jhworley

My Pro Mariner (3 bank, 20 amp charger) just stopped working... So I took the plunge and bought the MK 330. In the manual it states DO NOT MOUNT ON ALUMINUM. My boat is nothing but aluminum and I have a large vertical panel where I previously mounted my charger. I was thinking about using plastic washers behind the unit, to keep it off of the aluminum. ANy other suggestions would be much appreciated on mounting this bad boy. thanks, jhw

6' medium spinning rod with a 2000-2500 series spinning reel ( I like TD). I use either Fluoro 8# or a copolymer (Yozuri Hybrid 8#). The most productive, and easy to use (sort of) bait is a 3.75-4" flipping tube with a 1/8 oz insert jig head. I catch em in cold water, warm water, spring/fall/summer... Throw upstream in eddies, riffles and just let em bounce along the bottom. i like all the other tactics as well (Susp Jerk baits, grubs, cranks, etc) but the tube is an all around great bait good luck jhw

I have a Merc 90/65 Jet. I noticed, after 3 years, that the stream coming from the "pee hole" was very weak, and almost just dripping. I noticed it at idle, but when running it was shooting water out. I called Merc and they just said it was due to the water pump IMPELLER getting weak. I read the service manual, bought the $35.00 part, and 2 hours later was done. Tested her out and she was ticking like a champ. Now, I don't know if you are experiencing the same issue as you have a bigger motor and a different lower unit... however you still have a water cooled power head. My guess would be your impeller is weakening and just needs replacing. jhw

Don't forget the push water too... Some of my biggest smallies, from the New and James, have come from the push water. Push water is the flow right in front of an eddy, riffle. A lot of times the water cuts out the bottom, in front of the rocks. Even though it looks like the water is moving to fast for fish to comfortably "sit" there, in a lot of cases its not. In this presentation you HAVE to fish downstream... Since it would be very difficult to cast above a rocky ledge, riffle, eddy, etc jhw

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They are perfect!!! Buy the 4" variety, as some of the aforementioned folks spoke of. The body size is perfect in MOST 4" tubes. If you need to, you can trim 1/4" of the skirt to make it a lil more realistic. 3.5" (in my opinion) have too small of a cavity for the insert, jig heads I like to fish. You can trim a lil off w/ a 4" but you can't add 1/2" with a 3.5" Good luck

I was curious how to figure out how many AMPS my 101 lb thrust 36 v would have at full throttle. You said less than 40...? I'm not an electrician, and the manuals didn't state much (as far as I could find). You mentioned 6" of wire??? I guess you are referring to the motor's plug to the female recep? I actually have 8 feet of #8 Ga wire that goes to my 3 batteries from a female receptacle... Going by minn kota's equation, I'll be fine... but I just want to clarify thanks again

sorry to hop on this one... : I have a jetboat with my batteries in the front 1/4 of the boat... I presently have a 24v 70 lb thrust tm. I just bought a 36volt 101... the wires I'm using are about 9' and #8awg. Alot of folks have told me this will be fine, due to the short distance... Minn kota says to use # 6. I would prefer to not have to get new wire, crimp new fittings etc. Is #8 sufficient??? thanks, jhw

I use the top one, with a wire weed guard. I haven't explored the 60 degree jig heads for tubes yet. (like #3). They work well with shakey style approaches, but as for a tube... THe top one will be a solid bet for you

That's interesting R Dubbs... I wonder if that age to size ratio you just mentioned is for Reservoir/Lake Smallies? I read somewhere that A Virginia Biologist referenced that a 20" RIVER Smallie could be anywhere from 12-15 years old... (Virginia Rivers) thats an Old fish when you think about it.

wow... that is niceun of a Smallie from utah... That list posting the state records is either a sham, or out of date! I noticed a FEW "state records" that did not match that of other more viable sources I've seen before!!!

Nice photos... Have you tried canoeing through that (joking) Let us know how you do!!!

R Dubbs, I fish Fluoro but its size is close to that of Mono. SO the Ultra Soft 6# test is really the # test of a 12 lb mono? WOuld 8# be close to 14? Just curious... and if so, sweet thanks

Fishing the dam'd section? From Red n' Dots? Big Island??? Since current is pretty minimal in both of those stretches, compared to that of Snowden up, you'll prob have some good luck fishing some of those deeper rocky "holes". I haven't fished the U.James before the month of March, but last year I had good luck using Green Pumkin Tubes, the first week in March. We caught 3 over 17 and 2 of those were over 18" Good luck

Gotta Love the SPAWN... 4 lbs even if I remember correctly, but who's counting?

Good work. I would say, judging by its lack of continuous girth, that this fish is in the 20" range and weighs 3.5-3.75 lbs. Nice fish! jhw