Wayne P.

bowtech182, I can assure you that if you use a soft plastic Zoom worm with lots of flakes in them you will not be hindered in any way. I've caught aound 4,000 bass total in the past two years and many thousands over previous years rigging it that way. I don't use solid colors when rigging in that manner. The white worm is for contrast when taking the picture and all the solid colors are too hard for consistant hooksets when rigged as such. I will use the solid colors with the same hook for exposed point rigging. I use the finesse worm the most and this is it rigged both ways with a size smaller hook.

I'm not familiar with that model, but judging by the tandem trailer and guessing by the model number, it is almost 20' in length, it is under powered.

Yep, got one. When OMC went belly-up and the boat companies were obtained (forgot who) the Javelin was called the Stratos/Javelin and was the entry level boat (package) line of Stratos. The hulls after 1991-92 were redesigned and turned out to be the fastest and best riding of the period. The same design hull was used in the 379 series starting in 1993 and was known in some circles as the "pocket rocket". The 389 series hull held the speed record in one catagory (don't remember which) for awhile. Prior to the OMC death, Javelin and Hydrosport were made in the same factory in Murfreesboro, Tenn.

No matter which size battery you go with, don't start off the day running it on high to get somewhere far away for the launch site. On high, the motor pulls the max amps and using up a lot of capacity in the beginning might cause you some paddling exercise. I mention that because a group of Jr. BASS fisherpersons I work with do it all the time and they end up with a dead battery in 5 hours or less because they always race to spots and change areas running on high setting too. The set ups they use are jon boats with size 24 batteries and Minnkota Endura 55#

rondef, I think I have already done so before. Send me an e-mail and I'll forward some to you. I don't think they are considered hybrids though. purdum43@aol.com

VABasser, the pictured rigging is how I do it with and without any weight when fishing in waters with stuff to get hung up on. I use the same hook rigged exposed point when I can get away with it. I use braid with a fluorocarbon leader. The leader (20#) is used for weight down to about 5' to make the braid sink. In depths down to 10', in wind, or current, I put a size 3d finishing nail in the head of the worm. For deeper depths, I use the Lunker City lead nails in 3/64 oz. I don't use the electrical shrink tubing unless I'm fishing in heavy weeds or timber as it keeps the hook eye from pulling out of the worm when working through those objects. If you are interested in more detail, just send me an e-mail to purdum43@aol.com

Don't use any of those weedless hooks. Just rig it this way and weight the worm.

I don't know if the hull changed later, I haven't been in one newer than 1994, but the Javelin was made in the same factory and that hull was changed during that period as I had both types.

The large slot limit implemented the past few years at Sandy River Lake has helped with the number of citation bass.

Possum, getting hung up on the stumps is pretty common. I can tell from a long distance if someone is trying to get unhung. I do it on purpose sometimes to hold the boat in position so I cover an area when the wind is blowing or I find a school of bass and don't want to scare them by running the trolling motor. Any Fluke color will work equally well, the slow fall is the attraction factor.

I'm not sure if it is a thermocline, but I have seen that same thing on just about every body of water I have been on this year and it is usually right at 12' in the same water temp range.

Personal message sent.

There are two public ramps in Aquia Creek. One is before you get to Hope Springs. It is Willow Landing Marina. Hope Springs has deeper water at the end of the ramp and is better for low tide launching and retrieving.

You will land more bass using braid than with mono. Most fishermen I know including myself make very long casts when fishing lipless cranks so they can cover a lot of water each cast. If a fish takes it "out there", getting a hook set past the barbs is not likely with mono due to the line stretch. Once the hook set is made, the angler's skill during the fight will prevent a loss providing the proper flex rod is used for throwing cranks to begin with. Most bass are lost due to the lack of hook penetration rather than the hooks being ripped out.

Marine grade plywood is most likely the original transom.

John J., you are correct about most, but the atmospheric pressure is falling (lower) prior to a front and that is a contributing factor in the fish activity. The post front is the high pressure period with difficult fishing conditions. In Florida, a high pressure period is the worst condition for fishing success.

What is the water temp?

I use Traps in timber a lot. It's a feel you get used to after a while that lets you bring it thru limbs without getting hung up much. Using braid with the Trap helps with that.

That young guy from Penn really knows some stuff. I guess those pros that catch 20#+ limits of smallmouth bass while wearing their bright red-blue-white-yellow- green- purple- shirts in boats with corresponding colors and 20# line don't know what they are doing. They don't fish from shore, so that may make a difference.

Skepticzm of the new Berkley fluorocarbon revisited. I went to Dick's Sporting Goods today to recheck the comparison of Vanish and the new Berkley fluorocarbon lines. Of the same pound test that both had represented the following is the listed diameters for each: Vanish 10#=28mm New Berkley Fluoro 10#=30mm Vanish 17#=38mm New Berkley Fluoro 17#=41mm Vanish 20#=41mm New Berkley Fluoro 20#=43mm The 12# new line was sold out so I couldn't re-compare that pound test again. I opened a box of Vanish 20# and a box of the new line in 17# which are the same diameter and they both were equally stiff and wiry feeling. I put a kink in each line and they both held that bend the same amount.

The camber of the axle is set for a level frame. If you go much higher or lower than level, you will add toe-in or toe-out tire wear.

Sure, osbornj2 http://www.fishingva.com/

JCrzy4Bass, keeping up with water temp is easy and can be cheap. I have three temps sensors on my jon boat. The cheapest one is an indoor/outdoor instrument that I bought at Walmart in the auto section-less than $5 The next most costly one is the Minnkota clock/air/water temp meter for around $15. The most costly is the one that is included in a sonar transducer. They don't all show the same temp all the time but are within a couple of degrees of each other.

This is a test to see if you want to have a raised deck on your boat. Put it on the water and stand on top of the tank seats, move from side to side. If you feel comfortable with the results, a raised deck is for you. If not, stay low as LBH suggested.

I used a heavy guage aluminum with center supports of aluminum in some areas and closed cell block foam in other areas. Lighter weight and no possibility of rotting.