Billy Bob

I have a bridge for sale.........I call it the Peace Bridge......... bottom line if you can't test it move on........ Bob

In my inner circle where we all fish for "walleye" on Lake Erie (and other lakes) we refer to them as "fish". So when my buddy Don calls and says he got 4 fish yesterday I KNOW he is referring to "Yellow Pike"......OK, walleye or pickerel, Eh..................

The Lowrance LMS 520/522 units are getting hard to find since Lowrance is now producing the newer HDS units.

From reading this, it sounds like the dog is the one that need 118 stitches.......

Here's a great site for fishing electronics for sale. http://bbcboards.zeroforum.com/zeroforum?id=70 Also here's a great site about networking them together and everything else you might need to know about your depth finder (the 7th from the top is for networking)... http://bbcboards.zeroforum.com/zeroforum?id=13 Bob BTW Stoty.......I see Cabela's has some LMS520 units now on sale for $499.00 with $5 shipping... can't beat that deal with a Ugly Stick http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/template...&hasJS=true

Here's some "walleye", "pickerel" and "perch"...............YOU make the call.... BTW they were all caught this year on opening day of walleye...

Old timers in the Buffalo area ALWAYS called walleye "Yellow Pike" and years ago MANY (just a couple now) taverns have "Yellow Pike" on their Friday fish fries. Most are now serving Haddock...:<( LONG ago when there were TRUE "Blue Pike" in Lake Erie ALL the taverns in the Buffalo are served both Blue Pike and Yellow Pike. Blue Pike were always a little more money on the menu.......Oh, the good ole days...:<)

NICE pictures, thanks for sharing...... Bob

I had one similar on the lower edge of my right eye lid.....Had it removed and the test came back as a Basal cell carcinoma and the test also showed they didn't get it all. So back to the surgeon two months later and now it's all taken care of. This is a type of skin cancer and everyone should take caution with the sun. Spending over 40 years on the water caused this, so now I use sun screen every time out. I have several kinds aboard at all times. The rest of you should also make sure you use lots of sun screen. Here's the dope on this cyst. Basal cell carcinoma is the most common kind of skin cancer. More than 90 per cent of all skin cancers in the United States are basal cell carcinomas. Fortunately, basal cell carcinoma also is the least serious kind of skin cancer. That's because it grows slowly and rarely spreads. It spreads in less than 1 out of every 1,000 patients.

That's pretty old news on the Toyota Tacoma truck, but for anyone that has one here's the deal....... 1995-2000 Tacos. Toyota will inspect it first and if it the mechanic sees the rust as not being worth repairing, they will give you 150% of the Tacoma in excellent condition for your year. For example, if you currently own a 1997 Taco that's in poor shape and you have the rust issue, they will buy back your Taco for the market value of a 1997 Taco in excellent condition plus 50%. How's that for taking care of your customers? Also, they've extended the rust warranty to fifteen years as well. Here are a couple of links to show you. http://jalopnik.com/376911/rusty-toyota-... http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/showth...

I checked with my other Redneck buddies and explained that to them and they said it would be OK if you hung your fishing rods in your pickups......and if they are duct taped together, all the better..... Billy Bob

Hey, wait a minute. No one said anything about Redneck's...... If you don't like the cormorant's you're a INBRED FREAK like me....... and don't forget it..... I always thought you had to be a American to be a Redneck... But if you want to be a Redneck just tell them you know Billy Bob (The Inbred Freak) and I'm sure the rest of the gang will accept you.. Now where the hell did I put my double barrel shotgun.......last time I remember seeing it I was using it to jack up my truck........

Most times you are really much better off with a full size truck.......the small/mid size trucks DO NOT get much better gas mileage than the full size trucks and get LESS mileage than what a full size truck gets when towing. Not to mention how much taxing is being placed on that smaller tow vehicle. I have had both so I am speaking from experience.......not to mention how much better and SAFER towing is with a full size truck. That was my #1 reason I went back to a full size truck. I have towed my boat all over the US and through Ontario and when I had a smaller truck I really had to watch myself on long trips. If I was fully loaded I would have to stay at 60 mph at the most and then leave plenty of room for stopping. I was always a bit nervous while towing with my FORD Escape......... I no longer have those fears with my full size truck. But to each his own.....but if you think you are going to save a lot of gas with the smaller tow vehicle, well it just doesn't work out like that.......

Folks that spend that kind of money on a summer home usually don't fish at ALL.............:<)

According to the Ford website the offer is good until June 30th. He might have a bigger fish biting on that Ranger. http://www.fordvehicles.com/trucks/ranger/...m&planType=

I better make sure I'm not fishing on the launch dock when you get there......LOL JUST KIDDING...........glad to see you can take some kidding......... Bob

Yep, that's me a inbred freak that met his wife at a family reunion........... Young lad, stop back around when your no longer wet behind the ears........ Billy Bob The Inbred Freak

Sorry to hear that you were getting "Jerked" around by the salesman...........that's what's typically called "Low Balling" in the industry. There are many different forms of it but it basically means you are given a low ball price to keep you interested in the vehicle they have and you have shown some interest in. They expect you to get excited about the new car/truck and you have told friends and family you're getting a new ride because of this great deal you're getting. Then at the last minute they left something out of the price or they made a error on the figures, etc.......... then because the customer is so close to getting his new ride he agrees to pay the extra amount just so he can have it. BTW this might have been a Blessing in disguise after reading the Consumer's Report on the Ford Ranger. Bob

Bill it's nice to see you are enjoying your Ford Ranger but I have to call you on a few things you said as I quoted them above. 1) You stated the reviews from Consumer Reports is very subjective and that's just the point here. I would have to go with a NON OWNER who does this for a living rather than someone who is trying to convince someone else how good his/her truck is...... 2) Toyota indeed makes a small truck it's called the "Tocoma" and it's earned the best truck in the small truck class, much unlike the Ranger that rated dead last. At the bottom I included a link for one......... 3) Sorry but I don't believe your Ranger is getting 24 miles to the GALLON towing the boat. That's even more then the EPA rating without towing the boat. http://www.toyota.com/byt/pub/init.do?zipC...amp;x=0&y=0

Two years ago on Stoney Lake we had a ball with top water lures on shallow rock reefs on largemouth bass. Even a few smallmouths were hitting them. THEN just as it was getting dark my reel backlashed and I lost the hot top water lure as it broke off and kept on going somewhere. The next morning with a onshore breeze I thought I could find it but no luck. But anyways, this was really the first time I had great success using top water plugs. Early morning and evenings seem to be the time they worked the best. We had our limit of walleyes so we played with the bass. Boy that lake has a healthy population of largemouth, I will say that. BTW if I remember correctly the hot lure that I lost looked a lot like the top left lure in your picture. Bob

Hey guys, it not MY report it's your Canadian Government that did the report. I tend to side with all of you. If they opened a shotgun season on these birds I have enough ammo to take out about 1000 myself....... If you read the report and it's a LONG ONE.........it really only talks about the Great Lakes that have much larger fish populations.........I can see where in a smaller lake that they could devastate a fish population. One thing to think about though is if there are a lot of cormorants on your lake you must have a pretty good fish population or they would just relocate to another lake that does. Bob

I think the "Dude" has some anger issues to deal with........

Evidently you didn't read the link about the cormorants. If you believe what it says that although the cormorants are always thought to be a threat to fish populations this is far from the truth. Bob

I subcribe to Consumer's Report and you will NOT like what they say about the Ford Ranger. It has the LOWEST rating in it's class. Ford Ranger Ford Ranger Tested version: extended cab Sport V6 (shown) Base MSRP price range: $16,395 - $25,805 Price it Compare it Highs Compact dimensions, bed capacity. Lows Ride, handling, braking, noise, fuel economy, fit and finish, seat comfort, driving position, no side-curtain air bag or ESC. Car Type: Compact pickup trucks CR overall score info What's this? 25Out of 100 Chart key Highest 79 This model 25 Lowest 25 report card chart bottom end-cap tab left Overview tab right Ratings & Specs Road Test Reliability Owner Satisfaction Prices & Costs Photos & Video end-cap CR Model Summary Perhaps the only truly small truck still available, the dated Ranger (and its twin, the Mazda B4000) is behind the times. The rough 4.0-liter V6 isn't particularly powerful or efficient. Handling is reluctant, and when unloaded, the rear of the truck can step out on bumpy corners or washboard roads. The ride is stiff and snappy. Stopping distances are long. The narrow cabin is noisy inside and has rudimentary levels of comfort and fit and finish. Extended-cab models have two rear jump seats, useless for adults or child seats. The bed is useful-sized. No curtain air bags or ESC are available, but ESC will be standard for 2010. See full road test General Model Specs Body styles regular cab, extended cab Drive wheels Rear or part-time 4WD Seating 3 front, 2 rear Engines available 2.3-liter 4 (143 hp) 4.0-liter V6 (207 hp) Transmissions available 5-speed automatic 5-speed manual Warranty Basic: 3/36 Powertrain: 5 year/ 60,000 mile See complete specs Recommended Alternatives May we also suggest that you research these vehicles: Toyota Tacoma Toyota Tacoma Nissan Frontier Nissan Frontier Honda Ridgeline Honda Ridgeline Road Test The Ford Ranger falls far short of modern pickup-truck standards. It's ungainly and stiff-riding; has a rough and noisy, inefficient engine; and a cramped, uncomfortable cabin. The interior is crudely finished. Compact dimensions and a usefully sized bed are the Ranger's only pluses. Even if you took thousands off its list price, the Ranger still would not be a bargain. This test applies to the virtually identical Mazda B4000 as well. THE DRIVING EXPERIENCE Ride comfort & noise: The ride is harsh and snappy. Common road bumps come through as hard slams and some impacts make the whole structure shake. Jitters and bounces follow you onto the highway. Noise sources abound from the rough engine, tires, and relentless wind. Handling: The Ranger feels clumsy and requires lots of steering input from the driver when tackling turns. Body lean is not excessive, but the tires are quick to protest. When unloaded, the rear end kicks out easily over washboard roads and potholes. A 45-foot turning circle hampers maneuverability in tight spaces. Though it reached its cornering limits early and managed only a low speed through our avoidance maneuver, the Ranger proved ultimately secure. Electronic stability control could help, and will be standard for the 2010 model. In off-road situations the Ranger does the job, but limited suspension travel compromises traction. Powertrain: A 207-hp, 4.0-liter V6 engine provides reasonably good performance overall, but its average fuel consumption of 16 mpg overall is not much better than that of much bigger, more powerful pickups. It's too bad that Ford doesn't offer one of the quieter, more modern, and less thirsty V6s it uses on other models. The Ranger was able to tow our 5,000-pound trailer up to 60 mph in 25.5 seconds, a decent performance. The five-speed automatic transmission shifts smoothly. The four-wheel drive is a part-time system only. Braking: Fair overall, with long stops, especially on wet pavement. Headlights: There is good forward illumination, but the pattern is very spotty and uneven. INSIDE THE CABIN Driving position: It's difficult to find a good driving position partly because the steering wheel doesn't adjust. Short drivers wanted to sit higher and had trouble reaching the pedals. Leg, knee, and head room are OK, but elbow and shoulder space are tight. The side and rear views are obscured by wide roof pillars, thick head restraints, and small windows. Seat comfort and access: The Ranger's front seats are very firm, with long, flat cushions and little side support. Seat adjustments are limited to recline and fore/aft positions. A very narrow perch in the center of the front bench gives scant seating for three across. In the rear, the two tiny, center-facing jump seats are barely habitable and best left unused. Most found the running board got in the way more than it helped with access. There are useful grab handles on the inside front roof pillars. Rear reverse-opening doors can open once the front seat occupants remove their seatbelts. But since the two jump seats face inwards, they must be folded away in order to access the center area and then folded out again to seat someone. Controls and gauges: The gauges are clear enough but pick up reflections and are partly blocked by the steering wheel. Most controls are simple, but the radio lacks a separate tuning knob. The climate system lacks versatility and there's no rear defroster. Interior fit and finish: Interior features harken back to earlier times. The plastics are mostly hard and cheap-looking. Screw heads are exposed and the door panel flexes when you pull the door shut. The floor has loose plastic matting instead of carpeting. Cabin storage and cargo room: The Ranger has moderate cabin storage, with a large compartment in the front center seatback armrest and open bins mounted on the center floor. The glove compartment and door pockets are small, and everything is downright no-frills basic. The cargo box is fairly commodious, and with the tailgate down the bed can support loads that are 7.5 feet long. SAFETY NOTES Safety belts: Front outboard safety belts have pretensioners. The center front position has a lap belt only. The occupant sensing system in the passenger's front seat detects if a small occupant, such as a child, is seated there and will disable the air bag for that position. The rear jump seats have no shoulder belts. Air bags: Standard driver and passenger front-impact air bags. Head restraints: Restraints for the outboard front seats are sufficiently tall. Rear and front-center seats lack restraints. Crash-avoidance systems: Aside from antilock brakes, the Ford Ranger is not equipped with any advanced crash avoidance features. Driving with kids: Rear-facing seats should never be installed in front. Front-facing seats can be secured in front passenger outboard position as long as the front seats are pushed back as far as possible from the air bag. Front-facing seats were also not secure in the center front position. There are two top-tether anchors at the base of the front passenger and center seats but the Ranger does not have any lower-LATCH anchors. Use of child seats in jump seats not allowed by child-seat manufacturers. There is no safe position for rear-facing seats. RELIABILITY We expect reliability to be average, according to our latest subscriber survey. Tested model: 2009 Sport extended cab 4WD, 4.0-liter V6, 5-speed automatic Major options: Limited slip, slding rear window, power equipment group.

Here's ALL the info you could possible need on cormorants........... http://www.on.ec.gc.ca/wildlife/factsheets...rmorants-e.html