Fisherpete

Sweet news, for my 15 year anniversary at work, instead of getting the usual nice watch my boss decided to fuel my fishing habit! Where shall I send him to pick up the muskie reel of my dreams? First of all, what do the TE's go for? If it is less than $400 I am good to go. Does LeBaron's carry the Calcutta TE's or just the B series? I didn't see the TE's on their website. Hmmmm... Lew, where do you do your shopping? What is going to kill me is getting this in December and then having to wait until next June to try it out!!!! Wonder if I can talk him into a Compre muskie rod with it... better not push it LOL!

OK, here's what I found today... Princess Auto has the best price for 4G wire. Cdn Tire had none, at Napa it was $70 for a 25 foot spool, PA is $1.59/foot, so for 25ft it works out to be just under $40. Times two, if I want to move both batteries, so roughly $80. I didn't check out any car audio places yet, might take a look there before I buy. The cable from PA has a nice tough casing though, might be the best bet. I already have a nice set of copper lugs for the end, which I am going to solder on. I need to pick up a set of butt connectors (lol butt connectors) to splice the new 4G wire to the existing trolling motor wire... which is 4G? 6G? I dunno? gauge... Any ideas where to find those? I found these ones at PA, but am not too sure of their weather resistance: WELDING EXTENSION CABLE CONNECTORS • Lenco style • Suitable for multiple sizes of welding cable • Comes complete with shivs and allen wrench FOR #4, #2 and #1 CABLE 0140202 – Wt. 0.7 lbs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $12.99 Maybe do some heat shrink tubing over top of them afterwards??? Sheesh... I need to stop fiddling and get fishing... can't wait until next week...

LOL bump so Danbo has to read and pay up!

Really? Crap, I was there last week looking, and scoured the electrical and auto aisles, but didn't really look in the welding area. Might have to make a run out there this afternoon... If not, there are a few car audio places around, I'll try them.

I find that my boat is quite rear heavy, so I want to move the 2 batteries closer to the front of the boat (one is starting, the other deep cycle for the trolling motor & accesories). I have been having some difficulty finding some appropriate wire to do so, to do both I will need approximately 25-30 feet or so. The questions: 1) What gauge wire should I use? 2 or 4 for the starting battery or is this overkill? What would be appropriate for the deep cycle to connect to the trolling motor (it is a transom mount)? Overall length of the wires would be 12-14 feet each. 2) Where can I find this type of wire? I have tried Cdn Tire, Home Depot, several boat shops... I have found lots of lighter stuff (16-18G). 3) Is the best way to splice the new and old wires together with a butt connector? Heat shrink some tubing over top? I was also thinking of moving the gas tank to the front, anyone know where I could get some longer (say 12-15 foot or so) fuel line? I am guessing that outboard fuel line is universal in size, but just in case, my outboard is a 30hp Honda 4 stroke.

I was at LeBaron today.

Well, after a ton of online reading, reading your guys posts, and walking around tackle stores for hours, I decided to put off the purchase of the baitcaster I had planned to buy. I almost went for the Abu Garcia Record, but after holding (and drooling) over a Shimano Calcutta TE today, I have decided to wait and get it in the spring (unless wifey puts it under the tree for Xmas/my b-day HINT HINT!!!). Man that is one sweet reel, Lew and Clive - you guys were right on... So, since my bonus money was burning thru my tacklebox, I decided to pick up another Muskie spinning rod, got the Compre Muskie 7' (same one as I already have). It's too bad they only make the one length in the Musky spinning, I would have liked to get a 7'6" for those figure eights, but oh well. Last week I ordered some Rockstar Lures bucktails from Mepps (Clive), and they also arrived today... along with some 80lb flourocarbon leaders! Both the lures and leaders are really sweet looking and well made!! Picked up some assorted other lures, some Power Pro, and a few other goodies, and *poof* bonus done. Going Esox hunting next Wed-Thu-Fri and hope to land a few beasts... report to follow! Thanks to all who responded to my baitcaster post, your sound advice will come to fruition in the spring... (This was on Wednesday) (Now, for Thursday's shinanigans) And now, thanks to the Kijiji link that Danbo sent me in my baitcaster post, I am out $110, but am the new owner of an Abu Garcia 6500 C3 baitcaster, spooled with 65lb PP, on a Fenwick Musky Class MH 7' rod... set is used but in really good shape. MAN I NEED TO GET OUT AND FISH ALREADY!!! All this new gear is killing me!!!!! LMAO!

LOL nothing yet, my bonus is on my pay on October 4th Leaning towards the 7'6" Compre and Calcutta CT-200GTB (unless this is too small of a reel?) I like the idea that it is a few ounces lighter than the 400 series. Combo should end up around $400 or so. (yeesh, couch time if wifey finds out) http://www.lebaron.ca/pdf_files_sp08/fishi...mano_curado.pdf Keep the debate going... I have learned tons about reels in the past week!

I do cast a lot of bucktails and inlines... after reading all the posts so far I am leaning towards the 7' or 7'6" Compre with the Curado 300.

So it turns out I made my September bonus at work, just in time to get a baitcaster and musky rod for October! I have a spinning version of the Shimano Compre 7' Musky rod, which has served me well, and am thinking of getting the same but in the baitcasting version. As for reels - I will have around $170 left after buying the rod, any suggestions? This will be a musky and big pike specific setup for me. A few that have caught my attention and fit the price range... (well almost for some of them LOL) Shimano Calcutta Shimano Curado Abu Garcia Ambassadeur EXT Abu Garcia Ambassadeur Record Abu Garcia Ambassadeur C3 Suggestions are welcomed! I do roughly 90% casting, 10% trolling. I have also noticed that there are two distinct styles of baitcasters, the "round" style like the Calcuttas, and the lower profile ones like the Curado. What are the differences - mainly just in the ergonomics?

Well, I replaced the races, and all is well so far. I put 300km on the trailer yesterday. The hubs didn't even get warm on the highway, I stopped a few times to check. I went to Cdn Tire and picked up the biggest socket they had (36mm) and it was the perfect size for tapping in the new races. Thanks again for the advice guys. Did OK fishing too, I was out solo after musky and didn't even get a follow, but caught two walleye and one smallie for my efforts. The walleye was my best this year, 24.75" and thick. Pretty decent for a Kawarthas eye. Big girl - let her go even though I was hankering for a fish dinner. Smaller one (slot size on this lake) Smallie - acrobatic fight from this guy!

Thanks for the advice guys. Now, how does one go about getting those races out of the hub, and the new ones in? I am guessing tap them out with a screwdriver, or is there a more civilized way (tool)? When I used to work in a bike shop, and installed headset bearings & cups, we had a press for it.

I just replaced the wheel bearings on my boat trailer for the first time, seemed pretty straight forward (messy though). I took her out the other day, and when I got home, I noticed that one of the new inner seals I had put in had totally blown up. What could have caused this? My only thought is that maybe I tightened the nut on that side up a bit too much, causing it to overheat and melt the seal. I did tighten it up and then back it off 1/8 of a turn before putting in the cotter pin. I only replaced and repacked the bearings with bearing grease, I did not change the bearing races, as they seemed to be in good shape. Maybe the new bearings don't match up with the old races perfectly? Any thoughts? I am heading out again tomorrow and would hate for this to happen again. It scares the crap out of me thinking it may fail on the highway.

I have the exact rod you are looking to buy, the Shimano Compre Muskie spinning 7', matched up with a Quantum Energy PTI. I also use 50lb Power Pro. Never had any problems bringing in any of my muskies quickly with it - it is a great rod. That being said, I am looking to buy a baitcasting outfit soon, just because I keep hearing it is easier to cast and retrieve big baits with baitcasters. I almost wore my arm out last time out chucking believers for 10 hours with my current setup!

I have been using the Berkley easy clips for four years now. Never had a fish come off due to them, but I have lost some spinnerbaits - when smacking the water to get the weeds off. Only with a spinnerbait, never with any other lure. I use the clips alone when bass fishing, and the 12" or 18" fireline leader with easy clip when going for pike and muskie. I have never even had one of these fray yet. They have my stamp of approval!

This bait works great for me for muskies every time I go to Balsam. Except for the yapping. Make sure the dog sweater is firetiger coloured.

This 20 incher I caught at Rice Lake last summer was 4.2 lbs. It was not a super thick fish, didn't have that 'football' look like some of them get in the fall. The one in the first picture was 16", just for comparison. I rarely weigh any fish these days, but the 20" was (and still is) the longest smallie I have caught, so I took a weight out of curiosity. 16" 20" Here's my biggest by weight - 19.5", just under 5lbs. Caught last October, and FAT. 19.5", 4.9lbs

Spotted bass. Very similar to Largemouth. Don't think we have them up here in Canada?

Danimal, the EXACT same scenario happened to me and my friend Patrick earlier this year (June). There was a storm well off in the distance, which didn't hit the area until a few hours later. My rod just started buzzing and felt like a lightsaber in my hand. Touching the eyelets gave off a nasty little shock. Let me tell you, we hightailed it off the lake as fast as possible. It scared the crap out of me. The fishing had been very good too - 2 muskies had been landed, 2 more lost that day, but we didn't even think about it for a second.

19 rods for me, 9 reels. There were more but I sold off a half dozen earlier this year. Lures - don't even go there!

On my June fishing trip (which I will post a report soon), my bud Patrick and I each caught a Muskie on Balsam lake, and if I am not mistaken, both could be tiger muskies?? What do you guys think? Here's the pics. I guess there may be some truth to all the rumours of Pike being in Balsam... not a good thing... 30" 37"

I charge it with a Minn Kota 110-P charger, which is "Fully automatic 3–stage charging (bulk, absorption,maintenance)" Should be good to go? I got the battery with my boat last year, so I don't really know how it was treated beforehand, or how old it was. It looked pretty new...?

Came back from CTC, had the battery tested and yep, she was toast. Picked up a Motomaster Nautilus for $100. OK, here's my next question about deep cycle batteries. Is it bad to discharge them till they are virtually dead? The battery ran strong all last summer, then one long day I used it until the trolling motor wouldn't go any more. I charged it a few hours later when I got home, but it never seemed the same after that.

The past few trips, it seems to be dying really fast when using the trolling motor. Earlier last season, it would run all day and still have half a charge. I charged it a few days ago and used a battery tester, which read 12.75V after charging. Two days later after just sitting in the garage, I re-tested and it read 11.85V. Is she dying or is there some sort of maintenance to help revive it? I am going fishing for 9 days starting Saturday and don't want to do so with a wonky battery.

Nice pikies! It looks like a prop mark on the side of that one.