JWScott
1/1/2023 7:19:09 AMThanks for the report Mark! It’s great to hear a good report, it’s been so cold I have not been out in a month.
Happy New Year
Happy New Year
Part-Time
1/1/2023 8:57:09 AMNo cat food bucket, what happened ? Glad you got out and did good. I tried to get something going but couldn't pull it off. Thanks for the report and HAPPY NEW YEAR.
Walleyemark1
1/1/2023 11:09:40 AMIt's been almost two months since I got out, had to take advantage of one of the first nice days since the end of October. Unfortunately my trolling motor started acting up. Sounded like water got in it again. You would think that something that is designed to be in the water would in fact be waterproof. I know I am not the only one this has ever happened to. Most of my buddies have also had the same problem. Are you listening Minn Kota?
Part-Time
1/1/2023 4:33:05 PMBetween the roads and the temperature and my other old man excuses it's been too long for me also. You're kind of scaring me with these Minn Kota issues. Used to store mine in the garage but it has put on weight the last couple of years so I left it on the bow under the tarp. Hmmm.
Walleyemark1
1/1/2023 10:17:25 PMPart-time they all seem to leak eventually. Jim the gentleman who used to fix them in Spokane Valley said it is a well known problem with minn kota's. Especially the ones with the built-in transducer. For a purpose built trolling motor you would expect them to never leak but built-in obsolescence is the name of the game I guess. Mine doesn't have the built-in transducer and this is the second time, the first was under warranty still. Now do I spend maybe a grand fixing an 8 year old motor or buy new?
hewesfisher
1/2/2023 5:37:05 AMNice haul Mark! Good to live vicariously through your reports. Tough decision on your trolling motor not sure what I'd do but think I'd lean toward new as the prudent choice.
Part-Time
1/2/2023 9:09:33 AMI'd put my money with Hewesfisher on this, it's very easy to for me to put your money on it. A grand is too much for repair on something that has failed twice already. Maybe on a new one you will hit the production line jackpot and get a good one. From an older guy's perspective those self deploying models are looking better and better as that motor gets heavier and heavier.
Walleyemark1
1/2/2023 3:41:28 PMPeter
Jim was definitely old school. He was very fair on the price and got them fixed quickly. He was also very good at explaining what was wrong and how to fix it. The spot lock on these trolling motors is almost priceless. It definitely gives the boat driver more opportunities to fish. It's also why I don't have a kicker motor for trolling.if I want to pull crankbaits I can just throw out my drift sock and use my big motor.
Jim was definitely old school. He was very fair on the price and got them fixed quickly. He was also very good at explaining what was wrong and how to fix it. The spot lock on these trolling motors is almost priceless. It definitely gives the boat driver more opportunities to fish. It's also why I don't have a kicker motor for trolling.if I want to pull crankbaits I can just throw out my drift sock and use my big motor.
sturgeonater
1/3/2023 11:27:26 AMCongrats on a good day Mark! Sucks to hear about the minnkota. My buddy that I fish with is on his second ulterra, the first one is in the bottom of the sound because the dealership put on the wrong bracket! It was flawless, the replacement has had all kinds of problems. But it’s working good now. We hope to be up there in March, good luck till then!
JediMbs
1/3/2023 5:03:07 PMCongrats on another productive day Mark. Nice way to kick off the winter fishery. Were you spot locking, or slow moving with the electric? Thanks, tight lines!
Walleyemark1
1/3/2023 6:15:37 PMJedi, we have a couple of specific winter spots that we fish. I was letting the current push us down river till I marked fish or Glenn or I would get a bite. Then I would spot lock and we would fan cast looking for active fish. Most of the time we did not detect a bite, we just started to lift up and felt weight. Letting your jig or jigging rap sit on the bottom for a few seconds takes a lot of patience and is especially tough when you know you're on a school of eyes. The current on the main river was only about. 02 mph so just enough to move your bait down river as you slowly work it back to the boat. I caught 4 or 5 right next to the boat at the end of my retrieve. One thing we have learned is that if you are catching eyes at the very far end of your cast don't move the boat closer to that spot. It sounds like the right thing to do but you end up changing the angle of what was working and is actually less productive. A lesson we have learned the hard way. I also get asked if I tip my jig with a hunk of crawler. I think I did that one trip last year. For sure there are times it helps but I do just as well as my buddies. I think the hunk of crawler actually encourages more dinks to bite. A blade bait or jigging rap works just fine without any help. Just a thought for everyone to chew on
rambull
1/8/2023 8:26:51 AMGreat report. Thanks for posting. Like others I haven't been out for far too long. It's certainly in forefront of my mind though and will indeed happen soon (I keep saying that). I don't fish the Spokane R. or that vicinity cuz I live near Tri Cities but I love reading of your successes as well as other folks successes. I rarely have days fishing worth sharing. Your consistency with success pushes me to get better but here I sit, watching it rain, temp 36. No fishing again today :-( I'm a wimp! My fingers become immobile trying to fish in weather like this
Walleyemark1
1/8/2023 4:31:11 PM36 and rain is definitely miserable and we went out today anyway. I am about to post a report. I will tell you to pick an area and just work it all year long or only at certain times of the year. We fish different areas in the winter that produce. Come March we will pay more attention to the Arm.
rambull
1/9/2023 8:32:43 AMYeah, a windshield boat with a top makes a big difference I bet. Mine is a 16ft open boat. All the best.