starcraft1

If your tired of fishing Oroville pond and want a differant approuch, try the after bay (south) and punch the mats. I've been going out there at leaste twice aweek for the last month and have found the senko bite to produce smaller fish (1 1/2 - 2 lbs.) but the bigger fish (up to 8 lbs.) to be under the grass mats. I've been using a 1 to 1 1/4 oz. bullett sinker or a 3/4 to 1 oz. poison headed 5/0 jig with a chigger craw or beaver trailer. 50 lb. + braid (Pwoer Pro's dark green), pegging the sinker about an inch to two inches above the hook (4/0) with a punchin skirt (my own) in between or a brown/org., brn./g.p./ purple jig with a g.p. trailer with either a blue or black flake. Look for "holes" in the grass, points, or coves in the grass. All coves have been producing good to great fish but not in nimbers - 5 to 8 fish in a days fishing. The bite is slight so pay attn. to the weight of your bait. EWhen bite comes set the hook like theirs no tomorrow! Even a 5 lber. will give you a great underwater fight. Don't look for any jumping or big runs, not much room for that. You will git a good run, a lot of head shaking and small mouth type (I'm not going antwhere) type of fight. Rod = the meanest "broom stick" you've got (5 to 6 power) Reel = at least a 7.1 to 1 retrieve with the drag cranked all the way tight Line = at least 50 lb. BRAID (50 to 80 lb.) Braid will cut thru the junk where as mono or f.c. won't! Baits = either a punchin' bullett weight (1 to 1 1/4 oz.) with a punchin' skirt or without or a 3/4 to 1 oz. poison headed jig with a skirt in the above mensioned colors. Good luck!

When it gets here it will be a T.O.F. project T.O.F. = two old f#%@s

Jig man, went with keel guard from overtons.com. Reg. price was $165 + change on sale for $148 for the 8' with the nose guard free. Saved $25 against Cabellas or BPS. Thanks again for the input.

For me, the jig bite is still on. Some tubes, finesse worms, float & fly (if your into bobber fishing), jerk baits, A-rig, & swim baits (big ones - 6" to 10") Area, N.Cal, lake levels 1500' to 4000' elev. Drag a jig sloooow!!!!!

Thanks Jig man, I see BPS has one, another has ads with Cabellas, ect. All show much the same far as instillation. As far as reviews go it seems all have some that think it's the greastest thing since sliced bread and others not so good. I think it's all in the application process & like you said, the extra set of eyes. All are proud of their products but worth the $$$. The one Cabella's offers has a spiecal offer of a nose guard (I think that's what they called it?) and with the exception of Keel shield, they'll all in the same price range. I'll be ordering today. Thanks again

JMO, wouldn't a blue line thru the middle work? It looks as if a small amount of glitter would do well. Would make a great red/ green flake mixture.

Had a little problem last week with the wind at the ramp and got about 2" of my keel got scraped by the concrete ramp. I'll be out this morning appling some gel coat patch. I've done "some" research on keel guard's and need some experance anglers/mech. opions on this product. i've read a lot of pros & cons on it but don't know anyone who has it installed. Please info. only. I've had enough smart a$$ remarks from my so called buddies!

+1 Sam's dead on. I think it was Diawa who first made these in the late 70's or early 80's (discontuined ) They sent "my" pro a couple and we used them for a second then put them back in the box. Never could get the hang of it and the reels had problems out of the box. I remember we took one a part to see "what made them click". What we came up with was bad workmanship & idea. Ardent make a true "flippin' " reel and it takes some getting use to. If your pitching ( most pitch and call it flippin') for smallies & spots, a spinning reel will be your best bet. A bait caster will give you a lot of practice at picking out bird nests. I use a Lews 7.1:1 speed bait caster for "flippin' " or piching with no problems unless under docks or low branches, then it's a spinning reel. "Reels are like life, you get what you pay for" Another old fisherman told me that when I was just a kid and it holds true!

8 lbs. even on my 55th birthday - 5 yrs. ago and change. 8lb. test - 1 power lami rod / Okuma metaloid spinning reel, 3/16ths "homemade" finesse jig, 3/o lt. wire hook. One HELL of a fight! Transported it to our local kids only pond. Anything under 10 lbs. here can-not be transplanted into another water, but knowing most of the law enforcement in our county and calling them frist made it O.K. to do so. Note; Our company sponsors & runs the annual fishing derby in our town.

S. Africa large mouth. They've got some lakes that you can only fish by boat and some with guide only. They show pics. of why it's boat only! Your not on the top of the food chain there! Also the Rio ***** & Silver river in Brazil?

+1 I also use the same hangers that the sotors use for chips, peanuts, ect. under my front tackle storage lids.

+1

Sorry, forgot the other 2, they were older boats I bought in the 80's

I've owned 5 so far and the best by far (imo) is the Skeeter zx202dc I own now. I had a 2003 Triton 21' with a Yamaha 250 - good ride sluggist out of the hole, 97' ranger 520 - great ride - slow boat, and a 16' Jason - 90 h.p. Evinrude - rough ride, fast (58mph) for it's size, great for skinny (shallow) water and tight places. As for a single axle trailer boat, you'll have to stay in the 18 to 20' range (Triton has a single axle on their 20'er). 18' & 19' will have a rougher ride on the water, harder to fish with 2 anglers (boat movement & fishing room), but if your fishing smaller waters those 2 would be the way to go. I think you'll find (in tournaments) a 19' would be the shortest I'd go. If this is your 1st boat, I'd look for a 19' 175 or 200 hp in the used department. A 2005 or newer (for the motor's sake - low hrs.). BWARE! If you find a cheeried older boat, first look at the motor hrs. and take it to a marine mech. you know to have it checked out. Skeeter is a very fast "out of the hole" hull and team it with a 200 Yahama HPDI and you'll have a 70 mph + ride. Skeeter's are a learn to drive type of hull and will throw you off your game if your not ready for the power and quick hole shot. I've had my 202 up to 73 mph (with complete rebuild on a 200? h.p. V-Max. Their also a very quick on responce, so keep your eye on the water and both hands on the wheel. Make sure it has colum trim. Good luck!

Comparing this to last, hard to say. I fished a lot less in the last 2 yrs. than since the Army. I've been out maybe 15 times so far this yr. about the same as last. With our water levels so low it's a 60 mi. round trip to either Oroville or the afterbay. As far as numbers, Oroville is still putting out a few 100+ days and the rest in the high 70's to low 90's - all about the same size (1.25 - 3.5) The afterbay has been on the hurtin' side since it got hit by the mongs a few yrs. back and the fish have not only gotten smaller, but a lot less. Biggest so far this yr. has only been a little over 6 lbs. (6.17) Not much brag from a place that used to bring several 10+ fish and once in a while a teener.

Keeping in mind I'm 60 yrs. old and from N. California, A Jay & A Beer would have been first on the list once apond a time, Good knots Boat control Casting accuracy Hook set Fish fighting ability Casting distance

This fight is going to have to be led by the 3 tackle shops on Clear lake. Bob (Limit-out) holds a lot of weight on the lake & Troy & Dave (Clear lake outdoors) will join in with Bob, and Jimmy (Clear lake bait & tackle) has gotten in with some heavy weights in their local govt. I know the manageing editor of Lake ports news paper, I'll give her a call to find out more about the hitch problem and what's being done about it right now. If the bleeding heart democrats think bass boats are "noisey" wait untill wake board boats full of drunks and their getto blaster rap gets out there! This is one of the reasons N. Cal. needs to break off and become the state of Jefferson. I sell a lot of jigs and jig heads on that pond.

1976 the same - first bass boat - Sears Ted Willams - Glass 1st. boat - 1966 - pre war wooden 12' row boat - 71/2hp air cooled Ted willams - Sears/Robart - KING OF THE DELTA! Or so I thought at 12 yrs. old.

Way to close!

The #1 thing is butt wipe - mt. money, toliet paper. Super glue isn't a bad idea either. rolaids, first aid kit, extra sun glasses, sun screen, extra truck key, I'm sure I'll come up with a few others and others will too. DON'T FORGET THE BUTT WIPE!!!!!

Scrutch, tried to get on the web site you used and had no sucess doing so? Can you offer any help?

It all depends on weather your a weekender or tournament guy. For the weekend guy this would be a fine unit to start with. For the tourney guys it would be "good enough" Either way it's a much better deal than a $100 unit.

Was the first guy drunk when he put them on? Nice lettering, thanks for the site. I'm still putting the finishing touches on my '98 Skeeter x202dc and these will be a nice touch. Thanks again for the site.

Give Lt. Col. Mike Ramsey a e-mail. If he's back from being deployed? He's in the Bosie area. Good luck! Mike's a great guy to fish with and be around.

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