surfer

Being that you are from Canada and I am from Florida I cant help if this is a legal question. But if the question is will it physically work? Yes. Going over on HP by the amounts you are talking about should improve your performance. When the stern of the boat sits with hardly any freeboard above water then you have too much HP.

If it is a jon boat with only a trolling motor then duct tape will get you out on the water. Apply it to the outside of the boat when dry. Check it after each trip and replace as needed. If you haven't bought the duct tape yet look for Gorilla Grip brand duct tape. It can pull the hair off a yeti.

http://www.backcountryoutlet.com/outlet/subcat/9/Sunglasses.html Try this page. Lots of discounted brand names with plenty of polarized to choose from. 8-) http://www.steepandcheap.com/ will have an incredible deal from timt to time, but you have to check the page frequently or jsut get luckey.

I like suffix over power pro. Either is going to fade. I just spooled some Samurai and will let you know how that turns out. I am guessing it will be subtlety better but probably not worth the extra $.

x2 Long fights and or break off's are not good for the catch and release concept.

LBH's comments are absolutely correct. Although over time my friends have racked up more injuries on wake boarding than tubing simply do to more time doing it than tubing. Including serious injuries. Always wear a life vest.

I'll second rondef's bilge pump recommendation. A jon boat doesn't weigh much. If conditions turn rough and you start taking splashing water over the bow 10 galloons could come in quickly. That's about 80 lbs. This will affect the performance of the boat and cause you to take on more water quicker. You will need to get rid of that water. Stopping to bail water may not be an option if you are struggling to keep your nose into the wind.

I grew up water skiing, tubing, slalom, knee boarding, wake boarding, bare footing, skurfing, and have even ridden a piece of ply wood with wax on it behind a boat, among other things. Now that my credentials are out of the way on to the question. The bridle that BassDocktor linked you too is going to be your easiest set up. It is very strong and has few safety concerns. Next, you are right to be concerned that a pole will rip out of you bass chair pedestal. It will. It would need reinforcing at the top of the pole to eliminate the torque created at the base. Take a look at this design. http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10151&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&partNumber=32844&hvarTarget=search&cmCat=SearchResults As this one is designed you will only need to reinforce the base plate of your bass seat to prevent it from lifting up. This is much easier than trying to prevent torque. Now on to the benefits of the pole. Being that your rope it attached to something in the boat you can connect, disconnect, retie much quicker and easier. The elevated position of the rope is easier for skiing. The few degrees of up angle actually help pull the skier up out of the water. This became very apparent when I built an 11 ft pole for wakeboarding. I could jump much higher. If you are only occasionally going to pull behind the boat and just tubing I would get the bridle. If you are going to get into slalom and wakeboard for 4 hours a week I might consider the pole. Ps tubing is the most stress I have ever seen put on a boat. It is substantially heavier than a pair of skiers. I have seen two ropes break in 10 years from tubing and zero from anything else. Boats always take longer to get on plane with tubers than any other tow behinds. Check the instructions on that or any other pole to see that it was designed for tubing.

Good points. I am going to go back and reword the question to reflect better pricing. looks like your vote is for the 997 SI first. When I can afford it I want a bow mount foot controlled. Digital Auto Pilot trolling motor. The cost of another battery and any installation parts is in that estimate. 55 or 70 lbs not sure yet.

If you were strapped for cash and had to choose between the following two situations which would you chose. 1. Get the 997 SI unit and use your crapy old transom mount 40lb trolling motor for the next year while saving for a new $850 trolling motor. 2. Get the $850 trolling motor and a $200 fish finder and save up for a year to get the 997 SI unit.

I don't think it is a bad idea. But like everyone said, be prepared. Ask your local authorities what safety equipment is required by law. Sooner or later you will get caught by a storm. Stow an extra bag with a rain jacket, snacks and water so that you can wait out a storm. In a jon boat I don't think you will have the option of fighting your way through it. You will have to hide and wait. I am not familiar with the Potomac, but I am familiar with 1 mile of water and being caught in a storm with just a trolling motor. The rain jacket kept it from being a miserable experience. It was only a 2 hour experience with no actual discomfort.

"it seems to me half the time people are wearing them, they are casting 50-60 feet away from them and feelin around, which you can do without the glasses, so why does everyone think they are so important?" Even if you don't see what you are fishing now, but do see lots of other interesting things under your boat, you have an ideal where to fish next time on that lake. Over many visits this knowledge ads up.

That's a good one. On the south shore of that same lake is St Cloud marina. New facilities with a Gators Dockside or Crabby Bills type restaurant. Better views than the fish camp. There is also a small hotel with restaurant on the north side of Alligator lake right on Rt 192. It is a less populated lake about another 15 or 20 minutes past East Lake. Might depend on what side of Orlando you are coming from?

Turkey Lake Park has about 5 docks and 3/4 mile of shorline to walk. ma and a budy have good luck usualy ther. just a few miles north of your restrt. Your resort is almost on Sand Lake Chain. I am not sure how you would gain acces to that thogh. it looks liek there are a few apartment complexes you could probably walk through and use thier dock. look on google earth.

here is a good looking Talapia. http://www.mattlures.com/bluegillswimbait.htm

I just started with the swim baits and here is my experience. Matt Baits Ultimate Blue Gill = 7.25lbs in 100 casts in muddy water AC Minnow 7" = 4lbs in 20 casts in clear water. Both of these were slow bite days in normally productive water. I can't wait to go out and cast some more.

You can get away with mounting directly to the side of the canoe but if you run into a shallow water situation and have to lift the motor up some you will not be able to turn in many directions without the blade coming in contact with the canoe. I am sure that noise scares fish as it almost scared me out of the boat. ;D

My experience with the 35 lbs on a canoe is it is as fast as me and my other athletic friend can row when we are really humping it. It puts a tiny wake out and last all day. That being said if you don't mind spending the extra cash get more. Faster is better, but 35 is sufficient. oh. And Welcome Aboard.

Nice. I didn't realize they expanded the knot wars in to line to line leader knots. I am happy to hear the uni-uni tied with the blood as the winner. The blood knot was giving me fits. I find the uni-uni really easy to tie. Thanks for bringing this back up.

Congrats Gobble Dog. That is awsome. How many boats were in it? I think one of my friends was in it too. I haven't heard from him yet. Update: My friend was 3rd place (9.1 lb) and walked with thier entry fee and $5 for gas. He said somthing about a Friday night turney on Conway. Did you hear about that?

I am in the minority. I use 10 lb braid. Its just as strong as 10 lb mono, but it... cast much farther cast more acurate is much more sensitive

Nothing. It will loosen up again in another 30 or 40 years just like it did the first time.

jeez, are y'all scared of hamers? :

An adamant NO on the JB weld. Not that it won't work, but there is a better way. Tighten the rivets. Take two hammers, one sledge one regular is ideal. Place the heavier one on one side of the rivet Hit the other side with the regular hammer a couple of times Now you are not trying to turn the rivet into a pancake, you are just trying to flatten it a little. That's it. Faster and more permanent as long as you have a second person.

I love new PB's