Fishing Rhino

I've fished with fellows who were using "search baits". But, they were not using them as search baits. Spinner baits, crank baits, rattletraps, etc., is what they were using, or trying. They caught nothing. Meanwhile, I was catching plenty of fish on wacky worms, drop shot and various creature, shaky heads and other finesse baits in the same water they were fishing. After an hour or so of beating the water with what are known as "search baits" they'd switch to the type of bait I was using and start catching fish. In fairness, I knew the waters, and what the fish were taking. Nevertheless, had they been by themselves, they would have spent a lot longer throwing those search baits at fish that just plain were not interested in them. There will be days that the search baits will be what the fish want, just like there will be days when fish will take anything, and days when they won't take anything. Searching. There are several things a fisherman should search for. He/she should search for where the fish are. But he should also search for what the fish want. Cast your search baits to your heart's content. If you are not catching them on the search baits, toss something else at them once in a while. Not getting bit on the search baits does not necessarily mean the fish are not there.

The forum home page opens fine. When I click on a topic, it opens, but I have to scroll down the page to get to the threads. There is a large gap at the top of the page. The side bar on the right with the ads is there, but some of the "boxes" just have blue circles.

He said it's an Optimax. It doesn't have carburetors.

Don't you think it would be a good idea to put the rig in the water, to find out if it runs or not, before trying to "fix" a problem that might not exist? Don't unhook the boat or its tie downs. Back it down the ramp so the water intakes are well beneath the surface of the water, and try to start it. If it seems to be running ok, then you can launch the boat and take it for a test ride. Before doing the above, I'd drain the old fuel and replace it with fresh gasoline.

What makes you think the engine might be gummed up?

While you likely don't "winterize" outboards in California, you need to do the same process when you aren't going to use the engine for an extended period of time. You don't say if your engine will run. Have you tried to start it? If it won't run or doesn't run well, before you spend 1200 dollars, drain all the fuel from the engine and the tank(s), and start with fresh gasoline. If your engine has carburetors, they'll have to be drained. All fuel lines should be drained and inspected. A lot more info is needed before anyone can begin to make a reasonable "guess" as to what you should do. The info should include the make and year of the engine. Anything you did to prepare it for a six month storage period. How was it running the last time you used it? For starters, you need to get rid of all the old fuel and start with fresh. You should also treat your fuel every time you add fuel. There are several products available. Engine makers have their own brands, but you can use Stabil Marine, Startron, etc. Some prefer one brand over another. Ask several folks, and you'll get several different answers as to which is best.

You'd need to make some type of frame for the top of the seat to make it level with the front deck. Keep in mind, that making a "spacer" you will be raising the deck, and decreasing the stability. How much? I don't know. You should try it out by just setting the appropriate size spacer on the seat, then lay a piece of plywood on top of it. With the boat in shallow water, walk around on the plywood and see how the boat reacts.

If you make the large foredeck, you can put hatches in the deck between the seats. That will provide you with plenty of out of the way storage, while still having easy access. I'm guessing by doing that your foredeck will be close to six feet long. Excellent for keeping rods along the sides of the boat, on the deck. Some type of tie downs be they bungees or velcro and you can keep the rods handy without the tips up in the air or hanging over the side of the boat. The bugaboo is how will the deck affect stability? In addition in order for it to accomodate hatches that you can walk on, it will add more than a little weight to the boat. Whatever you decide, take your time and come up with a plan before you start any alterations.

More important than any discount is that the boat you buy from your buddy is a known quantity. You know how it runs. You know how it's been maintained. On the other hand, buying something from a friend can cost you that friend.

Tough question to answer for somebody else. First consideration. It has to be something you will be happy with, be it for a year or a few years. Spending ten thou for a boat that will not satisfy you is a waste of money. Spending more (or less) on a boat that does satisfy you (within your budget parameters) is worth every penny. It's a tug of war between your heart and your head. We are all very different in that regard. Do you buy a new boat which should give you a few trouble free years, if properly maintained, or buy a bigger used boat, which could turn into a money pit? There are bargains and there are nightmares on the used boat market. Are you the type of fisherman who scoots back and forth, to and fro frequently, or do you select an area and work it thoroughly. This will determine how much fuel you burn in the course of a day's fishing. Then there is the matter of hauling the boat to the ramp and back home again. Some guys, like me, burn more fuel in the tow vehicle than with their boats. These are just a few of the considerations that go into selecting a boat. Buy a big boat, with big payments and you've put severe restrictions on your fishing time. Don't let your heart win that tug of war.

Watermelon w/ black and red flake. But, not all bait companies make it. When they don't, it's watermelon w/ red flake. Black with blue, pumpkin with red, and a watermelon w/ copper flake/ Orange w/ red flake laminate sometimes get more action. But day in and day out it's watermelon w/large black, small red flake and watermelon w/ red flake for the brands that don't offer black and red flake.

You lie! We all know you. You're a salesman in a shoe store at the mall, and you read Bigguns magazine.

No thanks.

Apparently you were aware that the motor had problems, or was beginning to have problems at the end of last year. With that in mind, did you winterize the motor when you were done fishing? Are you trying to run it on the fuel left in the tank from last year? Is it possible that your loss of speed could have been the result of old fuel? If you didn't treat the fuel or winterize the engine it could all be fuel related. The carbs could be a mess because fuel with ethanol can contain water which will accumulate in, and gunk up carburetors. They may need a thorough cleaning by someone who knows what they are doing. If you don't treat your fuel when you fill up or add fuel, it's something you should do. The "shelf life" of fuel with ethanol isn't very long. From what I've been told it can go bad in as little as three months.

Don't feel foolish. Be happy that it was a simple and inexpensive (free) fix.

I hope no MASS politician sees this thread. Right now registration is not required for paddle craft. I hate to bring it up but of the states that do require registration for paddle craft, do all sailboats also have to be registered? What's next? Waders and innertubes?

I was given the same info at an Interstate Battery Store. Their explanation was that you get a more reliable contact with the lead post. Clipping it to the bolt can result in a less than ideal connection. Battery chargers measure the state of charge in a battery and recharge it accordingly. If you have a poor contact, it's likely the battery will not get recharged properly.

Make sure the spark plug wires are pressed on properly. If they are, then put the old plugs back in, and see how it runs. If it runs OK, the problem might be a bum plug. It's not common, but it can happen. When it's running at half speed is it running on one or two cylinders? If it's running on two cylinders, check the shift and throttle linkages. There is a limiter in the shift linkage that will not allow full throttle operation unless the motor is in gear. It's possible that linkage needs adjusting to allow the throttle to open fully.

Try 1200 miles plus or minus from southeastern MA. I've brought my boat to the last three road trips, Pickwick, KY Lake, and Guntersville. The driving distance to each was about the same. Only fifteen miles separated the closest from the furthest.

There are cabins, and camping areas. There is also a lodge(motel) and two wide ramps on the site. If I recall the cabins had two bedrooms and two beds in each room. There is a sitting area with a television, and a dining area with a fridge and cooking stove. One thing I liked. The lodge has a buffet for dinner. I think it starts serving at 4:00 pm. You can tie up at the dock, have dinner and be able to keep an eye on your vessel. Back on the water after dinner if so inclined. There is also a golf course at the park. Like Guntersville and KY Lake there are plenty of ramps to fish the different areas. The ramps at the park will allow you to fish the dam area, and many other productive fishing areas.

Yes it could. Any loose fitting/connection between the tank and the motor will allow air to be sucked in.

Before any money changes hands, be sure to see the title for the boat, trailer, and possibly the motor. Be sure all is in order and that the title is clear. No lienholders. Try this site for the boat. http://www.fish.stat...s/faqregt.htm#5 For the trailer try the Registry of Motor Vehicles, Department of Motor Vehicles, or the Department of Transportation, whatever the department is named that registers cars, trucks and trailers.

YES!!!!! If I still have a pulse, I'm in. I won't make the mistake of stopping in Bristol, TN like I did two years ago. What I expected to be a four or five hour trip to Pickwick turned out to be a nine hour drive. I stopped around four in the afternoon, got my TN license at a Walmart, had a nice dinner, and kicked back so I could get an early, 1:00 a.m. start to Pickwick. I put the destination in the nav system and found out I still had six hundred miles to drive. Got there at ten in the morning.

Funny you mentioned razor blades. The wife and I were at BJs today and she needed to buy some. She was appalled at the price. The bulk pack that was about 23 bucks per had risen to 32 bucks per bulk pack. Grow a beard. You'll only need to trim your neckline.

If you have rear compartments, empty one and place a cooler in it. Or, make a cooler out of it. Get a sheet of inch thick styrofoam at your local home center and cut pieces to line it. Stick em in place with a few dabs of silicone adhesive, then put a bead of silicone at all the corners where the pieces meet. You can put a drain with a plug in it if you want. When you're done fishing pull the plug on your new cooler and pull the plug on the transom. The water will drain into your bilge and out the drain plug at the stern. I'm in the process of skinnying down the stuff I carry with me. I'm going to remove about 80% of the baits I currently carry. When done, I'll probably gain 3 or more mph at top end, which is not that important to me. But, I'll be toting less weight and burning less fuel per mile, which is important. If you have a live well(s), and don't use it/them for their intended purpose, throw your drinks, grub, and ice in there. They are already plumbed for draining.