Walleyes Inc. Action packed adventures in walleye fishing on the internet.

 

 PUCCIO'S POINTERS

 Hands-free trolling isn't just a snappy catch phrase, it's a reality if you own one of the
 new TR-1 Auto Pilots produced by Nautamatic Marine Systems. The only auto pilot
 designed to mount on a small gasoline outboard, serious trollers know the value of
 trolling with a kicker motor.

 "Speed control is the primary reason every walleye pro on the circuit trolls with a
 kicker," said Tony Puccio, walleye pro and owner of . "With a small
 outboard you can troll slow enough to barely drag a jig along bottom or fast enough to
 give high-action crankbaits action.

 "Speed control keeps walleye anglers buying kicker motors, but it's boat control that
 has convinced so many anglers to rig their kicker with a TR-1, which uses the same
 fly-by-wire technology that guides an F-16 fighter jet," added Puccio. "Waves, wind
 and even strong current are no match for the TR-l."

 Aerospace engineering made the  possible, but using one couldn't be easier. The
 TR-1 operates without the use of menus, displays or programming. A simple
 two-button control panel mounted near the outboard and a hand-held remote controls
 all functions.

 When the autopilot is turned on using the forward or reverse button, a built-in computer
 captures the heading of the boat from an electronic compass. To change headings,
 the operator simply rotates a steering knob on the hand-held remote control in the
 direction he wants to turn. Once the TR1 is locked onto a heading it will continue to
 control the boat until the heading is changed or the motor turned off. For those
 fishermen who own four-stroke engines, motor throttle can also be controlled with the
 same remote. A touch of a button makes it possible to change trolling speeds without
 leaving the comfort of your boat seat, a real advantage when trolling in rough seas or
 when using speed changes to trigger strikes.
 "I use the TR-1 when trolling spinners in open water, structure - trolling crankbaits, pulling
 bottom bouncers and when slipping the current in rivers," said Puccio. "Knowing the boat is
 under control and heading on course allows me to spend more time rigging and setting lines,
 changing baits and studying my electronics Once you've tried this auto pilot you'll wonder
 how you ever fished without it!"

 Outboards can also be used as normal without disconnecting any linkages and the TR-1
 doesn't interfere with normal steering or tilting of the engine. As if this wasn't enough, the TR-1 can also be interfaced with most GPS and Loran-C units, making it easy to return and navigate to saved waypoints while anglers fight with fish instead of with boat control.

 The TR-1 consists of a small hydraulic control box, a remote compass, forward/reverse
 switch and hand-held remote control. It takes a couple hours to install the unit on most
 boats. A step-by-step installation video is included with each unit.

 The TR-1 is designed to function with the following engines:  1987-97,/Evinrude 1985-97, four-stroke 1992-97 and  1992-97outboards. Customers receive a two-year warranty and 30day money-back guarantee.
 The TR-1 retails for around $1,300. For more details and availability, write Graham
 Dorland, Nautamatic Marine Systems, Inc., 100A SE Bay Boulevard, Newport, Oregon
 97365, or call 1-800-588-7655.
 

For more information regarding the methods or products mentioned in this article, call (608) 277-5555 or e-mail: tpuccio@aol.com.