THE EXPERT
photo by JoDy WhitE
Change to a minn Kota Prop
Kenney ’ s No . 1 tip is a mix-and-match trolling motor setup . He relies on a
MotorGuide X5 . “ I swear it ’ s quieter than any other motor ,” he says . Yet , Kenney utilizes a Minn Kota prop for its superior “ weedlessness .” To make the prop fit on the MotorGuide ’ s shorter prop shaft , Kenney uses a drill press to bore out a small amount of the inner hub of the prop . He secures it in place with a nylon lock nut .
A Minn Kota prop on a MotorGuide motor is
Kenney ’ s unique setup .
THE EXPERT
Jt KENNEy
any discussion of anglers who are masters at flipping mats has to include Jt Kenney ’ s name . the million-dollar winner owns four flW titles – all coming from lakes choked with grass . it ’ s no coincidence – Kenney seeks the thick stuff . “ i gravitate toward mats everywhere we go ,” he says . “ i feel like any lake that has a lot of grass , that ’ s where the fish are .”
install a Weed Cutter
Kenney further prevents grass buildup by installing a sharpened metal grasscutting “ blade ” on his trolling motor ’ s lower unit . There are several versions on the market , but the key with all of them is that they cut any vegetation that begins to wrap around the prop . The spinning prop then blows away the cut vegetation .
Kenney secures the blade as close as possible to the prop with a pair of hose clamps .
“ You can go about anywhere , pretty much , once the cutter is installed ,” he says .
Change sonar Color
Through trial and error , Kenney has determined that color pallet No . 13 on his Lowrance is best for determining hard-bottom areas within grass beds . Experimenting with such subtle changes can be key to unlocking grassy secrets .
A weed cutter is like a mower blade – it cuts the grass so the prop won ’ t bind .
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flWfishing . Com i january 2017