Boats $$$$ 🤬🤬🤬

[Hard rock]

I love it when I see anyone taking care of things well, fixing, rebuilding, and just flat continuing to use what they have and like. Not much better than seeing a well done CC woody slide by a Bill Gates save the environment Mega Yacht. I'm only on my 13th season with the latest wet ride, and I'm thinking it goes to my Grand Kids when I'm fishing in that beautiful blue water above.

My first boat When I was 18 was a homemade boat made out of mahogany , timed in oak , with a solid oak keel runner , stainless boat builder nails , nailed and glued . The trailer was homemade , dipped in tar too prevent rust . The trailer had bronze rollers with stainless pins that would jack the boat up for launch . The boat was a work of art , too bad men don't have the ingenuity and skills they once had . I really was impressed with that old boat , now the adjustable axle cradle sits under a portable fiberglass deer stand in West Texas.

 

[jessej]

Id say a man who buys a boat at age 80 is pretty damned smart.
I bought my last new one 3 years ago when i was 84.
I needed another one so i could get further back into the swamps.
14x42 Alweld jon with a 20 Merk electric and a 50# Minn kota.
Runs in less than a foot of water.
I sit under a 6' beach umbrella when not back under the trees.
No need for downriggers on that one. lol

I love the big water. But what you've described takes me back to a simpler time.
Nothing like gettin back in the swamp to unplug.
Last weekend I took my wife's young cousin to a place I'd not visited in 20 years.
The old cypress still stands. The first time I went to it I was probably 5 years old.
Fwi. The guy in the pic is 6'6" tall

 

[yobuck]

I love the big water. But what you've described takes me back to a simpler time.
Nothing like gettin back in the swamp to unplug.
Last weekend I took my wife's young cousin to a place I'd not visited in 20 years.
The old cypress still stands. The first time I went to it I was probably 5 years old.
Fwi. The guy in the pic is 6'6" tall
View attachment 367817

Make no mistake on what i said Jesse.
I prefer the big water also, and for many years thats all i did for the most part.
My first 10 years in Florida were spent living full time in the Keys.
But at this point im thankfull for what i have left as for condition, and try to make the best of it.
You know what? its all mostly mind over matter.

 

[jessej]

And at over 5 bucks a gallon for Prem non eth. It's not nearly as fun as it once was in them biiig boats.

 

[Reelamin]

And at over 5 bucks a gallon for Prem non eth. It's not nearly as fun as it once was in them biiig boats.

Uh almost 7 and my little 150 burns 10 gal an hour at cruise. So lucky I can fish close to home and long boat trips are few. Have two 120 milers planned for this summer. Will see if we actually go.

 

[Muddyboots]

Ok, update. Splashed boat at noon today for shakedown. Temp gauge perfect! Trim switch perfect! Lost 2 kings but that happens. Nice afternoon until wind shift to north really wound the lake up to 3-5' so pulled lines and headed back in. Good day! Everything worked perfect! Just being on water was nice respite. Lots of bait was encouraging for maybe heavier fish later in year.

 

[comfisherman]

Cost per mile is going to factor in for even us commercial guys. Last barge took us to just under 5 for 1000+ gallon fills. Ober 5 for under 1000 gallon. Littlr Boat can putter around at 4 gph around 7 knots. Fish prices are up to 2012 levels but my expenses have just about doubled.

Looked at my receipts for the last 18 months bought a 5 gallon pail of acetone for 49, then 64 and today 99. Guess it's the high price of repairs.

 

[jessej]

She's a beaut muddy. Glad you got out there.

 

[jessej]

Same concept works with rifles.

 

[yobuck]

Ok, update. Splashed boat at noon today for shakedown. Temp gauge perfect! Trim switch perfect! Lost 2 kings but that happens. Nice afternoon until wind shift to north really wound the lake up to 3-5' so pulled lines and headed back in. Good day! Everything worked perfect! Just being on water was nice respite. Lots of bait was encouraging for maybe heavier fish later in year.View attachment 367985View attachment 367986View attachment 367987

How deep? how far back? What speed? What lure? What color?
And thats just for mentioning you had a knockdown on the radio. lol

 

[Muddyboots]

50'-61', SOG 2.9-3.1, 2.8-3.0 at ball with X4, 20' down 50' lead with Dreamweaver Smurf, 32' down 40' lead with Warrior UV Blue Dolphin. Surface temp 51-52. Wind from NE at 15-20 switching to dead north 15-20 about 3PM that really woke up lake. Tried different lures etc but these 2 took the hits. Also worked out to 70-80' and graph cleared out of everything so went back into the 60' level.

I was fishing the high noon high sun midday since it was just a shakedown but gotta throw rods in! Friends that were out at daybreak did really well, one caught 9 kings and 4 cohos then bite shut down just as I set my boat down at 11:30 or so! Which they thanked me for messing everything up!

High sun really can spook fish but hoping to be back out Monday. Grad parties, babysitting etc rest of week! But weather is crappy on lake so NBD.

 

[Orange Dust]

50'-61', SOG 2.9-3.1, 2.8-3.0 at ball with X4, 20' down 50' lead with Dreamweaver Smurf, 32' down 40' lead with Warrior UV Blue Dolphin. Surface temp 51-52. Wind from NE at 15-20 switching to dead north 15-20 about 3PM that really woke up lake. Tried different lures etc but these 2 took the hits. Also worked out to 70-80' and graph cleared out of everything so went back into the 60' level.

I was fishing the high noon high sun midday since it was just a shakedown but gotta throw rods in! Friends that were out at daybreak did really well, one caught 9 kings and 4 cohos then bite shut down just as I set my boat down at 11:30 or so! Which they thanked me for messing everything up!

High sun really can spook fish but hoping to be back out Monday. Grad parties, babysitting etc rest of week! But weather is crappy on lake so NBD.

Muddy, really envy you. Haven't caught a Coho or a King since I fished the Columbia River 10 years ago. Just too far away. Sold my Bass boat years ago to pay the bills when my wife got cancer. Grandson is 4 now and his Mom has been taking him bank fishing at a local pond. He's been having a blast, so I bit the bullet and bought another boat. Its a 1856 River Rat with a 80hp jet. Hopefully, it will be ready tomorrow and I can pick it up. No one knows about it, it is going to be a surprise. Going to take them trout fishing on the White. Browns taste better than Coho, but not quite as good as Kings. Good eating.

 

[jessej]

1856 River Rat with a 80hp jet

That's a dandy there.

 

[Orange Dust]

That's a dandy there.

I hope so. Its a little big for the White, but it is rough water filled with car sized rocks. Wanted something very stable that I can hopefully keep him in the boat and out of the cold water.