French River report and new trolling motor disatisfaction

[bigcreekdad]

Just returned from 5 days at Cranes. Experienced all kinds of weather from 85 degress to 36 degrees....all daytime temps! Tuesday was one of the worst days I have ever experienced on the water......temps as low as 30's, heavy winds, and rain/ice....only fished an hour and a half before being driven off the water, which is an all time low for me. Fishing overall was good, but no really big fish, and only one walleye at all, albeit a 24 incher. My son caught best fish, a pike of 32", and my berst was an 18" smallmouth that hit a large rapala. Had one topwater hit that may have been a muskie, but I could not confirm it. Met a couple of guys from NJ who cast for lunge all day.....as of yesterday when we left they had seen a half dozen muskie, but no hook ups. Folks at Cranes and food was good, as usual. I'll post a few pics when I'm at my computer at home.

 

Used a new Minnkota Power Drive trolling motor this trip. I cannot tell you how disatisfied I am, and am posting this not so much to carp as to ask if anyone else has experienced this, and if so, how did they deal with it. When raising or lowering the unit I have extreme difficulty doing both. When lowering I release the lever which secures the prop head, but have a hell of a time getting it started off the area upon which the prop head sets. I jiggle, push the other end, bounc etc ( all the while cursing) to get it unseated. Once it gets off the resting spot it goes down smoothly, but I have spent at least a minute trying to get there many times. When raising the unit. it comes up easily, but the prop head needs to be horizontal to sit on the resting area, and the weight of the prop head naturally wants to go vertical, so you are trying to force it horizontal while trying to pull it up on the resting place, which is a chore itself. Once you do accomplish getting it on the area horizontal, trying to get it pulled up far enuf so that the lever to secure it can be in place is another chore....sometimes I just get it up on the resting place and don't worry about securing it until I dock, which is not the right thing to do. At the dock, I have to push the prop head while out of the boat to get it far enuf to secure the motor. I must say, my trusty old 13 year old Evinrude with its pull cord mechanism was a breeze in comparison. Nuf sais....anyonre have any thoughts on this?

[snackpack5150]

I have fished the French for over 11 years and have had some good days and some bad days, lots of water to fish always had good luck at the pump house channel right beside Crane's. As for your trolling motor I too have a hell of a hard time releasing it to put in the water,I have grease the shaft which has helped but I am not sure as to why the motor doesn't go down easy. I have a 55lbs Minn Kota. I hope this helps .

 

 

Ken