Dearest wife wants me tobe safer on big waters while fishing at night. Have permission to get a 16 1/2 to 19 foot aluminum Deep V (Tracker, Alumacraft, Crestliner, etc). I'm looking for one with a 90 hp or smaller OUTBOARD engine, preferably 4 stroke. If you know of anyone with one sitting around please contact me via this board.
Bigger Boat
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I know of a rig like that near me. Lady's husband passed away and she wants to sell his 175 tracker with 60 hp Merc. Boat seems to be in good shape, upholstery needs some work. Boat was mostly used to run jugs and trotlines on Ouachita. Don't know how much she is asking, but can get you her number if you are interested.
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I went from a 1542 to a 1960 Recently. The 1960 feels a lot safer everywhere.
I have a 2021 Lowe 1860 Roughneck big river with Mercury 60 hp & trailer for sale. NOT a deep V. IF interested PM for details and pics.
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Hey NA3VY: Just a thought but don't go too high on HP if you plan on using it to troll for walleye. My Alumacraft 17.5 with a 115 on the back will not get down to 1.5mph which is needed for walleye. My last boat before the Alumacraft was a 16.5 Smokercraft with a 60 4-stroke and that thing would tick along at 1.5 all day long and was great for trolling for walleye.
Course, there are all kinda other ways to get at the walleye. Bottom-bouncing with an electric which probably catches more walleye anyway - or hang a kicker on the back but those things are a pain if you hang up and have to back up to get your lure unhung. Jigging will also catch a lotta walleye.
As you know, Bull can be a nasty lake on a windy day so a bigger higher boat is a darned good idea. A bigger motor will getcha around the lake quicker but there is that trade-off for slow trolling. Whatever you do, best of luck on your next boat.
Cheers.....
Course, there are all kinda other ways to get at the walleye. Bottom-bouncing with an electric which probably catches more walleye anyway - or hang a kicker on the back but those things are a pain if you hang up and have to back up to get your lure unhung. Jigging will also catch a lotta walleye.
As you know, Bull can be a nasty lake on a windy day so a bigger higher boat is a darned good idea. A bigger motor will getcha around the lake quicker but there is that trade-off for slow trolling. Whatever you do, best of luck on your next boat.
Cheers.....
Bob, I was just hoping you would sell me your boat - yuck yuck yuck. Actually it was your boat that prompted her to think about Gary having a bigger boat. The Gunnels on my boat are too low for an old guy. Sounds crazy but its easier to stay in your boat than a bass type boat. And I fish with Torger and he is 83+. I can care less about speed so a 50-60 hp engine would be fine. I do have a spare 15hp I could use for a kicker or emergency motor to get back home.
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Sorry about the unavailability of my boat but between my age and cancer remission, who knows how long I am gonna stick around?? I'll tell Lynn to give you a call if I croak. But it sounds like you got the right idea with 50-60 horseys. Between Jimmy Creek and maybe Howard Creek, you will find more walleye than you will know what to do with. You don't need 200 horses to get 20 miles uplake. All you'll do is burn more gas that way.
Whatever you do, best of luck and post a pic of your new boat once you get it fixed up to you liking.
Cheers.....
Whatever you do, best of luck and post a pic of your new boat once you get it fixed up to you liking.
Cheers.....
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1,163 Posts
I am all for postponing. Just changed out the impeller on the 4-stroke and now the steering collar on the i-Pilot shaft has broke. A 2-dollar part that will take a half day to install. Fishing sure is fun. The whites are finally back in force on Norfork with some big ones looking like they came out of Bull. Looks like a good year of fishing coming up (if the lakes don't flood). Better get that boat and get ready.
Cheers.....
Cheers.....
Got the new (to me) boat today. It's a 1993 19' 3"` LOWE 1903 Fish-n-Pro - Deep V.. Has everything including downriggers, yamaha 80hp 4 stroke 2003 and a yamaha 2003 6hp 4 stroke kicker.. New batteries,, new tires and clean as a whistle. Cost $8K. Credit union says it is worth $12,250.. All it took was for you to give your blessing. I'll transfer my new Terrova i-pilot and my better lowrance graph.
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Well now I am jealous, NA3VY. Sounds like a great rig. Problem now is you have no excuse to be eating hot dawgs when you should be eating walleye. Put that boat to use and wear them Bull fish out. Good luck.
Cheers.....
Cheers.....
BTW, if you are getting too many white bass (and/or their bigger cousins) throw them in a bag and call me. I'll come over and pick them up - even if its midnight. Just leave the bag out by your garage. Momma likes them, and Torger has relatives from Norway coming in soon and they all eat fish.
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I prefer the smaller hooks at #6 or maybe even #8 if I am fishing for smaller fish. But the #6 works fine for everything up to stripers. Also, the octopus hooks are just as good as circles and nearly the same. The reason for the smaller hooks is to keep the shad looking normal. My rig consists of the #6 tied to about 12lb test leader maybe 12 inches long tied to a small barrel swivel which is attached to a 18-20lb test leader 15 inches long with a Finesse Slider Sinker at maybe a 1/4oz and the leader terminated with a loop not. With this setup, the weight will get the shad down deep and the shad can swim around in circles easily because of the swivel. Also, if you hang up. you will break off the bottom and at least get the top have of your rig back. The Finesse Slider Sinkers look like this: finesse slider sinkers for sale | eBay. I also find eBay a great place to buy the circle hooks: #6 circle hooks for sale | eBay. Make sure you choose "free shipping" when you buy on eBay.
Cheers.....
Cheers.....
Thyanks for the info Bob. I have a dozen or so leaders that were made from a sample you gave to me except for the hook. I have a package of Eagle Claw "fine wire" circle hooks in size 6 which I guess I bought to use. I also need to get out my shad netting to make some more of the nets which if I remember are 4 feet wide by 6 feet deep. My biggest problem with the shad nets is figuring out which is the sides and which is up and down so the mesh opens properly. On the new boat I have to change out the current foot controlled trolling motor for my i-pilot and change out the Garmin fish finder for my bigger Lowrance. Some day I maybe will add Livescope or maybe the Garmin stays if it is Livescope compatible. Then I too can fish "video game style".
This new boat is BIG. Two of my other boats can just about fit inside the gunnels. Much less chance to over balance and go swimming. I'm not as young as I used to be.
This new boat is BIG. Two of my other boats can just about fit inside the gunnels. Much less chance to over balance and go swimming. I'm not as young as I used to be.
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1,163 Posts
On that netting, if you pull on it and it doesn't stretch, you are pulling on the side. If you have stretch, you are pulling on the length. Lowes or Home Depot have a nice 4-foot allthread rod that is great for hanging the net on. The nice thing about the allthread is the net will stay put instead of moving up and down the rod. Keep in mind that the nest stretches a lot so a little bit goes a long way.
Cheers......
Cheers......
I'm going to be joining now that Covid is mostly passed.
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