Kaptag

I will admit I expected backlash from my posting and I apologize for making the Ice Cream Social comment as that may have been the match that struck the fire. My ironic sense of humor will sometimes get the best of me, I shouldn't have made that rhetorical comment as I really feel it made some of us emotionally charged forcing them to take things personally. I know from experience when I'm emotional about a topic my heart rules the day and my common sense loses every time. Now to address one of the three (what I consider mildly negative to downright abusive) follow-up posts to mine: Zach's comment: What's wrong with family day and an ice cream social? Sounds like a good time to me but if u think this takes away from a competitive tournament, I apologize I agree with you, I think having a family day and ice cream social sounds like a wonderful event! You have no need to apologize for anything, it is glaringly apparent you are a very giving person. Unfortunately, I think you may have been sufficiently angered by my initial comment you over looked the rest of my post in which I encouraged you to have a family day event! Heck, I'd even help you organize it! The only difference in opinion we have here is that I didn't want every every tournament to be a family event. I will politely overlook the reference to baby-sitting your kid. As for eating my ice cream and you being a fat boy, 1st: I'm easily 60lbs overweight making me clinically obese - I own the fat boy reference! 2nd: I've met you although you wouldn't know it being surrounded by a sea of people in Pittsburgh and you are NOT fat. 3rd: You're probably saving me from a heart attack by eating my ice cream. Now back to your generosity and character: although you sell your own line of lures I have witnessed you promoting other lure makers products. That is a testament unto itself. A HUGE thank you to EsoxOnly for not taking offense to my post, politely disagreeing with me and at the same time showing me some support. Guess I wasn't facing the crowd alone after all. And for that kind sir, if you ever want to hunt rabbits behind a couple old Basset Hounds with your kids, let me know as my cousin has a dairy farm just across the tracks in Marathon and I'll take you there with my dogs! Be advised, I'm even worse at hunting than I am at fishing and posting on BB's!

For those of you with young kids . . . great idea. For the rest of us, I can only speak for myself. . . not something I'm looking forward to or would spend my weekend doing. Guess I'll be fishing alone, someplace else. As for doing "this for the next generation". . . it's a nice thought but that's not why I fish. I fish because I enjoy fishing. My son plays music because he enjoys music. If we can pass it on to the next generation, then that's all well and good. Realize this: You have just changed the format of this particular tournament & every other tournament into a family day followed up with an ice cream social. I strongly encourage you to have such an event and I really do like the fact that you're trying to find ways to make these events better for everyone. Keep it up! For me, I'm not up for spending time with someone else's kids - even if they are the best kids in the world. If the club chooses to go this route, that's fine with me I just want to add my point of view so you can make an informed decision. Now for s_ _t storm heading my way

Justin, Thanks for the advice on the TM. I checked with the dealer and there isn't any room in the mechanicals compartment for a 4th battery so I would have to sacrifice some of my storage for the additional battery. That combined with the additional cost of the 36 volt system was prohibitive. I did change from the Fortrex 80lb to the Terrova 80lb with I-Pilot. I think you are right and that I will probably use the I-Pilot features a lot.

I called the dealer and they are going to work up a price for me for the new Ultrex (Gulp). He also told me with this new 4 stroke it's not a problem to troll with the big motor as it's a 4 stroke, very lean burning and I don't have to worry about the plugs loading up. The other issue is if the 150 can get me down to the 1.1 to 1.5 mph trolling speeds. I think the 80lb thrust would troll the boat easily at 1.1 to 1.5 and I could possibly use the big motor for the 3 to 7 mph trolling speeds. I'm already at the top my spending limit so I may have a compromise and go with what I've already ordered but maybe he'll come back with an offer I can't refuse.

Thank you all for your warm welcome! I really appreciate it! I will try to make the March 20th meeting. My boat hasn't been delivered yet. I will call them this morning and get a price on switching to a 36v TM. Not sure if there is room for a 3rd battery which may present as a problem for me. The other issue is how much $ it will cost to upgrade to the ultrex. With any luck I will meet some of you on Otisco Lake in May. It's less than an hour to Otisco from my house so I hope to be there.

New Member SMB/LMB & Musky Fisherman Hello to everyone on the board. I live just north of Syracuse about 1 mile from the Oneida Lake Boat Launch at Oneida Shores (Brewerton). I have a new boat on order. Took me 36years to get to this point but I recently put in an order for a Bass Tracker PT195 with a Mercury 150 on the back end and a Minn Kota Fortrex 80lb thrust on the front end. I looked at the Fiberglass boats (Z18) but they are just too expensive for my budget and besides I like fishing in the Susquehanna River for Muskies. This will probably be my last boat as I'm hoping to retire in 5 or 6 years and I don't want a boat payment on a fixed income. I like my mod V boats but I sure would like to have a kicker on the backend to save that 150 - Anyone with any ideas on that let me know. I only have one other fishing buddy and his time is being taken up by his 15yo son so I joined this board hoping to find some like minded fisherman especially since this seems to be the hang out for the NY MI 69. In addition to the Susky Musky, I have fished the St. Lawrence (Maseena), the Rideau River and the Ottawa River. I've landed fish in the Rideau but no luck in the St. Lawrence and Ottawa. Oh, and yes I've caught Susky Muskies! I have a camp in Westport, ON (Canada) on Sand/Westport Lake. It's decent LMB & SMB fishing but no Muskies. I hope to join the NY MI 69 and perhaps strike up some friendships and possibly someone to go fishing with. That's it in a nutshell.