I would look at the Cisco mounts. All machined aluminum and they can be taken off the rail quickly if you’d need to put the cover on the boat. Sturdy, won’t rust, break or “round off” like the fish on, cabelas, or Ram holders that have rail attachments. I’ve tried all the above and liked some when put on anything but the rail. In my opinion, yes, they’re pricey, but get something that’s sturdy and won’t compromise. I troll on Winnebago and on Lake Michigan for salmon. Worth every penny when you’re talking about the torque on a rod and holder when trolling with bigger dipsies. Also, you’ll find that if you ever wanted to part with them, they’re going to command very close to what you paid for them, they hold their value that well.

I realize that it’s been proven that running synthetic in your auto shows better performance. Mercury motors getting shipped out the door here in Fond du Lac, even if they’re the XS motors, have the tests in the factory done with the Premium Plus, which is the non-synthetic oil. Don’t ask me why that is if they’re touting the synthetic as the way to go for the XS motors. The more reliable mechanics in the area will say save your money and run the Premium Plus, the one I take mine to for winterization worked at Merc in the engineering department for a couple of years and knows his stuff. I’m sure you can’t go wrong with either one, but I was told if you were going to the synthetic brand to get as much of the non-synthetic out prior to filling up.

I’ll take both. PM sent.

mnrabbit wrote:

Impressive that your wife backs it in!

Hell, I married my wife because she can back a trailer!

The Husky Jerk was supposed to have been designed directly in response to those wanting a #13 weighted Rap. The benefit was that not only was it heavier to cast farther, it was able to suspend as well. I would suggest using some of the lead tape to help add a little more weight.

To help completely answer your questions, regardless if you have Smartcraft gauges, you’ll most likely still have the analog oil level gauge on the dash. If, (most don’t but I did and don’t regret it), the last owner switched from the analog to the Smartcraft they would have had to run the wires to the tank and hook it up with the wiring located in the engine cowl to have the Smartcraft read the oil level digitally. Short answer is if you turn the key on–don’t turn over the motor–look for the oil reservoir gauge on the dash, if it’s at zero and you know you have oil in there, it’s being read by the Smartcraft, otherwise, you’ll see the reading just like your gas gauge. Hope this helps.

Grouse beat me to it. I heat with wood to the tune of just under 6 cords a year. The video is shown splitting birch. I also saw aspen and others. I’m not going to say a wet piece of elm, but lets see some hardwood split and then we’ll talk. I borrow a 36 ton splitter from a logger for $100 a weekend and get all the wood split and stacked in that time. I’m sorry, but I can get the size pieces I want and it’s with oak, ash and elm. I’m not immune to work, but unless all wood is going to split like that (and it doesn’t) I’m sticking with the hydraulic splitter.

I like this link to this product a little better.

http://www.fishingspecialties.com/

That was one of the mangiest looking ‘yotes I’ve seen in a while. Damn was that ugly!!

Since their “bucking broncos” post on Red River ‘eyes I’ve subscribed to their YouTube Channel. The one they have on 16″ crappies is good too. I like their humor and their creativity.

I’ve made my own, when the “Drop and Stay” was in business. I got a poly cutting board from Fleet Farm, cut out the shape of a boat cleat, drilled a hole at the bottom, got 1/2″ cord and had them sew the loops with their heavy duty sewing machines and saved a bunch. I can provide photos if you’d like, just pm me. It didn’t take but a half hour on my end and $15 tops for 4 different units with the cord and cost of sewing. The bottom line is “yes” they do work and work well. I’ve used them with a 15 mph wind on Bago with a 25 pound anchor and chain and have seen where I’m using 1/2 as much line to keep anchor.

For the 12 volt just hook up the positive and negative of the item to the same poles of ONE battery. You’ll need to make another cable, preferably with 4 or 6 gauge wire, and hook it up from the negative of battery #1 to the positive of #2. The trolling motor connections will attach on the positive of #1 and the negative of #2. I always test this prior with a voltage meter to confirm.

I feel I have to add that if you’ve never set up and called for coyotes, and done especially in the dark, there is nothing else like it in the world. Sight of a turkey, nose that of a deer, you had better cover your bases or you won’t be successful. There is NOTHING like putting it all together and putting one down.

I’ve had really good luck with 2 parts of peat moss bought at Menards, ect. and a bag of cow manure composted (you can buy both at Fleet Farm). The Worm Ranch Styrofoam is the perfect size. I’ve used corn meal without the salt (very important) bought a Wal Mart and general rolled oats and use a blender to get to a flour consistency and just sprinkle on top like the magic worm food directions. Within 2 weeks tops, the crawlers I’ve caught or bought will be as big as anacondas. Flip the bedding once a week, change every other depending on how many as they’ll eat their body weight in food a day. I’ve been able to keep crawlers like this for well over 3 months. It’s hard to let them go in the garden later in the year after all the work! I’ve also found that putting them in a fridge is much more advantageous to keeping them in tip top shape rather than in the basement, but it’s better than nothing.

Thanks for the quick response, good to hear and glad you were able to shed some light on a topic I found frustrating.

James, do you think that this will increase item’s availability or won’t that change. Seems like the past couple of years if you didn’t buy the whole house package you couldn’t find frames or shells. From a strictly supply/demand standpoint every time you see something out of stock ultimately can’t be good for business… if someone’s there to buy and you don’t have it, it’s lost income. I wasn’t looking for a soap opera answer, but hope that it helps with items in stock.

Wow, talk about timing….. I was just there looking at the otter boxes and after seeing freak’s post, their site is redesigned.

I was told by a distributor that otter was looking to either go it alone or at the least leave Normark. I asked customer service at otter who said “we’ll see” when I questioned the comment that I was told and asked about a lot of the product was out of stock shortly after the new year. I’m just relaying what was said to me, hopefully staff can chime in. I have a bunch of stuff that I’d like to buy from otter regarding shelters and do it separately rather than having to buy the package. Hope that the move mentioned will help.

I thought the 6 or even the 5 inch would be far faster than the 8, but also remember that the 6 and 5 don’t have the chipper blade, just a solid blade which doesn’t cut as fast as the 8″, so in my opinion it didn’t cut any faster than the 8″ and didn’t turn the bit any faster. But yes, the weight difference was huge.

DPJ, sent you a PM on the availability of the skin.

Interesting and cuts down on cost, I’m sure. So, slightly larger hole size and then super glued or epoxied in? Or just form fitted to the hole?

Best that I’ve found and I’m happy with it.

http://www.walleye101.com/inc/sdetail/16832

Who says ending the day with a good laugh isn’t as good as at the start?

I shuddered when I read further into your post. Glad it didn’t turn out the way I thought it might have. Not to turn the thread into an ad, but I really like the Strikemaster snap cap I don’t have to even touch it with my hand, flips off with my foot, push down on the auger and it’s back on. They say that things become habit or second nature after you’ve done it 5000 times—training. I’ve tried to get myself in the habit of putting the cover on after drilling holes for awhile, and now that I’ve made my own atv rack out of 2×10 lumber to get it up there after I’ve drilled. I’ve got a 7 year old who goes with me and if I didn’t get the auger covered and up on the rack after drilling, murphy’s law would show me my errors very quickly. Thanks again for bringing the topic back in line with real world examples.

I’ll echo Glenn-d on the domination spike, the detail is almost too much. I’ve also had good luck on the GoJo by J&S custom jigs, and the waterbug by B-Y baits. Most of the time red works best, white for crappies but other colors work too, just depends on their mood.

I had an issue with a lazer pro that the mouth of the gas tank wasn’t square and thus would leak gas. My old Cobra made by Strikemaster needed to be vented but (from the cap’s perspective) the newer ones don’t. As was posted earlier, hard to have a hose leaking without having to take things apart. Hope this helps.

PM sent with specific info. I’ll take the unused (no offense ) XL and the Large–

My oldest is 7, the youngest is 4. I had the oldest out in the 16′ boat on Winnebago on a good day at 4 but was prepared to get off the lake within 10 minutes of leaving the breakwall. Of course he knew there were snacks and was into them before I finished parking the truck and trailer. With the purchase of a Ranger 620 I had them out late September for 6 hours but we were catching fish. Here’s what happens when you turn your back on the 4 year old and he’s not watching where he’s going….both legs in an 8″ hole up to his hip. We were laughing about it by the time we were at the truck. The 7 year old loves looking at the sonar and has caught fish we’ll see if that trend continues and he’s stoked to continue to go with me.

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Got to talk to Otter’s CS…they’re all sold out of just about everything….including frames which baffles me a little. I was quoted $150 for a frame, separate from the rest of the package in case anyone else was wondering.

Anyone else like the aerial shots they got showing how many others out there during the episode? I’m sure the budget can’t float a fly over with a chopper….my guess, and it’s only that, is a Go-Pro on a little remote helicopter or something similar….I’d be shocked if they had it on a pole….any staffer care to chime in?