at deepest part of the lake to get bit. PH is another factor, from rains, runoff, etc. Runoff maybe high or low, but usually nutrient rich which triggers algae blooms. They always talked about "acid rain", but here (SC) we have basic rain. It gets my swim pool out of control. Back in IN, after they "shot the corn" with NH3 in the adjacent field, the OH trib turned to pH13, soupy pea green from algae bloom, after a T-storm. I used to carry pH strips. One or two fish didn't make it out, floaters. There was no bite there. We learn from the extremes. The dissolved O2 curve for water is fairly steep,(easy search) and above 90F, it's like 2 ppm, max is ~10, and that's about as much as a fish can handle to stay alive, so they're going to have survival, not eating on their minds. Another technique is a slow noisy bait. The "wood chopper' is good for that. Jerk and stays in place. Irritates the fish into attacking. Hula popper another good one but moves more. Frog in the slop, twitch and sit. I've caught good fish like that at high noon in summer or even in weed die back. We have to take the good with the bad.

Ever since I got this used boat, I've been plagued with brake issues. The trailer essentially had no hours, boat was kept on the water. Been eating brake fluid but not leaking. 2015 Ranger 520C. It's got the daisy chain flex brake lines, and the last caliper has the only bleeder. Hard to bleed out all the air. I didn't like the actuator that came on these, A84, I changed it once because snubber got trashed by loss of fluid, so I put a A60 on it after I had my last oops. It continued sipping brake fluid after the repair, as before. Figured it was just displacing air. I'm getting ready to leave for a long tow, so I figured I better address this and bleed the brakes/diagnose. I have experience towing in the mtns and have a brake go. Weathers been so hot, 100+ humid, not conducive to working in the garage(or fishn). We got a break this week. As I was bleeding, I noticed some fluid on the floor and dripping, nothing was coming out the bleeder line. I felt around and saw it was oozing below. ON inspection, come to find out, the back brake shoe on the last caliper is missing. GONE, not there... I didn't think that was possible, but think again. Human error? The caliper piston wore down into the rotor acting as the brake shoe until caliper extended and started to leak. No sign of brake fluid. No squealing. Small amt of fluid must've evaporated from the hot rotor. Good thing I found it, (too late) but an example of a dealer that supposedly thoroughly checked the boat and didn't or messed up. At $600 a pop, these vortex assy's aren't rebuildable. Last one I couldn't even get it apart. I have a spare used caliper and rotor, but no axle kit. Easier just to replace the whole shabang. Right before a holiday, and trying to get parts in a hurry is par for this game... Not saying never buy a used boat, as even new ones can have issues, but they get repaired on their nickel - maybe - been there, done that. Enjoy the outdoors. It's the last bastion for sanity.

I'm convinced Andy Montgomery is one of those prodigies when it comes to skipping baits. When the/his Lew's SP baitcaster came out I bought one, immediately, and quickly bought another. Things one doesn't think about like minimizing the amount of line available to back lash. Brilliant! I was watching Pro Team and he did a show on his Strike King skipping buzzbait. That's a special skill. It's fairly common in these parts to skip a buzzer under docks because floating docks are mostly approved here. Not easy but at times effective. Andy lives not far from me but never met the guy. I picked up a couple "test" models to try out. Again the genius of tethering the blade arm to the shaft to avoid snags, bite stretch, etc. Brilliant! The only complaint is they're listed at 3/8 oz but much heavier with the bulky plastic. Looks and cast more 1/2 ouncey. He's absolutely correct that skipping demands a flat side and no twist. I like the flat trailer for jigs for that reason but a normal jig trailer will rotate over many casts and have to replace the trailer, even if still good, so that concept could be applied to jigs also. I'm going to deconstruct those buzzers and add some Fish'n Jim touches. The best ever BB, in my opinion, (chatter buzz) is no longer available but I still have a few. I lived in IN where they were made at that time. The guy that invented them died and widow sold the patent and the buyers never produced to my knowledge.

If you want a full days TM and have electronics, then opt for the 31 AGMs for both. With one your stuck with a 12V TM. Wet cell are passe for these apps. If there's no space for 31s, put the biggest one in the fits. The AGMs can do both, last years longer so there's not need to have two types. I'm leery of lithium still. Why? If they catch fire? That little boat fire Ex won't put them out. Toxic fumes when burning. No where to run to when you're on the water, and most fishermen I know don't stack up to water walkers!!! But weight savings is a plus and can get one 36V vs 3x12.

I've used Creme worms since shortly after they came out. I still have some from that era - early '60s. I recall they came late 50s, but weren't too available nationally then. They had a booth at the Cleveland sport show, and I ordered then from them there. The yellow ones I liked were hard to get. They were quite stiff, but the bass didn't seem to mind with the near neutral buoyancy. Quivered much like a senko does but stiffer. I guess the bass never saw anything like that and were curious. When jelly worms came, creme's faded until the floating one came out. Culprit took over for a while until Zoomies launched. Now we have the trick worms to fill that weightless void they created. It was sad that Jellyworms reengineered their worms. I tried to entice them to batch me some old ones but they destroyed the molds. I still have a small stash that's dwindling but they out fished the new ones, 2:1, and I can prove it! I think the Ditto gator tail is the hands down best for fishing in weeds. also now obscure.

I've always used an ABU C series.(round ones like the old ambassador) I fish 50-60# green braid only (tie direct) on frogs. (as line color fades to light, I take a black marker and darken it) I use backing to get max distance. I use an 8' flippin stick. I can cast it a mile with this setup and haul them out even with a wad of grass wrapped. Best to stay off the pad and cast way in to bank. Helps if wind blowing into. If they don't go on top, then a weedless rigged jig or worm to the holes. Drop it in, and "tickle" the weeds - reel up until bait contacts the weed, then twitch so the weed moves. ps: I find it best to move the frog with the tip in kind of a small up/down hopping motion and reeling up the slack as I go. That up and down vibration seems to trigger bites better, much like "shaking" a worm. [Better than walking -my opinion]. I learned that way back in the early '60s in OH pond fishing when worms(Creme and plow jockey type rigs) were just taking off and we didn't really know how to fish them yet. I was watching some pro on TV at Hartwell the other day and he actually taps the rod real hard to impart that motion. It was quite noisy/obnoxious. I fish Hartwell a lot since 2008. I was there yesterday. Not much frogging on Hartwell. I hope to get back to Champlain this summer and feed my topside addiction.

Good thread, thanks. Not an easy lakes to navigate. I gave up on auto-inflatable when mine got wet in the boat under the cover and inflated on it's own in the garage. Try stuffing that balloon back in the vest. Great if you never need it. I don't trust me pulling the cord flying through the air. Always have your kill switch secured to you when running. My first year or so competing, early days post kill switch(KS) intro/req'd, one of the boats hit a stump or something both competitors got ejected and KS not attached, motor keeps running, steering flops over, and makes a circle. One guy got run over and prop hit his shoulder. It was req'd then, but early compliance wasn't great, but much so after. I'm not sure today with the hydraulic steering but guess, if the object didn't deflect the lower unit, it'll go in a straight line and crash somewhere. You can take your hands off the wheel with hyd vs the old cable style couldn't for long due to motor torq. I respectfully ask, please, some of the kayakers to use one of those high vis flags so we can see you when it's rough and minimize travel in the channel (cut across quickly and go parallel) where boats are running, if you can. Lots of sky boats, pontoons, etc. too. It's not a matter of right away if you get run over because you weren't seen... I've run up on a few, mostly the camo/dark variety that I didn't see, and had to take evasive. Bright colors great. And I'm sure you don't appreciate a boat wake coming on you unexpectedly. Traveling into the sun can also be treacherous due to glare, if it's flat out. Good polarized glasses a must. I also water test out any new vest I buy so I know what to expect should I fall out. I also mark the purchase date inside, so I know when it's time for a new one. That foam degrades out in the sun. You won't know if you float or sink, if its old. I use a mesh vest style in the summer and it's more comfortable than the full vest type - which I use in winter.

I found this after searching around. Answers the first question. YES. https://yamaha-indianapolis.com/ I was looking for alternates mostly that people ran and had success so I coudl compare. That seems to be the going internet price and fall back. My prop guys had moved but I tracked them down. Recommended SHO vmax prop is 25P, I'm at 26P, and could turn 27, to keep the rpms <6250(rev limit). The 26 drags when you let off, so that would only get worse w/ 27. Maybe a smaller hub and 27 might work. 520C w/ hyd jack plate and two talons, is transom heavy and too much lift and it's a WOT squirrel >70. I don't drive like that anymore. It came with a 25 but must not have pushed it since the max outs were few. Nothing wrong with what I'm using except the price. Add on a refurb and I could have bought two in the past. When I go to call up the Turbo props from Yammie, the link isn't found, so I don't know what's up with that? Unless they're parading as 4 blades? 4 blades have more lift so wrong direction. ps: If I recall correctly, there was a "Gary H" that fished in the PA FED back in the >00's when I was there(w/ brandywine).

I guess I'm out of touch. I was looking for a spare 26P prop for my 250SHO and I can get one for <$1000. That's was the price I paid during covid when they were unobtainium. So I started looking at options. I used to run Turbo's back in the day, and seems like Yammie has the Turbo trademark now? Did they sell/get bought out? I'm running the first gen SHO and I saw a message for the prop "no longer available" at one of the sites, but I can still get elsewhere. So may or may not be obsolete now? Is there a New prop for the new 250 SHO? I run a T-2. (on a 520C.) Any other suggestions to check out, if you run one? I found this after searching around. Answers the first question. YES. https://yamaha-indianapolis.com/

Problem attaching the instruction file. It's pdf but gets a not allowed. It's in the installation manual so not made up. In order to come direct from the battery on my boat it's ~25" of run. 6-8 Ga depending on actual length req'd. From the email: "Per our Garmin Marine Warranty Policy: "7.1.1 Installations not in accordance with the installation guidelines provided in the Garmin/Fusion/EmpirBus branded user/install manual will invalidate the warranty." 10 AWG is the minimum required gauge size to power the GLS10 black box (for runs up to 15 feet from the battery, per the installation instructions for the GLS 10 black box below). Garmin_Panoptix_Livescope_Install_Instructions_EN.pdf. Per our Garmin Marine Warranty Policy: "7.1.1 Installations not in accordance with the installation guidelines provided in the Garmin/Fusion/EmpirBus branded user/install manual will invalidate the warranty." 10 AWG is the minimum required gauge size to power the GLS10 black box (for runs up to 15 feet from the battery, per the installation instructions for the GLS 10 black box below). Garmin_Panoptix_Livescope_Install_Instructions_EN.pdf

Sorry late getting back. Since I "tuned" up the "Charge" (onboard battery control) system and put the LVS on a switch, the voltage is quite stable around 12 VDC through out the day, measured on the bow unit. Charge's making corrections based on system voltages /amp draws since it monitors all 4 (31 AGM) batteries and transfers energy where needed when big motors running and not. I might still change out the starting battery since it spent the last 2 years not getting full charge. I'm waiting on an estimate to run 6GA up to front before I decide further action. Technically, I don't see new wire being necessary, only a warranty issue, not performance, as I ran nearly the same setup on my Z20 w/ no issues. Ranger didn't say much and recommended 10 ga. if two front units, but I'm only running one. But their new boats advertise 6 ga for those boats that look like a control room, not a fishing platform??? Who has time for that? I don't advertise. I think that bow circuit is branched off the console power anyway. To know the exact length of each wire/ ga to make calculations would take some uneasy exploration. The starboard conduits aren't easy to access. If one runs another set of power wires up with the TM conduit on the port, asking for interference. If you're familiar with a 520C, the TM runs off 6 ga on a separate 3 battery 36VDC circuit. 112 TM's capable of >50A draw. Only the battery system controller is connected and would know when drawing. All electronics on the NMEA network are powered off the 12 VDC starting batt. Plus there's wireless comm between the bow & console units, charge, and iphone. ps: I see some tournaments are requiring use restrictions on forward facing sonar(FFS). They require the transducer to be disconnected and a red cable cap applied. If your FFS unit is not switchable, it runs but no sonar. May causes heat issues. I'm no longer competing, just raising the issue. Eventually, the manufacturers will sort this out, but we're dealing with it in real time like most beta tests too soon to market. One reason I tried to prolong changing out as long as I could. But the tech is pretty slick. Last week, I was watching a "big bass" roaming under my boat. I could see all it's movement, dorsal and tail fins. My boat is down this week. During annual, I noticed timing belt was worn. I'd bought the belt but procrastinated on repairs. Trailering last Tues, I heard a slapping noise. When I went to replace belt, it was slack, and the tensioner wouldn't move. Waiting on new tensioner.

Technique dependent. I use console for running and bow for boat control. I use it 100% when drop shotting. Part of the technique - target specific fish. I only forward scan when I'm looking at structure/cover or searching for bait balls. They're on 100%, pre-launch except the forward scan I shut off to conserve power. Also listen to the stereo all day.

I've posted that I've changed out all the electronics on my 520C and thought I had the gremlims tamed. In recent close out conversations w/ Garmin tech, about other issues, when we were 'talking'(vis email) power, he handily pointed out they REQUIRE higher gauge wiring to satisfy the warranty. (I think it's just an out and they're protecting themselves, because if you look at the specs there's no way you need to run 6 Ga for ~4 amps 12 VDC! The TM max pulls >50amps and it's 6 ga? So I'm stuck in a quandary - to wire to spec or not. Personally I don't see any way except the port side TM cableway and that causes interference. I don't think I can snake 2 6 ga up the starboard conduit with all the other wire in there already. These boats are foam filled. I'm getting a quote from a marine electrician and his opinion this coming week. More later. The neck down to 20-22 ga at the connector also? I just noticed the new Ranger ad, stating "they now use 6 ga for electronics". Whoopee! Selling point, but is it necessary? The typical way is to grandfather. I ran the same set-up on my earlier Z-20 and it worked flawless. Maybe the new gen is more iffy with all the wireless comm.? Do I really need a message on my graph that I got a phone call or text when the phone is in the glove box on low power? Or are they spying on me? Anyone fighting upgrades, let me know what you're doing, going to do, or been told. As fast as I change electronics, I don't see adding a few months of life for a measly warranty on one unit. If they're as good as I think won't become an issue. They would not give me, how long the life the extra Ga wiring adds, their power spec, so I could not calculate the options. Typical control of voltage is by a capacitance bank, but I understand they have one internally. (redundant design?) The Charge is doing a good job now of holding at 12 VDC up front but the control is a bit slow when you step on the TM, dips a tenth or two momentarily..