Alex from GA

A Mercury 45 hp is called the Classic 50 and was made for only 3 years, 86, 87 and 88. So the boat is probably the same age. I have one on my Grumman Renegade. The engine is an inline 4 cylinder and is very reliable. Take a compression check and check the lower unit oil. The mileage isn't the greatest. I bought mine about 3 years ago and have been running it several times a week, all year, since then. Top speed is just under 30 on mine.

While albacore fishing many years ago my buddy's dad laid his rod down with a feather dangling in the water while we gaffed a fish. I watched that rod take off over the stern super fast never to be seen again.

WOW!!!

Went to the lake near me about 2:30 yesterday and fished, with everything and everywhere, for 4 hours with 1 bite on a spinnerbait. About 6:30 I went for a 6 mile run to another lake on the same water body and caught about a 2 lb bass then another a few minutes later. I usually fish a local river and catch my share but not yesterday. Took a day off but will go to the river tomorrow. Enclosed is a river fish from last Friday.

Went to the ramp, 2 miles, one morning pulled around to launch the boat, looked back and there was no boat. The sheriff was @ the ramp and just looked @ me. Went home and hooked the boat up got back to the ramp and the sheriff was still there and smiled.

My wife insists I go fishing, which I do several times a week. I can't figure it out.

I don't live on a lake but I have a boat in a dock 3 minutes from my door. All I bring is an ice chest with food and beer. I do have another old boat that I can take anywhere I want to fish along with a kayak for places I can't launch a boat. We have a vacation trailer in FL als that is less than 30 minutes from several lakes, rivers and the gulf. I fish almost every day all year even though I'm over 80, but usually not all day.

If I have a brand loyalty it's to Zoom finesse worms. I do buy Shimano bait casting reels on e-bay but have gotten away from those lately being too slow. Yes you can teach an old dog new tricks.

For $220 there is a 50ah lithium @ Amazon. I bought one several months ago and use it several times a week on my tin bass boat. I usually fish a river with a pretty good current and haven't come close to running it down. It weighs 12 lbs and is = or greater to a group 27 lead acid in run time and lasts 10 times as long. I don't see why anyone would not go with one of those.

A couple of years ago my buddy had a Winner center console bass boat. Really crappy getting to the front from the driver's seat. It's gone.

Was on a small lake in AR years ago and saw a bunch of fish on the locator, dropped a worm down to no avail. Changed to a spoon and caught a bunch of 2 -4 hybrids that fought like hell. Made my day.

They have 2 stroke oil on sale for $13 a gallon minimum 4 gallons. It's semi synthetic and ships for free.

I high sticked a fish a couple of weeks ago and broke 7" off the tip of my favorite worm rod. It was a custom rod so I built another one. I'll build another one to have as a backup when the blanks are on sale again.

When I started fishing there were no spinning reels and baitcasters didn't have a drag; you used your thumb. I'm a fair caster overhand, sidearm either way but not a master.

I'm sure all reels use the same size screws. Don't you have a junk reel or two, try a screw from it.

IMO a top of the line from any blank mfg will be equal to or better than the high end factory rods, and they'll be a bunch less expensive.

Is the 8' a sit-in or sot? I had a 9' sit-in AquaTerra that I fished with for 15 or so years and loved it. 35 lbs. Someone wanted it more than me so I bought a 9' sot and it was terrible. I weigh 145 and got wet every time I used it. I now fish out of a 10' Pescador, 55 lbs, and liked my 9' sit-in better. BTW I river fish only in a kayak.

It didn't get over 53 today but I still caught a fish.

Nice job. I wish my first rod looked as good. I've built several rods with Rainshadow blanks, usually the Immortal series. Very sensitive with a decent price.

I've never caught a fish in a tree but that's where I fish part of the time.

A neighbor took me fishing from the Santa Monica pier @ 6 years old, 1946. Mostly ocean fished for years in southern CA. In about 1980 I worked, part time, in a tackle store and a customer took me to a bass tournament on Lake Castaic as his partner. We came in 5th and I caught the big bass, 6 lbs. In 1999 I moved to GA and got really serious about bass fishing. I fish for the GA bass slam for the past 5 years in rivers/creeks in a kayak. I fish in FL all winter mostly for bass and sometimes in the Gulf inshore or offshore if I'm invited. I haven't caught a bass since yesterday.

I only use my kayak in rivers and streams and use a 2' piece of 3/8ths chain on a 15' rope through the front handle of the kayak. I have a clam cleat riveted on a gunwale to hold the rope when I paddle.

I have an old ,'88, Grumman Renegade 16' bass boat with a Merc Classic 50, 45hp and run, during the winter, a rocky river and some times inshore salt with oyster beds and rocks. I've gone through several aluminum props hitting rocks and logs. I now have a steel prop and have run into the same stuff without hurting it. When I bought the boat the prop shaft was bent and I'm positive the boat always had aluminum props. I agree with Glenn.

I had a 70yo friend that did the Catalina Ski Race every year. As far as speed on the water goes it's where ever I'm comfortable. I have friends with Bullets and such that I trust. I had an 11 second drag bike in the late 60s and raced dirt bikes for many years but I usually cruise @ 20-25 in my tin bass boat. No where to go and all day to get there.