Fishing

[TheBug]

Beautiful lake Xavier!

That looks like a largemouth to me, a nice one too.  Up here in the north our bass don't get quite as large as the Florida strain bass.

[fbWldcat]

Beautiful lake Xavier!

That looks like a largemouth to me, a nice one too.  Up here in the north our bass don't get quite as large as the Florida strain bass.

Maybe not, but the northern strain is much more resilient. You can still catch fish when conditions go to Hell.

Florida strain bass are not as resilient and are usually affected quite a bit by cold fronts or cold snaps.

[RotBaron]

Trout fishing used to have quite a big following, but now most anglers go after bass or catfish. Still plenty of places to hook some nice trouts, rainbow and brown alike. My favorite lures are small crankbaits or earthworms at night.

Do you happen to have pictures of your special place? I love small lakes and ponds!

Some of the best places for bass and pike here are small ponds (200yards or so) surrounded by woods, and with a nice water level all year long. The catch is that many of those ponds are right in front of some guy's mansion, and if you get caught.... A friend of mine got a 600€ fine for that, but hey, at least he's not spending it on drugs and hookers!

Last time we spent a day going pond to pond he ended up with birdshot in his left buttcheek. Me? I ran faster 

I do have a couple pics of the spot, there's more than one in the area. It's Chambers Lake, Colorado. It's not hard to find, but some of the others in the area are in "Wilderness", in the US that designation means foot, bike or horseback only, i.e. no motor vehicles. I'll try to find the pictures. One is up around treeline (12K feet) toward Rawah Peak, if you google the area.


Whoa    on the getting shot at, I wouldn't have risked that, unless the guy was just warning, but if you're friend got it, holy cow.

Alpine/back country trout fishing is some of the best fishing there is, just can't beat the scenery.

 

[gpwurzel]

Alrighty guys, I need some opinions - the z6 I'm looking at is rated for 3 people max - whereas the z7 is rated for 4 - what are your thoughts.

I have a list of people who want to fish (nearest lake is 1.5 hours away, but contains some specimen bass). Do I restrict the number of people who can fish at any 1 time, or do I go with the extra expenditure (32k vice 25k), bite the bullet and get a z7?

My head says get the z6, whereas my heart is saying get the z7 - not that I want to spend that much more kinda deal.

Thanks chaps, appreciate any help.

Wurz

[Tec]

Do I restrict the number of people who can fish at any 1 time, or do I go with the extra expenditure

IMO you restrict.  You're laying down a ton of scratch to buy a very nice item, you should concern yourself with your enjoyment of it first.  I can't imagine 4 grown men fishing out of a boat that size to be very fun.  Soaking bobbers or trolling sure, but casting with 7' rods for bass not so much. I took a look at their website and one thing I noticed is that while it's rated to carry 1400lbs total the max "person weight" is listed as 600lbs, and the z6 is rated at 460.  Maybe it's an issue of freeboard and ending up with too much weight to one side but unless you average out to 150lbs a piece or less it's something to keep in mind. 

[Vulcan]

Landed a couple of 20lb yellowfin tuna near Suva last month

[mbailey]

Alrighty guys, I need some opinions - the z6 I'm looking at is rated for 3 people max - whereas the z7 is rated for 4 - what are your thoughts.

I have a list of people who want to fish (nearest lake is 1.5 hours away, but contains some specimen bass). Do I restrict the number of people who can fish at any 1 time, or do I go with the extra expenditure (32k vice 25k), bite the bullet and get a z7?

My head says get the z6, whereas my heart is saying get the z7 - not that I want to spend that much more kinda deal.

Thanks chaps, appreciate any help.

Wurz

Are you planning on doing anything else with the boat?  Granted its a fishing machine, and really thats all its designed for...but do you and the Mrs want to have the option to say.... take another couple out on it? Not nessasarily fishing but  go for a cruize and such?  Whats the difference in price between the 2?

[Curval]

I finally bought a boat.

Instead of going full hog with a buddy we decided after alot of soul searching that we should buy our first boat just for us and use it for a year and then decide if we want to drop a huge wad of cash on a big boat.

So, I picked up a second hand 23ft Pursuit with a single 225hp two stroke on the back.  Bought it for an absolute song as the guy who owned it was leaving the island and needed it sold asap.  The engine, electrics and cables were all very well maintaned and looked after but to be honest it looked like toejam.  Every nook and crany had empty beer bottles or liquor bottles.  It was used as a total party/fishing boat.

I have spent two weekends working on her now and it is actually starting to look pretty darn good.  I switched out the engine cowling with a crappy one the boat yard leant me and am having it all sprayed up with new decals on it etc.  That will improve the look of the boat 100% and now that it is cleaned up the thing is going to look pretty sporty.

This weekend we pulled out three fishing rods that we inherited with the boat.  One is a piece of junk, but the other two are heavy duty tuna/marlin rods.  I am taking them to the tackle shop I go to and will have them clean them up and rig them for me while I watch and learn how it is done properly.  The wife is keen on me catching lots of fresh fish this summer.  Happy to oblige.
 

[gpwurzel]

Thanks fella's - Tec, good catch on the individual weight - hadn't taken that into account.

Basically, the plan is - this boat is for my wife and I, with an occasional friend to come fish with us. What we're planning on doing is, taking 18 months or so to get used to the boat, the local (ish) lakes etc, then start competing in local tournaments (thats my fault, I love competitive fishing).

Bailey, the price difference is 7k or so - not that I want to spend the extra - think I was considering the z7 just because its bigger, bigger engine etc. Speed pretty much irrevelant, lakes are all limited to 35mph (even during tournaments), so not much racing for "the" spot going on.

Curval, good job on the boat fella - were it me, there would be holes all over the bugger, I'm tool challenged lol....

Vulcan, that helped ya bastage - not at all  Nice catch fella.

Wurz

[RotBaron]

wtg gulf YF,  need to go there some time

[Tec]

Since your wife is going to be using it with you and you'll be fishing tournys if you do go with the smaller boat you can always try and reason with her that the money you saved on the boat should be used for upgrades and new gear.

[Xavier]

Since your wife is going to be using it with you and you'll be fishing tournys if you do go with the smaller boat you can always try and reason with her that the money you saved on the boat should be used for upgrades and new gear.

I'd follow this advice. The 7k difference can be spent on gear, heaps of gas or taking the boat to some fancy places. Personally, I use the smallest boat I can get away with. For example, I usually go fishing with two guys on a 9' zodiac. Yes, we'd have more space and carry more stuff in a bigger boat, but we'd be unable to pass through some tight spaces, and when fishing bass that stuff matters. Also, the bigger the boat the bigger the shade.

[Curval]

Curval, good job on the boat fella - were it me, there would be holes all over the bugger, I'm tool challenged lol....

Oh, so am I man, so am I.

That's one reason we decided to go small for this year.  I need to learn pretty much everything from scratch.  I spent alot of time on boats as a kid....getting yelled at my my father.  He was the captain and I was simply the bilge boy.    I know jack-diddly.  Learning as I go. 

[JimmyC]

Just back from the coramandel NZ
to much swell for going out on the boat so climbed down a cliff to
A sweet spot




caught kaiwai and snapper



im hilding the camera

was top fun

[fbWldcat]

Looks real nice, Jimmy 

Noodling season just kicked in over here in Kentucky. Time to wrangle some hawgs    If you noodle, don't do it near sand or woody banks. Beaver, muskrat, otter, snapping turtles and snakes are all much more likely in these areas than rip-rap (Big flippin rocks on the shore or under water- if you go to a lot of lakes, you know the stuff) which is easier to trap a catfish in anyway.

Happy hunting and retaining your fingers.