Prof T

Looking for opinions on Mercury's Smart Craft Troll Control for their large four stroke outboards. I'm planning to repower a 30 year old aluminum Sea Nymph 19.5 footer. Motors are Evinrudes - 90 VRO and a 9.9 longshaft. The bottom line is that I always thought I go with a Yamaha 90 or 115 and new 4 stroke kicker till is saw the new Merc. Troll Control is an electronic function of their smart gauge that allows the operator to set engine RPM from 1000 down to as low as 450 on the main motor in 10 RPM increments. From what I've read, it's not a problem for the engine because it's fuel injected, has a pressurized lubrication system and the cooling system is designed to provide adequate flow at that speed. Looks to me to provide an all in one option for the old walleye catching beast! Boat is all rigged, has the canvas I want, is solid and safe, and has all of the options I think I need. Can't see spending extra money if I don't need to. Anybody running one or have an opinion?

I've got a Mach 1 with transducer to go with it if interested.

Any tips?

One short out of the last 30 or so.

3/4 million fry stocked annually and no impact ??????? Keep up the thankless effort. How are you funded and how can we help?

You beat me to it, Justin. Nobody has more at stake than professional fishermen, and a vibrant fishery is first priority. A buddy is a local who has had guides as friends for 60 years. Asked one of them why he ended his career, he responded because he just couldn't in good conscience take peoples money when there weren't fish caught. In my uneducated opinion, habitat loss from development and the carpet of zebra mussels changed everything more than pressure

Too bad someone can't give us some tags and instruction. It would give me an excuse to fish more .​ It would be cool to see just where the "flamers" travel.

Listen, the walleyes have self regulated...last time out I got one smallmouth solo, and Kevin and his guest got one walleye and a couple smallmouths. Not all days are banner days. Seriously, you all know we spend a lot of time on the water and have been lucky to learn the behavior of a few fish in a few places. Not really different than a guy who knows a stream, has a home lake, or trolls the big lake. Early in the season I'm bent on getting fish for the freezer, a 4th of July clambake where I fry fish bites for the kids, and a neighborhood fish fry next week. Just like last year, I now self impose a slot limit for the rest of the season just like Roybee, Kevin and others. Responsible anglers realize the damage that overharvesting can produce. I don't keep every fish I catch. Depending on how badly they are hooked,or how tough a fight they had getting into the boat, I then decide whether they get put in the live well or back into the river. I would hate to have to release fish I know are going to die because of a mandatory slot limit. Additionally it doesn't pain me to put a 28 incher back, but no matter where you set a slot, anglers here could conceivably not be able to keep any of their catch. Some days you can't buy a fish under 24. Imagine trailering all the way to fish, getting a couple 25 + fish and not being able to take anything home. You guys are right that those who can be on the water as much as me, a retired old fart who worked a whole career dreaming of having a fishing boat tied to a dock out front , can really put a hurt on a fishery, duck pond or deer woods. The key is to set example all of the time. It's not always about limits or 10 lb fish. Sorry for the rant.