Nitro 882

I bought a new boat trailer in March '20. It came with Tie Down Co. vortex hubs. The claim is no maintenance required for 6 years or 100,000 miles. For those of us who have towed trailers for over 50 years, that is really "too good to be true" but that's their guarantee. I'm headed down to Florida from New England in 3 weeks and I feel compelled to check and grease the bearings as in the past but if any of you guys can give me confidence based on your experience I would be happy to forgo the chore. After all, I paid extra for this benefit but I don't want to learn the hard way that the claim is B.S. Thanks in advance for your input.

You don't think a push pole is quieter than a trolling motor blade chopping through woody Kissimmee grass? Anyway, I'm gonna try it this year. Can't hurt.

I asked this question on another forum and couldn't get a straight answer so I'll try here. Each year I tow my bass boat to Florida and plow around in the pads and grass with my trolling motor making, in my estimation, too much commotion and spooking the hell out of nearby fish. I'm considering taking my push pole this year to reduce the racket and possibly catch more fish. The question I pose is does this have merit and does anyone out there have positive results doing this with a pole instead of the trolling motor?

Thank you sir. Have a happy, healthy, and fish filled New Year.

Thanks again Thomas. I tend to be a creature of habit and I've been concentrated on the Kissimmee Chain for a few years now. I know there are many more bodies of water in central Florida that I have pretty much ignored. The hydrilla is a double edged sword. PITA to fish but if you hit the right spot you can load the boat. What the chemicals are doing to the fish and wildlife only time will tell. I sit up here in the frozen North and read continually about the devastation being brought upon the Florida eco-system and I begin to wonder if some of these reports aren't a bit overstated. Revenues from tourism and even residents associated with fishing and other watersports is obviously in the many billions of $'s. Why the hell would anyone with half a brain do anything to jeopardize that. Not saying that I'm a "denier", God forbid, but it really is hard for me to believe that the FWC would shoot themselves in the foot like this. My dear old dad used to say, "if you can't find the answers, follow the money." Hmmmmm.

Yes Thomas, great info. Thank you for taking the time. Just the type of report I was looking for. I wonder if "nuking" Toho and Kissimmee results in making fishing in Cypress or Hatch more productive. I tend to ignore these 2 lakes in favor of Toho or Kissimmee. Well, I'll have fun finding out soon. Thanks again.

I'm heading to Kissimmee in 2 weeks for my annual 3 month escape from the frigid North. The past few years have been interesting with the hydrilla issues and low water levels exposing shoals and causing for locks to be closed making movement between the lakes in the Kissimmee Chain more difficult. I have searched and can't seem to get a straight answer regarding current water levels. I found one brief comment about low levels approaching the extreme lows of a drought 11 years ago but no other information no matter how I search. I found some statistics from the FWC regarding flow and levels but I'll be damned if I can understand them. Any information or direction regarding Toho and the canal system down to Lake Kissimmee would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

I don't know how to communicate this to the right person/moderator etc. so here goes. I usually simply browse this forum and enjoy the information shared here. On the rare occasion that I want to participate in a thread or contribute in some way I can't ever simply log in. When I click on "log in" a page appears with my established user name and password that was established when setting up my account. I click on "log in" and a message appears saying my established stuff is not correct. Have to click on "forgot your password" and go to email to reset my password. I type in the same old password that I used here before (and that I use for everything else) and I gain access for one time. Next time I try to log in here I have to go through the same crap. I don't mean to dump here but don't know how to get this to someone who can explain to me what is wrong. Constructive direction would be appreciated. P.S. Went to "contact us". Typed the same info. Failed the "security" exercise, then received an email indicating that no one monitors the "contact us" email account. I can hack into your bank account easier than accessing this forum. RANT OVER

Thanks Davecon. I first became aware of this algae issue while going through the "news paper" on my computer. There was a headline stating a "state of emergency" had been declared by Florida's governor due to a "algae crisis". If you Google "Florida algae crisis", you should see the time lapse aerial photos showing the spread of blue/green algae on The Big O. This scared the crap out of me because I live for my Florida fishing trip every year. Please don't repeat this to my wife. She thinks this is a family vacation. There is plenty of detail about the Gulf beaches and their "red tide" epidemic and ,though I am sympathetic to their plight, I'm only concerned with fresh water contamination. Any way, I haven't been able to find any solid info other than your reassurance and I thank you very much for that.

The sound you are describing is the same sound I have gotten used to with my trailer which has surge brakes. When braking your tow vehicle, the forward momentum of the boat/trailer compresses the spring in the trailer tongue to the point at which it triggers a solenoid which applies the hydraulic brakes. This "surging" will cause for some slop over time that will create that dreaded clunking noise when you pull away from a stop. I have found that, sometimes, by adding some brake fluid this can be reduced to a degree but I've never been able to totally eliminate it. Both are aggravating but a noise for which you know the cause is much better than a noise for which you don't. First thing, find out if you have surge brakes on your trailer.

Can anyone shed some light on the recently reported Algae blooms in Central/Southern Florida. Most of the damage that has caused for the governor to declare a "state of emergency" has been caused by the "red tide" variety that effects the Gulf beaches primarily with noxious odors and vast kills of fish and other sea life. My concern stems from the fact that I spend 2 to 3 months (Jan. thru March) in Kissimmee and haul my bass boat down to fish Toho and lock down to Lake Kissimmee on occasion and the blue/green variety of alga which effects fresh water rivers and lakes has also been reported. I can't seem to find any solid info as to the effect of this alga on fishing quality on the Kissimmee Chain. I have emailed the FWC but have not heard back yet. 2 questions, 1) Is my fishing vacation in jeopardy? 2) Has the shoal at the entrance of Cypress Lake from the canal out of Toho gotten navigable or is it still impassable? d**n near wrecked my boat trying to blow through there last year. I can understand why there is so little info being reported as tourism is a trillion $$ business and no one wants to scare off the "snow birds". Thanks in advance for any info.

Do yourself a favor. Google "rock bass in Lake Winnipesaukee". Perhaps you can add to your knowledge base.

Looks exactly like the rock bass my son and I couldn't avoid caching while smallmouth fishing on Lake Winnipesaukee a couple weeks ago. The local fishing community encourages fisherman to kill any rock bass caught. They claim they are displacing the smallmouth population as they compete for the same food sources and decimate smallmouth hatchlings. We heard of tournaments where fisherman catch and kill as many rock bass as they can as an attempt to control their damage. Sounds like another "invasive species".

Every time I try to log in I'm told that my account is locked, try back in 10 minutes or that the password is incorrect. I then go through the b.s. of clicking on forgot password then resetting using the same friggin password. I'm "allowed" on board only to have to go through the same thing the next time I try to log in. Also, I tried to post a response to one of the threads requesting an answer to a situation that I had just gone through and after typing(and I suck at typing), a fairly detailed response, I was not allowed to submit it. Overall , I enjoy the forum and appreciate the information therein but, because I can't interact, I tend to stay away. Am I being singled out for this treatment or is there a glitch in the website?

I have searched and have been unable to find info on replacing a fuel pump on a 2005 Merc xr6. It looks to be a simple plug and play part but I've cost myself a lot of money in the past with that mind set. Any thing I need to be careful with or is it as straight forward as it looks. By the way, I purchased and received the replacement pump but it came with no directions. Thanks in advance for any info you may provide.

I will bow to the resident Florida guys re: the best info on this question but as a non resident who fishes Fla each winter for the last 10-12 years I'd like to encourage you. In my experience, your timing is great. Fla bass don't have the urgency to spawn that bass in northern waters do. In March you will find bass in all stages of the spawn. Another learned fact is that a cold front will shut 'em down good. Don't be afraid to spend at least one morning shiner fishing. There is a reason why the guides, who are expected to produce bass for their clients, fish with shiners. Good luck and have fun.

I finally got off my butt, went out to my boat, shoveled the snow away and got a good look at the transom. No way the smart tabs could be mounted the way this (Nitro 882) or most other bass boats transoms are molded. I'll try the "hydrofoil" approach. I was thinking, I take my boat to Florida every winter and it's common to get a ton of weeds and pads around your prop requiring frequent cleaning. I imagine with a hydrofoil type device mounted, this has to make it much worse. Nothing good comes without a corresponding price apparently.

That's my point. I've done the research and found plenty about 19' center consoles but nothing about bass boats. Many bass boats are , in my humble opinion, greatly over powered with 225/250 and more horses. These would have little trouble getting out of the hole. My boat is rated for 175 hp and I have a 150 on it. Therefore the need for a little assist from a hydrofoil or , the seemingly better option, smart tabs.

Thanks to input from Catt, I've become interested in installing Nautica Smart Tabs on my Nitro 882 w/ 150 XR6. Currently with me at 6'6" and 330#s , my son at 6'2" and 260#s, 1/2 a 40 gallon tank of fuel, a live well full of water in the unlikely event we catch a fish or two, about fortyleven rods/reels, every bass lure known to man in assorted sizes and colors, rope and an anchor that has never gotten wet in 13 years, enough life jackets for a small cruise vessel, four seasons of clothing, rain gear, spare prop, tool box etc. I have to ask my son to sit on the front deck in order to get up on plane in under a statute mile. The smart tabs look to be a solution to getting up on plane much more readily however I haven't read about anyone else using them on a bass boat. Is there a reason? Any comments would be appreciated.

Check out "Suwannee Bass".

I gave my son an old 24volt/70# thrust trolling motor for his tracker tx 17. It's currently set up with 2-12volt batteries like it should be but it's time to replace them. I've been thinking, first of all the 70# thrust is over kill for the light weight aluminum boat. Eliminating one battery would take some unneeded weight out of the boat and would cut replacement cost in half. I know you can't run a 12 volt motor on 24 volts without frying it but, it seems like you could run a 24 volt motor with a 12 volt power supply. What do you guys think? Thanks in advance. 3

Hi Guys. I've had to add something to my gear to enhance my enjoyment on the water. A friggin pipe wrench. Sometimes my boat seats get so tight in the base plate that I can't remove them without a pipe wrench and considerable elbow grease. As I've aged, I can't stand up in the front of the boat all day anymore so I like to remove the pedestal seat and replace it with the regular seat from the rear of the boat. Not so easy lately. I've oiled, greased, used "never seize", sanded, ground down etc. to no avail. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

The best additive to a live well is 5 very large bass.

Maybe I'm just old fashioned. My generation may ***** like hell about a law but , in the end, we will abide by it. I enjoy my time on the water too much to have to look over my shoulder all the time. My greatest concern was not being able to find an alternative to my lead jigs. I was searching on-line for "tungsten" and the only thing that came up was Keitech. They(Japanese) offer tungsten jigs but the largest has only a #2 hook. Not big enough for me. Thanks to your tip, I just ordered a little over $100 in "Tin Alloy" bass jigs, weighted swim bait hooks, shakey head jigs and drop shot weights. I'm still ticked but at least I can continue my favorite method of bass fishing---the jig/pig.

Why doesn't Massachusetts ban LEAD BULLETS? I understand LEAD BULLETS KILL PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh, its not politically correct to care about people. KISS MY BASS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!