Scott F

We are still in the early generations of batteries for electric cars. When the lithium metal batteries come out that will be lighter, cheaper, safer, more powerful, last longer and recharge faster, the switch to all electric will really take off for the masses. That could be in as little as 5 years. I can wait till then.

Are you aware that it is against the law to use drones in national parks? People have been fined for posting videos shot in national parks on YouTube.

Photos taken or sent from an iPhone or iPad give you a choice of files sizes when you are getting ready to post them. Nothing else you need to do to resize.

Google Ranger trolling motor plug. Several places sell them. Very heavy duty.

Who is to say that a different plastic would have done better? It could have done worse. Only the bass can tell you if they liked one more than another on that day. It’s like color. Maybe, the color made a difference, maybe it didn’t. You can make yourself crazy trying to out guess a fish with all of the thousands of combinations available.

A travel cover needs to fit near perfectly so it doesn’t flap around at highway speeds. That’s a custom cover. Cheap covers are not good on the road. The stress that the wind puts on a loose fitting cover tears the straps up. If all you need is a cover to keep the leaves and sun off the boat, while parked, you can get by with a generic (cheap) one.

I’m not sure how an extra split ring would kill the action on a Zara Spook, but adding a split ring would be my solution.

If you are wading, you need to be stealthy at the same time which often means making longer casts. Lots of times, you just can’t get very close to your targets which might be on the other side of the river. On tiny creeks it’s not an issue, but on bigger streams having extra casting distance can mean the difference in getting bit or not. I like longer rods to give me that extra distance. 7’ rods are as long as will easily fit in my vehicle so that’s what I use.

Two cannibals are eating a comedian. One says to the other, “Does this taste funny to you?”

I had one for years and was very happy with my purchase. I liked it much better than the cable steer motor that it replaced. Replaced the Power Drive with a Terrova that functions in much the same way. I wouldn’t take another cable steer if it was given to me. It’s all what you get used to…. That box is where the steering motor is. $325 is about $225 more than the motor is worth today. The pedals on the other hand, are worth $100 by themselves. They failed regularly and aren’t easy to find.

I’m very uncomfortable in a kayak. I need to be able to move my legs more than a kayak allows.

Sounds like a weak battery to me. When the voltage drops, even a couple of volts, the unit just shuts down.

I’ve been in a few fishing clubs and all of them have had women who fished. Never a lot of women. Some with a fly rods, some with baitcasters, some with spinning gear and most were not married. All of them knew what they were doing. They weren’t just there to meet men either.

I once had a chameleon that couldn’t change color……….they called it a reptile dysfunction…. My new book about falling down the stairs will be out soon. It’s a step-by-step guide. My young daughter once got hurt in a peek-a-boo accident . She had to go to the I-see-you.

Having to cut a hole in the deck of my boat to accommodate a poorly designed foot pedal isn’t an option. I also like being able to move the pedal around. A recessed tray limits you to having the pedal in only one position.

For me, the foot pedal on the Terrova is the best part! I absolutely hate those ridiculous, tall pedals on cable steer motors. I operate the Terrova foot pedal with just my toe and can keep both feet pretty much flat on the floor without having to balance on one foot with the other foot up on top of the pedal. It all depends on what you are comfortable with and are used to.

I blew out a disc in my back in 2016 when I was 61 and had to retire. After having a job or being in school for over 50 years, I was so happy to finally be in control of my life. Nobody to tell me where I had to be, dealing with bosses or being on call 24/7 every few weeks. I go to bed when I’m sleepy, and get up when I’m not. I can take as long as I want to drink my coffee. If the roads are bad, I stay home. I’m happier today than I’ve ever been in my life. Congratulations. Enjoy yourself!

I've got Garmin Echomap depth finders and a Terrova. I use the built in transducer on the Terrova for my front unit, giving up the side imaging capabilities. That doesn't bother me in the least. The other thing I give up is the ability for the motor to follow a contour. Again, not something that I'd use very often. The Terrova has spotlock and will keep the boat pointed and moving on a heading which I do use a lot. For me, the the extra expense isn't justified. As fast as the technology changes, the Force, Terrova and Garmin models all available today will be obsolete and replaced with newer, fancier, more advanced models within a few years anyway.

For reference, my 4 year old, 16x48 jon boat, with a 35hp jet, console steering, no trolling motor, inexpensive depth finders and trailer just sold for $14,500

Considering I was fishing for pike, those tails last quite a while. They were pretty cheap back then too. They are still not very expensive compared to every other plastic. I think Cabelas sells a package of 50 3” tails for $5.

My favorites are 3 or 4 inch Mister Twister twister tails. Silver Minnows are a fantastic pike bait that are mandatory on a Canadian fly-in trip. Uncle Josh pork trailers are often talked about so I bought several different kinds back in the day but I found they always killed the action compared to a simple twister tail.

Anything like a buff that goes around my neck, even a turtle neck sweater really bothers me so I can’t wear them. I do have a full beard which has given me a lot of protection. Wrap around sunglasses and a wide brim hat only leaves my nose and a small space between my cheekbones exposed. A bit of sunscreen on those areas and I’m covered. I barely get any color on my face at all.

Been retired for over 4 years.

Great post A-Jay! One thing I don’t see being talked about is why people end up in the water to begin with. Years ago, I was told by a Conservation Officer in Canada that one of the leading causes of drowning by fisherman is that they fall overboard while urinating! If you’ve been drinking, you can see how your balance may be affected as well as how often you might have to relieve yourself. An unexpected boat wake can toss you over the side while taking care of business. Carrying a “johnny bottle” makes the job much easier and safer. Something to consider as an inexpensive addition to your list of boating must haves.

According to NY fishing regulations; ”Catch and Release means catching and immediately releasing the caught fish without harm.”