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i'll admit it, don't know much about motors, but my grandfather gave me a gamefisher 9.9 several months ago. took it out and was running great, then it started to smoke and eventually lost power and died. checked the spark plug and cleaned the carburetor and it cranked back up, ran for a few seconds and died. this is all it does now... any suggestions or tips would be appreciated

Bad gas. I would get some new gas and run it through it. might have some water or thrash in it. But seems like it runs good to the fuel really gets to the carb and fouls things up. Them motors can be your best friend and your worst

might be bad fuel pump i would try new gas first then if that doesn't work pull fuel line off the bottom of the carb and turn the motor over a few time and see if gas squirts out of the line fuel pumps are cheap not a bad idea to replace them every year or so anyways

It's probally bad gas, if not check your fuel pump, and if its fine go back and make sure that the carb. was reassembled right, and another thing if its two stroke make sure that your gas oil mix. is correct because that could cause it to smoke or lock up the engine if to much or not enough oil in the gas.

GFB.

Was it spitting water real good? Could be a new impeller is needed if the engine sat up for a while.

i did put new gas in it so that should be ok, didn't check the fuel line or pump, or the water pump, thanks for the tips guys, good huntin to you

Your problem is with fuel.
You have fresh gas so thats not it.
If the fuel pump's out it should still run at an idle, just not when you give it gas. To check this, squeeze the primer bulb when it starts to die, if it keeps running then change the fuel pump.
Get a squirt bottle filled with gas or a can of carb cleaner and spray lightly down the throat of the carb as it starts to die. If it picks back up then you need to clean the carb again, and make sure you really get the idle jets cleaned out good.
Also, take mudsucker's advice and change the water pump.