Fishing Rhino

I've used live bait years ago on the Cape, and it worked quite well. Three years ago I bought a twenty foot minnow seine to get some chubs from the sandy flats in the salt marshes around here. My buddy was going to help me and he'd get a bunch to use for fluke in Nantucket Sound and other haunts around here. Haven't got around to it yet, three years later. If ya got 'em, use 'em.

I'm glad I have a wife. 46 years. Plenty of disputes, but no regrets. She and her sisters have a property they inherited from their mother that will be sold in the next two years (maybe). When they do, my wife thinks I should trade up from my Z7 to a Z8. The thought never entered my mind. But, now that she mentioned it .................

The keel would be the correct term. It leaks more with the boat loaded because that pushes the hull deeper in the water, which increases the water pressure against the hull. Maybe the hole is supposed to be there, but I'm sure it's not supposed to leak. Is the hole in the bottom of the boat or the bottom of the stern? Some boats have the old fashioned drains in the bottom. When you are under way, you open the plug and the water will drain. At rest the plug must be tightened or it will leak. Unless you post a photo of the "hole" all we can do is hazard guesses.

I agree with Lund Explorer. It could be worse. But, since you don't have snow or ice to worry about, get a third so she has to park on the street. As the C&W song asks, "Then what?".

The saddest thing I read about Jobs' passing was this article. Steve Jobs' final wish: to get to know his children before it was too late By Guy Adams in Los Angeles Steve Jobs spent his final days surrounded by close family members, and used his last interview to explain to his wife and children why he "wasn't always there for them," it was revealed yesterday........................ "I wanted my kids to know me," Mr Isaacson recalled Mr Jobs saying, in a posthumous tribute the biographer wrote for Time magazine. "I wasn't always there for them, and I wanted them to know why and to understand what I did."........................... "He was very human. He was so much more of a real person than most people know. That's what made him so great," he added. "Steve made choices. I asked him if he was glad that he had kids, and he said, 'It's 10,000 times better than anything I've ever done'." http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/steve-jobs-final-wish-to-get-to-know-his-children-before-it-was-too-late-2367355.html

GPS, hands down. I still find most of my good bottom with the plain old monochrome "fish finder". Find a little pile of rocks, or a small deeper pocket that holds fish, and I can go back to it time, after time, after time again. Keep in mind however, that were I to fish a different area of the country, I might very well have a whole, different perspective. Particularly if I fished the flooded impoundments with creek beds, submerged bridges, road beds, woodlands, etc.

Arrested for wreckless driving? I don't know of anyplace other than demolition derbies where drivers are expected to wreck each other. Wreckless driving is a good thing. Reckless driving, not so good. Sorry. I don't usually correct spelling errors, but this was too punny to let go by.

Two layers of fiberglass isn't much. I'm assuming you are using chopped strand mat which comes in various "weights", beginning at 3/4 ounce per square yard to at least 3 ounces per square yard. One layer of 3 ounces per square yard would be equal to four layers of 3/4 ounce mat. So two layers may not be enough depending on the weight of the mat you are using. Here's the problem. Someone suggests using a minimal amount of fiberglass or you'll be adding weight. If the wood which you removed was a structural member, you'll need to add enough fiberglass to the existing amount that will make up for the loss of the wood. How much is that? I cannot say. But, your first concern should be structural integrity, not weight. A light boat will go faster, but that speed is useless if you break the boat because it lacks the necessary strength. And therein lies the rub with these restoration problems. It would take a structural engineer to determine how much glass you should add to make up for the loss of the wood's strength. It's best to err on the side of being heavier than necessary and to lose a few mph, than to have a fragile vessel beneath you that may break when it pounds into rough seas or over a wake. I don't like being a naysayer, but we all are literally putting our life on the line when we go out in a boat. We depend on skill, judgement, and the soundness of the vessel to bring us back to the dock or ramp safely. In this case, I'd advise you to tread lightly with the boat you are "restoring".

I've posted pics of my paddlin' canoe, and my Nitro Z7, but this is probably my favorite. It's not just the canoe, and it's certainly not me hooking up the trolling motor cables. It's the early morning, backlit, a bit hazy that makes the photo so interesting to me. I enjoy fishing as much from this as I do in my Nitro or a buddy's bass boat. By the way, those BPS seats mounted on swivel bases work great. Much better than fixed seats with backs. Can fish five or six hours without an ache or pain from these babies. Thanks to Tate for the photo.

I'm not surprised. After seeing you load up for a hook set last Saturday, the only question is, will you break your rod, or break your back.

What happened to the other piece? I had two, one short, and one long. I knotted them together. The short end got tied to the base, and the long end went through the sleeve. As an aside. In the tube, through which the rope slides to release the mechanism, there was a casting burr at the bottom of the radius where it becomes a tube. I took a small, fine, round file, smoothed off the burr then took some extra fine, wet or dry sandpaper to smooth it out. Crocus cloth would have worked as well. It's been a year, and there is no sign of chaffing on the cord.

That, I can understand. What I don't understand is having a conversation via texting. In a noisy place it's fine also. That I can understand. But for casual communication between two people, neither of which is in a noisy place, that, I don't understand. Another problem with texting or written communication, it's not as personal. You don't pick up on inflections, words said with emphasis, unless you use upper case letters, etc. This I know for sure. Speaking is much more convenient that texting, for me.

The extra cord is a great idea. But, you can still use the original cord, even if it breaks, as mine did on the Motorguide. Use a fisherman's knot to rejoin the cord, then swap the ends. The pull handle end goes on the motor and vice versa. You end up with a cord that is a few inches shorter, and the knot ends up between the tie at the unit, and the guide through which it slides.

I don't get it either. The same with texting. I've seen our daughter texting when the person she is texting to is on the other line waiting for the next message. Why not just talk? Texting, with or without a keyboard is a waste of time when you can converse with the other person. Seems to me that too many folks are bored with their lives and need gadgets to keep themselves occupied. It's a matter of status, keeping up with the latest and greatest gimmicks. I do like the navigation systems in vehicles however. I do use mine frequently.

I think I'm going to shun you at the next road trip. Do you know what those fish you catch do to my self esteem?

I had to drive more than seventy miles to get my MinnKota repaired under warranty. And, that was in the Atlanta, GA area.

Is that a fly? Looks more like a flea to me.

One of my fishing buddies, Tate, has a camo Alumacraft with a Rhino Linings clear coat over the camoflage. He is well pleased with the boat. It will definitely make a better hunting boat than a full bore bass boat. If it has a downside is that the wind will push it around easier than a fiberglass bass boat. But, it is much better suited for getting into the places where you would set up for duck hunting. It is lighter, trailers easier, and planes out at slower speeds than the standard bass boat. For carrying a dog(s), camo canopy, decoys, and other gear, it's a much better deal. In the end, only you can determine which way the tradeoffs work best for you.

I've got both brands. A MinnKota Traxxis 55 pound on my canoe, and a Motorguide 70 pound 24 volt on my Nitro. Had to have the speed controller replaced on the Minn Kota before it was a year old. Fortunately, it was still under warranty. Have not had a bit of trouble with the Motorguide. Does that mean I wouldn't buy another MinnKota? No. But, I have to believe this. If one brand was markedly superior to the other, that's the brand all the pros would be using. Sponsorships notwithstanding.

Since welding seems to be out, and you cannot access the inside of the hull, here's what I'd try. You'll need the 3M 5200 and a larger screw. Remove the screw and clean the area, including the hole. Put the 3M 5200 into the hole, and spread some on the area around the hole, the size of the screw head. 1/32" to 1/16" thick should suffice. Put a piece of wax paper over the 5200 and use anything with a flat surface to lightly press the 5200 flat. Do not compress the 5200 so it spreads to a thin film. Just enough to make a reasonably flat surface. Leave the wax paper in place long enough to allow the 5200 to set up/cure. This could take as long as a week depending on temps and humidity. Once cured, put a good sized drop of 5200 on the cured material. This is to lock the screw in place. insert the screw, and tighten it sufficiently to compress the cured 5200. When the 5200 you just used cures, you should be good to go. The screw should never loosen or back out.

My thoughts as well. Before you spend two hundred or more dollars on a combo, spend a few bucks on braid. With braid you'll feel the "tick" of every pebble and blade of grass on the bottom. It will make a dramatic difference in feel. You might find the braid is all you need. To eliminate the braid's visibility use a fluoro or mono leader. If you fish in or around rocks, you'll want a leader anyway, since braid parts about as soon as it hits a rock. Here's a tip for cutting braid. The cutter on dental floss works like a charm. It will cut the braid as easy, if not easier than dental floss. Some fishermen glue them to the handle of a rod so they are always handy.

Are you sure you need the trailer inspected? Here in Massachusetts, they do not inspect trailers. I never knew that until I got it registered and stopped at an inspection station so they could check the running lights and whatever else to get a sticker for the trailer. They never heard of trailer inspections. Called the registry, and they confirmed what the fellow told me. Heck, some states, like Tennessee don't even register trailers. But, should you get stopped, you better have proof of insurance. Found that out when the license plate bracket broke off, taking the plate with it, in Pennsylvania of all places. I was on my way to the road trip in Pickwick. A State Police cruiser followed me for a couple of miles in heavy traffic, but didn't stop me. I wanted to buy a bracket for the plate when I got to Pickwick and a local boat dealer told me they didn't carry them because trailers aren't registered in TN.

I tried 3", 4", and 5" weighted Senkos in black, black w/ blue flake, watermelon red/black flake and pumpkin red flake. All produced fish. The lighter colors may have also produced fish, but since I didn't try them, who knows? The biggest fish of the day 4.8 pound largemouth was caught on a tube.

I won't be a "gentleman" if you don't post a picture of that bass which was the hog of the get together. Rain dampen our spirits? Not mine. Though that last cloudburst took about three minutes for the bilge pump to remove it all.

"WTVF’s Vicki Yates, WXII’s Cameron Kent, and WESH’s Jim Payne all got seven minutes with the President and, even though each interview had a local focus, Obama’s message appeared to be the same throughout all of them: things are bad but will get better, as long as my jobs bill is passed. One notable exchange, though, came when Payne wondered whether his children would have the same opportunities as generations past. Obama responded by saying he feels that America has gotten “a little soft.” President Obama told Payne: The way I think about it is this is a great, great country that had gotten a little soft, and we didn’t have that same competitive edge we needed over the last couple of decades. We need to get back on track. But I still wouldn’t trade our position with any country’s on Earth. We still have the best universities and scientists and best workers in the world. We still have the most dynamic economic system in the world. We need to bring all those things together." I don't read that as specifically referring to schools. It's referring to opportunities out there once they are finished with school. However, I do believe that "softness" has permeated all segments of our society. It has become anathema to excel, because it makes others feel badly, at least in the school system. While it all begins in the home, this stuff is being drilled into kids at four years of age and in some cases earlier when they begin attending pre-primary and kindergarten. However, it seems to me that the question was asked in reference to the lack of good jobs and opportunity that awaits future generations when they become adults.