Fishing Rhino

Sounds like some of the ponds on Cape Cod. Long tendrils, some five feet or more, and thick grass, or vegetation about a foot high from the bottom. Here's what works best for me. I use a bullet weight with a bobber stop to hold it in place. For hooks, I use Owner weightless twistlock hooks, but a worm hook would likely work as well. For bait, I use a baby Rage Tail craw rigged weedlss. Cast, let it fall to the bottom and mix up the retrieve. Hop it off the bottom, let it sink again, or jig it with short twitches. I mix it up until I can determine what the fish prefer. This rig goes through the thickest of gunk nicely. You can use anything you'd like for bait, be it a worm, fluke type, etc.

Zero? Are you telling us you lose zero bass every time you hook one? If you do "lose a fish" how can you be sure it is not due to fishing a barbless hook? I'm not trying to be a wise guy, but we all lose bass for various reasons. Heck, I lose bass with barbed hooks. I don't think I'd lose any less without barbs. And, even with barbed hooks, the method Glenn refers to does work 100% of the time. I had to do it three times yesterday.

Massachusetts, Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia. Alabama and TN for the road trip. Mass because it's home. Georgia, because our younger daughter lives there, only 12 miles from the 'bama border, not more than two or three hours from Guntersville and Wheeler. And, there's Alatoona and Lanier in Georgia. Plus, I definitely want to do Pickwick again. Wife is now retired. Got a bass boat in April. And will have the time, and hopefully the health to fish many states in the next few years.

Will you always get more boat for your money, aluminum vs. fiberglass. Not necessarily. I got a Nitro Z-7, with a 150 hp Merc, trailer with brakes, and a couple of other options, cheaper than a Bass Tracker Tournament V-18 with a 90 hp Merc or even the Pro Team 190 TX that were all on the showroom floor at the Foxborough BPS. Why? Because there was a cosmetic blemish, a small depression above the waterline, near the stern on the starboard side. The prices were within a few bucks, but the Z-7 was the cheapest. I grabbed it. I was going with aluminum because of the upkeep associated with fiberglass. Look around. You may find something with a cosmetic blemish that will save you thousands on a new boat. I did. Just over 18,000.

They are spooled with a new type of line. Less visible than fluoro. The downside is that it makes it tough to tie knots.

According to the info, a quart will cover 25 - 35 square feet. That's one side of a sheet of 4' by 8' plywood (32 square feet). More than ample to handle the piece in your photo, unless you put it on like cake frosting. And, it will also seal and reinforce any punky sections of that piece you have. Be sure to get that piece good and dry before applying the Gluvit. Granted, the stuff ain't cheap, but, if it prevents you from having this mess again, it's a bargain.

I don't own a gun, but I remember reading this years ago. I used it sight in a 22 to shoot varmints from a bedroom window at my in law's farm. Set a target at the range you're planning to shoot. Then, secure the gun in place with sandbags or whatever. Take a shot at the target. Make the target big, like three feet square. Then adjust the crosshairs until they intersect the hole you just made in the target. Worked fine for shooting woodchucks at fifty to sixty yards with a 22 long rifle bullet. The gun may move a smidge unless you've got it clamped down real tight. And, while your first adjustment may not be precise, it will be pretty darn close.

You can get drain plugs that will let the water out. But if you are struggling and having to tip it over, I'd suggest a wet or dry shop vacuum cleaner. You'd be amazed how fast it will suck out the water. Dumping the canister when it gets full is easier than tipping a boat. Plus, you get the added benefit of removing the sediment and debris that accumulates in every boat.

The problem with any type of coating that absolutely seals the wood, such as those used in truck beds, is that they will get punctured or damaged, allowing moisture to get into the wood. It will be hard for the wood to dry out, as it can with carpet. I know some type of adhesive is used to bond the carpet to the deck, but I doubt it is absolutely watertight. A good practice, if you have any boat in a secure, dry place is to open all the hatches when you get home. Adequate ventilation is the enemy of rot, mold, and mildew.

I suggested Gluvit for coating the wood. Fiberglass resin is ok, but it tends to crack after some time. Gluvit is an epoxy product, very flexible, and even used for sealing the seams on the roofs of motor homes and travel trailers. Great stuff. http://www.marinetex.com/gluvit.html

Good luck with your new acquisition. It will open up whole new vistas for you. Tough to beat small boats, kayaks, canoes or whatever in small waters, and in the shallows. Possibly the best thing about the peanut fleet is they force you to fish slowly and attentively. They also allow you to see bottom (if you have a sounder) that faster boats miss. A six foot patch of rocks, or vegetation looks big when you paddle over it. On a boat going thirty or better, it doesn't amount to a blip. Now, here's the best part. Because you get better acquainted with a particular body of water when you fish from a kayak or canoe, should you ever get a bass boat, or any power boat, you will catch a lot more fish, simply because you will have learned where these tiny patches of productive bottom are. When you can buzz from one to another in a minute or so, when paddling takes ten or fifteen, it's because you spend more time with your line in the water. On one of my favorite ponds, we have done real well fishing from canoes. Both my fishing buddy and I had only canoes to fish from last year. This year, I've been a couple of times with my bass boat. It is downright scary, the difference in success for the same hours fished. If we had hit that pond with a bass boat from the start, ?????? I doubt we'd be doing anywhere near as well.

I clicked on the address you posted and this popped up. The web site opened with this message. "Sorry, no posts matched your criteria."

By "good", I simply mean the popular, established names. They did not survive by making junk. I don't know a thing about the cheapo, off brand stuff. My life experience has not been good whenever I've tried a product like that, be it fishing equipment, tools or whatever. They (the established name brands) will all work. Some better than others. I've seen 'em all praised and all criticized.

One other thing I should have mentioned. If you are working around finished fiberglass, or anything else in the cockpit of a bass boat you can protect other surfaces by masking them off. Get some of the heavier gauge polyethelene plastic film available at Home Depot, Lowes, etc., and a roll or two of the wide masking tape. Tape the film in place. Don't worry about being precise with the placement of the tape. Close is good enough. When you have that in place, then you can tape over the edges precisely where you need the tape. If you want, you can reverse the order. Tape to the protected edges first, then place and tape the plastic film. It can be a pain trying to handle the film and tape, and trying to line it up perfectly. If you need to follow curves with the tape, use narrower tape, 3/4". The two and three inch widths do not follow curved contours very well. There is another possibility to protect the wood. Gluvit. It is an epoxy product. You apply it with a brush like paint. Don't use fiberglass resin. It will eventually crack and allow moisture into the wood. Gluvit will seal the wood, bond well, and has enough flexibility to maintain watertight integrity. http://www.westmarine.com/1/1/25246-gluvit-epoxy-waterproof-sealer-quart.html

And there you have it. A primer on braided line. It all depends on who you ask. I use fifteen and up on my baitcasters. I've yet to have any of the lines dig in. Maybe I need to catch bigger fish. I have my preference in lines of each type, but could live with most any of the "good" brands without missing a beat. The differences are slight. Then again, maybe my touch isn't sensitive enough to know the difference. In the end, you'll have to try various lines to see what suits your preferences, not those of others.

Are you sure the "white smoke" is not steam? An engine that loses power so that it feels like it is "towing a house" sounds like a motor that is possibly overheating. An engine that is overheating begins to slow or lug just before it seizes. Was the motor showing the telltale stream which indicates the water pump is working? If so, then it could be a faulty thermostat causing it to overheat. If it is steam, it could be a blown head gasket allowing water into the combustion chamber. Either one can ruin an engine in a short time. Best to have it checked by a qualified tech.

Sent you an E mail.

Yes. It cuts very easily with a knife, handsaw, drywall saw, and just about any other cutting implement. It also sands and grinds easily.

Lose it or boat it, I maintain an even keel. If it gets off, doesn't bother me in the slightest. Gotta maintain control. I used to get really excited when I hooked a good fish. Problem is, it's like a hunter with "buck fever". You get too excited and you end up doing something to lose your quarry. Stay cool, don't force the issue, and you'll land more fish. I've done enough fishing and been fortunate to catch more than the occasional good un, that I've learned staying cool, calm and collected yields better results. My first few nice fish got the adrenaline going, and I did something stupid and lost them. That stupid thing was generally getting too excited.

While I fish senkos, they are not my "favorite" bait. Although there are some days when they are. The thing about senkos is they are a good universal bait. While presentation is important, there seems to be no wrong way to fish them. They are probably the best bet for a novice to catch fish.

It's not that difficult. I posted some fiberglassing tips on this same section. http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1281055699 If you have any questions, you can ask in a reply on this thread, or send me a pm.

It is floatation. The previous poster is correct. You cannot use just any type of foam to replace it. Some types will absorb water like a sponge, rendering it useless as floatation and adding mucho weight to your boat. Most of the time, boat manufacturers use a two part foam. It is two liquids which when mixed together create an expanding foam, ideal for irregular contoured cavities. Those compartments need to have fairly large "vent holes" in the top to allow the expanding foam a place to escape. You should be able to find it at the larger marine supply stores. Here's one. http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/show_product.do?pid=2198&familyName=Floatation+Foam

There have been a lot of projects on here that involve fiberglassing of various components. Here are a few suggestions that will make the job easier, and less messy. To spread the resin. Get a couple of four inch roller handles. Buy a six pack of rollers from Home Depot for about seven bucks. They are nine inches long, so you will cut them in half, giving you two four and a half inch rollers from each, or twelve rollers. Get all your materials organized before catalyzing any resin. Do not fiberglass in direct sunlight. You won't be able to work fast enough, especially on warm to hot days. Mix the resin in small batches using the least amount of catalyst recommended. This will result in a slower cure time, allowing you to work at a comfortable pace. Get some painting roller trays. The narrow ones will handle your 4 1/2" roller. Get some latex gloves, or pvc if you have a latex allergy. Get a gallon of acetone for cleanup. It's about twenty bucks a gallon now. Don't leave the cover off. The stuff evaporates rapidly, as fast or faster than rubbing alchol. It may be available in smaller sizes, for small projects. If you do it in a shed, garage, or whatever, be sure to ventilate it. The fumes can make you woozy. If you can open doors or windows on opposite sides do so, and use a fan, either pedestal or window to keep those fumes from building up in your work area. Gallon milk jugs are excellent for mixing the resin. Pour a pint or so of resin into the milk jug, add the catalyst, put the cover on and shake the jug to mix the contents. I swirl it with up to a half gallon of resin and it mixes in a few seconds. If you can get the colored catalyst, I use red, for laminating do so. You can tell when the resin and catalyst are thoroughly mixed. Pour the prepared resin into the roller tray, and use the roller just like you would for painting. You only want resin in the deepest part of the reservoir. If your roller drips, get rid of some by rolling it on the sloped area of the tray. Coat the parts to be fiberglassed then place the material, usually mat, onto them and roll them out, reloading the roller as needed. The beauty of this method is that if you get too much resin in one area, you can pick it up with the roller and move it to another area where it's needed. If you're careful, the resin will end up only where it's needed, not on your shoes, clothes or the floor. If you're glassing something with corners, be sure to radius the corners. Fiberglass does not like making sharp bends. For inside corners, you can make a radiussed cove with a spreader that's cut to the shape you want. If you do work with Bondo, use the catalyst sparingly. It will kick in minutes. If it starts to kick while you're working it, leave it alone until it does. It's easy to sand. If you try to spread it when it's kicking you'll end up with clumps and a mess. The same goes for glassing. If the material starts to kick, stop, and leave it alone. When it's fully cured, use a belt or disc sander to even it out, then resume laminating. When you've finished glassing, you will not have a smooth surface. If it will show, and you plan to paint it, sand it with a power sander. You don't need to get it smooth, just fairly even. Then spread it with Bondo to fill any irregularities, sand when cured, prime and paint. As with any project, preparation is the key. Make sure you have all your materials handy. Do any cutting of patterns before you start to laminate. Take your time. One of the advantages of fiberglass is that you can do it in several stages. One more hint. If you need to use several pieces, tear the edges, and overlap them. This will feather the joints. Using the milled edge is obvious, and produces a step on the surface. Fiberglass does not sand easily, so you want to keep that to a minimum. I hope some find this helpful. I'll be glad to answer any questions you might have.

I haven't fished much since the Road Trip. Both of our dogs have had health issues which required our constant care. Our white Boxer girl was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy in January, and our male had a benign tumor in two vertebrae of his spine which had grown and compressed the spinal cord. On the day before we took him for surgery, Ava (the white girl) could not move her bowels. Off to the emergency 24 hour vet hospital. She had a mass which was reducing the size of her colon, resulting in a blockage. Because of her heart condition, we had no practical options to deal with the tumor. After we dropped Indy off for surgery, we dropped Ava at our regular vets. A series of enemas and meds softened her stool so it could pass. Aside from that, she was the picture of health. Indy recovered from the surgery and is dramatically better. But Ava was given two months, max. So we took her home monitored her diet carefully, scrupulously meted out her meds, and kept her comfortable and happy. She was gradually failing, but we were able to keep her comfortable and happy to be with us, until today. I went out early this morning with her and when she tried to urinate, all she could do was a little dribble. A few steps, squat, and get rid of a couple of tablespoons, if that. Back into the house, around the kitchen table, and back to the door. Repeat the process, twice. She finally got rid of enough to be comfortable, came in, and fell asleep. Not interested in food, and only a couple of sips of water. She wasn't in obvious pain, but she was struggling. It was obvious that it was time to call it, as much as we hated to do it. Today at noon, we took her to the vet's and held her as she was put to sleep. So, while her demise will allow me more fishing time, it's not a fair tradeoff. Indy is doing very well, and begins radiation next week to shrink the meningioma even more. The prognosis is that he could have a year and a half to two years before it will grow enough to impact the spinal cord. If so, he'll be nearly eleven, which is old for a Boxer. Here they are with Indy at a year and a half, and Ava at nearly five months.

Interesting comments. I use the 3X finesse worms on the Megastrike ShakE2 head with great success. They will float right out of the package. They are hard to install on barbs so I solved that problem. Heat the point of a safety pin over a candle or small torch, and melt it into the head about 3/4". That will allow it to slip onto the barb holder. A drop of super glue and its there to stay. Then run the hook through the body and push the point into a pinch of plastic to make it weedless. I sometimes rig it by pushing the point of the hook into the centerline then exit the hook out the side so that the head of the worm is buttoned up to the jig head. It fishes just as well either way, but in grass and vegetation rigged weedless is better. I have also used it on drop shot rigs with good success. It also works well on a Jackall Wacky Jig hook, as the following photos will attest. These three fish were caught from one spot on Pickwick Lake in a fifteen or twenty minute stretch on the SK finesse worm rigged on the Jackall Wacky Jig hook. Four inch, coppertreuse color. Six and four pound smallmouths and a five pound spot. In all, I pulled over twenty bass out of a fifty foot stretch of water on the SK worm.