Thornback

Too small to weigh. I weighed more at birth that that bass. You try to throw it back and the wind will blow it away -- LOL On the serious side, because you asked -- I would guess it weighs about 13 ounces. I once caught one smaller and as my buddy was laughing I placed the bass in my shirt pocket.

On my 2005 Bass Tracker there is a fuse panel on the starboard side under the steering console. There are a bunch of blade fuses in this panel. Pull each fuse out and check to see if it's blown.

I have a friend who decided to take a shortcut out of the channel markers and he had to have his transom repaired due to just one stump among many. Just last week a buddy and I watched a boater go half throttle over a stump field as we held our breath. It wasn't long until we heard him hit a stump with his lower unit.

Boaters running WOT across a stump field.

Interesting that some boaters run at WOT and recommend it. I guess I'm never too old to learn. I'm not an outboard mechanic so I will yield to their experience and appreciate their opinions. But it drives me crazy to push a piece of machinery, with many moving parts, to it's peak revolutions and keep them there for an extended time. On the safety factor -- Call me a fuddy duddy but I never liked to run faster than 30 MPH in an open boat.

Cheaters never win.

I enjoy hearing stories about anglers mastering the bait caster.

I totally agree.

I assure you it is a piece of cake.

Nice post cutbait. I'm glad you are sticking to the bait caster. As you can see it takes practice for a newbee. Some folks get it quickly and others may take longer. Also your thumb will get educated and that can help. Whether you do a side, overhead, or underhand, you must let the lure do the pulling off of your line. Always keep a cast smooth and don't put a lot of muscle in it. I believe the side and overhead are the easiest to master but I believe the underhand is the most accurate. I love a bait caster and wish everyone could experience the enjoyment when you master it. Remember -- You won't miss the line twists and all back lashes can be quickly picked out. You also want to become a master at quickly picking out a back lash

Does anyone on here run at WOT? Engines, parts, and labor are expensive. Do not abuse your motor and it won't abuse you. There is also the boating safety factor.

I have a 175 Tracker w/60 Merc 4-stroke. I usually run around 4200 RPM, that's about 22 MPH. In my opinion the best way to find your efficient cruising speed, for both boat and motor, is get up to about 3,500 RPM, then quickly increase the throttle a slight amount and then run for about one minute. Keep repeating this increase procedure until you detect the RPM increase, or the sound increase, but the boat speed doesn't increase. Now drop the RPM back about 600 to 800 RPM, or what sounds good to you, and you have nailed your best cruising speed, which will probably not be your best gas mileage. Your best gas mileage will come at a much lesser RPM. You can do this procedure in a car, a boat, motorcycle, or an airplane. You are going by the combination of your instruments and the seat of your pants

I have a 17.5 Tracker aluminum, I use two anchors, mostly to offset the current because I mostly fish one of two impoundments. Two anchors also helps when the wind picks up. I always fish with shiners from an anchored position. My technique in anchoring, I don't just drop the anchor straight to the bottom and tie it off. I usually drop my bow anchor, let the line play out as the current moves me backwards, then when the line is all the way out I drop the stern anchor to the bottom and tie it off. One of my pet peeves is fishing with a buddy, being in the wind with just one anchor, and the boat swinging back and forth.

I like to make my first cast just before or just at first light. At that time there is usually no wind and no sun. But I find the bass are ready to start feeding. I guess unlike most anglers I send a wild shiner up under a floating mat.

More on JB Weld -- I had a deep 8" long scratch on the hull of my aluminum 175 Tracker. The scratch didn't penetrate but it looked ugly. I covered it with JB Weld and I swear it looks just like it has been welded. Has been holding for over a year.

Suppose a cat gets you on the hand in a surface vein? The toxins would be in your blood and go directly to your heart. Cut the line.

Today I had a bite and as my line was moving through the water I did a hard hook set straight up over my head. Just the line came flying back, no bobber and no hook. Now I got a sore bicep in my left arm.

You can't keep an angler down. Nice pix.

I had a channel cat get me. I was using needle nose pliers to remove my hook and that sucker flipped/flopped and got my middle finger of the hand that was holding the pliers. Instant pain, bad pain, and bleeding like a stuck pig. The pain went on for 20 minutes and I had to wrap a towel around my finger to stop the bleeding. The next day I read on the net that a catfish fin will cause pain and induce bleeding. Later telling an old timer about it he told me next time to rub the belly of the cat on the wound. He said it once worked for him. About a month later I caught another cat and I cut the line. My mama didn't raise a fool

That's a good one. And either way they say it or spell it we know what they mean.

If you ever get into serious slippage and no one is around to help just let about half the air out of your rear tires. That will make them soft and they will grip much better. Once on the main road be sure to pump 'em back up.

Caught on a wild shiner. I was reeling like a mad demon after I set the hook. She came right to the boat, not much fight, and I had no idea she was that size until I started to lip her and saw that mouth.

She did have a big head/mouth. I was able to put my fist in her mouth with room to spare. Looks like a post span bass and if she was full of eggs she might have gone 8.5 pounds.

My friend and I went out yesterday morning to Rodman Reservoir and put only four bass in the boat, plus a catfish, a mudfish, and a pickerel. The largest bass weighed 7 pounds 2 ounces. See pix below . . .

OMG, I'm losing my appetite for fish