TOXIC

Without knowing what model boat you have, I can't tell you if the KeelShield will work. It is a fantastic product with a lifetime guarantee. Here is a tin compatibility list. Aluminum Boats: Alumacraft – Not compatible Crestliner Fisher G3- some models Lowe Lund – Not compatible Mirrocraft Monark Polar Kraft Princecraft Ranger Sea Ark – some models Smoker Craft – some models Starcraft Tracker Triton Weldcraft Xpress

I was trying to run some old gas out of the boat and fish a little at the same time. Definitely a rough run back. One of the many reasons I like my 21 foot boat.

I did 60 years ago in the deepwoods of Canada on a large lake but today with all of the contaminants in the atmosphere, no body of water anywhere is totally safe IMHO. I totally misjudged my water needs in a tournament once and got thirsty enough to drink cooler water. That was nasty. In another tournament, I did the same thing and one of the sponsors was Monster Energy Drinks and they had a huge tub of them at the launch for everyone to sample. I grabbed 4 and threw them in my boat cooler. Ran out of water and figured I might as well drink 1. 1 led to 2 led to 3 and finally all 4. I almost stroked out before I got back to the weigh in. I was shaking like a leaf and talking extreeeemly fast.

The biggest water I ever attempted with my 2 man Bass Hunter pvc boat and a 46lb thrust Trolling motor and 1 deep cycle battery was 300 acres. If moving a lot I could drain the battery in a day. The 2 man boats you listed will not handle rough water as well as your yak and without a small gas motor, I wouldn't even attempt the size lakes you listed. Remember, you also have to carry fuel. That's just me and I'm a little hyper sensitive on safety.

I have one in my Ranger Z21 and with the alarm padlock. I make a few overnight trips where I stay in hotels overnight. I cover the boat and arm the padlock. I go 1 step further and shake the padlock one time to get the warning beep. That means the next movement will set it off without sounding the warning. It covers both my port and starboard rod lockers and my big center locker. You can lock the padlock without activating the alarm for towing. I take my graphs and anything in the other lockers worth any value in the room with me. My rods/reels/lures are in the 3 lockers covered by the bar. I leave every other locker unlocked. Standard locker locks can be broken by hand. No tools necessary, so I don't even lock them. In order to get into the lockers covered by the bar you would need a crowbar, sawzall or prybar. You are not going to saw through the double walled stainless steel tube. If they try to cut the padlock, it's going to set off the alarm long before they get it cut. Common myth is that thieves can take the bow wench and pull off the bar. The company has offered a handsome reward for anyone who can do that and so far no one has collected. Pro's......Locks up the compartments it covers well. Has a built in alarm. Con's.....You have to drill holes your boat. If installed and thieves have the time to work on the bar, they will destroy the fiberglass on your gunnels where it is mounted. Fastest way to defeat it is to take a sawzall to the gunnels and just cut out the mounts from the fiberglass. I wouldn't have a boat without one.

Common courtesy isn't so common. IF I come upon someone fishing a "spot" I don't expect them to give way if I am moving down the bank. I will hold my rod a cast before and a cast past the angler working a spot. I expect the same from someone approaching me if I am fishing a spot. If we are both moving, somebody usually just swings wide. As long as you don't cross lines, keep right on moving and fishing. It isn't rocket science and there are no rules.

The 2 are not relevant. Can a good angler catch fish from shore? Yes. Can a boat make a good angler better? IMHO yes again. Shore anglers are limited to, well, shore and many times only what they can carry in. I have a 21 foot tacklebox that carries many different techniques and multiple rods/reels and can take me to where the fish are. As a result I learn many more techniques and become more skilled in them. That's discounting the obvious that when the fish move off the shore they are out of reach for the bank fisherman. Doesn't make them any less of a fisherman unless you are gauging it by the numbers of fish caught in any one day. I can go to the fish, the shore bound fisherman can't.

Underway and fishing on the Trolling Motor are 2 different things. The USCG tells you when underway what to do when you meet head on. When fishing just be courteous. Underway doesn't mean on the trolling motor. Unless otherwise agreed [Inld] When two power-driven vessels are meeting on reciprocal or nearly reciprocal courses so as to involve risk of collision each shall alter her course to starboard so that each shall pass on the port side of the other.

Fishing means different things to different people. For most it's a fun activity, for some it's a hobby, for some it's a competitive sport and for others it's a job. All levels have differing monetary investments. Everyone has their own path to follow depending on how serious you want to take it. For me it started out like most kids worm and bobber fishing. Then my grandfather took me to Canada as a young teen and I was able to experience catching 8lb walleye on hair jigs and double digit pike on red/white Daredevil spoons. When my grandfather passed, I quit fishing for a number of years.....like 30. Life got in the way, I got married/divorced and remarried. Changed multiple jobs, got a serious career, moved multiple times and 25 years ago ended up here in Virginia. Got to know my neighbor who loved to fish and we would go to a small lake 5 miles from our houses to catfish in a jon with chicken livers. Got the opportunity to buy a pvc bass hunter with a trolling motor and because of my location, had numerous bodies of water to fish for bass. Worked with a lady who owned 3 acres of riverfront on the Shenandoah river and discovered wade fishing and fly fishing for smallmouth. It was a misty morning out in the middle of the river after a heard of deer had just swam past me within arms reach, like I wasn't there, when a feeling came over me, it was if my grandfather was standing right next to me and at that point everything just clicked. I became a student of the sport of fishing....all fishing. It came somewhat naturally. Had a friend coming from Nebraska and I hired a local guide to fish Lake Anna. Had my father coming and hired him again to fish the Rappahannock river . Out fished the guide on both trips. He offered me a job taking out his overflow clients and offered me his sponsored boat for that year if I could pass the interview. The interview was that I met him on the Potomac river (which I had never fished at that time) and I had to put him on fish. I studied up for a week and met him at the river. He sat in the passenger seat and told me to take him to the fish. I did. That started my guiding experience. In guiding, sponsorships help your bottom line and puts products in the hands of potential buyers everyday. I approached the companies whose products I used and believed in. It also started my requirement to work shows, give seminars and product demonstrations. I have to stay up to date on current offerings and what is out there in the industry. I got "connected" in the business side of the industry and it has lead to a wonderful relationship with a lot of people/companies. I was active pro-staff for Bass Pro for 15 years. Did a lot of seminars and tank demos for them. Although I am still under contract, I am not affiliated with a store right now. I work for a Rep Group out of Kansas for numerous products in both hunting and fishing and appear in Bass Pro and Cabela's across the country for Grand Openings and local for annual events. I represent my sponsors every time I am on the water for fun or for business. I take it very seriously. Long story long.... That is my journey into the fishing world and why I choose what gear I do. I could have stopped at any point along the way and still be fishing for cats out of a jon but I took a sincere interest in the sport. Now that I will be retiring from that serious career I started 34 years ago next year, I can't wait to see what's next for me in the fishing world.

That's a funny story. I had a friend who was on the PWT and he would buy crankbaits 100 at a time in each color. His bait room for Walleye Tournaments looked like an episode of "Hoarders". In his defense, he fished all over the country and on more bodies of water with more techniques than I ever hope to.

Get the service records from the dealer. Have a compression and leakdown test done on the motor. Have the current owner take you out and show you everything works as it should. Get maintenance on trailer, tires, lights, bearings, bunks, etc. Good Luck!!

Good discussion with points on both sides. Here's a little tidbit right from the Co Angler who took home the win: http://another site.com/docktalk_article/19272/longtime-tour-co-angler-sounds-off#.W03UudVKjDA

Saturday on a Little John Crankbait. Just about jerked the rod right outta my hands.

As has been said if you want to stay with Senkos, switch up size/color or go with another weedless presentation like the Ika or Swimming Senko to change the profile. You'll get bit.

Welcome Ben. Hope Springs Marina is open 24-7 and close to a lot of good frog water. The first cove to your left as you come out from under the RR Bridge is good for Bass and Snakeheads. If you want to stay closer, there are a lot of weedbeds to the left as you leave Hope Springs as well. You can work all the way to the channel with plenty of docks along the way. It will cost you to launch but if you have a cartop and yak it is not the $20 for boats, trailers.

The only rule is......There are no rules.

Directly from FLW...... “It is an apprenticeship like no other. But times have changed, and the co-angler program is no longer the stepping stone to the professional ranks that it once was. To me it is not an "apprenticeship" because the skill level in many many cases is equal. I have personally heard the "Pro's" ( I prefer the terms "Boater and non Boater) talk down Co Anglers. I'm not painting everyone with a wide brush. There are exceptions but the notion that they are amateurs on the back deck is not right for a lot of them. The simple fact they can affect the outcome is proof of that.

If you are correct and theft isn't a concern then I see no problem as long as they are out of the sun. They are designed to take the heat somewhat but there's no need to push it by letting them sit in the direct sunlight. I would put the screen covers on them.

It was HOT, HOT, HOT but was able to Jack a few on the river. Caught them on Senko's, Spinnerbait and SPRO Little John Crankbait. Fished Aquia, Potomac Creek and Chicamuxen Creek. Was nice to roll into Chicamuxen and drift into a raft of 17 boats and be able to yak 3 pounders on back to back casts. They swarmed us like Grass Gnats The dang catfish hit a crankbait and almost pulled the rod out of my hands. Was a very rough ride back to Aquia from the Chick in the afternoon when the wind picked up.

What I really want to dispel is the common thought that the Co Anglers are all inexperienced anglers who can't find or catch fish. I know of a few other manufacturers reps who have dabbled in the Co Angler ranks and they said they had a blast and won enough money to pay for their expenses most of the time. I have Marshaled on the Elite Series for an article for Yamamoto and it was a good experience.

I actually know of a few Co-Anglers that directly helped their Pro finish higher due to the Co doing their homework, pre-fishing and knowing what to throw. I've also heard horror stories of being "back boated" all day and Pro's who came into the event literally blind and on no fish.

Mine's pretty simple. Open up a Yamamoto catalog. I've got 10 colors of everything they make and even some things they don't make anymore. If they don't make it, I don't throw it with one exception....tubes. Even though they have some tubes and I do throw them, there are some unique colors of triple dipped tubes we throw on St Clair that I get from another manufacturer.

No one is going to be able to find you a boat. Boats are a very personal purchase. Now, if you list manufacturer, length, year range, motor size and distance willing to travel, you might be able to get some constructive answers. It would be worth your while to narrow your choice down by a few factors and google what you want to get specific results. I vowed to never buy anything off Craigslist but when I was looking for a boat (very open to all models but had to be 20ft minimum, dual axle, 225hp minimum) I had a friend who noticed a listing on C-List and after 3 visits and a water test I bought it and luckily it was local. I have a friend who bought an Elite Anglers boat and we traveled 2 states away to pick it up. Good luck in your search, To me that was 1/2 the fun.

Don't come to the Potomac where civility is an afterthought. "Most" of the time it's an easy exchange. Hold your course until you are within a cast of each other and then one of you will go around the other. Makes no difference which one. If you are on a "spot" and not actively working up the bank, hold where you are if the other angler is moving. They can keep moving right around you. Had a deal on the Potomac where we were working down a bank. Came around a point and notices another boat about 100 yards in front of us. Angler in that boat put his TM on high and ran right towards us. We gave way and moved to the outside and when we got even with him, he turned the boat and started back down the bank in the same direction as we were going. Obviously, he was trying to "protect" the entire stretch of bank. Words were exchanged. It got heated.

I use the Plano line box because I know once I spool any line (other than braid) onto my reel, I am going to walk it off the spool and reload it.