cyclops2

Something to decide about steering too easily. There is a FRICTION adjustment on every o b I have had up to 30 hp. Problem is loose & easy steering can do a endless circle of death. Increase the steering friction so the motor HOLDS the angle it is at. " Come back to me !!!!!!!!!!! " Which do you pick ? I tie my self to the boat with a rope that is short enough to keep fingers and feet away from the prop. I forget to use the safety line sometimes. I can pass out leaning over the edge. So I added the 1/2" diameter life line. I go out a lot alone.

If I want the best & fastest coverage ? Rapalas. Or MEAT ! That covers a serious day. Always

Fish have to eat hot or cold temperatures. Only real turnoff is a lack of oxygen in a spot.

Topwaterman Lets DO a practice run with LIVE BAIT ONLY. My area is very low catch & release compared to 5 years ago. Why ? Easy All the NEW Covid stay at home fishing people. They use worms & baitfish. Then rip the hook out of the fishes gut. Hooks cost money !! So the available # of fish can be super low. Add in sincere people catching fish of all types & sizes to eat. Gobies and other invasive water life reduce what you had 5 years ago. My bay has been very much cleaned out by a pontoon boat load of guys very carefully fishing it with bait. Their war cry is. " I need more bait. and a beer. " 6 guys steadily tossing fish into buckets. I will be forced to motor to more isolated places. It is not you. It is everyone taking them home and cooking up the fish. I do it.

Well said Navy Toad. Big companies DO count on good / decent people correcting their mistakes.

For all of us with limited abilities to fish. Standing Either BUY a boat big enough. Like a Bow Rider Hull. Or get a boat with a .....Flip Up Bolster Seat. Then you can cast stand or sit down while trolling around in the boat. The SUPER comfortable Bolster Seat is what is needed for any of us in pain. We are worth it. Do a web search of Bolster Seat It has a front piece that allows you to sit about 8" higher than the full seat cushion height.

I just finished removing 10 bags of wet Pine Bark Nuggets From Lowe's & Home Depot. BECAUSE !!!! We have had a end to a long storm front. So I could go out fishing. If the fish were in their spring time places. Wife is affected by same weather pains. 2 knees to be replaced in the coming fall. Talk about a real gamble ? Most people say only 1 of 2 knee joints was worth the risk. I am looking forward to the first boating get together. There are some fantastic people we volunteer with at events.

I have caught my own hand with a big lure still attached to a 4' Muskie. OWWWWW

84 and the approaching rain AND then the period of following rain ? Causes random stabbing pains everywhere. Joint pains. Balance unsteady. Vertigo, start of double vision. Need for deeper breathing. Erratic heart beats. Tired beyond caring. Occasionally just want to die in my sleep. Sun comes out and humidity drops...........Life is good. No pain killer drugs. Just tough it out and I am like I was at 40.

Ever attend a big cook out ? FOOD is ready !!!! Like hungry sharks. ?

If the ships cause different foods to dart out of the path of a BIG spinning prop ? Dinner time !!!

This is a great topic. It covers just about all of our fishing. ?

There is no simple answer for the canoe problem. The difference in body weights is the obvious problem. Add ANY winds ? From different directions ? I would buy 2 kayaks. So both of you can control your boat very simply. Works every time. Enjoy.

If you leave the rods on the deck of any boat ? In direct sunlight ? Or reflected sunlight from boat surfaces ? Maybe 3 months. I have Ande Monofilament 2# test. It is many years old in my clothes drawer. Still perfect & shiny. The Braided lines are still excellent right next to the Ande. All the rods on a boat deck are Macho. Death to keeping plastic strong.

I have a 1980 ? bought new back then. Lowe 16' X 48" Aluminum V hull. With a LEGAL LIMIT Evnrude 2 stroke 30 hp. 1986 motor........ Added floor decks. A 12 gallon fuel tank which fills front seat area. And a 6 gallon red steel gas tank. I go out every day all day. The 6 gallon is connected when the 12 gallon is run dry. I have a padded armrested chair in the center space. 2 large tackle boxes . Vhf radio & antenna. Size 27 car battery. 2 bilge pumps 500 GPH each. 3 different size & types of anchors. short anchor lines and 2 .....100' storm anchor lines if I can not make it to a island & beach the boat. Life jackets for 2. .....2... 6' oars. Special side of hull mounted console to keep rear space more open. It is a 15" short shaft hull. Full length bow & stern dock cleats & lines. It IS a tight fit but I have to avoid 3' to 5' waves at anchor. Instant key starts if I need to swing around while at anchor to always take a wave front on. 16' foot is a excellent size in NON main channels. With massive cruisers & off shore racers blowing by all the time.

You better have the biggest & best electric water pump in the bottom of the boat. You will need it.

I would NEVER consider a power washer. I have always had or later installed SECTIONS of PILE ONLY carpeting. Small enough to fit in a big commercial washing machine. NO CHEAP tightly looped carpeting !!!!!! Hooks LOVE that stuff. The soft non looped stuff also cleans much easier. Stains come out easier.

Tatsu is now made with the same plastic ?? Why not ?

I just came back from the site. You MAY get a boat some year ? DUUUHHH No mention of any warranty on anything ? No haggle price ? I can not give you advice on this ...Take it or leave it price . Probably they want a massive deposit for a year or more ? I would look at other companies. You did leave the door open for that. A used in great condition might be a far better deal. Company mottos are. How can we give them less for more money?

Do you have a total / maximum price ? Helps to then prioritize order of options. Have BOTH dealers TAKE YOU OUT in the model you want. Get a copy of any boats costs. You will find out what each is charging for options. Also what year each boat AND the motor will be. There are several year old boats & motors being sold as new. But could be dry rotting parts . Avoid any Evinrude motors. They are being phased out in some sizes already. NO DEPOSITS on anything !!!!!!!!!!! No pay for the gas on a test run. Some dealers do take advantage of everyone. No rush to sign anything. If you feel pressure from a sales man ? Tell him You are leaving & get his business card. Then leave !! You have the money they want. Let them treat you on YOUR terms.

I am lucky in this problem area. I have a isolated bay right off of the St. Lawrence River shipping channel. There are Off Shore racing boats blasting by all week ends. 1 idiot was doing a estimated 110 or so in a speed reduced area. His Catamaran buried the bow. Tore both arms off as he slid under the dash and squashed him under the dash area. Girlfriend was never found. I stay in my overfished bay until the thousands of racing h p noise becomes too much. Then come out at sundown.

Too many people trying to reduce eating costs with all types of fish. All the restaurants up here have " All the perch you can eat ...Friday nights. "

I have caught so many, of the same fish, in the same spots. I have special lures with no hooks. The fish join me and hit it. Run a few feet and let go. They know when I am harmless by seeing there are no hooks. Believe that routine. Their eyesight is that good. I have watched a boat go fishless in my bay. They told me so. I then put on a no hook lure and start a series of fish attacking multiple times. It satisfies me, sometimes. SMB only !!

I ALWAYS have had a HEAVY duty freshwater setup for using baits of any type. It is always a old Mitchell 300 series spinning reel & a LIGHT DUTY salt water rod. Length is only required if I want to REACH way out in deeper waters. At 84 I do not wade alone !! Death is always beside me now. Go with a long STIFF light duty saltwater rod. Your fish are big & powerful in rivers. Also go to about at least 60# test Braided line. Mandatory to keep Line stretch to minimum when fish mouths bait. I would go with a saltwater reel that can EASILY horse in a big Bluefish. I pound in a sand spike & tie it to the rod also in big river fishing. Bassers have no idea of what waits to drag away a unattended rod. I bought & use a rod bell for when I fall asleep. Enjoy your fishing. Almost forgot about the weight & 3 way SALTWATER swivel. I tie the 2 to 4 ounce sliding weight shaped weight onto the 3rd eye of the swivel with MUCH WEAKER cheap Monofilament line. I WANT it to snap off if snagged. I really use scrap rusty weights on the big rig. Lead is not cheap on snaggy bottoms. Almost forgot 1 more important thing. THE HOOK !!! 40 to 80 pound cats can & do break off many older freshwater rusty hooks. The rust ALSO chews away the line tied to the eye of it. So I bought 6 S S saltwater hooks. 3X rated strength. I crushed & ground the barb to be smooth . That prevents the barb ripping open a huge hook hole. I never relaxed the line enough to have lost a recent big Blue Cat. ?

Lots of wraps are needed on Braided. I also add a 1/2 hitch on the tag ends and slide them into the knot. The 1/2 hitch JAMS all of the line tighter. Never has slipped wet or dry.