MusicCityAngler

I have a 24 year old 16 1/2 foot Lund with a 60 hp Mercury 2 stroke. The only problem I have had was replacing the lower unit after hitting a rock. It still runs like a champ. I'm on my 3rd trolling motor and have updated the electronics as new technology became available. I only clean the boat once or twice a year - yet the seats still look like new, and the carpet is barely faded. You see, I have an advantage that few boaters have - my boat is at our cottage in Ontario, and I keep the boat in a boathouse. Think of a garage on the water. The only time my boat is exposed to sun or rain is when my butt is in the driver's seat. I also fish some of the lakes in Kentucky and Tennessee and wonder why they don't allow boathouses. They are certainly much more attractive than the metal roofed dock covers, and are much better for protecting the boats. Plenty of storage for your boating and fishing equiptment.

Berkley Powerbait 3 1/2 tube, punkinseed, rigged weedless. You can fish it at any depth, any speed. You can bounce it off the bottom, fish it like a jig or a swim bait, and use it in timber. It has been my "go to" bait for years.

I have a 20 year old 18 foot Glastron, with an inboard/outboard Mercruiser engine. At low speed, there is about a one second delay from when I turn the steering wheel before the boat starts to turn. There is a narrow channel between two lakes where I have to go at idle speed, and it is very difficult to navigate. At higher speeds - skiing and wake boarding - it steers fine. I thought that this was just a characteristic of I/O engines, but my fishing buddies say that it should steer true, and that there is probably a problem with the linkage. Any thoughts?

I have a 1992 Lund similar to the one Robeng described. I also fish alone a lot, and it is a great boat for one or two people. (Mine is 16 feet.) A couple of suggestions: I generally fish sitting down, rather than standing. If you use a bow mounted trolling motor, you will find that it is pretty cramped for space for your feet, sitting on the bow seat. I replaced the seat pedestal with an off-set one. Lund uses Springfield bases, so you can get the off-set one at BPS. It swivels and gives you plenty of room. Made a big difference. I replaced my carpeted trailer with one with rollers. It was just too hard to crank the boat onto the trailer. But I'm in my 70's - may not be a problem for you. Since you fish alone, I would get an inflatable life vest. I used to take my vest off because it was uncomfortable to sit in the seats with the thick vest on. Then a guy drowned on our lake after his boat swamped - probably because of the wake from a big boat. Now I wear an inflatable all the time - I'm not even aware that it is on. Lunds are top quality boats, and one like you describe should serve you well.

" Back in the 80's I had a Mitchell, one of the first ones that had the skirted spool. That reel was a line eater and I never could get it to not eat line." On the older Mitchell 300s, the spool rotated the opposite way than the modern ones - clockwise instead of counter-clockwise. I had some spooled at the tackle store, and they always put the line on backwards.

When I wear polarized sunglasses, I have a hard time reading the black images on my fish finder. Often I have to take the glasses off to read the data. I have the same problem with the display in my car. I haven't seen any discussion about this, and wonder if others have the same problem. I wear Cocoons. Would a higher quality polarized lens help? I usually use amber lenses. Would another color be better? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

Two things that haven't been mentioned that I have found useful: First, go out with an experienced guide. Tell him you aren't interested in catching fish - you want him to teach you one or two new techniques. That will give you the basic technique to get started, and you will probably gradually change as you get experience. About 15 years ago, I spent a half day with a guide, and he taught me to use spinnerbaits and tubes. The tube has become my "go to" bait (I call it "old faithful.") But I don't use it as he taught me. I fish in very clear water, so I make a couple of short casts, and watch the tube as I vary the retrieve (speed and pauses) until I have a pattern that looks enticing. Then I make longer casts and try to repeat the same pattern even though I can't see the tube.