Fishin' boats
 

Am I the only one who's a top sider?

Tried this at Ak, with dismal results. But never say die...that's me.

Currently using a Spectrum 17' F&S, Johnson 88 SPL, oldie but a goodie, modified into a walleye boat. Perfect for Bull Shoals.

Any takers?

Chas

Mine stays in all summer. It's a 1961 Texan with a 75HP Evinrude of the same vintage. It has a fiberglass top to keep my bald head out of the sun, and rod holders for trolling. I catch my share of large bass on the lake I live on by trolling rattle traps and other deep crank baits. The old boat even has a very small cuddy with two "portholes" on each side so you can sort of peek out. I bought it as a basket case at auction when an outdoor storage yard closed down town. I had to dig the lower unit out of some hedge tree roots. Dang thing had sunk in the ground over the years past the trailer rails. I totally went through the boat and did a massive tune up on the motor. She runs like a champ now.

This thread got me to thinking. Jeesh, everything I own is old, I wonder why? I guess I'm a cheapskate.;)

Damn, another top sider!!!! And a knuckle dragger on top of it!!!!

Our little Spectrum has a convertible top, I'll never own another boat without a top. We're trowlers too, generally run Okuma line counters with in line sinkers pulling crawler harnesses, tipped with a crawler and a minnow. Sometimes pull Reef Runners deep divers or Hot n Tots. And you can't go wrong with a Rattle Trap.

Rigged with a Johnson electric trolling motor, Garmin 140 on the troller, Raytheon L460 at the helm...along with a Lowrance H2O GPS with the Hot Maps, Shitbird 320C at the stern...really a good depth finder...beats the Raytheon, which ain't easy. Carry six rod holders, with eight mounts. Also have a damn nice Rat Shack CB (do go to Arkansas, they still use 'em down there), and a S&W Chiefs Special loaded with 2 rounds of snake loads followed by three P+ Golden Sabres. Have been attacked by cottonmouths more than once. Makes me nervous to squeeze the trigger, but ain't no cottonmouth getting in the boat with me, my wife, and our little rat faced dog.

Twodogs, I know you're based around KC. Are you on Smithton, or Truman, or a private lake?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Cahs

I'm on Gardner Lake (about 40 minutes southwest of KC), it's just a small (couple hundred acres) community type lake. Has some really good bass fishin though, and channel cat too. Crappie are good in numbers, but run fairly small. Walleye and Saugeye are nice size if you can catch'em. I keep a little Sears and Robuck 410 for snakes. Damn things always want to swim toward the boat, I wonder why. I used to go to the Ozarks a bunch, but I sold my fast boat, and the palce I used to stay went out of buisness. Now I just walk outside and jump in the boat here.

Left all my fishing tackle with my ex which is probably just as well. I suspect most fish hereabouts has enough mercury in them you could use them as thermometers.

If you went fishing with me you wouldn't have to worry about it. My presence alone is enough to kill the bite better than a cold front moving in from the East.

But I NEVER run out of beer.

Chas

Don't know why but I never took to fishin'.
I always thought I was missing out, still think so.

Tell you what, if you ever went to Bull Shoals with me, came puttin' back to the dock at 5 MPH in the middle of the night, the ONLY boat on this massive lake, kicked back in a lounge seat, feet up, half drunk and a fresh frosty in your hand...

you'd either hate it or couldn't get enough. We could even talk politics without reaching for one anothers throats.

Fishin' ain't about catching fish...although nabbing a couple every now and then livens things up.

Chas

"Fishin' ain't about catching fish...although nabbing a couple every now and then livens things up."

10-4