TOXIC

Read the tournament rules. Spells out what is allowed and what is not allowed. I would bet it doesn't address your situation though. If it's not in the rules then it's fair game. Common courtesy goes out the window in most tournaments that's why you fall back on the rules. If it was me in the back of the boat, the only written rule I have ever seen related to casting was that you are not allowed to throw in front of the drivers console. Basically, you get the back 1/2 of the circle with the boated getting the front 1/2. Now if he said he planned on fishing up one side of the canal and then down the other and would appreciate it if you both fished the same side, I would have complied just to keep the peace even though I don't think it would be a requirement.

Makes you wonder what exactly he was fishing for????

When I had clients on my boat that were not used to the heat I kept them hydrated and I carried a few of those synthetic chamois called the Absorber. Dip them in the cooler water or the lake and drape them across your neck and it is magical how much cooler you will get. They saved many a trip.

But why........

Direct from The Michigan DNR: PWC Boat Less Than 16 Ft. Boat 16 Ft. to Less Than 26 Ft. Boating Safety Certificate On Board ✓1 ✓1 ✓1 Certificate of Number On Board ✓ ✓ ✓ Validation Decals Displayed ✓ ✓ ✓ Wearable PFDs: Type I, II, or III ✓2 ✓3 ✓3 Throwable PFD: Type IV ✓ Type B-I Fire Extinguisher ✓ ✓ ✓ Engine Cut-Off Switch ✓ Backfire Flame Arrestor ✓ ✓4 ✓4 Ventilation System ✓ ✓ ✓ Muffler ✓ ✓ ✓ Horn, Whistle, or Bell ✓5 ✓5 ✓5 Daytime Visual Distress Signals ✓5 Nighttime Visual Distress Signals N/A ✓5 ✓5 Navigation Lights N/A ✓6 ✓6 Applicable for some operators. See Who May Operate a Boat and Who May Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC) for details. Those on PWCs must wear a PFD at all times. Inflatable PFDs may not be used. Those under the age of 6 years must wear a Type I or II PFD when riding on the open deck of any vessel. Required on inboard and stern drives only. Required only on the Great Lakes and waters connected to the Great Lakes. Unpowered vessels (sailboats under sail, rowboats, etc.) are required only to have a flashlight or a lantern on hand.

Most of them have no idea they are interfering with your fishing. I cut them a break. Next month I will be making a 2 day tow up to Wisconsin and will spend a week on a chain of lakes where the pontooners, jet skis and wakeboard boats outnumber the fishermen 50 to 1. Luckily I can motor into some no-wake lakes that get me away from most of the madness but even then I get people motoring right over my fishing spot (or even my line) to get a better look at the Glitter Sled and ask me if I am catching any. Some will even drop anchor to watch me fish. I just laugh it off. BUT......When on St Clair and we are fishing a couple of our honey holes that are closer to shore, there are yak tournaments that we occasionally run into and for the most part they know how to be respectful but there are a few that will paddle or peddle like mad ducks right to you when they see you catch a fish, then start fishing within a cast of where you are. Those folks are a little more annoying because they should know better. Bottom line, the water is public and there's just some things you have to deal with. They have as much right to be there as the boaters do.

Throw a Senko at shoreline cover.

To answer your question generally, a used TM will come with everything other than a battery charger. The Ultrex does have a heading GPS puck that needs to be installed but its not an option for 12v. If you are running a 12v (single battery) you are already limited as to what you put in. Most 12v are smaller thrust TM's and are hand controlled not foot controlled. But to answer your direct question, there's nothing extra you have to worry about buying with that size motor and there's really no way to test them other than to wire them up. Common problems are burnt out circuit boards and worn out brushes but as I said, you have to power them up to check them out.

Crazy!! The pawn shop owner has to keep a record of everything that is sold to them correct? I would verify the name and then have a little talk with the "friend" who pawned er... stole it.

Both Virginia and Maryland require you to kill them if you are going to keep them. No live snake heads allowed in possession. We never bring ice or a cooler separate from the boat cooler or livewell so we end up just killing them and making them crab food. If I was to keep them, I would bring a separate cooler with ice because with these hot days, they would go bad pretty quick after you killed them, which is the requirement. There are some bigguns out there though!!

Retail is a salt mine environment and many times very thankless. As for BPS and Cabela's they are profit driven and as a result hire a lot of "Associates" or "Outfitters" on a carousel. During the 15 years I was pro-staff for BPS through one location, I'll bet the management I worked with turned over 7 to 8 times. Every new GM, Store Manager, Department Manager, etc., had their own ideas and management style. I might still be with them (actually, my contract is still active) if it weren't for a new store manager who I didn't see eye to eye with. I changed it up and went with a Rep Group and now get a lot better deal. Just my experience. I do grand openings and events in both BPS and Cabela's all over the country for both hunting and fishing products so the gig is much better. I could NEVER work retail in the store. I would take a hostage after a week. Good luck on your next step.

Purely subjective but I like mornings for a number of reasons. 1. The sunrise. Just awsome. 2. Here's where it get's a little subjective....IMHO, all of the fish that moved up shallow all night long to feed are still bunched up there getting ready to move out to deeper water as the sun rises. More targets=More catches. At dusk, they are just starting to move back in.

I have to put in a mid-summer Yamamoto order. There's a bunch of new baits to try. Normally, I am on the prototype baits but I didn't get in on that for some of the new offerings. This is how my orders come.....

I'd do a little research to see if converting your pressure "T" handle plug to a mounted one (like in my picture) is the way to go. I just replaced mine and epoxied (5200 if I remember correctly) both the screw holes and the housing itself. You just have to make sure any epoxy you use is rated for use "below the waterline"

I'm a fat man in a 21 foot glass boat with no easy way back in if I decide to exit. Besides, I fish the Potomac and that's the last body of water you'd EVER catch me in!!

And my guess is that your setup is equal to or greater than the cost of a lot of glass boats!!

I do know it is illegal to run at night with any lights other than USCG approved navigation lights. Spotlights and mounted lights are classified as Docking Lights and are not to be used while running. When I am in Wisconsin and we are out for our evening pontoon cruise, we do use a spotlight to light up the dock and to spot channel buoys in very narrow stretches of some of the lakes but never while running. I would also never spotlight an approaching vessel. You just blinded them and increased the chance they will not be able to see you. A few flashes off to the side usually alerts them if they have not seen your red/green nav lights or your white stern light. Everybody be safe and as has been said, this week is going to be extreemly busy in addition to some intoxicated operators.

Sorry, discontinued. You are limited to finding what is left out there floating in the retail market. No longer offered. Ebay is a good place to look.

Glad you got lucky. You just described how a majority of boating accidents happen both day or night. When I was guiding and on the lake a lot there was a rule I operated under. #1. There are no rules. Why?...... Because you can never, never, never, trust that the other guy has read the rules. Have I read, studied and been tested on the USCG Rules of the Road? Yes I have.....but that doesn't mean the boat bearing down on my bow has. Or they aren't intoxicated. Or they aren't distracted. Or they aren't paying attention.....or, or, or............Just too many variables as to why they didn't know what to do. You had the darkness of night to complicate things even more. Here's what I do every time I am meeting a boat head on.....I show them my side, meaning I make an exaggerated turn (the right way if possible) and show them the broadside of my boat. There's no doubt which way I am turning. And yes, sometimes it's to my port side which is against the rules but if the situation warrants it, that's the way I am turning because I don't want them hooking me out of the water with my head split ear to ear and saying " Well, at least he was right".

I've lived in my current house for around 25 years. I would say for 20 of those years, we have had a nesting pair of Carolina Wrens in the same nest in the garage on a high shelf behind an old portable boat seat. I can't even imagine how many broods have come out of that nest. I read where Carolina Wrens don't re-use nests but somebody forgot to tell the generations of birds that have used my garage. I leave a side window cracked open for them to come and go because I got tired of them scolding me when I didn't get up early enough and open the garage door. The only time it gets a little messy is when there are 5 or 6 fledglings learning to fly and learning what glass is and how to navigate out the open window. The adults are so used to us that they will hop around your feet when you are in the garage. They are hatching eggs right now and I expect little peepers here pretty soon.

Ya know what......Sometimes it's just too d**n hot to fish. When I was guiding, I had no choice but now I do and it's just not worth raking myself over the coals to get out and fish when it's this oppressive. I took Saturday and washed and waxed the boat in the early morning and a little later because my boat sits in the shade. Did some honey-do's around the outside of the house but once that flaming ball got overhead, I went indoors and called it good. There's no shame in my game!!

Also remember when your braid gets a little age to it, you can spool it backwards to put your fresh braid which was once nearest the spool to the front. Might not be as big of an issue if you are only spooling a small amount.

Yamamoto experimented with Bulk packs in limited colors for Senkos. They discontinued them. If you find any out there on the open market, they are leftovers. They were dubbed "Tournament Packs". I still get mine in 100 bait packaging but as far as I know, they are not for retail anymore.

But.........

Easy answer.....Yamamoto DShad. Made out of the same material as a senko and weighs more than most any 5" fluke style bait. Heavy enough to drag weightless like a tube. It's one of my most favorite baits Yamamoto makes.