Bass & Walleye Boats articles from March 2006

Bass & Walleye Boats archives from March 2006

Classic opportunity.(Holeshot)
March 1, 2006... I'll probably never forget the classic line from the movie The Longest Yard where quarterback Paul Crew, played by Burt Reynolds, says in the huddle, "Worked once; let's run it again...." [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Some of the staff at BWB...

Photo props.(Backwash)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2006... First of all, I enjoy your magazine tremendously! I haven't found another magazine with the info and tips yours has. Keep it up! I read your 200 shootout in the December 2005 issue ("Six-hundred Horse Stampede") and noticed a discrepancy in...

Less charge for more amps.(Backwash)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2006... In your December 2005 Backwash department, one of your readers asked why Everstart batteries were not included in your Marine Battery Buyer's Guide (October 2005). In both the letter and your response, it was mentioned that Ranger boats are...

Apples-to-apples shootout.(Backwash)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2006... Thanks for all of the comprehensive work in your magazine! It's by far the best high-performance boating magazine I've ever read. I do have a question, though: In the December '05 issue's 200 DFI shootout ("Six-hundred Horse Stampede"), you...

Network news.(Electronic Fisherman)
March 1, 2006... Today's serious fishermen commonly run GPS/fishfinder combo units at the bow and the console, and backtrolling walleye guys sometimes add a third unit at the transom. The two most common questions I'm hearing lately are: "Is a separate GPS...

Say goodbye to carbs.(Seat Time)
March 1, 2006... This year marks a milestone in outboard engine history, as 2006 is when outboard engine manufacturers must meet strict EPA maximum emissions standards. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] These standards are first calculated by measuring the...

Spring tune-up.(tow vehicle maintenance)
March 1, 2006... I'm sometimes just as guilty of forgetting to keep my truck maintained as the next guy. While I'm a little anal about having the oil and filter changed every 3000 miles, things like changing spark plugs, checking the air filter or rotating the...

New Enertia props are designed for improved speed and fuel efficiency.(Around the Dock)
March 1, 2006... Mercury Marine recently introduced a new line of propellers designed to improve both acceleration and top-end performance on many outboard- and sterndrive-powered boats. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Called...

Demand for recreational boating products to reach $16.7 million in 2009.(Around the Dock)
March 1, 2006... The demand for recreational boating products, from propulsion systems to boating accessories, is projected to grow nearly 5 percent annually through 2009 to $16.7 million, according to a study by the market research firm The Freedonia Group....

Survey says: bay boats are here to stay.(Around the Dock)
March 1, 2006... We asked and you definitely responded. In our December 2005 issue we asked BWB readers: "What do you think of our recent inclusion of bay boats in the mix of BWB tests?" We provided a number of answers to choose from, but nearly all of the...

Fully e-quipped: Lowrance LCX-111C HD; The new unit features a beefier bracket system and a loaded 20-GB hard drive ready to use.(Fishfinder Test)
March 1, 2006... The LCX-111C HD, which replaces the LCX-104C as the flagship of Lowrance's (800/324-1356; lowrance.com) line, has a display with a pixel count about 25 percent higher than the 104. It also has enough computer power to wrangle the extra dots...

Precision's carburetor float gauge: this inexpensive new tool takes the guesswork out of float adjustment.(Cool Tools)
March 1, 2006... Carburetors are precision pieces of equipment that require accurate adjustments and measurements, along with cleanliness, to operate correctly and allow your outboard engine to run at peak power and efficiency. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

Kaddie case keeps all of your valuables safe.(Finders Keepers)
March 1, 2006... A garage full of scattered gear and other things can slow you down when you're getting ready to hit the launch ramp. Get organized with the Universal Kaddie by Universal Kaddie Systems (888/864-5237; uni-kadllc.com). It has an aluminum outer...

BWB field tested: Steer-Stops keep outboards in line while towing.(Finders Keepers)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... Every once in a while, a product comes along that's so clever, yet so simple, you have to ask why someone didn't come out with it sooner. Such was the case when we tested the Steer-Stop steering lock from T-H Marine when recently trailering our...

High-class i-Class: Skeeter's new 21i is fast, fishable, well thought out and fun to drive.(Cover Story)
March 1, 2006... After completing preflight preparations in the predawn darkness, we hitched the purple BWB photo boat to a penicillin-green miniature pickup, our assigned tow vehicle of the day. With the trailer securely fastened to the tiny truck, we plugged...

High-gains drifter: walleye pro Ted Takasaki shares his secrets for optimizing your catch with drift socks.
March 1, 2006... If all you're doing with your drift bag is dragging it behind your boat when you want to slow down your trolling speed, you're missing out on the full potential of today's modern drift socks. Walleye pro Ted Takasaki pushes the "drag bag"...

Versatile vessels: our 2006 Bay Boat Buyer's Guide features 27 of the newest, most popular models, complete with specs and pricing.(Buyers Guide)
March 1, 2006... If you're looking for the ultimate multispecies fishing boat, you'd be wise not to overlook today's crop of bay boats. Sure, these boats were developed for salt-encrusted anglers who live to chase tarpon, redfish and snook across the open...

Little big bear: Kodiak's V178SC offers the performance and ride of a much bigger boat at a fraction of the cost.
March 1, 2006... At first blush, the tan and scarlet craft looked like just another "tin" boat tugging at its dock tether, a little out of place as it bobbed in the wakes of the flashier fiberglass fishing and pleasure craft that came and went through the busy...

Busy little Bee; Bumble Bee's new 180FX: great small-water/starter boat that's loaded with features.
March 1, 2006... Last summer, Editor Steve Quinlan and I were the first to test Bumble Bee's new 180FX, the Tullahoma, Tennessee boat-builder's latest entry into the sub-20-foot bass boat market. This boat employs basically the same hull as Bee's 180 Pro V,...

Sound performance: Corsa's "turbo-back" exhaust pumps up diesel performance without pounding eardrums.(Corsa Performance Duramax Diesel Exhaust System)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... A lot of boat owners love to have tow rigs that are just as trick and quick as their boats. That's why there's a movement toward hot-rodded, diesel-powered tow rigs among bass and walleye anglers who pull larger boats. Diesel trucks are...

Me and Miss Vickie II.(motorboats)
March 1, 2006... After being loyal to an Ebbtide fish 'n' ski named Vickie (after his wife) for 20 years, Steve Fetter decided he needed to move up to something bigger and more powerful--we're still talking boats here. Meet Miss Vickie II, a 2002 Javelin fish...

Jet setting.(motorboats)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2006... If I put an exhaust tuner from Bob's Machine Shop on my Mercury 150 XR6, along with Boyesen reeds and Velocity stacks, on average, what should my carburetor jet sizes be? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Richard Rhone Gibbon, Nebraska ...

More power to ya'.(Shop Talk)
March 1, 2006... I own a 1995 Ranger 690 that "leans" to one side badly--even on plane--to the right or starboard. It came with an Evinrude Ficht 175 hp motor. I added a 15 hp Honda kicker on the port side. It didn't develop the roll toward the right until the...

Sure-footed cat.(motorboats)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2006... I recently purchased a 2001 Bass Cat Cougar with a 2001 Mercury 200 OptiMax. The engine came with a 23-inch-pitch Tempest Plus. After driving the boat, I noticed that it hit the rev limit of 5750 very easily at 66 mph on GPS. I then tried a...

Wet ride.(motorboats)
March 1, 2006... I have a 2000 Fisher 19-foot Sport Avenger powered by a Mercury 150 XR6. It leaps on plane and the top end is fine (43 mph GPS with a typical load). The water spray off of the sides is terrible, and with the slightest bit of wind, everyone gets...

Trailer wiring woes.(baot trailers)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2006... I had no trailer lights when I hooked up the boat to take the kids fishing recently. Only the turn signals were illuminated, but at the same time. When I turned on the right blinker, both lights "blinked" as if the "hazard" switch had been...

More leverage.(Shop Talk)
March 1, 2006... Late last winter, I purchased a 2005 519 Ranger with a 200 OptiMax. During the break-in period in March, along with a couple of club tournaments in April and May, I was very pleased with this rig. However, once boat traffic picked up in the...

Raising the bar.(motorboats)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2006... I own a 1999 Triton Tr-21 with a 6-inch setback manual jackplate that's set 5 1/4 inches above the transom. Propped with a 25-inch-pitch Trophy, I'm getting a top speed of 70 mph (on GPS) at 5300-5400 rpm. I'm happy with my top speed but would...

Intermittent ignition.(motorboats)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2006... I've got a '95 Mercury 200 XRI EFI with a problem I've battled since October. It starts fine most of the time, but when I shut it off--sometimes after just idling to the dock and sometimes after a run--it doesn't want to restart. It cranks but...

Tool vortexes.(A Jones for Boats)
March 1, 2006... I was never much of a Star Trek fan. To me, it was like a futuristic Christmas catalog and none of the cool stuff was for sale. I guess it was too much like the auto shows I remembered as a kid where concept cars of the future were always on...