buzzcatcher420
Rod Polisher
Catch me out on the water..[Mo0:0]
Posts: 106
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Post by buzzcatcher420 on Oct 5, 2009 8:55:23 GMT -5
ok so the title is a tad misleading, lol... Ive had this 10 foot aluminum john boat for a few months now.. Finally got around to puttin a trolling motor on it.. went out yesterday.. didnt wanna spend to much to a got a Minn Kota Endura 30 (30 pds of thrust) plus a deep cycle marine battery.. Let me tell you.. for only 30 pounds of thrust.. it made my little boat with me and my g/f + gear MOVE! of course not neck breaking speeds or anything, but i was pleasantly surprised... We went and put the boat in at the boat ramp by lowry park to take it down the river... Beautiful ride... beautiful weather... It was nice.. even tried to fish with some swimmin sinkos, no luck... even had the pocket fisherman on board (love that thing, crazy how good it works) Were takin the motor back today to get a little bigger one.. probably will get the Endura 50 just to have a little more power.. even if i stayed with the 30 it would be fine but i guess im having a tool time tim taylor moment... MORE POWER ARRR RRRR RRR... lol SO NOW WHERE I NEED A LITTLE HELP.... Whats some good spots around tampa/st pete to put a small boat like i have in the water to explore/fish?  I wanna find some good spots to fish seeing as ive done alot of pier/bridge fishing lately.. i wanna get a little deeper or to better spots.. i know u guys always have GREAT info... were gonna go back to weedon island this weekend and make a day out of it.. maybe even set up a little grill and maybe even the tent.. ALSO.. anyone know any good FREE spots to camp? like where i could set up a tent and stuff and have a little spot to take the boat around?? similar to maybe Fort de soto or something Minus the having to pay part?? lol ANY INFO WILL HELP, THANKS IN ADVANCE... Jerry Also again, does anyone know any good places locally that sell small motors? gas power or trolling?? |
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Post by tylerdurden on Oct 5, 2009 10:01:00 GMT -5
there was a recent post on capt mel about the spots of weedons but it might have been night fishing.
If it will handle it, could try the gandy bridge, snapper are stacked up out there since the pier closed.
Also if you have a hard time trying to get the boat to plane, put your bait bucket up front.
If I was you I would get some running lights on there and hit up the dock lights for snook fishing, IMO thats the best fishing to be had, Oh yeah also the sand key bridge can be pretty productive. I see snook get pulled from there often and Ive heard of cobia and even dolphin getting caught out there.
Then hit up capt mels and see if you cant find somebody to let you in on some inshore grouper holes
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Post by goindeep on Oct 5, 2009 10:38:06 GMT -5
Ditto on the dock/snook fishing. The ICW would be the first place I would go. Lots of residential docks w/lights.
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buzzcatcher420
Rod Polisher
Catch me out on the water..[Mo0:0]
Posts: 106
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Post by buzzcatcher420 on Oct 5, 2009 11:22:14 GMT -5
will do, thanks for the info..
Goindeep. whats the ICW?
i def think itll be fine out by gandy, as long as i dont go too far out..
im def gettin the endura 50 today.. im excited...
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Post by festeroo031985 on Oct 5, 2009 12:08:46 GMT -5
Buzz ICW= Intercoastal Water Way.
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Post by jmfishin on Oct 5, 2009 12:52:15 GMT -5
"Then hit up capt mels and see if you cant find somebody to let you in on some inshore grouper holes "
good luck with that /\
tha endura 50 and a tiny boat is all i use.does the job. it just sucks when ya go a little too far and crawl back and barely make. but it keeps it interesting. one time i made a sail from a towel anb 2 oars and let the wind do the work for me.i bet a few people got a good laugh that day
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buzzcatcher420
Rod Polisher
Catch me out on the water..[Mo0:0]
Posts: 106
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Post by buzzcatcher420 on Oct 5, 2009 15:51:57 GMT -5
yea we had that happen yesterday.. we were out for Hours on half a battery... by the time it got dark.. we were litterally crawling at a snails pace... but we made it back fine  upon Further lookin around... im actually thinkin about goin with the Minn Kota Riptide 40... that ones made more for Saltwater.. plus it has a battery guage and a maximizer for better battery life.. and a few other little things. only crappy part is that its like 80 bucks more  280.00 for the saltwater 40 thrust version... the freshwater 40 was 175.00 and the 50 was 216.00 i wonder if i really have to get the saltwater one.. if i just wash it real good after every use will that be sufficient?? |
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Post by jmfishin on Oct 5, 2009 17:07:56 GMT -5
i used mine for the last 3 years, most of the time i dont even rinse it off.and its fine.no rust on the prop screw or nut
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Post by montylfl on Oct 5, 2009 21:20:50 GMT -5
another place you could put in your boat ( free too) is on the dunedin causeway. Alot of spoil islands close by. Find trout, reds and snook.
Seen tow boy boys on one this past weekend near hurricane pass ( Pass between Honeymoon and Caledisi,) They drift thur the pass a few times catching Mackeral. Then they went beachside and caught some Blacktipsand many mnay jacks. they had a blast.
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buzzcatcher420
Rod Polisher
Catch me out on the water..[Mo0:0]
Posts: 106
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Post by buzzcatcher420 on Oct 6, 2009 8:32:25 GMT -5
i used mine for the last 3 years, most of the time i dont even rinse it off.and its fine.no rust on the prop screw or nut hmm... I would hate to get the saltwater one if i didnt NEED to, you know? do u use yours mostly in salt water? Im having trouble deciding on the Minn Kota Tiptide 40 (saltwater-40thrust) www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10710701and the Minn Kota traxxis 40 (newer then endura..seems maybe a bit better -40 thrust) www.minnkotamotors.com/products/trolling_motors/freshwater_transom_mount/traxxis.aspxOR the Endura 50... Im just worried if i go up to 50 thrust i wont get much use out of my battery?? OR they also have alot of MOTORGuide motors... read that their decent... anyone know if their any good??/ This crap is rackin my brain... WHAT DO U GUYS THINK? |
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Post by jmfishin on Oct 6, 2009 17:34:43 GMT -5
its always in saltwater.
and it lasts for hours.
what size battery did ya get?
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no1painter
Rod Polisher
Retired and don't know how I had time to go to work!
Posts: 102
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Post by no1painter on Oct 6, 2009 18:06:32 GMT -5
Buzz, something you may already be aware of, but FYI. The registration 10-10 rule changed several years ago. In other words years ago if you had a boat of 10 ft. or less and a motor of 10 HP or less it was not necessary to register it. A friend of mine found out the hard way. He was out fishing the phosphate pits over here in Polk County and when he got ready to leave the FWC Officer was at the landing. My friend had a 10 ft. john boat with a trolling motor and he was charged with operating an unregistered boat. The judge was lenient because even he was not aware of the law change. Check out the link below Later, Painter myfwc.com/rulesandregs/Rules_Boat.htm#equip |
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buzzcatcher420
Rod Polisher
Catch me out on the water..[Mo0:0]
Posts: 106
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Post by buzzcatcher420 on Oct 7, 2009 8:33:39 GMT -5
its always in saltwater. and it lasts for hours. what size battery did ya get? I got a smartstart deep cycle marine battery from walmart.. shoulda bought a better one but i bought the first one i saw off impulse it says 75 amp hours... But either that battery sucks ass or the charger thats not meant for big 12volt batteries sucks because i thought i fully charged it 2 nights ago.. then took it back out last night and it had hardly any power left I was thinkin get a new battery charger and try that and see if the battery i got was ok... or i was gonna take that battery back to walmart today or tomorrow and get a better one (u get what u pay for of course) So i havent takin back the endura 30 yet because i dont really know how it operates at full battery... when i got it, it was like 75 percent charged and did great for us the first day. we were out for hours and still had battery left... so im still tryin to figure that part out unfortunately.... i REALLY wanna hit weedon lslands this weekend to troll around and hopefully catch fish... but i gotta get my battery situation fixed first... pain in my ass... @ painter.. thanks for the info.. I got the boat registered already  |
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Post by filletnrelease on Oct 7, 2009 9:04:42 GMT -5
Buzz, another great spot for boat that size is the hot water runoff at the Weedon island power plant. Put in on Gandy beach and head on a line from the radio tower straight to the runoff. This will get you through the rocks. Everything hangs out there. Fish the mangrove edges around and into masters bayou. There are great shallows in there that you can reach with that size boat. There are some killer oyster beds in there that hold Reds, Snook and Sheepies. Also from the same launch, go to the Gandy under the old cat walks, those Snapper got to be hungry since that's been closed. Good luck.
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buzzcatcher420
Rod Polisher
Catch me out on the water..[Mo0:0]
Posts: 106
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Post by buzzcatcher420 on Oct 7, 2009 9:24:54 GMT -5
yea man.. been ITCHIN to go out to weedon island..
went out there a month or so ago with the GF for the 1st time.. tried to fish off the pier there.. (few little sheepheads)
But looks like a great place for a little boat like mine.. nice little canoe launch..
Im not too familiar with the area but i think i know where ur talkin about...
Im just tryin to get this battery/charger situation down and then thats where im headed!
We were plannin on even takin the tent, a cooler, a few chairs, the boat and a few other things ;D and makin a day outta it..
Ive been waitin all week. Testin out the motor and battery so that its good to go this weekend...
Hopefully the new charger and battery i get will be better...
Might have to take the 30 thrust out there this weekend since its gonna take atleast a week for the new bigger motor to be shipped (when i buy it, havent yet.. still tryin to decide on a good buy)
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280.00 for the saltwater 40 thrust version...
