Bass & Walleye Boats articles from March 2005

Bass & Walleye Boats archives from March 2005

Hook 'em young.(Holeshot)(introduce fishing to children)
March 1, 2005... Either you're a fisherman or you're not, as far as I'm concerned. And it's something that's usually determined at a young and tender age. As a general rule, the earlier you introduce a child to the sport, the more likely he or she will get...

Change the rules.(Backwash)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2005... I highly regard your articles and consider them unbiased and accurate from a comparison standpoint. I use your magazine when I choose batteries, battery chargers, props and engines. One thing I have found frustrating is your insistence on...

Doesn't even fish.(Backwash)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2005... A year and a half ago, I ended my subscription to Hot Boat magazine and subscribed to Bass & Walleye Boats. It's kind of funny, because I don't even fish. I just really appreciate the comprehensive performance testing your magazine does. The...

Priceless value.(Backwash)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2005... Your magazine is one of the best sources of information I have ever found on boats and outboards. I can't believe there are people who write in to complain about it. If you were to put a dollar amount on the information in your magazine for...

Impeller intervals.(Backwash)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2005... In his response to John Booth's question in Shop Talk (Stop Guessing, January 2005), Jim Barron tells Booth that the proper interval for impeller change is every 300 hours or 3 years. I am not sure where he got that information, but it...

Time to upgrade?(Electronic Fisherman)
March 1, 2005... The universal law of consumer electronics guarantees that when you buy any unit, the very next year you will be able to buy a similar model with more features and better performance for the same money, or a model with the same features and...

Hydro dynamics.(Seat Time)(gearcase modification for speed and power of boats)
March 1, 2005... With outboard powerheads becoming tougher and tougher for backyard mechanics to modify and with such modifications being technically illegal thanks to Environmental Protection Agency laws concerning outboards built after 1997, gearheads looking...

The four-year itch.(Fast Lane)(tow trucks)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... It's back. The old bug to buy a new truck has, as my wife sarcastically says, "once again reared its ugly head." [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Although I've been afflicted a dozen or so times in the past, this time's a bit different. ...

BWB lands a Stratos/E-Tec project boat for 2005.(Around the Dock)
March 1, 2005... With teary eyes, we recently waved goodbye to our Ranger 620VS Fisherman/Yamaha VMax project boat. She'd provided us two years of high times and adventures on the water, and had been the test platform for various product tests, shoot-outs and...

Wholesale, retail boat sales revved up in 2004.(Around the Dock)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... For most of 2004 the boating industry saw a steady but healthy increase in numbers across the board. According to the September Monthly Shipment Report from the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), wholesale dollar sales from...

USCG releases sobering statistics.(Around the Dock)(United States Coast Guard)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Most boaters carry life jackets onboard, but they don't always wear them when they're out on the water. This isn't new news, but it makes the latest statistics on boat deaths released by the U.S. Coast Guard all the more interesting. The...

Bass Cat's new wide-body Puma can handle any DFI or four-stroke.(Around the Dock)
March 1, 2005... Bass Cat, like a handful of other boat manufacturers, is following the trend of ensuring its boats can accommodate the heavier weights of the new four-strokes. The company's newest member is the wide-body Puma, an all-fiberglass 20-footer that...

Raytek's infrared temp gun: troubleshooting outboard and tow vehicles is laser-quick with this compact unit.(Cool Tools)
March 1, 2005... Overheating is a common problem boaters must deal with, and it's one that can cause extensive engine damage. Also, inoperative thermostats result in fouled spark plugs, carboned-up piston rings and smoky exhaust from your outboard. How can you...

Navionics' HotMaps offers new format, added regions.(Finders Keepers)
March 1, 2005... The latest edition of HotMaps ($199 per cartridge) by Navionics (800/848-5896; navionics.com) is faster and makes it easier for anglers to locate their favorite--or find new--fishing lakes. The program contains more than 1000 lakes nationwide,...

Fishhedz protective masks shield boaters' faces at high speeds.(Finders Keepers)
March 1, 2005... It's a great feeling when you're running your bass boat wide open, but it can be brutal having your face assaulted by water spray, bugs and the like. It's not the ideal way to end your fishing day. Protect your eyes and face with FishHedz, a...

Stingray Cover-ups protect fishfinders from corrosion buildup.(Finders Keepers)
March 1, 2005... No matter how or where your electronics unit is externally mounted, you can find a Stingray Cover-up (866/438-3281; stingraycoverups.com) that'll fit just right. Available in marine blue and marine tan, these durable electronics covers are made...

Clymer's Yamaha shop manual gives step-by-step instructions from engine tuneups to gearcase disassembly.(Finders Keepers)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
March 1, 2005... Much of what you do to maintain your engine is by the book--the engine manufacturer's manual. For Yamaha owners with 2000 to 2003 model outboards without an original owner's manual, there's the new Yamaha Outboard Shop Manual ($37.95) by Clymer...

Just the facts: at BWB, we test by the book--and print the results.
March 1, 2005... Bass & Walleye Boats has understood for a long time that no matter how thorough our testing and reporting procedures are, they can always be improved. And it's not lost on us that there will always be skeptical readers, those who simply cannot...

Reigning Champion: Champion builds more beef, more horsepower and a better ride into its new 198 Elite.(Product/Service Evaluation)(Cover Story)
March 1, 2005... When Champion decided it was time to build a bass boat in the 19-foot class rated for 225 hp, rather than start from scratch, it beefed up its tried-and-true 196 Elite. Introduced in 2004, the new 198 Elite boasts a beefier transom, and is 2...

Plotting a victory: walleye pro Gary Parsons shares winning strategies for fishing structure with sonar and GPS.
March 1, 2005... GARY PARSONS and fishing partner KEITH KAVAJECZ developed successful electronic structure-fishing methods using Loran-C before GPS was available. While Parsons and Kavajecz happen to be walleye pros, their methods of combining sonar with GPS...

Livewell science: words from the wise for keeping your catch in tip-top form all the way to weigh-in--or the cutting board.
March 1, 2005... In the tournament trade, it doesn't matter how many "pigs" or "hawgs" you stick, land and stash over the course of a day; if the catch isn't alive and flipping back at the weigh-in, you may as well have played golf. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]...

Bound to please: Ranger's new Reata 1850 raises the bar for freshwater fish 'n play boats.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... As a dual-purpose freshwater fishing boat, Ranger's new Reata 1850 is as comfortable fishing for bass in the South as it is fishing for walleye in the North, and it will tow skiers in between while keeping the wind out of mama's hair and a...

Foul-weather lights: high-quality fog lights greatly improve driving safety in inclement weather.
March 1, 2005... Bass anglers probably spend more time driving in the dark than other people who tow trailers. Getting to the water before daybreak and making the post-sunset drive home after a long day on the water is par for the course when it comes to bass...

Black stallion: Mercury's new 225 pro XS delivers more brute power and rpm than the standard 225 OptiMax, while sacrificing nothing in the way of fuel economy.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... Mercury's new OptiMax 225 Pro XS reminds me of a bodybuilder in a tuxedo: stylish understatement on the outside, rippling muscle on the inside. Spend some quality time with this engine and you'll discover a genuine hot rod in formal attire. ...

Po' man's "pro max": we turn a Merc 9.9 kicker into a 15 hp stomper for less than $300.
March 1, 2005... This one's for all the guys fishing on 10-hp-restricted reservoirs, those anglers who open each issue of BWB and drool over all the V-6 and V-4 hot-rodding stories, only to sigh wistfully at the 9.9 stashed in the corner of the basement. If...

Shear ecstasy: ShearWater's New 2200 Coastal offers bay anglers the same kind of performance and value they've come to expect from Gambler.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... What a change in focus. Late in the afternoon, on the same day we pitted Mercury and Yamaha 300s against each other on the same Gambler bass boat, we switched gears and put a new ShearWater 2200 Coastal bay boat through its paces on the...

Ol' Man River.(Hot Rigs)
March 1, 2005... After the thrill of landing a 6-pound largemouth bass, 9-year-old Jeff Utley was hooked on bass fishing and, not surprisingly, fishing boats. Utley started right after college, and first went through two aluminum boats, then upgraded to a 16...

Cupping an attitude.(Shop Talk)(boat trailer maintenance)
March 1, 2005... My boat trailer is currently seven years old. I replaced the tires approximately two years ago. The original tires showed even wear and were replaced due to excessive sidewall cracking. I just checked the replacement tires and one of them...

Filter feeder.(Shop Talk)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... I read a recent article on water and fuel filters with great interest because I have considerable experience with most of the brands mentioned. The article was very informative, but not enough ink was given to the canisters and their interior...

Pro's ProCraft.(Shop Talk)
March 1, 2005... I've found a strange performance anomaly with my boat. It's a 1997 ProCraft 18-foot, 2-inch, dual-console bass boat rigged with a 1997 Mercury XR6 150 engine. Modifications include a Land & Sea foot throttle, stalk-mounted trim switch, 8-inch...

Optimum cruise speed.(Shop Talk)(boat maintenance)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... I have a 1995 Mariner 40 hp two-stroke with the factory 10 1/4X14-inch prop on an Alumacraft 16-foot Backtroller. It performs well, has decent acceleration and delivers a reliable 32 to 33 mph at wide-open throttle. However, this old-technology...

Transom needs lift.(Shop Talk)(bass boats)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... My boat is a Polar Kraft 180 Pro; the motor is a Suzuki 140 four-stroke, the prop is a 14X19-inch three-blade and it turns 6000 rpm. This boat is tail heavy. It's equipped with three batteries, a 24-gallon gas can, large livewell, on-board...

The color of the sky in my world.(A Jones for Boats)
March 1, 2005... Why do we buy certain products or certain name brands? Although I'm sure there are plenty of experts with plenty of theories about the collective consumer psyche, I'm not interested. I have my own theory and it centers on dodgeball and flag...