What's the best way to know where to safely run in new lakes ? Such as Welsh, Monticello, Quitman, Hawkins, etc? Smaller lakes in ETEX? What's your strategy? I'm just trying to keep from hitting a stump and damaging or taking off a freshly repaired lower unit. Thx!

Faster you go the less is in the water

The only 100% method of not damaging your lower unit is to idle everywhere but we're not going to do that now, are we? I had been on FCL a 100 times and still somehow hit something in the water. If you are going to be on a new body of water, try to find all of the information you can about that lake. Good lake maps will show you boat lanes as do some GPS chips. Ask people at the ramp or bait house if they have any tips for you. Most fishermen are more than happy to inform you of dangers. I have been on Houston County lake many, many times and I still putt around it. When in doubt, slow it down!

Watch other boats then idle around where they are running use your graph and look for stumps. Don't take someone's work for truth all the time. Once I watch a guy run out of caney creek on lake fork. I almost decided to run his path then at the last second decided to idle it. I was glad I did. I passed right by a couple nasty trees 1ft under water that I could of hit had I run 1 or 2ft in the wrong direction

Make sure you pay your insurance because if you was to let it expire you will trash a lower unit.

Get good insurance, bite your lip, and drive it like you stole it!

+1

haha I like that idea

2 methods - for both make sure you wear your PFD with kill switch attached.

1) Cautious and slow being really careful.

2) Gather all the good info you can from reliable sources and then go for it.


I will tell you if you decided to run Monticello north of the railroad bridge I want to video it and display it on YouTube. I will title the video, "Hold my Beer and Watch This"....

My first trip to Fork years ago, I saw a boat running full speed and figured he must know so I got in behind him and I guess behind his wake I was a little bit lower than him and hit a stump. Another lake I fished frequently, I hit a submerged island when the lake got low and was almost thrown out of the front of the boat.

Now, I putt around until I get a feel for the lake and where it is safe. I"d rather be slow for the first few trips than sinking. I've sunk a boat before and it is no fun.

Take your time I've sunk 2 boats since 1980.

Ok. This pretty much confirms what I already thought. Idle around and learn the lake.

Trim it high and let it fly!