handling on big water

Not that many years ago my Dad and I fished out of his 16 Kingfisher with a 70 Johnson. We went out on Toledo Bend when a lot of people wouldnt go. My best advice is to keep it trimmed down and take your time if it gets really rough. If youre talking about a fairly good chop on the water, a little trim is ok to keep the nose up and, other than that, speed depends on your comfort level. The worst thing about wind and waves on Toledo Bend is that we HAVE to stay in the boat lanes, therefore you have to take the waves at whatever angle they come at you. Others more accustomed to running open water can tell you about what direction to try to take the waves the best.Jim EbarbMany, LA (Toledo Bend Lake)2004 Cougar/ 225 OptimaxHumminbird Helix 12 Chirp SI on BalzOut Mount at bowLowrance HDS 7 at bowHumminbird Helix 12 Mega SI on Ram Mount at ConsoleLowrance HDS 8 in dash at console

TAKE YOUR TIME! If you are barely on plane , thats okay. If you can go 30mph go for it, but be safe. Find out where the wind is coming from and find a sheltered bay. Have fun and be safe! Try to look 2-3 waves ahead.

Much like Toledobasser my first big water experience was on Toledo Bend in an 85 Phelix with a 60 Mariner and taking it easy and keeping it trimmed down some to help the bow break the waves and taking them at an angle if possible.

There is a big difference between “chop” and “KY lake rollers”. Waves no bigger than a wake is your comfort level on trim and speed. If the wind is reported to be blowing from the North at 10mph. It will be 15-20 on KY lake and going against the flow of water. This will look like the swells you see behind a barge. 5ft high, 10ft across the peak and then 5ft down the other side to a trough. This is where the timing comes in. Its like surfing.. Ride the wave until you see where you need to be and move to the next wave. It might be a straight line it might be going in a zig-zag. Study your maps to know if there is a secondary channel near the shore like on a lot of the western side. The swells are not as bad in the channels, much like a tidal wave is nothing in deep water. When it moves over a flat or sudden depth change it will get big or it could be like a hole in the water. You crest a 4 foot swell and suddenly see a 10 foot trough on the other side.If you can watch the weather and pick a day where the winds are no more than 10mph.