Hot Rod

Most often I just wipe it down with a damp cloth when I pull it out of the water. But I also use McGuires Quick Clean Marine. Spray it on and wipe it off. It protects and shines very nice. And its o.k. if you get it on the rub rail or other black rubber/plastic unlike wax it wont mar plastics. A bottle of it last a long time to if you are judicious with it.

Thanks Way2slow! Great info. I'm pretty sure the butterflies sync but I will recheck the linkage and the roller. I never thought of it until you pointed it out it but I bet I've got one or two of the floats out of adjustment. I thought I checked them all when I reassembled it but I remember having some issues with one in particular and that is probably the exact moment during the rebuild when my wife came into the garage to ask me an "important" question. I lost track of what I was doing and most likely forgot to check the float alignment before putting that bowl back on. I'll check the floats and see if that eliminates the problem. Could just one float out of adjustment be the cause? Thanks again!

Its open water from Weavers down to about 7 points as of yesterday. Some of the coves around James creek and Aitch were frozen or partially frozen yesterday. Shouldn't be long now till its clear. 30 Boats fished the Fishing4five tournament yesterday and we all made it back to the launch without any "titanic" events though I banged around in the ice a bit.

I have a 2004 Johnson 150. I just completed an off-season carb rebuild w/ OEM carb repair kits and new carb bowls in an effort to solve some hard to start and rough idling issues. (Last fall one bowl was warped so bad the float stuck and I took it in to the shop. Mechanic repaired it but had to replace it with another used bowl because the part was back order at his shop but it worked to get me back out on the water short term). The rebuild went smooth. Took it out to the lake for a test. It fired right up and idles as good as new. The problem comes when I try to get up on plane. It has no power to accelerate when the engine is under load. It starts missing and sputtering at 2000 rpm and completely dies at 2800. Prior to the carb rebuild it ran great at mid to higher RPM so I believe it has to do with the carb rebuild. My initial thought is that it is an air leak or a vaccum leak. To R/R all of the gaskets with the kit I had to remove the throttle body and fuel rail (fuel manifold). I didn't have a replacement for the gasket b/n the throttle body and intake, nor did I have the o-rings for the fuel rail so I just used the old. My assumption is that this is where the problem lies. That it is sucking air around the old gasket and or o rings once the engine builds RPM's. I have since ordered replacements and am hoping that by R/R that gasket and O-rings that will solve it. Anyone have any experience with similar?

I had an "issue" with one last fall. It was the only time I've had a problem but it lasted for several days until the thing migrated away finally. First time I saw it I was pre fishing and it was swimming straight toward me. Really didn't think anything of it at the time as I was concentrating on the fish but it must have slipped under the water without me noticing. When I got my lure back to the boat the dang thing shot out like a torpedo out from under the boat and at my jig. It disappeared, then did it again on the next cast. The crazy dang thing was using my boat as cover! Every time I got the lure close to the boat the loon would pop out from under the boat and give chase. I think he could have easily grabbed my lure, especially on the first couple casts when I wasn't prepared. But I believe he was waiting for me to reel in a fish or for one to follow my lure in so he could snag it. I tried smacking the water with my landing net and running from him for a while with my TM but the bird wouldn't leave. He was dang persistent. I finally had to fire up the big motor and leave. On the mourning of the tournament I show up at my first spot of the day. I catch a nice smally on the first couple casts. But the noise of the catch attracts the attention of, you guessed it, the same crazy loon (he had unique markings so I know it was the same bird). He swam right over to my boat and dove under it to use it for cover from which to attack. This spot was about a mile or so from the place I saw him the prior day. I had to give the spot up because I didn't want to waste tourney time messing with him. Figured as long as he was around the bass would be leery to say the least. That dang bird sat on that spot all morning too. Really fried my game plan for the tourney since that was the only place I had found decent fish in practice. Aghhh!

Does anyone know if/when they are running the weeknight lunker tourney on Curwensville Lake this year? I think Phillipsburg BM used to hold those events. I used to fish them but haven't for a few years. I'd like to get in at least a few of them this summer. Thanks in advance, Hot Rod

It really depends on a lot of factor like what pound test it is, what cover you've fished it in, what technique it was used for and if it was on a baitcaster or spinning reel. Dragging a jig through rocks with 8# test is going to limit the life of floro more than pitchin' 25# in weeds. Also the brand of floro makes a big difference. I use Segaur red label or invisx and I can get at least an entire year out of it with two exceptions: spinning reels w/ 8# get chinned out a couple times a year and crankbait rods w/ 10# get changed out a couple times a year. But I've had rods rigged w/ 15 or 20# that have fished two seasons w/ the same floro and don't seem to loose its performance. It just doesn't deterioration or get nicked as quickly as mono. Let the line tell you when its time to change, when the casting performance decreases or it gets kinked/nicked/twisted up.

What's going on with WIrth? Yesterday on the classic stage he was on stage saying he didn't want it to be his last day fishing. And today one of the BM anylist said it was his last classic. Is he retiring or ill or what? I noticed he doesn't have any sponsors on his jersey and his boat isn't wrapped. I can't believe an angler as accomplished as he wouldn't have sponsor offers.

X2 for all the ones previously listed. A couple more of mine are: 1. When your fishing buddy in the back of the boat sounds like he's doing the frigin' "River Dance" between his stomping around and slamming compartments shut, (then complains the fishing stinks, well duh). 2. When your partner hasn't caught a fish all day but you have, then the partner procedes to tell you repeatedly what you need to do to catch fish, aghhhhhh!

Cool! Thanks CPB. On a side note, I did see that at Glendale the floating dock has been installed at the Wyerough launch. Think that's where I'll head this morning. Stayin' close to home to save some gas $$$

Does anyone know if they put the floating docks in yet at Curwensville? Still not in here at Glendale, least not on my side of the lake (maybe the main marina?).

Nah, your "fishing" will be the same. Hopefully it is your "catching" that is improved.

I fish 12# Segaur InvisX in all but the most heavy wood cover. If its what I consider heavy then I go to 15# Segaur Red Label. Now that being said a big bass where i fish is in the 4+lb range and something in the 5lb+ range is a giant. If I were fishing somewhere that a 6-8+ lber was a distinct possiblity then I could see going up to 20# in real thick stuff.

Iron workers balance on 6inch-wide beams thousands of feet about the ground working with their hands at the same time. Athlete? Construction workers working 10hr days in the hot sun then driving home. Athlete? Football linemen? 300lb Warren Sapp ran a 40...4.69 Athlete! No, iron workers nor anyother kind of worker are not atheletes unless they are involved in a competition. The definition of athelete involves competition. They aren't competing with a crew the next block over to see who finishes their skyscrapper first. Its comparing apples to oranges. Fish in a tournament 8 hours in 3'+ waves off-shore, running a trolling motor staring down at a graph while trying to keep from being ejected from the boat. That takes incredible stamina, strength and coordination. Athelete!

Cool! 8-) Was there a lot of debris in the water? I assume so. Usually this time of year it's like runnin' and obstacle course zig-zagging around flotsum. Can't wait till next weekend when I can get out too.

Yep. Was talking to my tire guy he said you can have a tire "separate" inside from the belts and not even know it. It may appear fine from the outside but it often results in uneven wear. I asked him this because one of my trailer tires was wearing uneven. Also could be out of align or bent axle as already stated.

At Glendale about 60% of the ice remains. That was at 8 a.m. today. It is melting faster now though

I have a pair of titamium scissors I got in the craft section at wally world. They work great, cost about $5 and they don't rust. I used to carry a full size oxy/acetylene tourch but decided that was a little bit overkill ;D K.I.S.S.

Still about 80 - 90% ice covered @ Glendale >

When you think you are fishing slow enough, slow down some more.

Yep you can catch it. Get a milk jug( or several preferably). Get some parchute cord. Tie the jug to a tree at the bank with about 20' of cord. Rig up a line to the jug long enough that it will reach bottom with a "turtle hook" and bait it with chicken livers or chicken skin. Check your jugs every couple days. You'll be eatin' turtle soup in no time

I change my hooks out but not for color. Do it more to improve hook up/catch ratio. If you think red is getting you more bites the logical advice says just put the red hook on the front since you want them to hit the front hook. You don't want them just nipping at the back of the bait andgetting the back hook. Where I fish I haven't seen red hooks helping as an attractant.

Got my first boat when I was 9 years old. A 14' Sea King semi V with two "wooden outboards" (a.k.a. oars) Paid $300 for boat and trailer. It was a few years old when I bought it. Just sold it 5 years ago after I got my Strat. Wish I still had that little old boat just for nostalgia if nothing else. But the wife can't understand why a man needs one boat let alone two. ;D

Read an article about Denny Brauer. His theorey is that as a tournament fisherman you have to have a specialty that you excel at. You should still be versatile and learn a lot of techniques. Your specialty won't always work and you can't fish it in all tournaments. But every so often you will fish a tournament that the situation fits your specialty perfect, right in the wheel house so to speak. That is your best chance to win. So his logic was learn them all but keep one as your specialty.

Only low Rider I have is the 7' H Lizard Dragger. Its great for C rigs (of course), heavier T rigs, pitchin'. What I think it does best is fish frogs/toads over the slop.