Sigh.
Another weekend is gone and nothing to show for it. Sure, the house got cleaned and the laundry washed, but who cares about that??? I was fortunate to have Martin Luther King’s birthday off, but the weather was just too cold and raw for enjoying the outdoors. I spent enough time outside in cold rain in Alaska and on George’s Bank east of New England – it just is not enjoyable!
But I will tell you what looks enjoyable; the Richmond (VA) Fishing Expo from January 25-27! This is the first time for this event, but it looks promising. Several big name pro bass fishermen will be giving fishing seminars, as well as several local folks sharing their knowledge about saltwater species. GMC will be there as a major sponsor, so I expect to see some Jimmys for hauling. I plan to ask somebody from GMC why you can’t get a Yukon XL with a diesel!!! I love my Yukon, but I’d trade it today for one with diesel power!
Several boat manufacturers will be represented by the local dealers as well. I just hope it will not be a bass boat show. The bass boats of today are just too specialized for my taste, and many others, as well. Take a quick look at the used boat listings and see how many bass machines are up for sale after one or two years. Most folks want a boat that can do more than one thing well, and bass boats just don’t cut it on rough water, they are not comfortable with more that 2 aboard, and are not kid-friendly.
Don’t get me wrong, bass boats today are some fine machines for giving a bass angler every possible advantage; they just are not MY cup of tea. There are lots of boats out there that can do a fair job for bassers and can still be set up to pull an tube with the kids and won’t swamp if the waves get over a foot. Most folks find themselves wanting to do other things out on the water besides fan casting every point all day long.
Many bait and tackle makers will be there with lots of new stuff to try out. I remember a couple years back at the Ducks Unlimited Outdoors show at Petersburg…my teenaged son posed for pictures with a “Shimano Girl” model while I tried a spinning rod and reel combo that seemed to cast itself. I had a trouble hitting the target because I kept shooting way past it! I was all set to take it home right then until they told me how much it cost…OUCH! Looks like I’m sticking with my Quantum and Abu Garcias until I win the lottery.
I’ll be scoping out the soft plastic baits this year. I’ve had good results with Zoom baits in the past, but I’m going to be using a lot of three-way rigs this year. That should help me recover from snags as well as get the baits deep when I need them there while drifting or trolling. So I’ll be looking at a lot of jig heads in non-toxic metals and various minnow/shad presentations. The Berkeley Gulp! series of baits in a jar look very promising, but the cost is a little steep for us working guys. I think over time they will work out about the same or more cost-effective than live bait. Time will tell, and I’ll report on my success or lack of success here.
Go check out the show – if not this one, another one! Go to a gun show or boat show and support your local small business dealers!!
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Friday, January 18, 2008
Boat Show Season is here!
Now that hunting season is pretty much over – small game is still legal until the end of the month, and some waterfowl – it’s now Boat Show Season!! This is the best time of year to buy a new boat, and a boat show is the place to do it!
Boat shows are the industry’s rollout of all the new models. Dealers use their traffic and advance sales at the shows to decide how much inventory they should order, and what models they believe will be in demand. But if you are looking at a popular model, well the boat show may be your only chance to get one at a good price, if there are any to be had!
I remember when I was selling boats that we had a particularly hot model (she was another story) and a very popular boat for sale at the show in Houston, Texas many years back. We sold several of these boats, and as we sold a few, some others that were sitting on the fence before, decided to go for it also. Even though we sold a lot of those boats during the show, the owner decided not to order any more for inventory, thinking we could just get another off the production line if a customer wanted one…WRONG! The year’s production was sold out by the end of the month, and we could not get another model for a year! If we had ordered a 2 or 3 after the show, we could have sold them as soon as we got them; actually, folks were coming in with deposit checks for months afterwards, but we had to tell them they had a year to wait. So, they took their checkbooks and drove to another dealer about 4 hours away and bought a boat there!
The hardest part of buying a boat is deciding how you will use it. Once you do that, you will be able to pick a category or type that suits your needs. If all you do is one particular activity, like fishing for bass, no wakeboarding, no deep sea fishing, etc. then a specialized boat is for you. Bass boats are great for serious bass fishing and tournament fishing – for bass. They are a poor choice for most any saltwater applications, and have very few creature comforts. Got a large family? Then a bass boat is not a good choice for you.
Most of us fit into the all-around category. We like to do several activities on the water, and we need a boat that can do them. Unless you are a hard core pro fisherman, you will find nearly any boat is suitable for some fishing. A cruiser with a small cockpit can still be used for fishing by adding rod holders and making the bow area accessible for more fishing space. It won’t be perfect, but it will work. The same holds true if you really want, say, a center console boat for fishing but still want to overnight in it. A camping enclosure that can be easily raised might be just the ticket for you. Center console boats have a lot of clear deck space for pads and sleeping bags. Not the plush berths of a cruiser, but doable. See what I mean?
So, spend sometime before the show and think about how you would likely use the boat and let that list be your guide for choosing a model or type. Build quality, dealer service and price (in that order) should be the final decision points. Then get out on the water and have fun!!!
Boat shows are the industry’s rollout of all the new models. Dealers use their traffic and advance sales at the shows to decide how much inventory they should order, and what models they believe will be in demand. But if you are looking at a popular model, well the boat show may be your only chance to get one at a good price, if there are any to be had!
I remember when I was selling boats that we had a particularly hot model (she was another story) and a very popular boat for sale at the show in Houston, Texas many years back. We sold several of these boats, and as we sold a few, some others that were sitting on the fence before, decided to go for it also. Even though we sold a lot of those boats during the show, the owner decided not to order any more for inventory, thinking we could just get another off the production line if a customer wanted one…WRONG! The year’s production was sold out by the end of the month, and we could not get another model for a year! If we had ordered a 2 or 3 after the show, we could have sold them as soon as we got them; actually, folks were coming in with deposit checks for months afterwards, but we had to tell them they had a year to wait. So, they took their checkbooks and drove to another dealer about 4 hours away and bought a boat there!
The hardest part of buying a boat is deciding how you will use it. Once you do that, you will be able to pick a category or type that suits your needs. If all you do is one particular activity, like fishing for bass, no wakeboarding, no deep sea fishing, etc. then a specialized boat is for you. Bass boats are great for serious bass fishing and tournament fishing – for bass. They are a poor choice for most any saltwater applications, and have very few creature comforts. Got a large family? Then a bass boat is not a good choice for you.
Most of us fit into the all-around category. We like to do several activities on the water, and we need a boat that can do them. Unless you are a hard core pro fisherman, you will find nearly any boat is suitable for some fishing. A cruiser with a small cockpit can still be used for fishing by adding rod holders and making the bow area accessible for more fishing space. It won’t be perfect, but it will work. The same holds true if you really want, say, a center console boat for fishing but still want to overnight in it. A camping enclosure that can be easily raised might be just the ticket for you. Center console boats have a lot of clear deck space for pads and sleeping bags. Not the plush berths of a cruiser, but doable. See what I mean?
So, spend sometime before the show and think about how you would likely use the boat and let that list be your guide for choosing a model or type. Build quality, dealer service and price (in that order) should be the final decision points. Then get out on the water and have fun!!!
Monday, January 14, 2008
Ready to Fish?
The boat was full of leaves. While I was away for the night, my cheap boat cover blew off and the boat turned into a leaf magnet, attracting and collecting every remaining leaf for a six block radius. Of course, now that the boat was full of leaves, it rained – a lot. So, I looked over my once-clean boat now full of wet, nasty leaves. Worse, these leaves left wet stains on the new stern seat and bow seat cushions.
Life sure sucks sometimes.
I was keeping the boat ready for use through the winter here in Virginia, since the winters are relatively mild and good fishing can be found pretty near all year round. Winterizing a boat is a lot of work, and it is effort well spent if your boat will not be operated for a month or more. But taking a boat out of winter storage just for a day or two of spring-like weather in January and laying back up just is not worth it in cost or work. So I keep my boat in ready boat status all year, in winter just like summer. But that doesn’t mean I just park it and leave it ready to go all winter. There is some maintenance involved. And as I noted at the start of this post, there can be some drawbacks as well.
My boat has an older 2 stroke outboard engine with carburetors. While it provides the performance and fuel economy that I like, it can be very fussy about starting up if it has set for a while. Winterizing an engine is a good practice if you will not be using it for a while. Outboards, in my experience, run best when they are run frequently, at least once a week. It does not take much, just hook up the flushing unit for cooling water, make sure that the prop is clear of any loose items including people and start it up. Run in neutral gear at fast idle until the engine is fully warmed, about 7 to 10 minutes. Check again that the prop is clear, shift the engine into forward gear for a few seconds and verify that the prop is turning, and then try reverse. No need for speed, just leave the throttle low and RPM’s less than 2,000. Put her back into neutral for a couple minutes to check idle, then shut it down. That’s it! Once a week and she will start right up when you get a surprise spring-like day and a need for fishing!
Make sure that you take care of your fuel supply as well! If you keep gas in the tank over the winter, keep the tank full to reduce the amount of moisture that can build up in the space. Use a gas stabilizer, such as StaBil or Seafoam to keep the gas from turning into varnish. I use Seafoam because I use it year round to keep things clean inside. Be sure to change that nasty old fuel filter as well. If you can turn a torque wrench, change the spark plugs at least once a year. Get a GOOD manual for your particular engine and read up on it. It might save your butt on a launch ramp or out in the bay sometime.
Winter is hard on batteries. Make sure you keep yours charged, if you keep in inside the boat. I unhook mine during the week and reconnect it when I do my test runs. If there is a chance that I may get on the water, I leave it all connected and check it with a multimeter. If it cranks slow, or the power trim runs slow, charge that battery! If you let it run down, it won’t hold a charge and you will be left motor-less when you need it most!
Later this week I’ll be sucking up leaves with my ShopVac from Sears and cleaning the seats with my secret weapon (more on that later). I’ll fill you in on a couple other things to look at and take care of next time.
Tight lines and strong knots!
Life sure sucks sometimes.
I was keeping the boat ready for use through the winter here in Virginia, since the winters are relatively mild and good fishing can be found pretty near all year round. Winterizing a boat is a lot of work, and it is effort well spent if your boat will not be operated for a month or more. But taking a boat out of winter storage just for a day or two of spring-like weather in January and laying back up just is not worth it in cost or work. So I keep my boat in ready boat status all year, in winter just like summer. But that doesn’t mean I just park it and leave it ready to go all winter. There is some maintenance involved. And as I noted at the start of this post, there can be some drawbacks as well.
My boat has an older 2 stroke outboard engine with carburetors. While it provides the performance and fuel economy that I like, it can be very fussy about starting up if it has set for a while. Winterizing an engine is a good practice if you will not be using it for a while. Outboards, in my experience, run best when they are run frequently, at least once a week. It does not take much, just hook up the flushing unit for cooling water, make sure that the prop is clear of any loose items including people and start it up. Run in neutral gear at fast idle until the engine is fully warmed, about 7 to 10 minutes. Check again that the prop is clear, shift the engine into forward gear for a few seconds and verify that the prop is turning, and then try reverse. No need for speed, just leave the throttle low and RPM’s less than 2,000. Put her back into neutral for a couple minutes to check idle, then shut it down. That’s it! Once a week and she will start right up when you get a surprise spring-like day and a need for fishing!
Make sure that you take care of your fuel supply as well! If you keep gas in the tank over the winter, keep the tank full to reduce the amount of moisture that can build up in the space. Use a gas stabilizer, such as StaBil or Seafoam to keep the gas from turning into varnish. I use Seafoam because I use it year round to keep things clean inside. Be sure to change that nasty old fuel filter as well. If you can turn a torque wrench, change the spark plugs at least once a year. Get a GOOD manual for your particular engine and read up on it. It might save your butt on a launch ramp or out in the bay sometime.
Winter is hard on batteries. Make sure you keep yours charged, if you keep in inside the boat. I unhook mine during the week and reconnect it when I do my test runs. If there is a chance that I may get on the water, I leave it all connected and check it with a multimeter. If it cranks slow, or the power trim runs slow, charge that battery! If you let it run down, it won’t hold a charge and you will be left motor-less when you need it most!
Later this week I’ll be sucking up leaves with my ShopVac from Sears and cleaning the seats with my secret weapon (more on that later). I’ll fill you in on a couple other things to look at and take care of next time.
Tight lines and strong knots!
Friday, January 11, 2008
Four-legged vandals
My house looked gorgeous for the first time since I bought it nearly 10 years ago. I had applied a thin coat of stain about five years ago, but that had faded and the house looked worn. Adding to that were the holes left behind by marauding squirrels and birds looking to snuggle in along with us. After replacing a lot of cedar siding and caulking, two fresh coats of bright paint had the house the talk of the subdivision.
The job, now, was to keep it looking that way! Sure, power washing and general maintenance would do the job. But when I heard a scraping and tapping sound on the side of the house, I realized my castle was again under assault! I looked outside and spotted a grey squirrel pulling and gnawing in a fresh cedar board. He saw me at the same moment, and it scampered onto the roof and made a spectacular leap onto a tree branch. I thought the branch was too far to jump to or from; I was wrong!
I had tried catching the little grey critters before and taking them to the park at the other end of the subdivision. The problem was, the darn things always came back, or others took their place. Only one tactic gave me results that lasted several months – sniping with airguns.
I’m not talking about anything that shoots BBs. My silent weapon of choice is my ancient Sheridan Blue Streak air rifle in 5mm caliber. This particular rifle is well over 20 years old, and had some years on it when I bought it used more than 20 years ago. I can’t begin to count how many squirrels, rabbits and pests that have fallen from a well-placed shot from the Sheridan.
As a comparison, both my teenage sons have Daisy 880 pump air rifles that have taken several squirrels with well-aimed head shots. At 10 pumps, the rifles shoot a 7.9 grain lead pellet at a listed velocity of 675 feet per second (FPS). With 8 pumps in its reservoir, my Sheridan launches a 14.3 grain pellet at just over 700 fps for twice the energy. That coupled with the gun’s favorite pellet, the Beeman Crow Magnum hollow point, and I can easily harvest any squirrel with a head shot or a shot to the chest area. The hollow point eliminates over penetration, a major consideration when shooting in a suburban habitat.
Anyone who has hunted squirrels can tell you stories about the animal’s toughness and will to survive. Out of respect for these animals, it is important to use enough gun to kill them cleanly and prevent needless suffering. That is why my sons limit all their shots to head shots, as their smaller pellets do not impart enough energy and shock to cleanly kill a squirrel with a shot to the chest. The critter will die quickly with a hit to its heart and/or lungs, but often not before it can make its way to a den or other place inaccessible to people. A shot to the head puts the squirrel down in its tracks.
I have hunted enough squirrels to know that if I did not frighten this intruder very much, that he would sneak back pretty quickly to add another doorway to my house. I retreated inside and grabbed my Sheridan and 2 Crow Magnum pellets on the way to my youngest son’s bedroom.
I wanted two things for my ambush location; height and a backstop. Both were more important than getting an easy shot at the returning squirrel. Being in a subdivision, I wanted a downward shot, so if I missed, the pellet would bury itself in the soft dirt in the back yard. That’s the same reason I wanted my stockade fence between me and my neighbors – no stray pellets in other folk’s yards! Safety first!!
I cracked the window open and readied my rifle, pumping it eight times, and then closing the bolt on a Crow Magnum pellet when the squirrel came into view. It looked to be a large male as it leaped onto the deck railing. After pausing to gnaw on two of my bamboo tiki torches, the critter made its way along the wide railing towards my gas grill. Most folks don’t realize that squirrels are sometimes carnivorous, and will eat meat any chance they get. I have replaced gas lines on my grill after the grey vandals have chewed them to pieces. I braced the rifle on the window sill and planned to intercept this squirrel just before he got the grill. I could see flecks of fresh paint in his fur, confirming this one was trying to eat his way into my home.
Fate was with me today, and not with this squirrel as he chose to freeze at a spot I knew to be exactly 18 meters from the rifle’s muzzle. I lined up the sights and squeezed the trigger.
The pellet struck exactly where I had aimed it, between the squirrel’s eye and its ear. The squirrel slumped, then rolled off the railing onto the deck and was still.
I retrieved the squirrel, a male, and had it skinned and cleaned in minutes. Soon it was frozen, waiting to be joined with a few others to feed my family.
The home was safe once more, and I had reclaimed my place at the top of the food chain, providing food for my family. All was well with the world.
The job, now, was to keep it looking that way! Sure, power washing and general maintenance would do the job. But when I heard a scraping and tapping sound on the side of the house, I realized my castle was again under assault! I looked outside and spotted a grey squirrel pulling and gnawing in a fresh cedar board. He saw me at the same moment, and it scampered onto the roof and made a spectacular leap onto a tree branch. I thought the branch was too far to jump to or from; I was wrong!
I had tried catching the little grey critters before and taking them to the park at the other end of the subdivision. The problem was, the darn things always came back, or others took their place. Only one tactic gave me results that lasted several months – sniping with airguns.
I’m not talking about anything that shoots BBs. My silent weapon of choice is my ancient Sheridan Blue Streak air rifle in 5mm caliber. This particular rifle is well over 20 years old, and had some years on it when I bought it used more than 20 years ago. I can’t begin to count how many squirrels, rabbits and pests that have fallen from a well-placed shot from the Sheridan.
As a comparison, both my teenage sons have Daisy 880 pump air rifles that have taken several squirrels with well-aimed head shots. At 10 pumps, the rifles shoot a 7.9 grain lead pellet at a listed velocity of 675 feet per second (FPS). With 8 pumps in its reservoir, my Sheridan launches a 14.3 grain pellet at just over 700 fps for twice the energy. That coupled with the gun’s favorite pellet, the Beeman Crow Magnum hollow point, and I can easily harvest any squirrel with a head shot or a shot to the chest area. The hollow point eliminates over penetration, a major consideration when shooting in a suburban habitat.
Anyone who has hunted squirrels can tell you stories about the animal’s toughness and will to survive. Out of respect for these animals, it is important to use enough gun to kill them cleanly and prevent needless suffering. That is why my sons limit all their shots to head shots, as their smaller pellets do not impart enough energy and shock to cleanly kill a squirrel with a shot to the chest. The critter will die quickly with a hit to its heart and/or lungs, but often not before it can make its way to a den or other place inaccessible to people. A shot to the head puts the squirrel down in its tracks.
I have hunted enough squirrels to know that if I did not frighten this intruder very much, that he would sneak back pretty quickly to add another doorway to my house. I retreated inside and grabbed my Sheridan and 2 Crow Magnum pellets on the way to my youngest son’s bedroom.
I wanted two things for my ambush location; height and a backstop. Both were more important than getting an easy shot at the returning squirrel. Being in a subdivision, I wanted a downward shot, so if I missed, the pellet would bury itself in the soft dirt in the back yard. That’s the same reason I wanted my stockade fence between me and my neighbors – no stray pellets in other folk’s yards! Safety first!!
I cracked the window open and readied my rifle, pumping it eight times, and then closing the bolt on a Crow Magnum pellet when the squirrel came into view. It looked to be a large male as it leaped onto the deck railing. After pausing to gnaw on two of my bamboo tiki torches, the critter made its way along the wide railing towards my gas grill. Most folks don’t realize that squirrels are sometimes carnivorous, and will eat meat any chance they get. I have replaced gas lines on my grill after the grey vandals have chewed them to pieces. I braced the rifle on the window sill and planned to intercept this squirrel just before he got the grill. I could see flecks of fresh paint in his fur, confirming this one was trying to eat his way into my home.
Fate was with me today, and not with this squirrel as he chose to freeze at a spot I knew to be exactly 18 meters from the rifle’s muzzle. I lined up the sights and squeezed the trigger.
The pellet struck exactly where I had aimed it, between the squirrel’s eye and its ear. The squirrel slumped, then rolled off the railing onto the deck and was still.
I retrieved the squirrel, a male, and had it skinned and cleaned in minutes. Soon it was frozen, waiting to be joined with a few others to feed my family.
The home was safe once more, and I had reclaimed my place at the top of the food chain, providing food for my family. All was well with the world.
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