My first boat, my first fishing trip in my boat!

[John_S]

Re: My first boat, my first fishing trip in my boat!

I think it's an older one and I will get more details to you when I get off work. It's a 55lb thrust I think. 12v. Not sure on the breaker.

The breaker should be in the 50-60A range, but don't go to a higher one without knowing the wiring can handle it. I would check for the fishing line, and then go through all of your connections making sure they have good crimps and battery connections are tight.

 

[chad711]

Re: My first boat, my first fishing trip in my boat!

Will do thanks. Opening up my panels like the storage, live well and such I always have to yank pretty hard to open it. Is this normal? I was thinking about redoing the carpet if that would help but the carpet isn't ripped or anything so don't want to replace it if that isn't going to help. The boat is in great shape. Not one rip in the seats either.

The throttle lever seems to have some dry spots and isn't very smooth. Would replacing this help or is this more so the cable line that needs replaced?

 

[John_S]

Re: My first boat, my first fishing trip in my boat!

Well I'm originally from Montana and I use to fly fish all my life as a kid and through high school. Now I'm in Texas and 80 miles from Lake Fork. Started bass fishing the last two months. Been to lake fork 3 times already and going again this weekend. I bought a boat before I own a house. I'm getting pretty serious but I want to budget a little for now. I'm ADDICTED to bass fishing now. It's all I think about lately!

imported_John_S, good idea. Where do people usually put these ducers at besides the trolling motor prop? I see that a lot...

Side note...I found a trolling motor on craigslist. Minn Kota MAxxum Pro Bow mount 55lbs of thrust. He will give it to me for $425. Is this a steal? Bass Pro wants $690 for it.

I was kinda looking for, are you planning to just recreational fish or start tourney fishing. If the latter, you would probably want to spend more now, rather than buy something now and upgrade next year or two.

For recreational fishing, a 5" square color screen, gps, 2D sonar, with map card capability would be good. Something like a HB 788ci which runs around $650. If you want Side Imaging, that would put the price upto around $1000 for a 798ci. I think you can get an equivelent Lowrance HDS for around the price of the 788, and add SI latter for an additional $600.

If $650 is higher than spending plan, look at the HB 500 or 300 series. You would be giving up screen size and resolution, and depending on model map card capability. There are plenty of offering in the Eagle/Lowrance line-up as well. I'd recommend keeping your search to Humminbird or Eagle/Lowrance brands.

Depending on the type of transducer and your trolling motor config (diameter, skeg type and location, etc) will dictate the bracketry you will need to mount it.

Before buying another trolling motor of same size, you will need to know what is wrong with your current one. If it is wire connections or breaker you are wasting time and money. It would be good to know if you will still be happy with a 55lb thrust, before buying another. ie it might be better to upgrade to a 24V system. The 24V would be something you would want to consider if tourney are in you near future.

 

[chad711]

Re: My first boat, my first fishing trip in my boat!

Not good enough to be in tourny's any time soon so this is just for fun but I am serious about my fun...if that makes sense!?

I am going to look into fixing the trolling motor first because I would rather buy a fish finder at this time. The $600 range is to much right now but then again if I can close on this home purchase quickly i will get a 8K tax credit and then I will get something along those lines. To bad I don't have patience when it comes to buying things I want! haha

I do know there is electric tape wrapped around the trolling motor wires so it might be a wiring problem. It only happens on 5 speed though. What guage wire should I be running for a 55lb thrust 12v motor?

 

[ezmobee]

Re: My first boat, my first fishing trip in my boat!

If you end up needing a new troller, I got an awesome deal on a used one from Craigslist (a $399 MotorGuide for $75) and have seen many other similar deals lately.

 

[badbowtie]

Re: My first boat, my first fishing trip in my boat!

Glad you had a safe first trip to laugh about. I have just a basic eagle depth/fish finder that has always worked okay it came from basspro. This year it started to act up it is not giving the correct readings for depth flashes allot so have to look at that. But I am thinking it was only like 80.00.
Happy boating

 

[John_S]

Re: My first boat, my first fishing trip in my boat!

Not good enough to be in tourny's any time soon so this is just for fun but I am serious about my fun...if that makes sense!?

I do know there is electric tape wrapped around the trolling motor wires so it might be a wiring problem. It only happens on 5 speed though. What guage wire should I be running for a 55lb thrust 12v motor?

Just obsessed recreational fisherman myself.

6ga wire should be fine.

 

[Intune]

Re: My first boat, my first fishing trip in my boat!

Hi, did the trolling motor run hot AFTER the fishing line got wrapped around it? Pull the prop & check for line. You might want to put a little checklist taped over/next to your ignition until you get used to doing- trailer straps, plug, winch strap, safety chain, trim up when trailered, remove plug, charge batteries (deep-cycle, always right when I get home) bow up storage... stuff like that.

I don't run my troll on high very much at all. Too noisy & jerky directional changes. Trim your main engine up a bit when using trolling mtr. Turns easier & you can get pretty darn shallow without clunking into underwater obstacles.

Don't come off of full throttle straight to slow. Not good. :redface:

Have fun!

 

[chad711]

Re: My first boat, my first fishing trip in my boat!

Thanks for the tips. You know I was wondering why I had so much water rushing up the back of the boat when I went from 55 mph to 10 mph! HAHA Which leads me to another question. When I am slowing down do I need to start putting the trim down as I slow down? There is times where the bow is really high up when I am going slow. Not sure why?

On to fish finders. Bass Pro has the Eagle 640c on sale right now for $269. I looked around anot a lot of places want $400 so this seems to be a good price. The guy at Bass Pro said this would be a great starter for me. Comments?

Edit: Oops forgot to answer you on the trolling motor. No it has always done this according to the previous owner. He owned it since 8/08. I am going to take the battery into Autozone and have them test it for me. Start there. The wires look plenty big enough so the gauge of wire doesn't seem to the problem. I think it is either the trolling motor working to hard or the battery.

 

[chad711]

Re: My first boat, my first fishing trip in my boat!

Update: I'm going with that fish finder tomorrow. Where should I mount the ducer at? Trolling motor?

 

[northernmerc]

Re: My first boat, my first fishing trip in my boat!

TF = Too Funny

 

[John_S]

Re: My first boat, my first fishing trip in my boat!

Update: I'm going with that fish finder tomorrow. Where should I mount the ducer at? Trolling motor?

The 640c has good press, at least what I've seen. I owned an Eagle Intellimap 502c for awhile. The color display was nice. The internal gps wasn't the best for quick satalite lock, but mine was a couple of years ago.

I think it comes with a transom transducer. I would mount the unit at the helm, but if you spend a lot of time in the bow seat, you are gong to want to add another unit there.

The Eagle transducer is rather compact compared to a HB. It is generally easier to get good readings at speed. This may still require a couple of moves. You may want to mount a transom transducer mounting board, so you don't end up too many holes.

At speeds over 50mph bottom lock can be troublesome, with just about any transom transducer. Many end up with mounting in the bilge and shooting thru the fiberglass.

PS: I assume you meant the FishElite 640c which includes GPS and not Fishmark 640c which is FF only.

 

[chad711]

Re: My first boat, my first fishing trip in my boat!

It's FF only. Going make a new thread because I need to get some feedback on this and another unit. Have to make a quick desicion too...

 

[FBPirate95]

Re: My first boat, my first fishing trip in my boat!

Wow, I never heard of anyone forgetting the plug! That's gotta be a first!

LMAO!!!!

Great story. We were all newbies at one point, and some of us can still act like it.

 

[Dave Abrahamson]

Re: My first boat, my first fishing trip in my boat!

Nitro TF.....Tournament Fisher?

 

[chad711]

Re: My first boat, my first fishing trip in my boat!

Maybe. How about Top Fuel! haha

 

[chad711]

Re: My first boat, my first fishing trip in my boat!

I think I need to have my girlfriend freeze my bank accounts because I cannot stop buying stuff for my boat!!!

Since I bought the boat on Monday I have bought:

fish finder
rod holders
dual bank charger
anchors
rope
fishing net


and a lot more jigs and trailers! I need to stop but I can't!!! LOL

 

[onthelake2010]

Re: My first boat, my first fishing trip in my boat!

I think I need to have my girlfriend freeze my bank accounts because I cannot stop buying stuff for my boat!!!

Since I bought the boat on Monday I have bought:

fish finder
rod holders
dual bank charger
anchors
rope
fishing net


and a lot more jigs and trailers! I need to stop but I can't!!! LOL

But it feels good.
PFD's? Did you get those?

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: My first boat, my first fishing trip in my boat!

Nitro TF.....Tournament Fisher?

bingo..exactly where i was going

 

[TerryMSU]

Re: My first boat, my first fishing trip in my boat!

As far as your circuit breaker, see what size wire you have to the trolling motor. Is the breaker the correct size for the wire? Also, check with Minkota (or whoever the manufacturer is) on what size breaker and wire the motor should use. If the breaker is less that the wire will support, and also less than the manufacturer recomends, then try replacing the breaker with a higher one. NOTE: don't do this unless the wire will allow this change. Also, even if the breaker is correct, it can be damaged or miscalibrated. My breaker for the trolling motor is permanaently attached to the stud on the trolling motor battery. That seems to work well for me. If any of this is questionable, please ask. I would hate to have you burn up your boat because of a change.

TerryMSU