stratos 375

I went to a party last year where the host was taking hot dogs, dipping them in egg, then breading them and dropping them into a deep fryer. I ate one, probably took a year off my life.

a good piece of Bamboo will work

It's my boat, the 375 was Stratos's 1984 18' model. Picked it up new at the factory, met Earl Bentz. Rigged with a 200 Mariner, Bob's manual jackplate, Boyesen Reeds, Louvered cowling, worked 26" ProTestor. We didn't have GPS in those days, but it radar'd in the low 70's. She's an old girl now with over 3,000 trips on the hull. It's the love of my life.

valid PFBC registration or watercraft launch permit to launch or boat on all commission lakes/ waters or access points. Most creeks or rivers are a free for all. Just watch where you launch & be sure it's not commission owned. It's all in the regs. that you get with your license. PFD's are another lengthy topic entirely

I'll echo what fishfordollars said. To me the speedo is the most worthless gauge on my cluster. It stopped workin somewhere around 1987. The tach's my baby.

Catt, it's Ok that you didn't realize where the James is at, least your math skills are up to par Honestly I've never anchored in water 25' deep in my life, nor would I want to. When you present it the way you do, it does sound rather silly. 200' is a lot of line. I do however fish the Shad & Striper runs in the Susquehanna. Where we fish is only 5' to 6' deep at the most, I carry 50' of anchor line & use every bit of it, the Susky is shallow & really rips, as does a lot of the tidewater up here. I just extended the math and it seemed logical, it really does depend on the conditions at hand and the bottom composition. Thank you for the "in all fairness to 375" statement, it's just the internet, but it means a lot. It seems easy to get bashed on this forum. Some people would have just made a derogatory comment and left it at that note for reference, the bottom on the St. Johns ain't all sand, there's plenty of shellbeds/ancient limerock formations.

Without any details, and just a generalization, sometimes f/s's are propped a little smaller so they can get a skier up and away. Your new boat may seem slower out of the hole, but might have a better top end.

Hey Catt, in my case, I rarely venture out into deep water, and if I do, trying to fish a pinpoint location is nothing but a lesson in frustration for me. If for some reason I really want to do it, I'll anchor my boat from both ends paralell to the break, it's still somewhat of a Chinese fire drill, and you still get boat movement, but I can manage to fish the break. When I do anchor on windy days, it's on a flat or a pocket, I use the long scope and the swinging arc to my advantage. I pick the tr. mtr. up and just let the wind do the work while I fan cast a trap. SB or a JB. No tr. mtr noise and I actually get to stand on 2 feet for once. I was wonderin myself, how you get away with anchoring in any kind of a wind with a scope of a little over 1 to 1? But then you mentioned stumps and vegetation, a definate aid to anchoring. I'm not sure how other guys do it, I hurts my eyes to watch them. Most of the nimrods on my local lake begin their anchoring process with deploying the anchor by way of either the Olympic shotput method, or pendulum assisted "Bavarian hammer toss". If it didn't spook all the fish on that side of the lake , it would actually be funny. All you gotta do is lower it over the side without a ripple

that's why it's called Bass fishing, not Bass catching. it happens.

different bottom compositions, different anchors. Mud, clay, silt or sediment, get a Danforth with flukes that'll bury. Rock bottom, maybe a tri-fluted river anchor. Me thinks 12-15 lbs should be plenty, anchor line maybe 8 times your depth if possible. Use a short piece of PVC coated chain ( 4' or so) to keep your anchor pull as horizontal as possible. If you get enough line out & get your anchor pull horizontal, it's amazing how much boat it'll hold. Your bell (mushroom?) anchor may be wantin to stay vertical & bottom hop.

I love it when someone asks for an opinion. Bottom line you have to wear what will give you self esteem & confidence. If you want to look like a real fisherman, wear a CAT hat, a white T-shirt with some tobaco dribble on it and a pair of jeans with a hole in the knee. Keep the "tournament jersey" for Haloween. It cracks me up when people get dressed up to fish.

When I see a post like yours, I'd like to help, but oftentimes the poster does'nt include enough information for me to do so. Are you bringing a boat, or do you want to bank fish/ wade? Are you looking for Bass only? With all due respect to the anglers of the Allentown area and their local waters, I've been fishing the SE corridor of Pa. all my life, welcome to bass fishing hell. If you're a boater, you've got Beltzville 20 mi. north. 'Paupack maybe 80 mi. north, Ontelaunee & Blue Marsh 40-50 miles west, Green lane 20 miles south (limited boating), Nockamixon maybe 30 mi. SE. I wouldn't expect any good fishing from them as a first time/ exploratory angler. These are all typical NE lakes, very highly pressured with less than average numbers of fish. There have been some very talented anglers who have hailed from this region, and as with any body of water, local knowledge rules, out of towners will need to get lucky or suffer. If I had to make a choice, I'd head to the Delaware river & try wading for smallies, there is a healthy population present, with some quality fish popping up here and there. The water is still a little on the cool side, so insulated waders or a layer of blubber may be needed. There are a handfull of guides working this stretch, maybe if you email them with your situation, they MAY throw you a bone and give you a starting point, or try to find a PA specific fishing forum. I've seen a few guys from the area posting here and I'm sure there are a number of creeks, ponds or mudholes that I'm not privvy to. That may be another option. If you were closer to me, I'd put you on the money, but you're not. Hope that helps, enjoy your brief stay in our state. note: Ontelaunee is bank fishing only, Nock is limited HP, 15 or 20? and Green Lane is boats 16' & under, prop removed, unless they have changed the regs.

Mr. Tin, if you say that this pic is in 25 mph easily, you're correct, it doesn't do it justice. That water is showing me no more than a Beaufort 3, that's just a breeze, I don't see any whitecaps, the crests are just starting to break. I can run 55 over that chop all day. If it was a true 25, there would be a sea of whitecaps and you'd have a hard time standing there. Your wind speed estimation needs some work. Pretty fish.

Osprey, although I agree with some of the suggestions the others have mentioned, some I respectfully do not. You did say there aren't any coves, so finding one is out of the question. Don't use your tr. mtr to fight the wind, you'll lose, and if you are using your tr. mtr. batteries for crankin your outboard, you could be in for a surprise when you go to start her. If you do decide to anchor in heavy wind, use a anchor scope of at least 8 to 1 or more, or you may just drag. Spinny gear or casting, it don't matter, just don't try to defy physics and cast into the wind, just get the bait up in the air, mother nature will do the rest. If you're talkin true 30 mph winds, you shouldn't be fishing an exposed lake anyway, but that's just me. The one place you want to avoid at all costs is the banks that have the wind blowin on them, I wouldn't go anywhere near them. They'll be the banks that benefit from the increased wind fetch and the waves will be significantly larger than on the lee end of the lake. If for some reason you'd ever lose power near those banks, your boat will be trashed. As far as whitecaps, they'll start to form at around 12 mph, that's usually where I draw the line. True 30 mph wind under "average" conditions will produce 2-3 foot seas and the wind will start to knock the tops off of them making spray. You're gonna need a bigger boat for that. As far as the baitfish being "moved" on to the windy banks, I hear this all the time and I don't buy into it. If the bait is on those banks, it's because they are there feeding, or they are there for a reason. They actually have little tiny fins and are capable of being just about anywhere they want. In some lakes where the surface currents are ripping across the lake, the water tries to "stack up" on the windy end and actually can produce a counter current situation several feet under. These are of course my own observations and may go against the grain of many fishermen much more experienced than I. Me thinks any club member in charge or director type of person would throw the towel in upon seeing these type of conditions.

It's been a few years since I've fished the backwaters, this time of year, you stand a chance of stickin a big fish anywhere it's wet. I do recall that I've killed 'em in there on white willoleaf sb's. It's a great place to fish. Know the lake before you run wide open or you may come to a sudden stop. Sorry I couldn't be a little more informative. Have a good time and if you do anything spectacular, I'd sure appreciate a report for future reference.

Hey Chris, I really like the way you think! Your situation mirrors mine, except mine was 26 years ago. I was 28, had a new F150 and a new 375. no kids, a high paying job with flexible hours/ days. Plus I lived in a run down old cabin a half mile from the lake that most dogs wouldn't live in. I fished my first tourney in 1981, my last in 1992, and many in between. I remember that from '85 to '88 I spent 100 grand of my own money on chasing the dream, Red Mans, PBFA, BASS Div. 2, and club tourneys. Several years later I came to my senses and got out of that game to fish on my own time schedules at the lakes I chose. The best decision in my life I ever made. I didn't have any sponsors, the only thing I had going for me is that I was a hang around/ errand boy a a bass boat dealer and got most of my work for close to free, or parts only. The biggest part of my wet dream was that I wanted to stand up on that podium with a shirt on that had only one name on it, MINE. And I didn't want any cheesy decals plastered on my boat either. If I got there, like yourself, I wanted to do it all on my own. Some people are under the impression that sponsors are there to finance your fishing endeavours, and are a "must have". It's a 2 way street, they give you something, then you owe them something. I would imagine pleasing a half dozen or more sponsors could chew up a fair amount of time that could be spent fishing, then there was the problem for me that you had present yourself a certain way, dress and act a certain way, and watch what you say in public. I don't think so! I've been out of the game for so long, I don't really know what sponsorship is and does nowadays, but I would think in a tour like the FLW that there are a lot of guys that are flashing sponsors, but are only getting some free line, rods and reels and lures. I would venture to guess that guys getting trucks, boats and paid entry fees are not the majority. I'm sure there are still a lot of guys spending tons of their own cash ,and struggling with employers to get time off for travel, practice & tourney time. Like I said, this is only an assumption on my part, I don't really know anymore, or care. My only other dream was retiring before age 50 to do nothing but fish. I did it several years ago at age 48, now I'm really livin the dream.

easiest test to see if it's workin, crank your trailer jack all the way up and get the bow high as possible, then put 10 or 15 gallons in the bilge with a hose, see what happens. Sometimes those floats can be clogged with a small amount of debris, or bilge gunk.

thank you Sir for your opposing point of view, I understand what you are saying. "stereotypes, discomfort, and discouragement" are not things that can physically stop someone from entering a tourney, nor do they have anything whatsoever to do with fishing ability. If they have the desire and commitment, I doubt any of the above mentioned would stand in their way. These things would only tend to make me try harder, but that's just me. If women let things like this stand in their way, they still wouldn't be driving, smoking or voting or holding CEO positions. As far as sponsors, another non factor. I've never seen an entry form that required sponsors. Sponsors have to be earned, the're not given out based on looks or popularity. There are many hard working people on these tours that don't have sponsors. The addage that seems to apply here is " if they could have, they would have." Over & out on this one.

First of all, just 'cuz everyone says it's a great dock pattern lake, don't think for a minute that there aren't multiple patterns that will work, probably some a little easier than dock fishing, don't be afraid to fish to your strengths and instincts. You're out to have fun. Unless you've done it a lot, skippin docks may not come easy, and a lot of dock fishing is boat control & positioning. If you don't have the basics of boat control, a 5 or 10 mph cross wind will test your limit of patience. Then again, skippin or pitchin isn't the only way to fish docks. I'll pitch or skip when I have to, but I'd rather give them something they don't see every day. I usually fish a jerkbait around & under them. I've never fished there, but you could look for vegatation, rocks or natural wood in some form. This lake has got to be a "home lake" for someone here, maybe you'll get lucky & they'll chime in.

yes, you can get the part & fix it. if it's anything like mine, there are 2 set screws and a couple of spade/lug connections. I've replaced mine a few times, it's one of the easiest fixes there is. MG parts are very easy to get.

power, always power. I'll be the first to admit, I have no finesse game. Never had, never will. If I can't power fish my way thru a day, or I feel power won't get 'em, instead of trying to finesse 'em, I'll just rack the boat & head to another lake or head home. 95% of my fishing is at largemouth dominated lakes, If, for some reason I end up at a smallie lake, I can throw a mean fly & rind, that is the only exception.

At this point in time, In regards to the gender aspect of fishing, things are confusing. Close to 40 classics and only two women have fished in them? When the top names in fishing are mentioned, rarely is a woman mentioned. That fact alone speaks volumes. They most definately have the same opportunities as men do. Just like men, they can get a truck loan, a boat loan and fill out an entry form. What more does one need? If women are striving for true equality in the sport, why are there "women only" tours? The sport should either merge male & female tours, or draw a line in the sand much like the NBA/ WNBA or the PGA and the WPGA. The sport seems to be stuck somewhere in between. To me, the simplest explanation seems to be the closest to the truth. Up until now, many of the women just don't have the skills needed to place in the winners circle of major tournaments on a consistent basis. Please note that I did say consistent. And if by chance there are any women who consistently place in the money in any of the larger tours, please tell me who they are and I will stand corrected and offer my apologies to the fishing community. I do predict that within the next five years or so, a young lady will emerge as a fishing prodigy, a true phenom who will take the sport by storm and dispell all doubts about womens abilities in angling. However, she's not here just yet.

You didn't say if you had a casting or spinning reel. If you have a casting reel, get a 7' flippin stick, should be easy to find, you can probably get a used one very cheap. If you got spinning gear, I don't know what to tell you, spinning gear ain't my thing. If you're gonna be throwin striper size lures, it'll get old throwin it on a bass rod, and if you hook a real hog on bass gear, you'll wished you hadn't. Any serious striper fishin will destroy your bass gear. Up here in the neck of the Chesapeake, stripers are numerous and large. When the're runnin thick, you can catch 20 to 30 a day up to 30 lbs or so. I've caught literally thousands of them, never used a net on any of them and have the scars to prove it My striper gear is a Ambassaduer 6001, 7' Fenwick glass flippin stik and Trilene 20# big game. Almost exclusively, we throw 7" rattlin redfins with barbless hooks. You want to get these babies to the boat as quick as possible, especially as the water warms up. For the size of these brutes, they actually are very delicate and often won't live thru a long drawn out fight, followed by some on-board oral surgery to get your hook out. That's why we always go barbless. A quick fight, grab the treble with pliers, give it a flick of the wrist, they never come out of the water.

just to add to the thread, I fish alone all of the time, one of the first things I do is set up a tripod on the back deck, pre-focus the camera and have it ready to shoot by way of the timer. Up here in Pa. , from mid april to mid June, you have to return bass to the water " immediately and unharmed" during those times, so there's no stowing them in the livewell for a group photo later, if you want a pic, you gotta be ready to photo and release within about 30 seconds of catching.

I no longer have any fresh water tanks, I made the switch to saltwater about 25 years ago. I now play around with breeding clownfish and propagating soft corals. I used to have a 110 in my living room with a smallie in it. I would stick with about 100 gallons per fish. Make sure you have an adequate source of unchlorinated water for top offs and water changes. I would also stay away from gravel/ sand bottoms and live plants. Keep a bare glass bottom where dirt & waste won't have any place to hide. Provide wood and rocks as needed for hiding places where they can feel secure. Make sure you have addequate support, with the tank, stand, water & internal decorations, you'll have close to a couple thousand lbs. Get the largest filter you can hang on there and place a powerhead or two near the bottom of the tank to keep the solids and waste suspended so your filter can pick it up. Heating is optional. Keep it out of the direct sunlight and keep some sort of a cover on it. Done right, it will provide many hours of pleasure and and an insight to fish behavior. Try Kurtz's fish farm in Elverson, Pa, they sell just about any type of game fish that swims. I'm not sure of their interstate transport laws, so please check. They are a company who sells fish for stocking, a fish farm would probably be your only source , other than live capture. If you've had tanks in the past, you probably know most of this already. good luck