Old Ironmaker

Buddy bought a used 115 Merc E Tec last year for 12K and thought it was a great deal. I paid a tad more for a like new 14 year old 115 Merc 5 years ago and they threw in a 19' Starcraft and the trailer for free. Considering I stopped to pick up a few things at the store today and didn't even get a cart and it came to 73 bucks, no one shopping for toys can complain. I don't know how 2 working people with a few kids can even think about fishing today. Sad.

Hey Joe, remember that night at the 747 Club at the Buffalo airport after a Monday night game? You still owe me a hundred bucks. Dan I was thinking about doing that and was told b a marine mechanic It can't hurt. He isn't as concerned as I am with stuff getting into the tank. He said you would be surprised at the crap at the bottom of all gas tanks. And that's what a fuel filter is for. Enthropy. The bow is always much higher then the tank on the trailer, I could disconnect the tongue and crank it up if nothing else works. I don't know the science of that, yet. By the way I've always favored your 1st law over the 2nd. Thanks all JD

Thanks, this tank is buried in the floor same as the vent, if I could easily change the line I would. If I need to rip the boat apart to replace a vent line plugged it will stay and full the tank will be everytime I put it back on the trailer. Thanks

I'm sorry for you loss Sir. At our age it seems, no actually it is, that one can attend a service every week or so. But when we bury a kid that never got to have a life is tragic. A very close friend lost his 23 year old son to the same thing 2 years ago. He's lost. There is nothing we can say or do to help him. After 32 years his wife and he split. I'm so sorry Cliff.

Looking good there Corvette1. The pic fishing is really picking up here at Nanticoke as well. We haven't had the numbers you had there but good nevertheless. Starting to get the odd Coho as well. Haven't even seen one for years. It's hot at Pt. Bruce as well. Funny how they hardly even use spinners on the west side of the point, mostly all those crazy named Silver Streak spoons and plugs. We have our Dipseys and leadcore set at basically the same depth as well. Only one fish on the downriggers in 4 trips. Have you noticed bait balls and fish right on bottom? A pal at Bruce is seeing that as well. I thought maybe it was structure but it's not. I've never seen so much high winds and wind shifts as this July. Lucky I can pick any day but it is tough for the working folks. Bud took a week of to go out longlining with us last week and only got out 1 day for perch with a NE, ENE wind. I only end up washing bait with those winds and swore last year to stop wasting gas. A few were out in those winds, netted a few but nothing to write about. Good work.

Hummingbird has always been good to deal with for me. Giving an earful to anyone will never get you good service. You get to someone who isn't offshore. Just recently it took me 15 minutes to give a young lady offshore my email address. I have a 3 foot rooster tail on one of my unit, reminds me to lower it 1/2". It's never fun to have to deal with any service person. Just yesterday I said to my wife I can't wait for the day I buy something and it actually works. Can you imagine having a job where every time the phone rings you know there is someone on the other line pissed, every phone call. And minimum or a poor wage at least. I usually start off by talking to the person about anything but my problem in a tone that they know I won't be combative. Doesn't work with the offshore guys, they think I'm nuts.Man I've received a lot of free stuff I didn't ask for on a warranty issue. Even an upgrade from a 5 series Hummingbird to a 7 series without asking. Once on a BBQ new grills, thermometer, drip pan and I needed a handle that cracked. Plus they sent me not 1 but 2 handles.

I've learned more about fuel venting in the last few hours that I ever thought I would need to know. Vapour lock has nothing to do with filling a gas tank. From what I have learned vapour lock is a phenomenon referring to fuel starvation while the engine is running, so lets forget vapor lock. The vent cap on the side of the boat, Starcraft 190, is both the vent to allow air into the tank in order for fuel to flow may or not be an anti surge line as well. My filler cap which is manufactured by Perco does not have a vent feature on it. It is a solid plastic fitting that screws into the filler cap. There is a screen on the inside of the cap on the vent, this to ensure critters don't plug the line, it's clean. I'll check again when the sun's out. A common cause is dried scunge on the inside of the vent line caused by fuel splashing up and into the line when riding in rough water. Suggestion is to blow only this line out with air. I don't want to do that, the scunge or crud caused by phase separation will then go into the tank, then where will it end up? Probably somewhere I don't want it to be when I'm 15 miles out in the shipping lanes in Erie. I could always carry a spare fuel filter, which I do, but if anyone thinks I'm going to be able to change it while bouncing around in 1 meter waves they have a very high opinion of my mechanical abilities. It's a pain to change while the boat is on the trailer. I don't know if this line has a kink in it, or has got a loop somehow that will create a seal somehow. How can I check for that? Also I should add, that filler cap becomes very, very tight somehow between fills. I don't know why. Hope my homework helps.

A bud had the same thing this spring. It was the powerpac. I'm no expert on marine dealers but where is a marine an hour and a half away from water in Ontario? Not many places that far from water in this province. I see your locations are from BC to TO. If you are in the London area I would take the drive to Simcoe and see Mr. John Hayington at Proctors in Simcoe. More than once he's troubleshot a problem for us over the phone when no one else could find the problem. They regularly will take the vessel to Dover to field test it if shop conditions don't replicate the problem. Big difference between a shop and a lake.

We had a camp down river of Westmeath for years. That river can be a fishermans heaven. All the species mentioned by MuskyMat plus some. The Ottawa is really a series of small lakes connected by fast water. All your basic Bass techniques will work. Find Lillie pads and shallower weedlines and you'll find your largies, find rock outcrops, rock flats, and shield bolders and you'll find nice smallies, pike, musky, perch, shark. Hit the outflows of fast water and headwaters you should find Pickeral and Bass. Good luck, I'm jealous. Haven't been for years, it's beautiful there. Many of the guys that came up there with us for the first time moved there after retiring, it's that beautiful. Winter,I'm not so sure.

I know where to get good answers for a problem. So here I am. At the end of last season I went to fill my tank for winterizing. My fuel gauge has always had a problem which is it always shows full until about a quarter. Although the gauge showed full based on useage I know it was 1/2. I filled the tank and after about 20 liters it suddenly overflowed from the filler port, nothing came out the vent cap. I know it was nowhere near full even though the fuel could be seen at the top of the filler tube. I took the boat home and removed the vent and fished a long wire down the filler tube but didn't feel any resistance and the fuel couldn't be seen any longer before fishing the wire. Replaced the vent cap and filled again, slowly. I could here the fuel rising and it took another 20 liters. Went for a ride with the boat in tow to the next gas station before filling looked down the tube and couldn't see any liquid and it took another 20 or so litters. Continued the tour of filling stations in the county and the last stop the fuel level was at the top, tank full. It's doing the same thing this season. I hoped the problem might magically disappear, no such luck. I'm told I have a vapour lock. Is it vapour lock? Those persons aren't able to give me a fix. Changing the float is on my to do list. It actually has made me more aware to fill constantly. Ran out once, that's enough. Any suggestions folks. Thinking just now would filling with the vent cap off tell me anything? Thanks in advance, JD

Love the Ottawa, had a camp downstream of Westmeath for a while in the 80's and 90's. I'm sure it's related we have lost 25 feet of beach here on Erie at our place. It's really still there just underwater right now.

Both hulls have pro's and con's. The question is something like asking " What's the meaning of life?". You will get all sorts of answers. Glass boat owners love glass and aluminum folks love metal. I wanted a full windshield and a deep V aluminum as I am fishing Erie 99% of the time, a good size glass boat was too heavy for my liking and I didn't have any experience with glass so I went with what I knew. The windshield and casting platforms added much weight to my 19.5' Starcraft. A buddy has a center counsel glass boat a bit smaller and the weight is fairly close. I know if my wife got a face full of cold Erie water she wouldn't go out with me on the water. She should come along occasionally as if I look at the ownership it is actually hers. My vote is for aluminum. I like the ride better than glass personally, and especially the cost at the pumps after a day of running and gunning on the lake. Glass to me was too heavy like an old Sedan DeVille compared to an Eldorado. You might not know those cars. You are on the right track, do your homework and it will pay off, big time. I understand it's not a difficult task any longer bringing a boat up from the US. Many here have done it, do a search here and there are great threads concerning importing. I wouldn't get something from the deep south where they can use a boat 12 months of the year. I also might not buy a snow machine from the far north. Good Luck

I always will load the truck box before loading up a trailer. Unless of course the truck is full. always notice poorer handling of the trailer when leave the big Erie Walleye and Bows.

I would recommend Cardinal in Newmarket if that's consider GTA. You can easily play it to your own handicap with 3 18's I believe and more than 3 t blocks. There are many, many good courses fro $100.00 around T.O. If a trip to Niagara is in the plans you can't swing a cat without hitting a great course for under $100.00. Also good courses around Ancaster and I highly recommend Carlisle.

Good luck with your new venture. Lake of The Woods for me. Out of the way, way out is Lynn Lake Man. Giant Lakers and Grailing. Don't be in too much a rush trading in your ON. Outdoors card. You may need it sooner then you think. Be safe man. Ever see Deliverance? Don't stop for gas in Sask. or wear something green when you do.

I learned most from watching In-Fisherman in the 80's. When I finally was able to get WFN I was exited to see Al again, that is until the end of the show when he started quoting passages from the Bible. Not the time or place for Bible study in my opinion. Every other show is a half hour infomercial. When Angelo Viola brings the CEO of Cooper Tire on and they start talking about which tire is best for his Dodge Ram to trailer his Pricecraft boat with the Mercury Optimax which he uses his Shimano rod and reels with a Rappala on to fish while at ABC Lodge of which his Garmin GPS helped him and Pete find it then they put on the Muskol, that was enough. I cancelled my WFN subscription and saved me a total of $1.99 plus HST. No more infomercials. If I want to know something about fishing I'll come here and ask. I will watch Charlie Wray on Saturdays. He is no only a good guy personally he actually talks about how he caught that fish. Of course with all the stuff that sponsors his show. No sponsor no show unfortunately. I have learned much about long lining from him, of course as long as I have Seagaur leader tied on. I'll say it again no sponsor, no show.

Relax son, it's a fish report for goodness sakes. It got to me because I just buried my friend Monday that couldn't give a hoot about his health like Grump, I know many like him and wish him the best. There are others to think about you leave behind when you die to pick up the pieces, his wife, his children, his grand kids, his fishing pals. My Cheerios tasted like piss all week. Good fishing and good health to you. Once you get a few growth rings you might understand a bit. Grump knows exactly what I'm talking about.

Yes the waistline comment was uncalled for, I'm sorry. We just lost a friend at a too young 52 because he wouldn't watch his weight and it's beyond frustrating. It is not healthy, but to each his own, we are adults, I even act like one sometimes. I have to remember a 5 pound Walleye here is too small to keep. But I still say those fish are too small to keep.

As a resident of Erie I wouldn't be going into that lake in a 14' anything, even 14' deep Lund!. Never. My 19'6" is too small many days after going out in glass like conditions. As soon as I feel a wind shift, off the water I head. If there is any breeze in the AM there are stiff winds all afternoon. I swear by WindFinder.com. Also check weather.gc.ca for Eastern Erie reports. When it says 1/2 to 1 meter waves forget about it, I can gaurantee you 6 foot or more swells during gusts. 10 knot winds is my stay home and golf winds because if it says 10 there will be gusts to 15knts or more. I beg you not to go out on this Lake in a tinny, please. I have to add. Right know if I told you the lake has 1 foot Walleye chop one would think it would be fine to head out on, only 12" no big deal. Bit that 1 foot chop has white caps on them, far different than slight 1 foot roll. This tells me the caps are remnants of large breakers only a few miles out. Sure enough I look by telescope and it's very rough not far from shore. Plus the wind is blowing harder that the wave height would indicate, it's going to be rough until 5PM then lay down till around 8PM, then pick up again. 20 years watching this Lake now full time. Years before coming out fishing. She can be scary.

Those are some of the smallest fish I've seen on a stringer since catch and release became popular. Sorry Grump but those fish are too small to keep. No wonder you look like you haven't missed any meals. That's a bit cruel I know, but man those fish are too small, I'm surprised.

I would suggest all subscribe to the Ministry site through the link TJ has so kindly provided. Some great info there. Question about transporting live fish. If they are alive in my live well when I put the boat on the trailer am I in violation? I usually try and shut off the recirc pump well before hitting port but have found a few alive when I get to the closest store to throw a bag of ice in the livewell. I'm talking 150 perch sometimes from Erie. And I check if any are alive before leaving the marina. But am I in violation as soon as that boat is on land and they aren't all dead?

The best thing I've read on this entire thread. You said it Kick. I am really thinking about moving. We have a rental property in Nova Scotia, with great fishing. Property taxes are less than 1/2 there for the same accessed value. Yes 3 months of nice weather, maybe, that's what Arizona is for. I still can't believe this.

Hey Shloim ready to sell that beautiful boat yet? I'll give you what you paid!!! Good luck and as I said in my PM go hammer them little buggers. Send us a report. After all the launching tips, don't forget the gas. As I type this Wynne has her girlfriend on stage giving her acceptance speech. Time to make that move to Nova Scotia, I'm very serious. I'm too old for this crap.

Oh stop it. The people of Ontario spoke and spoke Red. Blame who you want we lost. The GTA didn't speak for us all. They hammered the PC's by not the 2% I predicted for the PC's it was a blowout. Take it and accept it. Toronto didn't vote them in, if they did prove it with number not rhetoric. Lose grasiously, don't whine. Man what a shocker!!!!

X2, how embarrassing, even dragged the transom saver up a ramp once, what in the Lords name is that noise? Lucky I didn't loose it, another 100 bucks goof tax.