posted by Davin on Oct 26
Global positional system aka GPS is a very important tool for all fishermen to have and more importantly know how to use. There are so many out their to choose from which is good because this makes them a lot more affordable than they use to be. When you are looking to buy one you have to decide on how much you want to spend and for that price range what you need it to be able to do. They are making them in combos fish finder/GPS where you can have the best of both worlds in one device and save on space in your boat. There are many uses for your GPS. Way points are places you have marked in your GPS. They could be fishing spots, the last marker to get you home, or just a area you past over and want to check out later. Another cool thing is a track this shows where you are currently going or where you have been. You can use this feature to take the exact path you took before. Some model are equipped with a pointer so while your are running you may pass over something to fast but with this feature you can take the cursor freeze the frame and point directly at the area you want and save it without even stopping. You can set alarms to tell you if you are in shallow or deep water. Their are settings to tell if you are moving if you think that you you are still. The GPS can tell you your current speed, approximate time of arrival to your spot, and so much more. This is a must have if you want to become a successful fisherman.
posted by Davin on Oct 26
The marker buoy is a small but very important item to have in your fishing arsenal. You use them to mark your spot, or as a land mark of a point you want to fish up to. Without having one it is almost impossible to get positioned where you need to be especially is the current is ripping or if it is very windy. You can make your own by simply tying some line to a empty bottle with a weight attached to the end. I recommend purchasing one if you can because they are made to adjust to the different depths that you may be fishing. If you choose to make your own when you drop on the spot you want the current will unravel the remaining line and you may not be as close to your honey hole as you think you are. The marker buoy comes in a variety of shapes and colors. You have to pick out the one that best fits your fishing style. I believe the best ones to choose from have a fin on the bottom. This will cause it to turn into the current thus making it easier for you to know how to position your boat and get closer to your fishing spot. Remember the closer you are to your the spot the more fish you will catch.
posted by Davin on Oct 15
This is not as simple as it sounds. Lots of people just go to any gas station, or with how gas prices are today the cheapest gas station they can find. If you take precaution now it will save you time and money in the future. Almost everywhere you go gas stations have ethanol or methanol in their gas now. Did you now this is not the preferred gas for boat motors? In fact if you don’t take the right measures this gas will in the long run ruin your motor and leave you with costly repairs of cleaning or rebuilding your carbs. Gas containing alcohol may cause these problems to your outboard and fuel system. Vapor lock or fuel starvation. Deterioration of elastomers and plastic parts. Corrosion of metal parts. Wear and damage of internal engine parts. Starting and operating difficulties. You definitely don’t want to break down out on the water. What can you do to avoid this? Preferably find gas without ethanol or methanol but since this probably won’t happen take the time to use an fuel additive this will help with the cleanliness of the gas. If you don’t already have one add a water separator to your gas line this will also help tremendously. Always inspect your filters and change them as scheduled. If you take the time to do these few simple steps it will save you in the long run, and you won’t be without your boat.
posted by Davin on Sep 14
Have you ever been ready to launch or load your boat but the person in front of you was taken forever to finish and get out of the way? I am dedicating this article to the inexperienced boater . We usually in the boaters community have a tight knit amongst each other. There is an code that we help one another when they are in need, but we seem to loose our patience when it comes to someone taking to long to launch or load their boat. I am taken it upon myself to let you know what you should be doing while waiting for others, and instruct you how to quickly get done when it is your turn. When you approach the boat ramp you may have a few people in front of you when you get there. You should use this time to prep your boat for launching. Release all your straps that have the boat secured to the trailer. Put the plug in and double check before you back down you have no idea how many people forget to do this. Whomever is in the boat for launching should be pumping the gas ball,turning on all electronics, and placing the fishing equipment in the appropriate spots. Make sure you unload everything you need out of the truck and have it put up so everyone can quickly enter the boat and make a speedy departure. I know you normally check your battery before you leave home but check again because sometimes those cables find a way to get loose, and turn on and off all your switches to make sure everything is working. By doing this if there is a problem you can attend to it before you launch your boat and you won’t be in the next persons way. Now all you have to do is back your boat down. This is very simple but some make it harder than it really is. When backing if possible always back to your driver side. Pull up and once your trailer is straight start backing and remember whatever way you turn your wheels the trailer will go the opposite direction. Once you see the trailer going in the direction you want it slowly start turning your wheels in the opposite direction. This will keep you from going to far left or right which in turn will cause you to have to pull up and readjust we want to avoid this if possible. Once the boat is in the water get it running and move it to the end of the dock so the next person can back down. While you are waiting for the person parking everyone else should already be in the boat. You have had a good day on the water and it is time to go home everybody is trying to leave at the same time so lets get in and out. You need to work as a team when you approach the dock send someone to get the truck while you and others prep the boat to be loaded. While you are waiting take out all the trash,and secure everything for the drive home. When it is your turn to load the boat it is your job to tell the person backing how far they need to come down. Once you have the trailer in position get the boat started on the trailer once it touches you can then drive it all the way on the trailer . Most trailers guide you up them once you are in the correct position. Secure your trailer strap to the boat and pull out. Once you are out make sure you pull up far enough to let the next person get his boat. Remove your plug,do a walk around to make sure the boat is on straight, and remove any weeds if possible. Hopefully this will help you to improve your launch and load time.
