Jimmyi

Hi Folks, I'm looking to purchase a muzzle loader. I've never owned one and I've never shot one. I like the thought of being able to hunt a few more days after the regular gun season closes. I heard that they have them now that shoot smokeless powder and they don't have to be cleaned after every shot like the black powder guns. Any suggestions as to what brand and caliber would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Eric, It was nice meeting you guys at the dock Sunday night. I wished my buddy and I had gone out a little deeper. I'm still learning and I was hoping that my buddy could have tied into a king. See ya next season. Jim

Hi Chris, Sorry we haven't hooked up. Can't believe how fast the summer went. Congrats on a great fish, to bad you weren't in the derby. I have been out of town a lot and haven't been fishing as much as I would have liked to. Maybe we can still get together. If not on the water then definately on the hard water for ice fishing. Take care, Jim

I went to their seminars. Bought them drinks at the hotel. Took all kinds of notes at the seminars. Bought all of their CD's. What a joke. I'm a newbie trying to learn whatever I can from these so called profesionals. Someone should hide some bananas in their boat.

Vince and Mark, I am sorry to hear of the passing of your mom. Jim

Happy Birthday Tim and thanks for always sharing info when I ask all those questions.

Like I always say, It's better to carry and not need it than to need it and not have it. I wish I could have been there to help that guy out.

Ray, I'm glad your mom is doing good. God is good and He answers prayers. I will keep her in my prayers. God Bless. Jim

That is why you should buy your long guns used so you don't have to fill out any paperwork or federal forms. I was told that the Japanese during World War ll were reluctant to attack the US because they said there were to many guns in the citizens homes. What better way to take over a country than to disarm their citizens. This country is going right down the tubes.

I signed up back in October and I can't wait to go. I need all the tips I can get. My wife and I are tired of driving around the lake and getting skunked. And if any of you guys out there wanting to teach a newbie how to catch fish, let me know. I'll help chip in for gas. I live in Brockport and will go to the Oak, Sandy, Braddocks or anywhere else not to far. Thanks

I didn't know that we could break them and they made that crashing sound. I'm going to show this to my seven year old in the morning. He is going to have a blast. I'll turn up the volume and wait till my wife is in the next room when he starts breaking them. That will go over real good. I'll just blame it on Ray and tell her he told me to do it.

I think we should all chip in and buy one for Ray for his birthday.

Thanks for the valuble information. I hope other folks read your post. It might save someones life.

Thanks for the tip. I was debating if I should just get rid of them or figure out some way to secure them so that never happens again. I was thinking of connecting a small chain under the row boat seat from underneath to the wire clamps.

I been going through the phone book trying to locate these guys and making all kinds of calls. I wanted to bring them a fruit basket and gift certificate for Gander Mountain.

Nice fish. I knew you would like this site. You can learn a lot from these guys and they are real helpful with any questions that you have. I'll be calling you when I go. I'm not going alone anymore after the IBay incident.

Thanks Guys. I learned several things. Don't wear hip boots or waders when your out in a small boat and don't use those clamp on seats unless they are clamped down real tight. Wearing a life vest in a small boat is a good idea. I never was a good swimmer but being in that cold water with a heart condition didn't help either. I preach a few Sundays a month at a local nursing home to the shut ins and I guess my time wasn't up yet.

I got out for the first time today since my back surgery in August. I went to Irondequoit Bay and thought I would try for some perch and pike. I bought a new plastic boat seat that has the wire clamps that you tighten down on the rowboat bench seat with two wing nuts. I thought I had it tightened down enough. I was getting ready to leave and started casting a Rapala and hooked a huge pike. I got the pike into the boat and as I leaned back, the seat pulled right out and I went in backwards. I'm not a good swimmer so I wear a life vest all the time. It happened so fast and I held my breath as I was falling in the water. It took me a little bit to get up to the surface and I had been wearing hip boots. I tried to get back in the boat and I couldn't lift myself up. I have a heart condition with five stents and now I'm hanging on to the boat in about twenty feet of water and I'm starting to get cold. The boat is stilll anchored and I can't go anywhere but hang on to the side of the boat. The hip boots want to keep pulling my legs under the boat. Thank God there were a couple of guys fishing in the area. I started yelling to them that I needed help. I didn't want to let go of the boat and I couldn't turn around to see them. I heard them start their motor then it cut out on them and they had to restart it. It seemed like forever. They pulled up my anchor and towed my boat to shore with me hanging on. I was then able to climb back into my boat. It was a cold ride back to the boat launch. I always keep an old coat and a quilted shirt behind the seat of my truck in case of emergencies. They came in handy tonight. The Good Lord was watching over me tonight for sure. Those two guys saved my life.

What about the DEC regulations? I thought we couldn't catch minnows from one area and transport them in a vehicle? I still have a 150 foot commercial seine net that I bought thirty years ago. It has an eight foot custom made pocket in the middle. I use to catch suckers and all kinds of fish out of the canal. I have been hanging on to it and was hoping to go into the bait business but with this VHS scare, I thought we couldn't catch bait anymore.

Thanks for the info guys. Now I just have to convince my better half that I need to buy more reels.

I want to try fishing with wire line next year. I have never done it before and I would like to know what would be a good reel to purchase? I want a reel that will hold a lot of wire. What do you guys suggest?

She makes great banana bread, banana muffins and zuchini bread. I don't think I should bring anything with bananas on a boat after a bad experience being on the "Free Spirit" boat this past spring.

Ray, Thanks for all of the tips you have given to us newbies who are trying to learn. We love reading your post. My wife and I get discouraged going out there and getting skunked many times but it is still exciting to be out there on the water. Maybe next year my wife and I can hook up with you and you can show us a few things. I'll have her bring some of her famous butterscotch oatmeal cookies. Everyone says they are the best cookie they ever ate and they eat them like a bunch of wolves. Take care. Jimmyi

Paul, Thanks again for taking me out that time and picking your brain with all the questions. I learned a lot that day and I shared it with the guys at the LOTSA meeting. Take care of yourself and congratulations again on your little fishing buddy. I had back surgery this summer and I havn't been out fishing yet. I'm having fishing withdrawal. Jim

It's to bad. Someday we will be telling our grand kids how we use to wade out there in the lake during the winter and spring and the water would feel like a bath tub and how great the fishing was.