Bass & Walleye Boats articles from October 2004

Bass & Walleye Boats archives from October 2004

Bay watch.(Holeshot)(Editorial)
October 1, 2004... While flipping through old fishing photos recently, I relived some fond memories. I couldn't help but smile as I looked at all the shots I'd taken from my striper/largemouth trip with "Uncle" Homer Circle in Arkansas when the two of us were...

Two-stroke diehard.(Backwash)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2004... I read the letter from Dave Nichol in your June issue that references the article in the 10th anniversary issue titled "Full Speed Ahead," and I strongly agree with Mr. Nichol concerning BWB Technical Editor John Tiger, Jr.'s love for...

Horsepower race.(Backwash)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2004... Just a few comments on the article from John Tiger, Jr., in the June issue: I am no tree-hugger by any means. I drive a Hummer H2 and presently run a Triton Tr-22 with a Yamaha V Max 300 HPDI two-stroke that's been clocked at 82.5 mph on GPS. I...

Bad data.(Backwash)(Correction Notice)
October 1, 2004... In three separate boat tests in the last two issues, having initially received the performance specs in the wrong order, we inadvertently changed the order of the column headings (MPH and GPH) in the Test Results spec boxes without changing the...

BWB advertisers shine.(Backwash)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2004... Two thumbs up! You should change the name of your magazine to Bass & Walleye Boats: The Boater's Bible. I have every issue from the launch to the latest. The information and knowledge I've gained over the years from your publication has proved...

Hull shot.(Electronic Fisherman)
October 1, 2004... A friend recently read a tip in another magazine about installing transducers in a boat's bilge area to shoot through the hull. It suggested gluing a transducer in the bilge of an aluminum boat with a silicone sealer, and he wanted to know if...

Nostalgia and brand loyalty.(Seat Time)
October 1, 2004... Remember the Mercury 1500XS? How about the Johnson Stinger, or the Evinrude 2.6XP? Even harder, do you recall the Chrysler 135? I was fortunate enough to spot one of these last summer on an original Chrysler 16-foot runabout while boating on a...

Ranger unveils its new z series Comanche.(Around The Dock)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2004... In August, after two years of development, Ranger Boats introduced the new generation of its Comanche flagship--the Z Series--at the FLW Tour Championship in Pell City, Alabama. Sporting a more modular look with a wider deck and broader beam to...

So much to see at this year's ICAST.(Around The Dock)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The 2004 ICAST Show, held July 14 to 16 in fabulous Las Vegas, was one of the best we've attended in years. Most every manufacturer we spoke with, from electronics to trolling motors to hard baits, reported improved sales in 2003, and...

Skeeter to sponsor FLW outdoors tournaments; skeeter owners gain perks.(Around The Dock)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Earlier this year, Skeeter ended its co-sponsorship of B.A.S.S.-related events, but beginning in January, you'll see the Kilgore, Texas-based boatbuilder's name every-where at the FLW Outdoors tournament trails. This is Skeeter's first time...

Cool site: GasPriceWatch.com.(Around The Dock)
October 1, 2004... Paying $2 (more or less) per gallon to fill up your rig merits a call for an all-out search for the best gas prices. Now you can search for current prices in your hometown or anywhere in the United States through GasPriceWatch.com. ...

Monochrome marvel: we test Lowrance's LCX-15MT.(Fishfinder Test)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2004... The LCX-15MT by Lowrance is a sterling example of the old rule, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!" It combines enough manual control to suit a card-carrying technophobe with an Automatic Mode capable of better performance than most anglers can...

Tackling tackle: "seeing" red; Lure makers' red hook offerings are all the rage on subsurface baits.(Fishfinder Test)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2004... Since the color red mimics the appearance of injured baitfish, splashes of red have always been popular on bass baits. And because bass are lazy fish, they always seem to single out the weakest link, the baitfish that's been dinged. While...

Get a (better) grip with accon marine's lifting rings.(Finders Keepers)
October 1, 2004... You just can't have too many storage compartments, but accessing them can be a pain since lifting rings are often hard to get a grip on due to their small size. Or, even worse, they are gone altogether because they break off so easily. ...

Keep your fuel fresh all winter with gold eagle's STA-BIL.(Finders Keepers )
October 1, 2004... For many bass and walleye anglers, the time to winterize your boat is right around the corner. And there's no better product on the market, at least that we're aware of, than Gold Eagle Co.'s (800/367-3245; goldeagle.com) STA-BIL Fuel...

Roarin' 90s: five 90 hp outboards of every technology available duke it out on Mississippi's bayous for bantamweight braggin' rights.(Ehlert Exclusive!)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2004... Pound for pound, they pack a mean punch. We're talking about the new bantamweight outboards--90 hp mills, to be exact. There have been a number of developments in this class--including Evinrude's new E-Tec and Mercury's 1.5L OptiMax--and it...

Direct hit: Evinrude's new E-Tec V-6s are here, and brother, they are 'Rudes with 'tudes.(Product/Service Evaluation)(Cover Story)
October 1, 2004... Picking up where OMC left off in terms of money, research and testing, Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP) launched its first round of new E-Tec outboards last year, which consisted of five engines ranging from 40 to 90 hp. The result was...

Power play: 2004 battery buyer's guide; Information is your best bait when trying to catch the right battery on your first cast.
October 1, 2004... Does your engine start quickly every time? Can your trolling motor keep up with your fishing at the end of the day? Unless you've answer "Yes" to both questions, you've caught the wrong batteries and some culling is in order. [ILLUSTRATION...

Slick solution: EOI solves a "sticky" problem for Merc V-6 owners who run 'em hard.(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2004... Owners of stock 2.0, 2.4 and 2.5L Mercury V-6 outboards have enjoyed the benefits of oil injection since the 1980s. The factory Mercury mechanical oil pump works pretty well and has a reasonably good performance track record. The oil pump...

Portable rigging: who says you have to rough it on a rental? Here are all the essentials you could ever ask for, and then some, to turn a bare-bones hull into a walleye hunter.
October 1, 2004... WHETHER CHASING WALLEYE FROM A REMOTE FISHING LODGE IN CANADA OR FROM A NONFISHING BUDDY'S BOAT, NOTHING MAKES YOU APPRECIATE THE IMPORTANCE OF BASIC ANGLING ACCESSORIES LIKE FISHING FROM A WATERCRAFT THAT'S NOT RIGGED FOR THE TASK. ...

Is your slip showing? DataTach's multifunction instrument helps you determine the best setup for your rig.(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2004... Do you want a record of how your boat performs, in terms of both acceleration and top end? Want to see how it performs with different props and determine prop slip for each? Want to save some space on your dash? DataTach is a fascinating...

Ample Angler: G3's compact, Yamaha-powered, deep-V tiller fits anglers with big expectations, and not-so-big bank accounts.(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2004... Getting a lot for a little is tough these days. In fact, in most instances, it's darn near impossible. This leads many of us to face the harsh reality of downsizing our expectations and settling for less than what we had originally planned. But...

Elixir or snake oil?(Shop Talk)
October 1, 2004... I recently purchased a boat with a Mercury 225 OptiMax and the dealer said that I should use nothing but Mercury oil that's been specially formulated for the OptiMax. My old 120 hp could use any oil that met TC-W3 standards. The Mercury oil may...

How high is too high?(Shop Talk)
October 1, 2004... I have a 2004 Tr-21 SC X with a 2004 Yamaha 225 HPDI mounted on a 6-inch manual setback jackplate with a holeshot plate installed. The engine mount bracket is 4 inches above the transom. With the boat and engine anti-cavitation plate level, the...

Speed fichtsation.(Shop Talk)
October 1, 2004... I could use some set-up advice for my 1989 Champion 186 that is powered by an Evinrude 175 Ficht. It has no jackplate, but could maybe use one. This boat, with my wife, 14-year-old daughter and me aboard, a full tank of gas and fishing gear...

Warranty issues.(Shop Talk)
October 1, 2004... I have a 1999 Stratos 201 dual console powered by a 1999 Evinrude 225 Ficht. Last fall, I lost power and the top driver's-side piston seized with no warning--six months out of warranty and I got no help from the factory. The motor is now in the...

A speeding Bullet.(Hot Rigs)
October 1, 2004... 'What a beautiful ride'--Tom Tomlinson Tom Tomlinson has been fishing for 49 of his 58 years. That's definitely a lot of time on the water, especially when you factor in the retired Navy man's service on big water while working for Uncle...

There, there.(A Jones for Boats)
October 1, 2004... Gertrude Stein once said of Oakland, California, "There is no there, there." The same might be said of a GPS screen filled with waypoints. Is there really something at those spots that I want to get back to? Anything short of the launch ramp at...