Sam

I accidently hit the livewell pump button on my control panel and burned out the unit last year. I did it when putting the cover on the boat and dragging the cover over the steering wheel. Talk about dumb. Had to have it replaced and I would think you are facing the same problem. Other than for a bad fuse, all I can suggest is having your Tracker or local boat dealer check it out for you.

Funny story. Thanks for sharing. You know, we check the knot, the line, balance the reel to the bait and double check the drag but checking to make sure the reel is secure can and does slip our minds. I check to make sure the reel is tight as a matter of just fishing. I usually check it a few times during each trip. Now I can understand why it is important to check the reel setting. And congrats on your PB. Isn't it great to land a hog????

This is Rett's personal best he caught today at a local pond. He dropped her three times before I could snap the picture. I told his father that he needs a set of weights.

Hey Dave, Can you and your dad swim?

I must be living right as I have never had a major problem. Of course there is the time I forgot to put the plug in the boat when my wife and I went out on the James River for a picnic and she can't swim so you can understand the yelling and screaming when the boat started to sink. Ran back to the dock and put a plug in her, the boat - not the wife, and we had a nice time on the water that evening.

Simon, you mean there is a difference in them? Can you flip over in one easier than the other?????

100% Shimano from now on. Curado is excellent and the Stradic's are as smooth as a baby's behind.

Uni Knot as Roadwarrier suggests. And may I suggest you invest in the book, Fishing Knots by Lefty Kreh? Published by Stackpole Books of Mechanicsburg, PA, you can find it in your favorite bookstore. It comes with a DVD and it is excellent.

PM the Reel Mechanic and he can probably tell you what you did. He is our "Click and Clack" of reels on this site. He forgot more about reels than any of us know. Then send him the reel and he will fix it for you. Sorry to hear that you broke your Curado. I thought they were indestructible.

Gitzit's.

Be sure to check out the Gary Yamamoto web site for all of the availabe colors and the special deals on the stock they want to sell to get rid of it. Now, for colors. A fun color is yellow, known as Lemon (No Flake) # 9-10-192, especially for stained or dirty water or just to have a different presentation. I also have pink but have not thrown it. I like to throw Watermealon and Pumpkin Seed the most. Add black flake to them and you are ready to roll. Some guys will throw Junebug or one with purple in it. Sometimes I put some JJ's Magic chartreuse on the Senko's tips to give it some color and make it easier to see. I have a lot of colors but since Senkos are so heavy I usually take a few packs with me and not my entire supply. I don't want to sink the boat. ;D You know your waters and their clarity so purchase the same colors you do as in finesse worms and you should be OK. Have fun.

Alcohol is not allowed on my boat. Everyone wears a PFD, even my granddog. Idiots usually remove themselves from society as illustrated in the article.

P.S. $2,500 is a steal if the boat is in good condition. Take that sucker and run. Run Dave, Run! P.S.S. If you and your dad do purchase that boat be sure you both take the Maryland Safe Boating Course and get your certificate.

Dave, May I suggest you and your dad invest some money and take the boat to the BPS/Tracker Service Center in your area and have them check it out. Please have a compression check of the motor completed. You may want new sparkplugs, a new water pump and make sure the lower unit's grease is fresh. Have that motor "pee" a good stream to make sure the water pump is operating correctly. Check out the batteries' power, too. You may need new batteries, which I suggest you install just to avoid problems. And have them look at the trailer to be sure everything is OK, including the wheel bearing grease, axel and the tread on the tires. See how to open the oil reservoir as a vacuum will be created when you use the motor so you may need some pliers to use to open the cap. Be sure to get a good hitch put on your car or truck with the electrical connection installed, too. And purchase a trailer lock from Wal-Mart to make sure no one can hook up to the trailer unless they remove the trailer hitch lock. Check out the winch and make sure the hooks are OK and that all is OK with that set-up. Remove the plastic containers in the rear compartments and check for damage. Make sure the well pump and aerator work and that the lights are OK, too. Check out the well's drainage system, too. Have BPS check the steering so it is tight and safe. Take a flashlight and look down each side compartment to see if there is any damage or lures caught in the boat so you can retrieve them and use them. ;D\\ Any carpet damage? BPS has some dynamite stuff to clean carpets soask them about it. If you need the name let me know and I can give it to you. Get the cost to have the boat "detailed" by the Tracker Service Center. It will look like anew boat when you pick it up; Purchase some "ears" so you can hook up the hose and run water through the motor to start it BEFORE YOU LEAVE HOME and then when you get home to run the excess gas out of the motor. The ears are at Wal-Mart, BPS and other marine stores. When you go to start it, make sure the kill switch is off. Otherwise, you will sit at the dock and try to figure out whyshe will not start. A Tracker is a lot of fun and you can go places that others cannot due to the weight of their glass boats. And you can easliy modify the Tracker by upgrading the trolling motor; replacing the glass fuses with a circuit breaker; installing some nice electronics; putting a stainless steel blade on the the prop; etc. And then get bac on the Forum and ask us to help you name the boat. Yes, you will have anickname for the boat. Lets see, Dave's Dream Boat. Hawg Hunter. Lunker. The Flying Duck. Your mother's name. (Never a girlfriend's name as they will change too many times over the years) I am sure the gang can come up with some suggestions for you and your dad. ;D ;D ;D

Wow! There must be some big bass in the waters you all fish. No, I do not throw baits that large. Maybe if I lived in Texas, California or Florida I would throw them, but I stick to the standard sizes.

Try using the Falcon Lures Bait-Jerker Hook in 4/0 that you can get at Green Top. If you can't find it, then go with one like it. This is a hook with the weight on its shank. Rig the swimbait weedless, that is, have the point of the hook ride on the paddletail swimbait's back. Fish it like a dying shad. Just be sure to use a weighted hook and have the point rest on the paddletail swimbait's back. As for line on your baitcaster, may I suggest a 10 or 12 pound flouro or copoly? You can go to a higher test if you are throwing into cover or want to go deep or that is what is on your baitcaster now. Just work it as a dying shad and you should get some strikes. The strikes may come from catfish, bowfin or pike, but you should get some strikes.

Make that Denny Brauer. You will learn a lot in a short period of time about jigs and how to fish them.

If you are an LSU fan from the bayou may I suggest purchasing Denny Braue's Jig Fishing Secrets book or DVD. Super. If you are a Tulane fan from the bayou, forget it.

Yes, that is the area. You can see Pebble Beach from the Willy Bridge. Nope, no parking on Cherokee Road but you can park on Saratoga Road and walk down to the river. Only problem is that there is not way to get to the river unless you treaspass and the homeowners don't cotton to that. If you go on Pebble Beach without permission be ready to meet a nice law enforcement officer. ;D But you can put in at Huguenot Bridge and then paddle up to the dam and fish the area. Good exercise if the current is not too strong against you. Or, you can enter this part of the river from the north side by the fish ladder if you can find a place to park and then a clear place to enter the river.

That's him. Did you park your car by the VEPCO easement on Saratoga Road???

Fishing James, Yes, the area is wadeable. We used to wade and walk across the river from Pebble Beach to the island and the surrounding areas also tube all around the area up to the Willie Bridge and back and fish all over the place with ultra light rigs. It was a lot of fun. But watch the water levels and current and wear a PFD as it is very dangerous to wade in the area due to the rocks and holes. Bring a buddy, too, just to be on the safe side.

Fishing James, I live just south of Bosher's Dam and caught a beautiful four (4) pound smallie on a chrome with black back Rat-L-Trap off Pebble Beach a few years ago. Then this big shot builds a house at the end of my street on Cherokee Road, blocks the view of the dam and river, and tells me to stay off Pebble Beach. So I have not been back as he calls the police or game wardens when anyone fishes or walks on Pebble Beach so no one goes down there anymore. I have met the lady living next door to him and was thinking of asking her for permission to fish her side of Pebble Beach, but the best fishing is in the eddy pool on the south side of the dam, on the jerk's property, and I really don't need any problems from him. His daughter and her shack up boyfriend cut through my property going to the Fashion Park. Everytime they do I ask them if they are getting married which POs the birch. The guy looks like Ja-Ja Binks from Star Wars. So go and fish that eddy and have a fun time. At least somebody will have a fun time off Pebble Beach.

Welcome to the forum. Glad you joined us. As for using Gulp! Alive? Nope. Not yet. When I do use Gulp! products I seem to get a lot of bream and Crappie strikes and catch those beautiful catfish. If you try them be sure to let us know how you do. You can use whatever line you want, but if you use braid you may want to use a mono or flouro leader. May I suggest using mono for treble hook baits; flouro and copoly for just about anything; and braid for heavy cover and deep water? You may have better success fishing ponds with an 8 pound test on your spinning rig and 10 pound test on your baitcaster. By the looks of the picture you seem to be doing well. Very well. So keep up the good work and let us know how you do and post those pics.

I do it as I believe it gives me more support for the reel when holding the rod and I when setting the hook. It feels uncomfortable not palming the reel.

Simon, I have seen guys fly fishing the James from a kayak but other than that I have no idea where to go other than for the Pony Pasture. I know if you go up river from Watkins Landing there are areas to fly fish but since it is too dangerous to take a bass boat up that way I have not traveled the area. Under the Nickle Bridge could be a good place, if you like snakes and bugs. Just be careful on the James. You know it is a dangerous river.