u/No_Use1529

I posted here after an unfortunate incident broke my old Mercury 2 trolling motor. Guess I won’t be scaring off the fish anymore. That thing ran off spooky fish quicker than a livescope can in shallow water ice fishing.

I also posted a pic of how I put in my power panel/switches. I was torn between keeping it all upfront or having easy access to it from either seat. I choose to make easy access from either seat. Plus I’m usually up front and I have long legs so it’s not in my way. ;)

I’m not sure how many boats it’s been on but a good chunk of my life that the was trolling motor on the front of the boat.

I hated the thing as a kid because of how wonky it was to use. When it became mine I finally figured it out other than when it decided it was opposite days. Which seemed to be more frequent.

Oh well guess I’m shopping for a new trolling motor this week.

No more scaring fish off with the blender as those old mercury thrusters were called. I almost aquired a spare this spring for parts but the seller flaked. Kinda glad because I think it was long overdue to upgrade to something quieter.

Wiring in the lights and a bilge pump is next. Switch/breaker panel is installed and the front led nav lights are mounted. I am just waiting on the roll of wire to show up. So much for Amazon prime. At a week now. I haven’t decided on what interior lights yet.

I definitely prefer these seats over the older cushion style seats.

I hunted in a buddies blind a few years back. He had one of the chairs with the mesh seat. I thought I’d be wrecked after 8 hours in it, I was thinking no way that’s going to be comfortable to myself. but I was shocked how comfortable it was.

It doesn’t take much to piss my spine injury off.! I can last twice as long since I switched to these seats before I start doing the FML I’m going to regret this on the way home.. Second time this it with the new seats today.

Redodo 140ah lithium battery. I love that thing!!!!! I am still running the original Mercury thruster 2 bow mounted trolling motor my old man ran when I was a kid. Part of me wants to upgrade. But that thing sips the juice. Downside it’s loud. I think they called it the blender back in the day if I remember correctly. My fish finder has its own lithium battery. That also gets used for ice fishing. So stays in the ice shuttle.

Downsides reverse is completely gone on the Mercury. :( Uggg. I had a feeling it was going out. It’s never had a smooth shift into reverse since I got it. It had no go in reverse today and that thud has me betting the dog ears are rounded or gone. It’s a really low hour motor too. I got a feeling I know why the original owner sold it now. Time to look for a rebuilt lower or the parts to rebuild. That thing starts the first pull every single time if my dumb azz remembers to flip the switch on. ;)

It was sports in HS , now a year round college program. So our outdoor time together ends up really limited. Before I put the boat in, he grabs his bait caster and starts casting/practicing. Though it looked like he’d been doing it all summer. Versus a whole year in between.

Cool watching it click on making sure he’s ready to fish once we’re in the boat.

He was on fire today. Once again he out fished me.

We only get to fish 1-2 a year with his college schedule and working when he’s home. So when he says a few more. Were staying. Perch and some nice size gills were on fire. He lost two really big fish too. Drug him into the weeds and got off both times.

Dropping a crappie jig at the drop offs was the ticket today. Best bass I caught in a while too doing the same thing. Guess I need to start using my old tricks more often.