JohnF

The vent's probably just under cap. There has to be relief or the tank would eventually implode. More likely the engine will quit from fuel starvation. Try removing the line at the carb and blow back into the tank. Don't swallow. If nothing else works, swear a couple of times - with conviction, kick the deck - hard, then pull the cord and it'll work perfectly. JF

That's what I was thinking, but I hope not. The problem is that it will probably deliver spark when there's no compression load. Fuel probs are usually cheaper & easier to fix. JF

I bought one of those CTC green things a few years ago and it's worked like a trooper for me. I was so impressed I bought one for my son too, and a snowblower for each of us. I used to think one had to buy the most expensive big name units but now I'm not so sure. It's not like I cut grass all day long for a living. JF

Forgot something. Make sure the pickup at the bottom of the gas tank isn't partially plugged. Is there an inline filter? Sounds like gradual gas starvation. JF

Cliff's the man. In the meantime make sure your gas cap vent isn't plugged. I've also seen ignition problems which would only appear when the bits get warmed up. That's a little tougher to diagnose.

I got one of those last summer and tried it one evening on a good pond. I stayed on the water till it was dark and got nada. Mebbe it's not a good dusk type lure. It's the only time I tried it but I've got it in the box to try again this year. Maybe Marko can show me how to use it properly. JF

Is that when you guys get enough of a load on to start blessing everyone? JF

Musta been a helluva time then, cuz I don't remember a thing. Was I driving? JF

I knew I shoulda gone when I saw the Grolsch that Sasquatch was drinking. JF

As long as there's cheddar with it. JF

I've got a few boxes of topwaters - Rapalas, minnows, popper style, other brands - if we get together on the weekend you're welcome to try some out. If Rob's with us he'll show you his method. All he fishes is the Rapala floating minnows and they sure seem to work well for him. I fiddle with everything I can get my hands on, usually with less success than him, except for those evenings when the bass are partial to plastic. JF

I just checked in the Fishing Store here in Stratford. He's only got 2 Walleye pattern. He's going down to Jos's in Woodstock right now and will check there. JF

Mebbe it's like staying a lifelong virgin. Ya just never know what you've been missing. JF

First time I ever saw a sasquatch with a tattoo. JF

I wasn't there, dammit. JF

http://www.animatedknots.com/uniknot/index...imatedknots.com

Good job, Cliff. I look forward to your reports. JF

I was checking out some of the local bass spots, and the news ain't grand. That rain we've been getting has turned the rivers to Krimko (does anyone else remember the chocolate milk by that name) and the forecast is for more of the same. What are the chances the little fishies are gonna be able to see the tempting treats we toss their way? We may be in for some braille fishing on Saturday. JF

Not exactly an aphorism, but kinda good all the same, and again no known author that I can identify - To my friends who enjoy a glass of wine... and those who don't. As Ben Franklin said: "In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria." In a number of carefully controlled trials, scientists have demonstrated that if we drink 1 liter of water each day, at the end of the year we would have absorbed more than 1 kilo of Escherichia coli, (E. coli) - bacteria found in feces. In other words, we are consuming 1 kilo of poop. However, we do NOT run that risk when drinking wine & beer (or tequila, rum, whiskey or other liquor) because alcohol has to go through a purification process of boiling, filtering and/or fermenting. Remember: Water = Poop, Wine = Health Therefore, it's better to drink wine and talk stupid, than to drink water and be full of crap. There is no need to thank me for this valuable information: I'm doing it as a public service. JF

Becky told us he wouldn't go topless cuz he hadn't waxed. JF

Not necessarily my favourite, and I have no idea who first uttered this, but: "Whether you think you can, or think you can't, you're probably right." JF

Thank you, and thanks to the others who've already responded here or in pm's. I wasn't sure if I should even start this thread, that anyone would take me anywhere near seriously. As I've explained to some of you who have pm'ed me about it I've been toying with an idea for quite a while but I was getting bogged down in details because I had built it around scuba diving. Now those of you who've done any diving know that it can get durned expensive, particularly when you start to go the tech route. A properly equipped wreck or cave diver can easily be sporting $7,500 in gear on a single dive, thousands more for scooters, plus the expense of travel to Long Island, Mexico or Florida, accommodations, not to mention the cost of gases etc. Wrecks are a little easier to reach than caves but even in Kingston or Toby there are still gear and gas costs, and the training to get a diver to the tech level can be hefty. It occurred to me that fishing is perfect for what I want to do. Accessible, inexpensive, easy to get started, and a challenge to do well - more allegorical possibilities than Aesop ever contemplated with his critters. The jury's out as to whether or not I have the creativity to make it happen, but I can sure have a helluva lot of fun doing some research this summer and beyond. This ain't an all-consuming passion with me, just a fun thing, so don't expect soul searing intensity if and when you meet me. I, like you, pull my pants on just one leg at a time - and sometimes I even forget to zip 'em up. If nothing else I'll get to meet some of you in person and add to my personal fish caught list. That in itself ain't a bad thing. Anything else that comes of it is a bonus. I did the same thing when I took up scuba diving in 1998. Within a few years I was travelling to meet new friends in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Florida and Mexico to dive, and that was in addition to the trips to Kingston and Toby. I can even tell you Long Pointers where the perch hang out by the thousands in case you don't already know, and that Cormorants can and do dive 50' below the Lake Erie waves. Ontario's not just a great fishing destination. We have some of the very best natural wreck diving in the world. So, my thanks to those of you who've taken my request at least semi seriously. I really am looking forward to getting out with as many of you as possible and seeing the different kinds of fishing you all get to enjoy in your respective back yards. JF

I thought you said hairy eared nympho. I figgered to each his own. Personally I prefer my nympho's ears to be something less than furry, unless she's a hobbit, of course. JF

He married one. JF

Wait till ya get home and Becky tells you all the stuff she found out from your "friends" online. JF