Minuteman

The 1 pair of socks deal is something I found the hard way. One winter I was layed up in bed and my feet were always cold no matter how many pair of socks I stretched on. I even started putting my sneakers on in bed. They just kept sweating and getting colder. Now, no socks to sleep. 1 pair when wearing boots.

NPR? No kiddin'. I thought that was like a Commie broadcast outlet.

One of the guys can probably help if you mention the type of boat. My little 10' Jon would vibrate a little with only a 30Lb TM on high. In fact if it didn't vibrate I knew the battery was getting low. It might have something bent. Sorry I can't really help better than that.

Wonder what happens if you get it stuck onto a car or a metal drain cover? Something that ain't coming up. Maybe even a lost boat engine. Although you might be able to get an engine up.

One of the only times I remember fishing with my dad as a young child is when he got a lure stuck in some brush about 10' out from the bank he was fishing from. The sun was just coming up and I remember him sending me into the misty, foggy water to get it out. I must've been 6 years old and the water was cold. I don't even remember if I got it back. I was probably crying and carrying on. No wonder my dad didn't take me fishing much when I was little. He rarely fished near home and spent his fishing trips in Canada. If he had live longer I'm sure he would've started taking me when I got older.

My year started off great. Mild winter in PA got us out on the water early, Bass fishing before Trout season even opened. I caught only my 2nd bass over 7lbs the other was in 1983. Then to top it off I got a real bass boat instead of the 10' Jon boat cartopper w/TM only we've been using. However, within weeks of the new boat in August health problems kept me off the water for the rest of this year. I did get out a few times on the new boat, but I spent most all my time learning how to trailer and use the boat and getting familiar with the electronics. As for the health issues, I'm expected to be fine by next summer at the latest. I'm already getting cabin fever and started ordering tackle and boat supplies for next year. I've got 2 pages of "to do" notes just for the boat. Come 2007 people might want to stay clear, I'm lilely to hit the water like I was shot out of cannon.

Definitely good advice. I boiled my trans fluid 3x because I didn't know that. Most of the lakes I hit require a lot of back road hilly driving and the thing was constantly shifting. I now got a much bigger and heavier boat and I haven't had a problem since I started driving in #3 instead of 0D. I also added an Aux. cooler too just for extra protection. (Jeep Cherokee inline 6 cyl)

If I'm by myself I always wear one. I've even wore one fishing from the shore at some spots where i have to climb around rocks and cliffs. Anytime the water is 60* or below I make anyone in the boat wear one even while just running the TM. I've had my back muscles lock up jumping into a pool that the temp is cooler than expected. That only happened after I had back surgery, but It is a scary thing and all the swimming lessons in the world won't help.

Yea, BASS seems to making a lot of changes in priorities. Some of the TV programming changes don't seem to make a lot of sense. It is like they are undecided on being an entertainment industry or a an actual sport. As usual I'm sure everything is about the "bottom line". I'd love to attend some of the seminars and classes as an observer, but my attention span prevents any actual learning. Really, what were we talking about anyway?

My son and I are both 6' 2" and @ 200Lbs each. We fished in a 10' Jon boat with a 350Lb limit for awhile because that is all we had. With battery and TM we were way over loaded. Finally at one lake the DNR was out and we saw them tow 3 boats off the water for illegal stuff. Mostly kids without PFD's and TM's mounted on craft that weren't designed for it. They actually talked to us, but just asked us how the fishing was. That very day I told my son we were pushing our luck and I started working on getting my 17' Bass Tracker. I raided my retirement money for it, but I feel a lot safer. I definetly caught fish in that Jon boat that I wouldn't have been able to get to in the bigger boat. Now I feel more like a boater than an angler. Hopefully when I get more time on the boat I can get back to catching fish.

Ok, they did the whole works. It was fogged and the fuel tanks are portable, so I already used up all the fuel that sat in the tanks on the kicker motor.

If a motor is properly winterized by a marine dealer, is there any problem with it sitting unused for 18 months? It still has the "winterized" labels from the dealer on it. The boat I bought was winterized last Oct, but I didn't make it to a lake were I could use the bigger motor this year. I know the motor was in great shape before it was winterized and since I won't get to use it this fall yet, I was just going to winterize the smaller 9.9Hp that I used on the local lakes when I'm done for the year. The boat will be in a garage over the winter in E. Pennsylvania.

See, it's that simple. :-?

Wow, that is steep. I was looking and got quotes at around $125 a year from different companies. That is only for loss of boat though as my homeowners covers liability on the water because I'm under a certain HP. I think 90HP + and the price goes up. I also didn't take a loan so I'm sure that is why the loss of boat insurance wasn't mandatory.

Age and 4 bad back surgeries means whatever is comfortable. I usually sit if I'm just casting, but if I'm up on some cover I'll stand. I was so sore and tired Saturday I almost sat in the console seat to fish. Another interesting thing I've seen is guys kneeling on the deck, mostly sight fishing, but that actually looked comfortable.

Found an Ultra Light setup the other year. It was a pretty nice one. They used to stock trout in a stream near my house and it would be a madhouse on opening day. I used to drive down and watch the circus taking pictures of people tangled up and arguing. Years later walking along the creek after some heavy storms I found it washed up in some brush. Probably was in there for 10 years or more. The reel was worthless, but I still have the rod. I keep it as a spare and don't think I've ever used it.

I was bummed out earlier in the year when I lost a new Spook Jr. I could see it floating around in the weeds, but no boats allowed on this lake and I couldn't hook it with another lure no matter how hard I tried. I finally realized that through the years I'm so far ahead of the game in the lures lost vs. lures found game, that I gave up on it.

That got me thinking. I remember hearing years ago bass over a certain size (5lbs I think) shouldn't be held up by the lip only. It can break their jaw. I guess that can't be true because: Just wondered when I saw the thread subject if it had to do with that rumor.

I recently bought an '89 Tracker 17' and when I was looking at it I noticed sealer along the rivets and seams. I was ready to walk away from the deal since I figured it had leaks. The owner told me that it didn't leak and never did, he just couldn't figure out why he was getting water in the boat after he bought it and started putting sealer on all the rivets. Turns out he was just stopping too fast and water was backwashing over the transom. I only have about 20 hours on the water with it and the only water I ever picked up was from messing around with the livewell. It has some leaky fittings inside the tank and they might just need tightening. In fact I'm going to do that now.

You must be a fan of "A River Runs Through It". When the brothers take the girlfriends brother along fishing. What a nightmare!

Wind from the North, fishermen don't go forth. Wind from the South, blows the bait in the fishes mouth.

As that Great American Jeff Spicoli once said, "Awesome, totally awesome" 8-)

I know that in E. PA right now, most message boards are reporting limited catches of bass (40 anglers, 4 keepers in a tourney last week). Most of our recent catches have been outside weedlines closer to the deep water. Landing them from the bank can be a real test. I caught a 3Lber that way earlier in the year, by the time I got her to the bank I couldn't even see the fish it was so wrapped in weeds and muck. I figured my 10Lb leader was going to snap, but I somehow got her up on shore. Water is cooling down now, so I figure things will pick up. Or NOT!! Winter has been weird lately. Last year we had early ice, but it was melted by end of December and never re froze. I don't go ice fishing and was out a few times over the winter, but no bass till March.

Thanks guys, that's what I wanted to know. I did run into the 303 stuff when I was looking online. When I was thinking about this, I remembered that big Circus Tent fire in New England that killed all them people in the 40's or 50's. Turned out someone mixed up some homemade waterproofing for the tent that was highly flammable and poof. I guess I spend too much time watching the History Channel.

That is it! I've finally done it and started to turn into a fish. I sleep less and less each year. By the time I'm 60, I won't even need a bed. More room for tools and tackle. I know my son is a member here, so don't tell your mother about this! ;D