FisinCrazee

I have base ball "bat wrap" on seven of my rods and love it. Bat wrap is a little bulkier than some other wraps but also is more comfortable. I have large hands but like a small rod handle. Before I wrap, I take course sandpaper to the cork and work it down to "same" shape but a much smaller diameter. Also, on some cork handles a filler is used to make them 'pretty'. I have a couple of these and when I had to replace the wrap after a couple years of use, some of the filler was pulled out by the wrap adhesive. This is not a big thing unless you decide to remove the wrap for good; then you need to replace the filler for looks. Bob

BPS also has their Pro Qualifier BCR on sale for $79.97 and is worth taking a look at. Has a couple of good features and seem to be a good reel. I have both ABU and Shimano reels and use the Pro Qualifier equally.

Scorpion 'short arm' 1/4 oz spinner bait in both white and chartreuse. They were just dynamite on the tidal rivers here in Southeast Virginia. Have three or four but will not use and take chance losing to toothy critters. Really do miss them as they were one of two of my main baits on the Chickahominy River. Bob

Geezz. Nothing but a bunch of kids on here. 75 and charging - as soon as I get this hip replacement healed. ha ha Bob

Geezz. Nothing but a bunch of kids on here. 75 and charging - as soon as I get this hip replacement healed. ha ha Bob

Geezz. Nothing but a bunch of kids on here. 75 and charging - as soon as I get this hip replacement healed. ha ha Bob

Congratulations Wayne. Very nice article and enjoyed all the informational input from you. Bob

Hammy. I have a 2004 Tracker Pro 165. When I first got it I had a mysterious leak when I ran/moved boat with the gas motor but not when I used just the electric motor on an electric motor only water. I would get a couple gallons or more water. Long story short, I found that the small plastic tubing going to the speedo was bad. The Electric motor just did not move boat fast enough for water to back up into the speedo tube, therefore, no water. Tracker replaced the small plastic tubing; leak gone. Try running the boat while sealing off the inlet hole of the speedo or just take and tie pick-up up out of the water. Just a thought. Bob

Get the long ones. As stated above, if the ramp is steep, the boat WILL have a tendency to float out over the short guide-ons causing much problems when trying to pull trailer/boat out of water. I fish alone and these side bunks have been a real winner for me. I purchased the ones that BPS sells. Galvanized, very strong. Have had them for 5.5 years and no problems whatsoever. Think they are on sale now for around $99. If you launch/retrieve ANY in wind and tidal/river currents, you will look at this as money well spent. Bob

Thanks Glen. Good information. I have just sent an e-mail to all appropriate elected officials from the President down thru the Virginia officials at the BoatUS.com/gov site listed at the end of your post. I urge all readers of your post to follow suit please. Bob

SCBM. If you have a speedo speed indicator on your boat, check the plastic hose. It will develop a hole or crack and only put water in boat when running under power of big engine. Dry on electric or slow speed of gas engine as there is really not any noticeable pressure. Been there, had that. Was getting several gallons of water each trip. Changed hose, problem gone. It is a dog to find. Hope this has helped you or someone else. Bob

Logger. REf Marty's #5 reply above. (Good Show Marty) I am redfaced. :-[ I had intended to put comments in concerning that but was in a hurry for an appointment. As Marty states, use only 50 yards of braid; that stuff is way too expensive to fill a whole spool with it and it sure won't wear out any time soon to where you have to cut back. I do the old 1, 2. 3 bit.\\ I walk off 50 yards of braid, cut at braid spool, loosely connect braid to spool with a piece of tape and wind onto spool. Connect whatever backing you are using (good place for old line) with Uni knots and continue winding until you hit that majical 1/8 inch from spool lip and then cut the backing. (Braid is not memory prone so you can go a little closer to spool lip; I do.) Now the walk starts to take this backing/braid off for the reversal. Walk it off around some posts (car antennas work excellent) until you are able to remove from spool. Now use the standard knot (can't remember the name of it) and connect backing to spool and wind on backing/braid. (Wind back thru a rag moistened by some of that line conditioner-you know the one. Yes, the braid too. This also cleans from the reversal.) You now have a perfectly filled spool with backing underneath connected to spool and the braid on top with the proper clearance from lip. Saves a lot of guess work and snipping. This is a little windy but there is only one way to say it. lol Tight Lines. Bob

Logger. I have three Shimano S/reels; 1000, 1500, and 2500. As these reels come with two spools, I spool one up with braid and one with mono or flour. I have 10#, 15# and 20# Powerpro in both green and yellow at the moment. There are a couple of other good brands out there. Always start spooling with a few feet of mono and then join braid to mono with a couple of uni knots. If you do not, the braid will slip on the spool and you will have less drag. Folks not in the know would think their drags were slipping when in fact the braid is slipping around the spool. I think you would like braid. Kind of eliminates a lot of the twisting problems and the size is so much smaller than the mono for equal poundage. I think my 10# braid is equal to 2# mono diameter wise. I do use a F/carbon leader in a lot of cases. I love finesse and ultra-light fishing. Hope this helps in your decision. Bob

Wind, tide, and boating by myself most of the time is why I went to Bass Pro Shops and purchased their 5' Bunk Board Guide-on Kit. A good wind and tide together really made it hard for one person to either launch or to recover my boat which is the same make/size as yours. Worth looking into if you want to keep all your hair; I lost some of mine before I got the guide-ons. Bob

Check with Tracker Marine at BPS. Without going out in the cold tonight, that appears to be the male plug that is on the Motor Guide of my Tracker 165 and the Tracker Marine that I purchased my boat from carries both the male and the female as I have purchased a set to outfit another M/G as a backup. This plug is used for the 12V or 24V connection, only two wires and they look to be in the correct placement with the insertion channel there on the top - will only go in one way. As stated ealier, they are cheap; believe less than $10 each. I would classify your picture as the male and the female is installed in the front plate of the casting deck. Just too dark and cold to go undo the boat cover to really check this out for you but it is worth a check. Hope you read this in time and that it helps. Bob