Fishing Rhino

Here's the photos Bassin Sergeant took from Big O's boat. Three fish were caught in about a twenty minute time frame. It's possible there were more lying in wait. But, the temp was in the 90s. It was the first time I had used a live well, and I did not want to keep the fish overly long out of their element.

In Massachusetts, there is no trout category license. In RI, they do have a separate "stamp" if you plan to keep any trout. But as I understand it, you are required to release trout of legal size unless you have the stamp. When I got my TN license, it had an option if you wanted to keep trout. I believe my GA license was the same.

Way back when, there were several companies who "copied" the Boston Whaler design. Several lawsuits were filed by BW claiming copyright or whatever infringement. It is hands down, the most popular fiberglass boat ever sold. So, it's not surprising that some would try to cash in on the demand by producing clones. If memory serves, the transom was not flat on the 13 footer. It had a slight outward bow. It was flat only in the area where the motor was mounted. The other thing about that Whaler is that it was an extremely rigid boat. The foam core is responsible for that. The fiberglass composite of the hull is actually quite thin, to keep the weight down. It didn't take much for a piece of concrete or stone to grind through the composite to the foam. Speaking with someone who had years of boat work at a local yard which sold them, he said they were difficult to repair because it was little more than a "skin" over the foam. To repair a small puncture necessitated a much larger layer of glass around the damage. This allowed them to get an adequate bond to the sound glass around the damaged area, then, they could sand it smooth to make a fair line along the hull. Like they use the long sanding boards in body shops to eliminate irregularities, and produce a smooth result.

Going down the list of the variety of models they made for the 13 footer, there are some with fiberglass consoles. It's possible that model you have was built to be sold to flat fishermen who prowl the shallow waters for bonefish, and other species. If that upper segment of the hull was made as a one off piece, the guy or gal, did a heck of a fabrication job.

To my knowlege, Whaler did not produce a 14 foot model. They made a 13. But, there is nothing to stop someone from calling it a 14, especially if they extended the foredeck a few inches. Here's an interesting read about the 15 foot model, with specs and some references to the 13 footer. I know the 13 can handle up to 40 hp. It will be plenty fast, probably mid 30s, possibly pushing 40 mph trimmed to the max. http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/15/ Here ya go. I found the specs and history of the 13 from the same site. http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/13/

Nice, but I'll seek any further info from your wife. I showed you post to mine for inspiration. Retirement would be much easier if she'd get into the sport. Then she'd understand. The hook looks like an Owner sledhead to me. They are among my favorites. Very versatile, and whether by accident or design, very easy to rig. The lighter hooks have two turns on the twistlock, the larger three. I pierce the center of the nose/head of the bait to the bend. With the bait's bottom facing the shank, I align the body parallel to the offset shank. Pull the point through the body, then slide the bait to the twistlock with the top of the bait aligned with the top of the top of the head. Two or three full twists, depending on which size Sledhead buttons the nose of the bait right up to the lead. Don't know what I'll do next year, unless Owner offers them in a metal other than lead. Any and all lead will be banned in MA in 2011.

If it's a Whaler, the number will be impressed into the stern at the top, not sure if it is port or starboard side. It might have been covered in the modifications. If you notice, the "steering station" is located in the same place and fundamentally the same construction. Same with the foredeck. If it is a Whaler, it will loosen your teeth going into a chop, but will withstand a lot of weather, and is a good, stable casting/fishing platform.

The hull looks like a 13 foot Boston Whaler, or a knockoff of the Whaler.

In spite of them, I still get 'er done.

I like the frames with the knees. That's gotta be one solid vessel. Neat job. Nice storage. Not much you can do with a skimmer like a jon or canoe when it comes to the wind. But, you can always get a wind anchor to slow its drift.

You were tuned in for sure "Unc". I'm ready for another round at Pickwick. You can find someplace to fish in just about any weather. I'm anxious for a second go round. So much water. So little time.

As soon as I get them, I'll post them. Bassin Sergeant took the photos and will email them to me. I'm being patient, but am anxious to see the pic of the big smallie.

That opinion is a symptom you need to get your testosterone levels checked. :D

I'll second the weedless fluke. In stuff like that, I rig it with a slight upward hump in its back. Give it a sharp tug and quickly give it slack. It will dart toward the surface, but, as soon as it has slack, it will dive into the depths of the vegetation. Rigged weedless, it will work through the thickest vegetation like that in your photos nicely.

Don't all cell phones have caller ID? Why did she bother answering his call in the first place? Cell phones, the bane of man's existence. Useful in emergencies, but other than that, a distraction and annoyance.

OK, an explanation is in order. In RW's avatar, he looks like a linebacker. In real life not so much. I also told him this story. As I was packing, my wife commented that I must have been packing my slobbiest clothes. I wasn't, but they sure weren't my golf type attire. I showed her some photos from other road trips. She agreed I was packing appropriately. I walked out of the motel Saturday morning, and there was RW, looking like something out of GQ, and not at all the size of a linebacker. Only RW and Big O vied for the sartorial splendor award. The rest of us looked like we'd been foraging in the Planet Aid bins along the side of the road.

I got an 898, and haven't looked back. I don't know about the 97 series, but my 898 side imaging transducer works just fine at speed. Having said that, to study the bottom at speed, it's nearly useless, and both the Humminbird and Lowrance will tell you that to get a good look at the bottom using side imaging five mph, plus or minus a tad produces the best results. I got the premium chip for the eastern waters, and it's worth every cent. You can bip from one interesting place to another, then slow down and examine the bottom with the si. No second transducer needed. If the boat has a step, and the ducer is mounted on the stern, the bottom reading features will be useless since it will be out of the water. I was concerned about mounting it on the step, but it was my only choice. It has worked out just fine. I made one modification to the transducer mount. I did not use the star washers provided. I got the exact right size rubber washers at the hardware store, and used them instead. They hold the transducer in place, but if it strikes something and kicks up, it allows the transducer to pivot at the washers. My step is not high enough to let it fold completely up and out of the way. Push the transducer back into place in the breakaway mount, line it up with the bottom of the boat, and that's it. The star washers would eventually chew up the plastic. My three preset buttons are for the full screen side imaging, full screen navigation, and full screen color image of the bottom. As a side note. The Navionics chip is nearly as impressive as the side imaging, and quite possibly just as important. But like anything else, you need to know what you are looking for, and how to use the unit. It has road beds, creek beds, stump bottoms, vegetation, etc., listed on the image. You need to get it to the correct zoom to see them. In my opinion, having seen it in operation, it would be cheap at twice the price.

Started when I pulled out of my driveway at about 1:00 a.m. on Thursday. First stop for petrol was at the Lombardi Service Area just before getting on NJ Turnpike. One taillight out and a loose license plate bracket were fixed. Filled 'er up and on my way again. At every stop, I felt the wheels and hubs, plus checked out all the lights and tie downs on the Nitro and the canoe which was on the roof of my truck. No more problems with the license plate bracket getting loose, but it did break off, leaving the plate somewhere along I-78 in PA. Stopped at the huge Cabela's on 78 to get spare tail lights. They did not carry the ones I needed, but I did pick up a large rubber net. At the time I thought that might put a curse on catching some large bass, but it was needed on several occasions. Never got stopped for having no plate on the trailer. That was due in part to the fact that Tennessee does not issue trailer plates, but you must carry proof of insurance. There are other southern states have the same policy, or so I was told. Stopped in Bristol, TN for the evening. Checked in to the motel, then went to a nearby WalMart to get my TN license. My 'bama license didn't start until Sunday, sooooo, if I was going to fish or even have guys fish from my boat, I had to have a license. Figured it would only be a four hour or so ride across TN to Pickwick. I was wrong, by about five hours. Hit the road at 1:00 a.m. on Friday and arrived in Pickwick about ten in the morning. Checked into the motel and headed for the main ramp at Pickwick Landing. Fooled around with the 898 a bit and saw an interesting lump within sight of the Inn. Caught a dink from that. Headed to the river to finish the breakin process. Good to have a long stretch where I could let it run at various speeds for more than a couple of minutes. Then saw a deep finger that reached into a shoal, and caught a decent fish there. Back to the breakin. Finished that process and saw what looked like an interesting ridge in the middle of deep water. Went from 50 to 20 feet in a short distance. Dragged a drop shot up the bank and when it got near the top I got a nice largemouth of about four pounds. Friday was the last any of us saw of the sun until Sunday evening. Fished Saturday with the Bassin sergeant and soldier. We caught a few and we all got wet. More of the same on Sunday with Steezy. But this time with lightning. Just before Steezy arrived at the motel, I had pulled the plug and drained the water from the overnight rains. Thunder in the area, so we sat down to the free breakfast at the Hampton Inn. After the electrical stuff subsided we headed to the ramp. Put in, and took off for Yellow Creek or River. The boat would not get up on plane. Turned on the bilge pump, and it ran, and ran, and ran. Could I have left the plug out? I was as certain as possible that I had replaced it when the boat finished draining. Hoping not to have to haul out on the trailer to check it, when we got back to the ramp, Steezy held my legs while I bent over the stern, and submerged head and shoulders to grope for the drain plug. I felt the transducer, and the drain for the cooler, but could not quite reach the plug. Back the trailer down the ramp, get the boat on it, and haul it out just enough to see the drain plug, which was in place. While it was on the ramp, I pulled the plug and it took a good ten minutes to empty the hull. As a side note, Big O, who was fishing near the dam had two bilge pumps going and still had several inches of water in the cockpit. It rained that hard. Two passing thunderstorms later drove us to shore to find shelter. After the second passed, we called it a day, both drenched to our bones. Later that afternoon, Mike, who wanted to see the 898 in action, and I headed out for a couple of hours. Found one productive area along the shore, and caught a few, losing two nice smallies in the process. Monday, RoadWarrior and I went with a guide we had hired, searching for larger smallmouths. It was not the most productive day of our fishing, but I'll leave the details to RW. There was one highlight to the day, but discretion being the better part of valor, dictates I remain silent. But it was funny, and I teased RW about it mercilessly for the remainder of the trip. Tuesday, I fished alone. Bad breath, or just obnoxious, you make the call. But, it was a nice day, and I was able to do everything my way, at my pace, without concern for others. It's not that I did not enjoy the company of the prior days. It was just being totally free of any social obligations. I do enjoy that once in a while, though generally I prefer having a buddy along. That day paid off. In one short period of time, less than a half hour, I pulled a six pound smallmouth, a five pound largemouth, or maybe a spot, and a four pound smallmouth from the same ten foot circle. Also caught several other nice fish on the small shelf at the foot of a tall bluff. Somewhere, at the end of the day, the prop for the trolling motor went to Davey Jones' locker. Got another, plus a spare the next morning from a nearby boat dealer. Wednesday, I fished with the Bassin Army guys. We did quite well, though not as good as they did with Big O. Still a great day of fishing. The batteries for my trolling motor went flat just before noon. Fortunately we were near the ramp, and I had brought my canoe with two fully charged deep cycle batteries. After a half hour or so, we were back in business. On Thursday, the Bassin Sergeant fished with me. We found a few productive places, but the lowlight of the trip also took place that day. We were moving between spots, doing 40 - 45, when the cover of the cooler in front of the console broke its moorings. It hit me smack on the tip of the nose, producing a prodigious nosebleed. A towel dunked into the icy water of the cooler staunched the bleeding in about five minutes. It didn't bother me for the rest of the day, was a little sore on the ride home, and on Saturday it started to swell, continuing on Sunday. Went to the ER to get it checked. Not broken, but there was a cellulitis, a skin infection. So, I'm on two anti-biotics for the next ten days. All in all, it was a great time. I'm ready to head back. Anyone want to come along and share expenses?

I am working on my report. It will take some time since it will read like a narrative. So many things happened, some funny, some dumb, but none serious, well except for the cover of the cooler flying off at 40 - 45 mph and smacking me right on the tip of the nose. It was a great outing, and even though I'm still recovering from the drive home, 1225 plus miles, I'd head down there again tomorrow, it was such a great time.

I already have a 100% effective never fail method for recoveriny lures in trees. It's known as a chain saw.

We did well enough that I have no regrets about my decision. 5-4 was the biggest I caught, with a couple more over 4. Everyone on the trip caught at least one over 4lbs. Couldn't tell you how many cookie cutter 15-17 inch fish were caught, but Kentucky lake has a healthy population of them for sure. Our group is anxiously awaiting an announcement on where next year's trip will be held. I am sure that the locals will not be too excited to hear the BR Roadtrip Curse will be arriving. Guntersville - a week of freezing temps and snow showers. Kentucky Lake I - same thing Pickwick/Kentucky Lake II - 18-22 inches of rainfall Where will the black cloud go next? ;D The fishing was a bonus. I was looking forward to meeting your group of buddies as well as others Maybe next year. Wherever it is, I'm planning on attending.

Glad you made it home safe Tom Was one of the highlights of my trip seeing you lift those beauties out for a photo Get some rest Friend....you earned it Big O www.ragetail.com It was memorable. But, you left before I got a bloody nose while Brian was fishing with me on Thursday. I got another four to five pound smallie, and a largemouth which Brian says would have been the largest fish of the outing take a back seat to whack I took, right on the end of my snot locker. Was doing 40 to 45, and the cover ripped off the cooler we had on the deck, right in front of the console. It flew up and whacked me right on the tip of my nose. My reflexes are pretty good for an old guy. I managed to grab it while it was still against my face. Brian dunked one of the towels I had on board in the ice water in the cooler. We kept running to where we were going. By the time we got there, the bleeding had stopped. Didn't bother me at all on Thursday. But it was surely plenty sore on the ride home. Not too bad today.

The trick to gel coat repair is to get a good color match. If it's a metalflake finish it will be very tough to get an exact match. You cannot do much sanding or buffing on or around the repair. If you get into the flake, you'll end up with silver flakes. If you can do that, chances are you can fix it yourself. It depends on how badly it is damaged, and its location. If you can, post a photo of the gouge, and perhaps I can walk you through the process. It is imperative to get it repaired, even if you don't get a perfect job. The gel coat is waterproof, and protects against water intrusion to the composite of the hull. Most boats are made of polyester resin which will absorb water. In Florida, it's not a big deal, but in areas where the winters get cold, and the moisture that penetrates the resin can freeze, you may end up with big problems. The protection of a good layer of gel coat is as important as its cosmetic value. Check around at local boat yards and places that do fiberglass repair. Get some estimates, and ask to see some of their repairs.

I left yesterday about five in the a.m. and arrived home at about six this morning. Terrible backup at the GW Bridge at one in the morning. The lower level was closed, and traffic was backed up for miles at the toll booths. But for that, I'd have done it in less than 24 hours. I thought the fishing was outstanding, and the cameraderie was even better. I found one honey hole and boated a six pound smallmouth, a five pound largemouth, and a four pound smallie in one red hot twenty minute stretch. Had a great time with all the guys. Will post about my personal "adventures", though "misadventures" would more aptly describe most of them.

As it is said, "It's who you know." I knew getting a room along the way, in the Bristol/Knoxville area for Thursday night would not be a problem. But Friday night, with the tournament and all rooms would be scarce in the Pickwick Landing area. Called one of my customers who manages a couple of motels in the Hilton chain, and he made a call and got me a room at the Hampton Inn Pickwick Dam at Shiloh Falls. My cost is less than 35 bucks, including all taxes. The Humminbird is installed and singing. Got a room near all the action for Friday night. Fishing with the military on Saturday, Steezy on Sunday and maybe another if someone needs a seat they can join us on Sunday. Fishing with RW on Monday. Even if he humiliates me on the water, at the moment, life is good. Very good. Ten hours from now, I'll be on the road. See y'all in a few.