She is christened

[dubob]

Bob, is your starter, rigger, funder battery a dual
Purpose… I read that regulars starters will not last as long if drained and recharged running big motor would keep it topped off and mitigate that. I replaced my starter battery that came with new boat, I  put in dual purpose starter/deep cycle for start and riggers can use it as back up for garmin if I drain my dedicated finder battery they fit next to each other in same compartment.

The crank battery came with the boat and was installed by the dealer.  I doubt that it is a dual purpose battery.  I would think it is just a marine crank battery and should last me 5 or more years.  If it fails for any reason, I will replace it with a marine, deep cycle AGM.

---

At least on my 300 ProXS, the prop is mounted via a rubber "Flo-Torq" hub that will "spin" inside the hub of the prop if it were to contact something solid. This was designed because of exactly what you said - in the old days when a stainless prop was installed straight onto steel splines, it was an expensive game of "what's going to break first?" if you hit something. The rubber prop hubs these days are similar to a shear pin on a snowblower - a designated failure point.

I believe you are correct about the rubber guts in todays props.  But I'm still gonna stick with the 4-blade aluminum prop on my engine.  Too darn old and set in my ways to change.  

[BYUHunter]

Scott,
Sounds great the Merc pro kickers have alternators that work at lower trolling speeds it will charge the battery faster than any drain finders or riggers will draw. You will never have power issues I would guess with that set up!
I got the 9.9 pro kicker and run my riggers and start off a dual purpose battery.
I have 12 v but only 50 amps life po4 and as mentioned I’ve run out on 2 different days, long days.
I can easily switch over to other battery it’s in same compartment donates are right there, and might consider always running it off the other battery it’s hooked to big motor and kicker so always being recharged. I’ve heard you get better images if you isolate battery. Yet for years we all ran them off same battery and many still do, apparently with no issues?
I got the Mercury 150 xs because I fish Powell and we run such  long distances to fish 30 plus miles much of the time, so cruising a bit faster makes more time to fish and if you need to get off quick you have that option. I still like to cruise a lower rpm and not often at WOT. But feels good to have it when needed.

You are correct that the Pro-Kicker has a fantastic alternator, particularly the EFI models. It is why I stick with Mercury kickers - I can get almost 12 amps charging at idle, something none of the others (Yamaha, Honda, etc.) can even come close to. With that said, I've found the limit.

I have the 15hp EFI pro-kicker, and it does not quite keep up when I am running all of my "nonsense": two 12" Garmin 126UHD's, a 9" Garmin 93sv, LVS34 Livescope, heated captain and passenger chairs, diesel heater, forward, deck, and courtesy lights, nav lights, 4 cannon Mag 10s, stereo, washdown, livewell pump, recirc system, etc. etc. With that said, it's really not an issue because the occasion to need all of that at once is rare.

[Mildog]

Wow, that’s a lots of goodies and niceties on your boat makes mine feel under equipped ! ?
I’ve pretty much got set with what I need, still have one more Garmin 106 , to install up front . I have it just not in yet, deciding where/how to mount and if I want to mount transducer on Minnkota or just network it, I have the cable needed for that.

[dubob]

I have the 15hp EFI pro-kicker, and it does not quite keep up when I am running all of my "nonsense": two 12" Garmin 126UHD's, a 9" Garmin 93sv, LVS34 Livescope, heated captain and passenger chairs, diesel heater, forward, deck, and courtesy lights, nav lights, 4 cannon Mag 10s, stereo, washdown, livewell pump, recirc system, etc. etc. With that said, it's really not an issue because the occasion to need all of that at once is rare.

I fully respect and admire your dedication to fishing in adverse conditions. But when conditions like that exist when I would need all that heating stuff, I'll either be duck hunting or ice fishing.

[Mildog]

I’m with you Bob when weather turns off, it’s time to chase ducks, ?then a little hard water when it freezes or strip south to
Powell for some milder weather and great fall/winter fishing!

[BYUHunter]

I have the 15hp EFI pro-kicker, and it does not quite keep up when I am running all of my "nonsense": two 12" Garmin 126UHD's, a 9" Garmin 93sv, LVS34 Livescope, heated captain and passenger chairs, diesel heater, forward, deck, and courtesy lights, nav lights, 4 cannon Mag 10s, stereo, washdown, livewell pump, recirc system, etc. etc. With that said, it's really not an issue because the occasion to need all of that at once is rare.

I fully respect and admire your dedication to fishing in adverse conditions.  But when conditions like that exist when I would need all that heating stuff, I'll either be duck hunting or ice fishing. 

I mostly share that sentiment on the duck hunting. Ice fishing, not as much. I've got all the stuff, but I'd just rather be in the boat. My duck rig is a 15' havoc with a 40hp mud buddy surface drive. Put up the beavertail blind, kick on the buddy heater, and resist the urge to see who can shoot 25 coots in the fewest shells (my record is 17)

[Paddler]

I have the 15hp EFI pro-kicker, and it does not quite keep up when I am running all of my "nonsense": two 12" Garmin 126UHD's, a 9" Garmin 93sv, LVS34 Livescope, heated captain and passenger chairs, diesel heater, forward, deck, and courtesy lights, nav lights, 4 cannon Mag 10s, stereo, washdown, livewell pump, recirc system, etc. etc. With that said, it's really not an issue because the occasion to need all of that at once is rare.

I fully respect and admire your dedication to fishing in adverse conditions.  But when conditions like that exist when I would need all that heating stuff, I'll either be duck hunting or ice fishing. 

I mostly share that sentiment on the duck hunting. Ice fishing, but as much. I've got all the stuff, but I'd just rather be in the boat. My duck rig is a 15' havoc with a 40hp mud buddy surface drive. Put up the beavertail blind, kick on the buddy heater, and resist the urge to see who can shoot 25 coots in the fewest shells (my record is 17)

What kind of boat do you have?  Never heard of heated seats in a freaking boat.   Did you say 300HP?  What's your top speed?

And what does one do with 25 mud hens?

[lovetofish]

I’m with you Bob when weather turns off, it’s time to chase ducks, ?then a little hard water when it freezes or strip south to
Powell for some milder weather and great fall/winter fishing!

Do you still have a lease at the Harrison. Like Dubob, I gave mine up 5 years ago. I've never liked the taste of duck, and it was harder and harder to find people to give them to. It was/is a great place to hunt, and I do miss it.

[Paddler]

Maybe you're eating the wrong ducks?  Pintail, GWT and canvasback are excellent table fare, so they're the only ones I harvest.  The others I shoot with a camera.  They're still beautiful but not as good eating.

[BYUHunter]

I have the 15hp EFI pro-kicker, and it does not quite keep up when I am running all of my "nonsense": two 12" Garmin 126UHD's, a 9" Garmin 93sv, LVS34 Livescope, heated captain and passenger chairs, diesel heater, forward, deck, and courtesy lights, nav lights, 4 cannon Mag 10s, stereo, washdown, livewell pump, recirc system, etc. etc. With that said, it's really not an issue because the occasion to need all of that at once is rare.

I fully respect and admire your dedication to fishing in adverse conditions.  But when conditions like that exist when I would need all that heating stuff, I'll either be duck hunting or ice fishing. 

I mostly share that sentiment on the duck hunting. Ice fishing, but as much. I've got all the stuff, but I'd just rather be in the boat. My duck rig is a 15' havoc with a 40hp mud buddy surface drive. Put up the beavertail blind, kick on the buddy heater, and resist the urge to see who can shoot 25 coots in the fewest shells (my record is 17)

What kind of boat do you have?  Never heard of heated seats in a freaking boat.   Did you say 300HP?  What's your top speed?

And what does one do with 25 mud hens?

It's a duckworth 24 Pacific navigator. 24' to the transom, 27' with the offshore bracket. It does have a 300 Pro xs. Top speed on the Columbia, at just a couple hundred feet elevation, was a hair over 50. Utah lake will do about 44, deer Creek will tickle 43, and strawberry will tickle 42. It's big and heavy. 

I mostly quit shooting mud hens years ago. I still have the occasional temptation, and I'll usually let newer hunters take a few. I used to make a beef stew with them, it wasn't bad.

[Mildog]

Duck is great so many ways if you take the time to learn how to cook them!! I have fed dozens of people that say they don’t eat ducks!! ducks many times many different ways often I dint even tell them they ate duck until later and they loved it!! I smoke them, make jerky, make awesome sausage and just plain old roast duck I love them so does my wife, she always says I heard duck was not good!! She says it’s great the way you cook them!!
Most
People overcook it! And ly many are just plain lazy and don’t try!’
I eat a lot of DUCKs and love them!! I’ve given many people recipes and made converts out of them. There are so many easy ways to make duck super tasty, not just OK. Many ways t
Use it for those that don’t like duck., one is crockpot BBQ DUCK, make bbq sandwich’s most people wouldn’t know it was duck !

---

I’m with you Bob when weather turns off, it’s time to chase ducks, ?then a little hard water when it freezes or strip south to
Powell for some milder weather and great fall/winter fishing!

Do you still have a lease at the Harrison. Like Dubob, I gave mine up 5 years ago. I've never liked the taste of duck, and it was harder and harder to find people to give them to. It was/is a great place to hunt, and I do miss it.

I have a share at HDC and hunt there quite often during the season.
Been pretty good over the years some better than other. Last year was not great. Several
Hunting buddy’s that hunt other areas and clubs agreed that it was not a great season. But still had done great shoots!

---

I have the 15hp EFI pro-kicker, and it does not quite keep up when I am running all of my "nonsense": two 12" Garmin 126UHD's, a 9" Garmin 93sv, LVS34 Livescope, heated captain and passenger chairs, diesel heater, forward, deck, and courtesy lights, nav lights, 4 cannon Mag 10s, stereo, washdown, livewell pump, recirc system, etc. etc. With that said, it's really not an issue because the occasion to need all of that at once is rare.

I fully respect and admire your dedication to fishing in adverse conditions.  But when conditions like that exist when I would need all that heating stuff, I'll either be duck hunting or ice fishing. 

I mostly share that sentiment on the duck hunting. Ice fishing, but as much. I've got all the stuff, but I'd just rather be in the boat. My duck rig is a 15' havoc with a 40hp mud buddy surface drive. Put up the beavertail blind, kick on the buddy heater, and resist the urge to see who can shoot 25 coots in the fewest shells (my record is 17)

What kind of boat do you have?  Never heard of heated seats in a freaking boat.   Did you say 300HP?  What's your top speed?

And what does one do with 25 mud hens?

It's a duckworth 24 Pacific navigator. 24' to the transom, 27' with the offshore bracket. It does have a 300 Pro xs. Top speed on the Columbia, at just a couple hundred feet elevation, was a hair over 50. Utah lake will do about 44, deer Creek will tickle 43, and strawberry will tickle 42. It's big and heavy. 

I mostly quit shooting mud hens years ago. I still have the occasional temptation, and I'll usually let newer hunters take a few. I used to make a beef stew with them, it wasn't bad.

As for coot, they are much better to eat than most give credit, I shot s couple this year on a slow day for dog to retrieve needed some work! I had been a while since I had eaten any, I shoot it I’m eating it, breasted them out pan fried in butter with lemon pepper garlic powder a dash of Cajun spice med rare!!
Darn good! Much better than I remembered!!

[dubob]

Duck is great so many ways if you take the time to learn how to cook them!!  As for coot, they are much better to eat than most give credit.

Here is a recipe I've been using for over a decade.  I haven't done coot with it but have done merganser with it.  I prepared one merganser with this recipe and fed it to 4 other hunters and they all said they would have eaten more.  I cooked up some goose breast meat at my first Harrison Club end-of-season BBQ and had 4 wives who said they normally don't eat goose ask me for the recipe.  Here is the recipe:

Waterfowl Nuggets*
Ingredients:
• Breast meat; cubed.
• Raw scrambled egg
• Sour Cream & Onion Potato Chips; finely crushed
• Wingers Amazing Sauce
Preparation:
• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Breast the waterfowl and remove all skin and fat.  Cut into 1 inch cubes.  Coat each cube in raw scrambled egg.
• Crush chips as finely as you can; a rolling pin works well for this.  Coat each egg dipped cube with crushed chips.  Place chip coated cubes on baking sheet.
• Place baking sheet in 350 degree oven for EXACTLEY 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and serve immediately with Wingers Amazing Sauce for dipping.

* This recipe will work with any waterfowl species, including merganser & coot.  Just be sure that ALL skin and fat have been removed before coating and cooking.

[Mildog]

Duck nuggets with dipping sauce are always gobbled up by non duck eaters, made many converts with that. There are many easy ways to make them soak in a little milk and dash of soy for a bit coat in seasoned flour ( lemon pepper garlic powder paprika Cajun spice etc,) and fry in fry daddy until golden brown with duck still pink inside is an easy one that’s a winner. Bbq sauce honey mustard or your favorite dipping sauce!! Yum yum !
Bob your recipe sounds great. Duck try it I bet you will like!!
Can’t say it enough don’t overcook!!!

[Paddler]

I use recipes from Hank Shaw's, "Duck, Duck, Goose".  My wife likes goose pastrami, corned and canned goose.

---

I have the 15hp EFI pro-kicker, and it does not quite keep up when I am running all of my "nonsense": two 12" Garmin 126UHD's, a 9" Garmin 93sv, LVS34 Livescope, heated captain and passenger chairs, diesel heater, forward, deck, and courtesy lights, nav lights, 4 cannon Mag 10s, stereo, washdown, livewell pump, recirc system, etc. etc. With that said, it's really not an issue because the occasion to need all of that at once is rare.

I fully respect and admire your dedication to fishing in adverse conditions.  But when conditions like that exist when I would need all that heating stuff, I'll either be duck hunting or ice fishing. 

I mostly share that sentiment on the duck hunting. Ice fishing, but as much. I've got all the stuff, but I'd just rather be in the boat. My duck rig is a 15' havoc with a 40hp mud buddy surface drive. Put up the beavertail blind, kick on the buddy heater, and resist the urge to see who can shoot 25 coots in the fewest shells (my record is 17)

What kind of boat do you have?  Never heard of heated seats in a freaking boat.   Did you say 300HP?  What's your top speed?

And what does one do with 25 mud hens?

It's a duckworth 24 Pacific navigator. 24' to the transom, 27' with the offshore bracket. It does have a 300 Pro xs. Top speed on the Columbia, at just a couple hundred feet elevation, was a hair over 50. Utah lake will do about 44, deer Creek will tickle 43, and strawberry will tickle 42. It's big and heavy. 

I mostly quit shooting mud hens years ago. I still have the occasional temptation, and I'll usually let newer hunters take a few. I used to make a beef stew with them, it wasn't bad.

Do you fish the open ocean?

[MrShane]

I’m with you Bob when weather turns off, it’s time to chase ducks, ?then a little hard water when it freezes or strip south to
Powell for some milder weather and great fall/winter fishing!

Do you still have a lease at the Harrison. Like Dubob, I gave mine up 5 years ago. I've never liked the taste of duck, and it was harder and harder to find people to give them to. It was/is a great place to hunt, and I do miss it.

I drove past the Harrison coming back from my place the other day and saw your big Carp cruising around with their backs out of the water in your drained ponds.
Made my trigger finger itchy!
Good news though, your Turtle survived winter and was out catching rays on his culvert!

[BYUHunter]

I use recipes from Hank Shaw's, "Duck, Duck, Goose".  My wife likes goose pastrami, corned and canned goose.

---

I fully respect and admire your dedication to fishing in adverse conditions.  But when conditions like that exist when I would need all that heating stuff, I'll either be duck hunting or ice fishing. 

I mostly share that sentiment on the duck hunting. Ice fishing, but as much. I've got all the stuff, but I'd just rather be in the boat. My duck rig is a 15' havoc with a 40hp mud buddy surface drive. Put up the beavertail blind, kick on the buddy heater, and resist the urge to see who can shoot 25 coots in the fewest shells (my record is 17)

What kind of boat do you have?  Never heard of heated seats in a freaking boat.   Did you say 300HP?  What's your top speed?

And what does one do with 25 mud hens?

It's a duckworth 24 Pacific navigator. 24' to the transom, 27' with the offshore bracket. It does have a 300 Pro xs. Top speed on the Columbia, at just a couple hundred feet elevation, was a hair over 50. Utah lake will do about 44, deer Creek will tickle 43, and strawberry will tickle 42. It's big and heavy. 

I mostly quit shooting mud hens years ago. I still have the occasional temptation, and I'll usually let newer hunters take a few. I used to make a beef stew with them, it wasn't bad.

Do you fish the open ocean?

I fish out of Astoria across the bar every July for cohos and rockfish, but I hire a guide. I would prefer not to get my boat and trailer salty, and it's cheaper and easier than dragging my boat clear out there.

[Mildog]

I’m with you Bob when weather turns off, it’s time to chase ducks, ?then a little hard water when it freezes or strip south to
Powell for some milder weather and great fall/winter fishing!

Do you still have a lease at the Harrison. Like Dubob, I gave mine up 5 years ago. I've never liked the taste of duck, and it was harder and harder to find people to give them to. It was/is a great place to hunt, and I do miss it.

I drove past the Harrison coming back from my place the other day and saw your big Carp cruising around with their backs out of the water in your drained ponds.
Made my trigger finger itchy!
Good news though, your Turtle survived winter and was out catching rays on his culvert!

Haven’t ever seen the turtle , our carp
Numbers have been down except for in the canals , I may have to go out with my bow and take care of a few carp!

[Paddler]

That's too bad, your boat is certainly ocean capable.  There's tuna out of the CR, and your boat would be very good for chasing them.  

I've been fishing out of La Push since 2000, the first six years in a 16.5' Alumacraftnfor salmon and rockfish.  Bought my Hewescraft 20' Searunner in late 2005, added tuna to the itinerary in 2006.  Tons of fun, I've had over 300# of tuna in the boat in one day.

There are tuna charters out of the CR, Westport, Newport and Garibaldi.  You'd have a great time.

[MrShane]

I’m with you Bob when weather turns off, it’s time to chase ducks, ?then a little hard water when it freezes or strip south to
Powell for some milder weather and great fall/winter fishing!

Do you still have a lease at the Harrison. Like Dubob, I gave mine up 5 years ago. I've never liked the taste of duck, and it was harder and harder to find people to give them to. It was/is a great place to hunt, and I do miss it.

I drove past the Harrison coming back from my place the other day and saw your big Carp cruising around with their backs out of the water in your drained ponds.
Made my trigger finger itchy!
Good news though, your Turtle survived winter and was out catching rays on his culvert!

Haven’t ever seen the turtle , our carp
Numbers have been down except for in the canals , I may have to go out with my bow and take care of a few carp!

[Mildog]

Cool I’ll have to look for the little guy, next time I venture out, may need to
Pick up my wheelers for a turkey hunt.