YodaMage

As far as pics, it is nothing but a big blue bubble right now. It looks like every and any other 1802 you'll see though

Latest update....found another good deal and after talking to the Admiral a solid choice, a newer Amberjack 270. Of course when I called it too is a brokered boat with no trades accepted. It seems that there are many ways to buy a boat, but almost none to get rid of one

Bump for my favorite releases and a necessity for anyone who stacks

I was a tried and true Lowrance guy but the last two units I bought from them were troublesome to say the least and their customer service was less then I'd come to expect. Google Lowrance and customer service issues and you'll find a truck load. I bought my first Humminbird unit two years ago and I have to say I'm sold on their stuff. The 788ci packs a ton of features for less then $600.

So I looked at a couple of interesting boats but I swore the next one would have a hard top. Those lucky enough to be on the coast have tons of shops that will make t-tops and hard tops but darned if I can find one anywhere out this way. Anyone ever have a Hard Top made anywhere in the W-CNY / NE Ohio area? I looked at Metal Creations which could possibly work and ship something, but if someone is around (and could use the work) I'd rather go local.

I've got 3 sets of these on my garage ceiling http://www.amazon.com/Berkley-Twist-Loc ... 191&sr=1-3

Is your fishing equipment the lawn mower, lawn chairs or the blue bike?

Thinking about selling this outright giving myself more flexibility with a new boat. Boat was purchased new by me as a leftover model in 2007. -Mercury Optimax 125 Saltwater Series, approx. 200 hours. -Humminbird 575 -VHF -Rear Jump Seats in new condition, never been in boat. -Cockpit canvas with drop curtains. -Porta Potti, never used. -Custom boarding ladder. -Karavan trailer, Galvanized, Single Axle: w/Brakes & Swing-Away Tongue. (Upgraded axle and tires 2009) -2 48" Cannon Unitroll 6's with custom made Stainless dual rod holders. -EasyTroller trolling plate with hydrofoil fins. Boat is 100% ready to fish and light on the wallet to operate. Only getting rid of it to make room for a bigger boat. boat trailers easy as it has been weighed at about 4000#'s on the trailer, ready to fish. Easily launched and handled by 1 person if need be.

Found two boats local (or there abouts) that may have been of interest but both are brokered boats and I'm not looking to get stuck sitting on two of them. Looks like I may have to consider buying new or go back to my Ohio road trip. If anyone is interested, I thought there were reasonable prices and features on a a 2006 Striper 2601 with the Alaska top sitting at Wheelhouse marine on Grand Island and the 2004 Grady Gulfstream at Arney's. Someone else might be able to scoop one of these.

My point is, that deciding to not buy a boat because a corporate entity decided to open a division to make a product which may or may not have anything to do with the issue you have your panties in a bunch over (as you have no idea if their product is even to be used here..for all you know it is to be shipped overseas which in fact helps trade deficits) is only an attack on people who have nothing to do with the whole darn thing...the people who will lose their jobs and only care about trying to make a quality boat for you to enjoy. Pure genius. My next point is that the distance between 'tree hugger' and true sportsman who is supposed to be concerned over conservation should be a short one...with the same concerns though possibly different means to achieve them. Seems many 'Sportsman' are more interested in exploitation of the environment, usually for the gain of their wallet, then they should be. And since you decided to try to apply labels, you are in fact wrong. I am a former Republican moderate who is now a proud independent as I believe that those that go far enough right find themselves circling all the way around to the same place inhabited by the extreme left, ignorance. It is not a black and white world...most truth resides in the grey area that many should use grey matter (brains) to understand.

Niagara is #1, but that possibly being too far, pick the biggest outflow you can find.

You need to keep the cheater short, and though it does add a little bit of a tangle in the net, it is manageable. Keep in mind the main swivel/lure is a stop at the first guide at the end of the pole, so the cheater length is as close as you can get the fish to the tip/boat. I run them only 6' long as a rule.

Late May, best guess without knowing weather and temps, I'll probably be running something like this: -2 Riggers both stacked the same, Spin Doctor at the ball the ball about 6 to 8 back, Some semblance of white/green. -2 Northern Kings running about 25 back and about 12 above the spinners, hottest colors I've found to be Green, Purple on white/black spoons, little chrome. (I hit kings on these that I think come from below and miss fly then find the spoon in their face as they swing by) -2 J&L (Substitute any light weight speed insensitive spoon) running off top lines as free sliders, colors green/pink/orange on white with silver backs, which often grab any browns/coho/steelies lurking around. I might have a board out on one side and a couple of Rebel Fastrac or a Fastrac and a Rapala running instead of the sliders if weather and conditions have me targeting big fish no deeper then 40'. Hope that helps.

Considering the amount of people here that probably work/worked for Kodak or some segment of the auto industry, arguably among the biggest polluters of the great lakes in general....irony. The point? You may or may not have known what was happening...you more than likely had no vote in it happening...and those that make (the people in the factory, those on the floor) Tiara/Pursuit boats don't either. And they are the ones you are hurting the most deciding to not buy anything from the company anymore for some fairly narrow minded reasons.

"As far as a 3 rod rule it doesnt change a thing with bag limits in place. DEC doesnt tell me how many arrows I can carry in my quiver to deer hunt but they sure do tell me how many deer I can shoot... Think about it for just a minute......." I think I can't shoot 20 deer because I have 20 arrows and be legal because I only kept one of them. Thunk about it Forget 3 rods...or four rods...or 20 rods...give me some explosives, then I can get some big fish. As long as I don't keep them, I'm legal

I agree with Jeb. Though I own about 8 different Ugly Sticks for most types of fishing, all my trolling rods are Diawa.

P.S., I rarely clear lines or pull all gear to fight or land a fish, unless it is a real big boy. A third guy makes that much more viable, but with two it isn't always so practical. As a matter of fact, anything short of about 12-15 pounds I've become quite adept at netting with the rod in the other hand solo.

For 4 lines, which is my usual: Early spring, 2 flat lines, 2 on planner. Only both with one board in this case. Then I transition as spring progresses to 2 flat, two on riggers. Finally I end up with 4 on 2 riggers, stacked. (possible sliders when we get deep enough). I occasionally run a dispsies but never found them to be worth the hassle. I won't run copper or lead ever. I catch my share. With two guy fishing, last thing you need when one guy is trying to steer and the other fight a fish is some crap hanging off the back of the boat 500' down the chute, which is where the fish will be. Another thing I've found useful in fishing with minimal man power is moving riggers about 4' up from the corner, leaving a nice pocket in either back corner of the boat for netting fish.

Careful, free gas for life might not be such a great deal for you If Arney's could water that 245 Robalo so it would grow into a 265 it would be nice. I'm not in love with the hull on the 265 Albie, they much improved it with the 268, but that said nothing is perfect. I'd call to figure out a time to look at that boat but they are SOOOO far over priced on it that I don't think there is a realistic conversation to be had. Looks like I need to road trip to Ohio this month again. http://www.southshoremarine.com/Page.as ... Abaco.aspx http://www.happydaysboating.com/pre_own ... eh=1797071

Billy's rig is not trailer-able. I don't mind bending a few laws here and there (9.5' beam...they won't notice) and have a truck that'll pull 12K pounds, but that boat is outside the realm of reality for what I'm doing.

PM Sent

I have been combing boattrader within 100 miles for a year, and still see nothing interesting. Have checked a bunch of the western new york marinas as well. Something like the following is what I am looking for: -Trophy 2359 -Trophy 2502 -Boston Whaler 275 Conquest -Wellcraft 270 Coastal -Albemarle 268 -Parker 2530 -Carolina Classic 25 Express -Grady 272 *All hardtop...I'm done with access canvas... Basically something on the extreme end of towable (I'd dock it, but want to be able to pull it out end of year and if it needs service), with the fishing ability combined with some family friendly amenity like a real head and a basic galley. Seems all the new boats are all bare bones fishing machines, a million dollars, etc.. I know all the dealers around here sell mostly cheap stuff and alot of CC's for the price sensitive, but a few of these boats had to have made there way into the area from the coast didn't they? I'm sick of getting blown of the lake most weekends and need to go bigger. I have about $75K to throw into this, so I'm not just looking to steal something. If anyone has a lead or someone thinking of selling, let me know. Thanks. Side note, I've made a couple of road trips 300/400 miles to look at a rig, nothing more disappointing then wasting time and money to travel that far to look at a neglected piece of junk. I want this to be the last boat I buy for the next 10 or 15 years.

Now when you charter captains realize the marketing ability of these first mates, I can sell my boat.

Sold one this weekend to the sportsman club I belong to. Now one more to go. '06 Brute Force 750 rigged for big mud. Very few hours on it (A baby showed up and eliminated such outings from my agenda...) Anyone with interest, let me know. I'll email details and photo's to anyone interested. Actually, I think I have one I can upload..

You pay....then you pay some more. We never give it back. Ever.