Jon/ Fishing boats... Teach me.

Congrats. That’s a great boat for there. We had had what we had last few years wheee is was warming then cold fronts came in then long enough above avg heat to make the spawning season intense. Like clockwork as well, week AFTER bassmasters the fish all come in like mad.

 

@Canadian Bacon , Yo! Did you fish the Strickland derby last weekend? I like wind but DAMN! 20-25 is rough. Lol

 

Nope, havent been out much and am in Europe at the moment, back home tomorrow night.

 

Just ordered a Garmin echomap 45cv. I just wanted something cheap, simple and small (battery use is a concern) that would do mapping, and almost bought a striker 4 plus, but it doesn't have basemaps, only what you map yourself. Have a remote fishing trip coming up in a couple weeks, so I want to get out around here to play around with it a bit before I'm lost in the middle of nowhere. Didn't really NEED it, but I wanted it .

 

Just got back from Southwest Florida, fished the whole week and never went offshore this time. Surf fished every day, which was kinda rough. I could catch hardhead cats at will, but no Pompano and only one small Whiting. I did catch a 48" Blacktip shark tho, that was a ton of fun. It was crazy standing in knee deep water while the thing just pulled drag like crazy. SOOO different from Bass fishing. Went into a nature preserve and a fishing pier, not much luck. Did catch a small pufferfish tho which was cool. Talked to some locals and a DNR guy who said the red tide last year really hurt the area. He said before that it was pretty much an every cast kinda scenario.

 

Not quite 10.

 

I retired last week, Friday at 4 pm. I got back to Wisconsin on Sunday and bought a boat today. It is a 1959 Shell Lake fiberglass 16". It has the original Johnson 50hp and is on the original trailer. All it needs is the windshield bolted back to the deck and the lower unit propshaft oil seal replaced and a new battery. I hope $150 wasn't too much to pay for it. I hope to have it in the water and be fishing this weekend.

 

Nice priorities Ken. Happy retirement.

Here's a couple I caught from our atv in fishing trip up "north" last weekend with a bunch of guys. Did alright, better than our last trip up there 2 years ago, but still no monsters, although I lost what was probably a 15-20lb laker. Thought I hooked bottom while trolling with a dipsy diver around 25 ft until I looked down at the fish finder and was running in 60ft of water... Fought it in to about 30', then it was just gone. I think I horsed it in too much too quickly, and should have played it out a bit more. Not a big trout fisherman so I'm still learning. Oh well failure is the best teacher so I'll know better for next time.....
Sorry for the small pics. My buddy took them with his phone, and had his resolution set to potato....


That rainbow won me $160 for biggest rainbow. Missed the biggest laker by an inch (not that one, but a bigger one I don't have a picture of for some reason), and my buddy took biggest brookie with a 6lber. Beautiful fish, but it took a lot of hiking to get into the back lake where he got it.

some of the scenery we had to go through was real tough to look at...one of the many water crossings


New fish finder worked great, and it was awesome being able to map the contours for a new lake.
Had to make a transducer mount out of an old set of crutches. Worked great.

 

Anyone been fishing lately? Weather is miserable here, 90+ with 60-80% humidity. I stumbled upon an 06 tracker 175 with a 60hp, 59 hrs on it, serviced annually by dealer if it needed it or not, stored in a barn and dropped in water when used. Got a smoking deal on it and was just planning to buy it and sell it in spring but may just keep it. Have put a Garmin 93sv and 73sv on it with panoptics, tried a few props and ended up with a 4 blade merc. Will do 38.1 avg loaded with 12 gal of fuel, would only do 33 when I got it and holeshot is cut more than in half. Don’t need much more for a boat to use at night. Actually a lot more of a handy boat than I thought it would ever be.

 

It's been so hot in Fl, the bass fishing only happens super early or right at sunset. I go back to the Bahamas on Monday so looking forward to see whats offshore. Also, lobster season is open, yeah buddy!!!!!!!

 

Haven't been since the spring. Was going to go tomorrow on the pontoon with the kids and my buddy and his wife, but my truck is broke down (suspected ECU) and his won't tow it. Fun times. The rest of the summer has been too busy, or too damn hot.

 

Just throwing it out there, if a group of us got together and planned a fishing trip, would be fun. Just a matter of dates, times, and location. I'm familiar with the Caribbean, Central America, and know some people. I worked in Alaska but its money and super seasonal, I would be open to northern fish, walleye, pike, musky, ect just because I never fish them because I never take a vacation where its cold unless a snowboard is involved.

 

Been almost every week. It's hot , lol. I drop shot but I beat the bank also just because I hate dropshot fishing. Although I probably could get used to it if I were closer to the north where there's good smallmouth fishing.

I love the BTs. Great little boats. 38 loaded with full fuel(12 is full in those? ) is rolling.

How are you liking the pan optics now that you've had a good amount of time to use them? I'm running Carbons now and have been looking at adding Lives or going back to HB with the new 360 MEGA. What has me undecided is the new trolling motors. The Ghost looks awesome but it's 1st year Lowrance. Haha.

 

Hit Minocqua last weekend with the old man. Hitting Sturgeon Bay tomorrow.

 

Bass? Are the browns done spawning up there? Good weekend for it since the moon is right today.

 

Been really slow here. I can’t get out early am so I’m in the worst part of the day and bluebird skies and high heat.

I have been loving throwing frogs at the local pond at dusk though. Completely hooked on froggin.

 

Hitting Green Bay (Door county) in a couple weeks though and hoping to hammer the smallies. Got a couple drop shot rigs all set up.

 

Don’t the browns love the sun ? I thought they pushed shallow when it gets bright and no clouds ?

 

Going out Sunday so i can get skunked again.


Theres about to be a boat for sale.

I've been out 3 times

Fish caught - 0

Lures lost- .

Fuck, this fishing shit is stupid.....

 

Been doing pretty well with these guys the past few weeks.