[Joy Hansen]

Hi All,

My boat is a 20 foot that is a more or less ski/fishing mode. Really set up for only trolling with a down rigging on both sides. No trolling motor and inadequate rod holders and color sonar. The live well needs lots of help and I got theCreek Bank Bait Spa as a temp means to handle bait. Maybe just use a 5 gallon bucket on the deck. Sort of forces me to use hardened live bait in the live bait well.

I'd like the trolling motor to be the a Mini Kota Terrova with autopilot with 60 inch shaft, 24 volts, and hopefully 80 thrust would be enough. Unfortunately, there's a railing around the bow. I guess I'd need to remove the railing to install the trolling motor. Or, is there another option? It's obvious that Ramrod uses a trolling motor for the freelining. I don't know what he uses for trolling.

Would a trolling motor move the boat fast enough for trolling after the freelineing is passed into trolling. How long in in the season does the freelining last and when does trolling begin?

The first trip with Ramrod was great as we got two keepers at 26 inches. Enough to let my daughter and I have a great fish meal. Maybe taking two home for dinner was too much. But the excitement was there and we had lots of fun on a great day.

Hate to mess up the deck of my boat with accessories, but my boat is 1995 and it's my first real boat.

If I use the dual frequency to track the downrigger in fresh water, is this a mistake? Should I be using a single frequency or a skimmer?

What channel can I communicate/listen to club members while on the water? Is anyone available to tell me what is going on and where I should be while I'm on the lake?

As all can tell, I need lots of help with this fishing.

More later, Joy T Brew

 

[lannyp]

Joy,
First let me thank you for your help with the gill net survey, I really appreciate it.
As far as trolling motor, I like the Minn Kota Riptide ST. I have had better luck with the Riptide but either are good motor. The ST has the copilot built in. The electric trolling motor will not work for trolling with the downriggers. As far as flat lining that technique, that will work from October-June as a general rule. I like a dual frequency transducer. You can switch between single and dual as you need it. As far as radio channel 68 or 72 is where you will hear most of the striper chatter. A lot of people can be tight lipped about where they are fishing. Between asking people on here and asking people on the lake you may learn more as to where to fish. Hope this helps.
Lanny

 

[JBee]

fishing boat

Joy,

I like the Minn Kota Auto Pilot with the Co-Pilot feature. I could also see use for the built in transducer if you plan on jigging or throwing the castnet from the bow.

My previous boat had a bowrail also and I started out putting a transom mount electric on the stern and using that but the wind really played havoc with that set-up. My current boat has a bow rail also but it is split on the front post which allows the TM to be mounted straight down the middle. The main problem with this is it takes away from the bow seating when in the stowed position. I have a quick release mount I use when I just plan on tubing or trolling, so I can take it off and leave it in the shed.

If your rail is not solid, perhaps you could remove only the forward-most section and have room that way.

Congrats on the catch! Just remember not to eat the red meat and it should be delicious! The poor man's lobster recipe is great, but it is hard to beat cutting it up in 1" cubes and deepfrying in beer batter mix!

Jaybee

 

[lannyp]

The Minn Kota Riptide ST has the copilot built in. It's their newest Riptide series.

 

[Joy Hansen]

Joy,

I like the Minn Kota Auto Pilot with the Co-Pilot feature. I could also see use for the built in transducer if you plan on jigging or throwing the castnet from the bow.

Congrats on the catch! Just remember not to eat the red meat and it should be delicious! The poor man's lobster recipe is great, but it is hard to beat cutting it up in 1" cubes and deepfrying in beer batter mix!

Jaybee

Hi Jaybee,

I don't know what kind of fishing for stripers I'll end up doing. I liked the technique that Ramrod used, ha, ha, covers the whole lake in one pass! Jigging, trolling, freelining, all seem OK as long as I don't get into green fish, crappie, etc. Not my choice. I'm committed to removing the front rail and later putting it back if I sell the boat for a more suitable float. But, tonight, I really appreciated the deep V in the choppy, windy water. Didn't make more than 10 on the way back to the dock, but it was comfy and dry.

I stopped at Clarksville Water Sports and asked about the Rip Tide trolling motor with remote. It's a pricy unit, but I think necessary for fishing success. Don't know about Clarksville WAter Sports for accessories or service. Do you have experience with them?

My sonar was really messing up and giving lots of false depths. Yet, when it seemed to be working and showing 30 + feet, I got constant blips at 16 feet. Without the trolling motor, we just went over by the power plant and drifted with the wind. Same thing off Occaneechee launch #2.

Tried the Creek Bank Bait Spa in a 5 gallon bucket and it seemed to keep the shiners lively. Only used two and put the rest in the shed with the Spa running. Just want to see how long they will live with my abuse. Listened in on 68 to see if there was chatter I could understand, but couldn't make any sense of the conversations. Maybe the plan? The weather sounds like no rain until Friday, so I may get out again and try to find the stripers.

Sure glad I wasnt' braving the swells with my tiny pond jon.

Need more info about the striper cooking as I still have one to go. BTW, I usually leave the oil line with fresh fish. I find the belly fat more distasteful. I will cut the oil out when I cook the next fish. I usually don't do fish in the house. Rather, I use the gas grill outside. No problem with a baking pan in the grill.

Thanks for your reply and suggestions.

Regards, Joy

 

[lannyp]

I would google the trolling motor I decided on. Use the shopping results on google and get the best price there. Even try bass pro or cabelas too. When I buy a new one it will have the transducer built in. I have the Riptide Autopilot 80lb thrust with copilot. Take your time making the purchases to be sure to avoid buyers remorse.

 

[JBee]

outfitting boats

I agree, shop around! They are very pricy, I paid more for my sonar/GPS and trolling motor than I did for my boat (of course that's not too outrageous when your boat is 30 years old). I am a Cabela's Club member plus some of the companies I dealt with offered Cabelas points as incentives. They also offered free shipping (also no sales tax but keep that on the down low) and a free remote. Hard to pass up especially when I could not find what I wanted locally.
IMHO trolling is very effective but livebaiting will put keepers in your boat more consistently. The biggest problem with it is getting the bait. Shad and herring are by far the best but shiners and small (hook caught only) bluegill are OK. Lots of places sell the shiners but the only place I know of now that sells shad is Matthews on Hwy 15 in NC, they are not legal for sale in Virginia.
Today is my 20th anniversary so I'm headed to the Bahamas! Y'all keep the fish hemmed in until I get back!

 

[vikingbud]

Give Tom Foster of MotorTech a call. He is in the Suffolk, va. area. I just purchases a Riptide SP-70 and love it. He is an authorized dealer and repair. Have known him for 20 years, and he backs up what he sells. He beat everyones price, and he can ship it to you also. His number is 757-539-6633.

Bud Jacobson

 

[Joy Hansen]

Hi Lanny,

I'm making a little progress at learning to launch and recover my boat along with making some necessary fixes. I think your and others thoughts on the trolling motor are great. Regardless of which way I jump, there's the issue of batteries and possibly an on-board charging system. I was disappointed with the Evinrude as I thought it would recharge the starting battery while running. Doesn't happen and I can't find any reference in the manual except to keep the battery charged.

Ramrod gave me lots of knowledge about freelining and specifically that it takes a trolling motor. This will be a while yet. Don't think my drifting with live bait is at all productive, just drowning shiners so far.

Can someone tell me about trolling? My boat has down riggers for the purpose. I'm changing the plugs in the motor for low speed operation to see if it helps the keep the motor smooth at a trolling speed. Well, I don't know what a trolling speed would be. My sonar always says 2.8. Is there a favorite artificial for Kerr? Or, is jigging with a fluke a better choice? Seemed that Ramrod used jigging when a school was present?

Ha, ha, enough questions for many answers already today. Thanks in advance for more info and suggestions.

Regards, Joy T Brew

 

[ashman]

Joy, catching stripers is not easy. Probably one of the reasons the a lot of the folks you see fishing for them enjoy the challenge associated with the pursuit. However, I will attest that the trill associated with the catch is powerful. With that said, here is my recommendations. Find a fishing buddy that you can work with. I have some that make the experience very enjoyable. Try to pursue live bait fishing this time of year. It is a lot of trouble to get you boat properly rigger, but it is worth it. As the birds start to show up they can be a very good "fish indicator". Fish close to them. If you have gone out with Ramrod, then go again. There are many subtle techniques that lead to catching fish. Finally, you cannot just be a casual striper fisherman because you will have a tough time finding success. For what it is worth I have been striper fishing for over 10 years and I am still learning . Good Fishing!

-Ashman

 

[Joy Hansen]

What batteries for TM 24 volt?

Hi All,

I ended up with purchase of a pre-owned Minn Kota Power Drive, 70-74 # thrust with the 60 inch shaft. Since I don't yet have a manual to tell me what amp batteries I might need, I'm here again seeking advice and information.

The AGM sealed type batteries marine batteries seem only slightly less costly than a like sized Gel Cell, so I'm committed to the Gel Cell. I'm thinking something in the 90 amp hour size. Since I don't know the Power Drive amp drain, it's hard to figure out what I really need. I doubt that I'd be using the TM for periods longer than 8 hours, but the temp could be quite cold. It's likely that the live well would run continuously when the fishing is inviting?

I thought to use the Minn Kota MK 315 3 bank @ 5 amp/bank. I assume that the 3 bank model has built in isolators to prevent over charging of individual batteries. Would the MK330 with 3 banks at 10 amp/bank be a better choice?

As always, I'm completely open to suggestions, opinions, and information. I've received lots of good information in this thread already, but there's so much to learn.

Hope everyone is having success with stripers!

Regards, Joy T Brew

 

[Joy Hansen]

Question about anti-siphon valve in fuel system . . .

Hi All,

Finally got around to taking the floor covering over the tank out so I could get to the fuel line and replaced it. Unfortunately, ain't it always, the manufacturer put a cable tie in the middle of the hose under the deck. Quite a day as I expected rain all day that never came. OK by me, but I could have been on the lake . . .

Using a portable tank, I verified that the water separator filter supplied fuel to the motor without collapsing the prime bulb. Took the anti-siphon valve out and assured that it wasn't stuck. But, it takes substantial pressure to make it open. Are there different poundage anti-siphon valves? Does anyone have a recommendation?

I got the 3/8 inch fuel lines changed from the boat tank through the motor, but the 1/4 inch lines are still present and might be part of the source of the black deteriorated hose. I drained all the carbs and pumped fuel through each one to be sure debris from hose deterioration was flushed out. I can see two air jets just outside the throat of each carb. Also another that looks like a sync port.

Guess what I'm looking for now besides information about the anti-siphon valve, is information about something to clean the carbs in place. Something that will clean and open the idle/starting circuits. Shades of long ago motorcycle carb work! The start circuit fuel jet was always in the bottom of the float bowl and always plugged with ****.

Still don't know why the plugs were the right designation, but gapped at near .050 when the manual calls for .030. Does anyone know why the gap would be opened so much over the manual specs?

Yamaha motorcycle used to make a cleaner that is mixed 1:1 with gasoline and drawn into the carbs and the engine stopped. Let it stand over night and then drain the float bowls and draw in new gas. Usually cleaned all the circuits in the carbs (shops charged $100 per carb for tear down when all they did was use the solvent). Maybe something that is sprayed into the carb does the trick with outboards.

Guess I'll try floating around the lake again tomorrow if my fixes today do anything to keep the engine running at near idle speed for trolling. If there's lots of wind, I'll just drift with live bait, sort of like free-lining. No matter about catching fish, just floating around is very relaxing. Then, seeing a fish or two is always exciting . . .

Regards, Joy T Brew

 

[lannyp]

OK Doctor this one is best suited for you to answer.:thumbup:

 

[Joy Hansen]

Motor fixed, next the trolling motor, and then the stripers.

Hi All,

Got on the lake today to verify that my latest fix, new hoses, proper plug/gap, and draining the float bowls free of black debris had worked. Kept the motor at trolling speed for hours and when opened up, it ran perfect. Only need to see if there's a change to be made with the anti-siphon valve.

Tried freelining with the outboard moving the boat intermittant and other times trolling with the down rigger. I see infrequent fish on the sonar at about 14 feet, but nothing like a school of stripers trashing my shiners.

Tomorrow is another day and I might try around the 8, 9, 10 bouy rather than off Occaneechee.

Later, Joy T Brew

 

[StriperChaser1]

I've had a lot of success with Seafoam when added to the gas or sprayed directly into the carbs. I use it on a regular basis with my Johnson outboard to keep the carbon cleaned out. After having a carbon build up a few years back and with quotes of over $3000 for repairs I was able to free stuck rings using Seafoam. It made a believer out of me. It's available at Advance Auto and NAPA. If you do a search on IBoats.com you can get responses to trouble shooting outboard problems from boat mechanics. It's a good source for info.

 

[Joy Hansen]

I've had a lot of success with Seafoam when added to the gas or sprayed directly into the carbs. I use it on a regular basis with my Johnson outboard to keep the carbon cleaned out. After having a carbon build up a few years back and with quotes of over $3000 for repairs I was able to free stuck rings using Seafoam. It made a believer out of me. It's available at Advance Auto and NAPA. If you do a search on IBoats.com you can get responses to trouble shooting outboard problems from boat mechanics. It's a good source for info.

Hi StriperChaser1,

Still floating around Occaneechee without much success and trying to improvise a number of fishing techniques. Guess I'm just learning how to handle the boat and make motor repairs. Thanks for the info about SeaFoam and the link for problem solving.

I see a lot of OMC products in the outboard motor manual that seem quite difficult to find locally. I do see the SeaFoam on the Advance Auto shelf. I got the Marine StaBil and StarTron to take care of the E-10 gasoline and put a Racor water seperator filter in the fuel line. Still have problems with the prime bulb flattening, but I guess I'll get that straightened out one of these days.

Do you have equivalents for OMC 2+4 Fuel Conditioner, OMC Triple Guard Grease, OMC Ultra HPF Gearcase Lube, OMC Engine Tuner, or OMC Storage Fogging oil (injection can). Seems like the OMC Carbon Guard is missing from my list. Could be that the Startron is similar to the 2+4 Fuel Conditioner. Possibly the SeaFoam is similar to the OMC Carbon Guard? The OMC manual recommends using the Engine Tuner prior to using the Carbon Guard.

Well, I'd appreciate your info an advice regarding the fuel additives. Hopefully I'm not asking too much as you've already given me a lot of relavant information.

Thanks, Joy T Brew

 

[StriperChaser1]

Have you tried just replacing your squeeze bulb. That's a cheap fix. I had new boat in the 80's under warranty and it was in and out of the shop mutiple times before they found the oriface in the squeeze bulb was bad. Also make sure the tank is vented.

I don't know about equivalents for OMC 2+4 Fuel Conditioner, OMC Triple Guard Grease, OMC Ultra HPF Gearcase Lube, OMC Engine Tuner, or OMC Storage Fogging oil (injection can). I have purchased the engine tuner from a local OMC dealer in Raleigh. One can will last for years.

 

[Joy Hansen]

Have you tried just replacing your squeeze bulb. That's a cheap fix. I had new boat in the 80's under warranty and it was in and out of the shop mutiple times before they found the oriface in the squeeze bulb was bad. Also make sure the tank is vented.

Hi StriperChaser1,

Sure did, I changed the squeeze bulb three times. I'll try opening the filler cap on the tank to see if the tank is vented. The weather is cold/warm and could make a lot of difference if the tank is not vented. The anti-sipon valve still bothers me, but I haven't had a chance to talk to the auto parts or a marine parts source to find if there are different pressure valves available. I took the valve out and verified that it was clean of debris or corrosion that might make it sticky. The access hatch over the tank remains unsealed while I try to figure out what's going on.

OTOH, my daughter and I are going out from Occaneechee today and mess around the bouys 19-16, mostly on the Pump Station side. I'm gaining more confidence that the motor won't leave me stranded on the lake. Don't know much about fishing with the down rigger and trolling with a jig-worm, but could be one day something might get caught. Still don't have a trolling motor, so freelining is just an approximation with drifting with the wind.

Could be that I'm not fishing in the proper area for the time of year. Do you have any experience with the "GMCO Chartbook of Kerr Reservoir". It indicates various areas in the lake with monthly forecast for the location of stripers. Wish there were more discussion about striper fishing, but the club seems pretty quiet.

Thanks again for the information.

Regards, Joy T Brew