Bass & Walleye Boats articles from January 2007

Bass & Walleye Boats archives from January 2007

Staying focused.(Holeshot)
January 1, 2007... Twelve years and 100 issues ago I was sitting at my desk doing exactly what I am doing now--writing the editor's column for Bass & Walleye Boats magazine. The big difference is that back then I was writing to an unknown audience about an...

A regular MacGyver.(Backwash)(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2007... I was in a situation recently where I ran my boat shallow in a muck-bottomed river area and totally clogged the water intake, or somewhere between it and where the water is supposed to come out. Not wanting to risk overheating on the way back...

Economy--at a price.(Backwash)(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2007... Granted, outboard motor technology has soared in recent years, making the mileage and overall operating cost of our engines much more economical. However, when you title your Holeshot column "The Price of Admission" (October 2006), you might...

Midsize prop shootout.(Backwash)(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2007... I was wondering if you would consider doing a prop shootout on maybe a 90-hp outboard on an aluminum bass boat? We see a lot of prop shootouts on the bigger outboard/'glass boats, but not the midsize models. I believe the readers would enjoy...

No narrow minds.(Backwash)(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2007... I have been a subscriber from the beginning and I've always learned from and enjoyed every issue. As a recent convert from bass boat to flats/skiff, I know we hard-core bass boaters can learn much from the other side; for example, how a power...

Roll-over plan unsettling.(Backwash)(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2007... I had to respond to John Tiger, Jr.'s "Low-Carb Diet" Seat Time column (March 2006), in which he talked about Mercury Marine starting to roll over model-year outboard engines. Every time I have purchased a Mercury engine the dealer sold it as a...

10 ways to turn a depthfinder into a very good fishfinder.(Electronic Fisherman)
January 1, 2007... Many anglers buy a depthfinder, read just enough of its owner's manual to complete the installation, hit the "On" button, and then let the unit run itself. That works because the auto modes in today's electronics are plenty smart. But those who...

100 issues already?(Seat Time)
January 1, 2007... It's hard to believe that as of this month, we've published 100 issues. Not that it seems impossible; I didn't count, and when I was asked to write a few things for this milestone issue, my first reaction was that I thought we'd passed that...

Superb Sierras.(Fast Lane)
January 1, 2007... If you're contemplating sliding behind the wheel of a new pickup this year, by all means, this is the year to do it, especially if you're leaning toward a GMC. It's been almost as long as BWB has been around since GMC has made a major change to...

Electric outboard creating a buzz.(Around the Dock)(National Marine Manufacturers Association)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Along with Suzuki Marine winning the National Marine Manufacturers Association's Innovation Award in the Outboard Engine category presented at IBEX, judges also deemed this Torqeedo electric outboard a winner in the same classification. This...

BWB lands awards for excellence.(Around the Dock)(Bass & Walleye Boats honored by Minnesota Magazine and Publications Association)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... In late October Bass & Walleye Boats and Ehlert Publishing won a number of awards at the 10th annual Minnesota Magazine and Publications Association, which recognizes the best-in-class work published by Minnesota-based magazines (Ehlert is...

Freshwater boat brands represented in CSI awards.(Around the Dock)
January 1, 2007... A number of boat companies that offer craft for freshwater and inshore/offshore applications received the National Marine Manufacturers Association's Customer Satisfaction Index award. This awards program, presented at the 2006 IBEX show in...

Ethanol and winter boat layup.(Around the Dock)
January 1, 2007... Leaving ethanol fuel in engines while boats are stored can create problems. Dubbed E-10 for its 10-percent ethanol content, this fuel creates water inside the tank, and the gas can "phase separate," forming two separate solutions in the gas...

BWB reader survey.(Around the Dock)
January 1, 2007... How much do you spend on tackle each year? Be honest, we won't tell. a) $0-$250 b) $250-$500 c) $500-$1000 d) More than $1000 Make sure your vote counts. Visit BassAndWalleyeBoats.com and click on Survey Section. We will...

New gauge can measure lower water pressures.(Finders Keepers)
January 1, 2007... Smaller outboards deserve a water pressure gauge engineered to fit their needs. Teleflex Marine (217/324-9400; teleflexmarine.com) recently released a gauge designed for Mercury engines where the maximum water pressure doesn't exceed 40 psi....

Microbes eliminate odor-causing materials.(Finders Keepers)
January 1, 2007... Chances are, your livewell or baitwell tank has a perpetual smell, whether or not you pump it out. Clean Water Microtabs ($17 for a pack of three) from Clean Water Solutions (888/902-4141; cwsius.com) help clear the air. The Microtabs contain...

Switch to a Water Witch.(Finders Keepers)
January 1, 2007... The Mini Witch, a new electronic bilge pump switch from Water Witch (800/654-4783; waterwitchinc.com), keeps your bilge dry and eliminates the traditional mechanical float switch. The Mini Witch ($30) is just 2x1 1/5xl inches, and clamps easily...

Battery monitoring made easy.(Finders Keepers)
January 1, 2007... How many times are you guessing at the condition of your battery? The BatteryMINDer Battery and Alternator Condition Tester (BACT) removes all of the mystery. As the name suggests, the BACT, from VDC Electronics (800/379-5579;...

Merc-O-Tronic outboard spark tester: a neon tube flicker alerts of an outboard's "sparkplug firing".(Cool Tools)
January 1, 2007... Ignition malfunctions are common situations faced by the do-it-yourself mechanic and are often difficult to troubleshoot. An intermittent spark at the plugs is a more complex problem that can challenge the patience of even the most seasoned...

System-matic downrigger control: Humminbird's new CannonLink system module enables some of its fishfinders to control up to six electric downriggers.(Fishfinder Test)(Product/service evaluation)
January 1, 2007... When a submerged tree pops up on a reservoir troller's sonar screen, all hands rush to raise the downriggers before their weights and lures are snagged. Humminbird's (800/633-1368; humminbird.com) new CannonLink module downgrades such...

Top-shelf Triton: new Verado-powered 215X is a premium multispecies fishing package.(Product/service evaluation)
January 1, 2007... It's rare that we get our hands on a BWB test package that doesn't have quirks or areas that could be improved. No matter how well designed, built, assembled, rigged and prepped today's test boats are, it seems there are always a few things...

Retrospective: 100 issues of BWB; Evolution and revolution in bass boats and high-performance outboards.
January 1, 2007... The bass boat and outboard engine are staple tools in the angler's fish-catching toolbox. Since organized bass fishing as a sport and hobby began in the mid-1960s, both the boats and engines used have undergone radical changes. Since this...

Retrospective: the Armitage files; A photo essay of innovations during BWB's first 100 issues in Walleye Country.
January 1, 2007... A dozen years ago there were many in the boating and fishing magazine industry who doubted that "walleye boats" even represented a separate category of watercraft, let alone deserving of shared billing in a brand-new magazine devoted to...

Bad Cat: Bass Cat brings new life--and a new level of performance--to the Pantera II.(Product/service evaluation)
January 1, 2007... There are two names in bass boats that have been around for a long, long time. The first is the name of a company, Bass Cat. The second is a name synonymous with that company, Pantera. And now, 35 years later, there's a new Pantera. ...

Project Budget Basser, Part 1: we follow our newest budget project boat from Web purchase through baseline water testing.
January 1, 2007... Here's a story every bass fishing home mechanic will love. We've been long overdue in putting together stories about homebuilt bass rigs that budget-conscious anglers can appreciate. At the same time, we've been delinquent in delivering hop-up...

Stop! The inside story on boat trailer brakes--and how to easily convert from surge-style to electrics.
January 1, 2007... Trailer brakes are a necessary evil. They are essential to make a road trip safe, but when they don't work or need servicing, they're a real pain. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Most states' towing laws stipulate that trailer brakes (separate...

Stumped on strokes.(Shop Talk)(outboard)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... I'd like to purchase an Alumacraft FS 180, but my issue is whether to choose a two-stroke or four-stroke outboard. The boat will be used on the Missouri River and the dams above the tristate region of South Dakota, Iowa and my home state of...

Whining down.(Shop Talk)(correcting alarm signal from Yamaha 150 V-6)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... I have a Yamaha 150 V-6 that recently started to sound its warning horn, and then the engine would slow down. The overboard water flow is still strong and I doubt the engine is overheating, as it does not feel or smell hot. I also have to...

Porpoise problem.(Shop Talk)
January 1, 2007... I have a 2004 twin-console Polar Kraft Kodiak V178 with a Mercury 115 OptiMax that is turning a 13x19-inch SS prop and sitting on the transom. There is 1/4-inch between the bottom of the anticavitation plate and the bottom of the hull as...

Looking for leakage.(Shop Talk)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... The 1995 Intruder on my boat is seeping oil from the hydraulic trim unit, and one time it would not rise up all the way. It started up OK, then it shuddered and wouldn't go anymore. I added some ATF and it started to work fine. The whole trim...

Overcoming chinewalking.(Shop Talk)
January 1, 2007... I have a 2003 Triton Tr-21 with a 2004 Mercury 250 XS, a 10-inch jackplate and a Tempest 25-inch-pitch prop. At around 66 mph the boat starts to chinewalk and I can't seem to get through it. At that speed the engine rpm is at around 5000, and I...

Setting the stage.(Shop Talk)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... I have a 2001 Mercury 125 ELPO on a 2000 ProCraft Pro 175 Bill Dance Edition. Can anything be done with the "staging" this engine is set up for? It is very hard to control when loading. Too little throttle and the motor stalls; too much...

Ultimate walleye buster.(Hot Rigs)(Warrior V1898 DC)(Product/service evaluation)
January 1, 2007... When Jay Grimsrud visits his favorite spot to fish in the summer, North Dakota's great walleye fishery, Lake Sakakawea, he sees a lot of rigs on the water with license plates from around the country. Regardless of the state, though, the Montana...

Box of chocolates.(A Jones for Boats)
January 1, 2007... I am, in the words of marketing geeks, an "early adopter." I like to be on the inside track of cutting-edge technology before that subtle trail becomes a well-worn path. I like to be the guy with the newest and coolest. That's the Jedi upside...