This morning I drop the canoe in the water at Wakulla Beach and start heading out to the vincinity of the south side of John's Island. Found out a couple of things right away. I had set up the motor to mount on the bow of the Redfishing Machine. With me, the motor and the battery in the bow of the canoe, it doesn't handle for diddly-squat, all I could do is kind of crab more or less sideways. Drifted while I pulled the motor up in the boat, whipped out my handy-dandy Leatherman Super Tool and got the head of the motor turned around without dropping anything in the bay. Moved the motor and battery to the stern which proved to be a much better set up. Humming along I started thinking that this was so easy it would be an easy way to get in trouble by getting too far to get back if the weather kicked up (remember this, it gets important later).
Got aways south of John's Island, to get around the flat at low tide, and hummed around looking for a natural channel that I knew was there, but didn't have numbers on. Finally found it. Now the breeze is beginning to pick up and the tide has started in allowing me to drift, if somewhat fast, along the edge of the channel. Picked up a few small trout doing this and one keeper on a Catch 2000. Had a pawl go out on one of my reels, glad I had two spare rods with me. By the time I got to the east end of the island the wind has started to pick up noticably and started to put a chop on the bay. I drift a little further and decide to try West Goose Creek.
As I'm heading for West Goose Creek across the chop, I notice that Graves is much closer. Not only that, but by now it's choppy and windy enough that my brand new numbers are coming off. I notice this when I see a "1" blow across the bow.
Made it to Middle Creek with the wind and waves at my back and the feeling that the motor just didn't seem as torquey as it did when I first started out. Oh well, I primarily only want to try one bend in this creek for about an hour and then it'll be time to start heading for the house.
Got to the bend I wanted to fish and threw the anchor right up in the marsh so the canoe would lay off right along the bank. Hoping for a red, I picked up a nice 21" trout and then a 19, but no reds. Tried the next bend up and caught nothing at all there.
Now it's time to head for home. I make it out to the mouth of Middle, the motor is definately lagging and the water is rough. Oh well, it's not far to the landing. Get to the point near the mouth of Graves. The tide is rippin' around this point and the wind is whippin' and I'm barely making head way. Pick up a paddle and start helping the motor. This is working and we're doing okay as long as we keep the bow almost into the wind. Let the bow fall off the wind and it's a huge fight to get it back before the wind puts the boat in the marsh. Make it around the next point, before you get to the fence, and the battery is now completely dead. I can't handle the boat solo in this wind without help from the motor, so I just let the wind land the boat against the grass. Time to change from the rubber boots to the wadin' shoes, we're walkin'.
By now the tide's high enough to have the grass flooded. Pretty easy walk, much easier than paddling under these conditions. Some big mullet up in the flooded grass, but not bunched up and the waves have the water so muddy I can't see them. Took a castnet with me primarily for ballast, now I break it out. I'm pushed for time getting home, but I try a few blind casts and come up with one nice mullet to go with the three keeper trout in the cooler.
Thoughts and Observations
Was the battery only partially charged? I charged it before I put it away, but it's been sitting in the shed for months. The meter on the charger said it was charged. Seems like it used to run a lot longer on the Redfishing Machine, but then I wasn't covering as much distance in a trip and I wasn't running it on full power. It'll be fully charged next time. It's on the charger now, recovering from cold, stone, dead.
In a canoe, a paddle's helpful even if you have a motor. So are wading shoes.
Need to get longer cables on that motor so I can run the boat and fish without having the battery between my feet. It would also be helpful in trimming the boat to get the battery further foreward.
Having the motor clamped to the side of the canoe, behind the aft seat, is not as in the way for paddling as I thought it would be. It's in the way a little, just not as bad as I thought and the canoe manuevers pretty good with it back there.
The jury's still out on whether having the motor on the canoe is really an asset. Today I think I'd have been better off with a sail.
I'm not an expert battery guy, but I always charge my battery 24-48 hours prior to an outing. Might be new battery time. Take it wo battery source (or any garage) and they'll check it for free. I should be throwing at least 600 cranking amps if it is still a good marine deep cycle battery.
