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I think I stayed calm because I knew I had the kicker motor, our concern was we only have a 3 1/2 gallon fuel can strapped on the swim platform. We are sitting on 60 gallons of fuel but trying to figure out how to get it out of the main tank and oil to mix in the gas as its a 15 horse 2 stroke Evinrude, I will be putting in a T in the line before the water separater and some sort of a hand pump and 2 stroke oil on board. I'm a firm believer in if you have it along you won't need it. Thanks BS. For the kind words, I was very happy with the way everything worked, our layout of the boat worked well. Tight lines to all, be safe out there. PAP.

I must say I was disappointed but even my uncle said I remained calm, to calm he was nervous that something was wrong with me. Well I waited 3 years for this day to happen, after 3 back surgeries and many mountains to climb I finally got the 1 WORM to Dexter NY, before leaving PA. I had to replace all the bearings, races, and seals adjust the brakes, work on my uncles van, because my truck, the motor went bad, so I looked under his van and the tow hitch was rusted to bad, I wasn't going to use it, it wasn't worth the risk, I told him about it and he tows his sons boat up to our place also and was glad I noticed it. He is so busy with work, but he told me he ordered a new one and it would be in at Dry Creek trailer if I remove the old one and install the new he would appreciate that so that's what I did on Monday, so we left Tuesday instead, at least we got to fish Tuesday evening and 4-5 hours Wednesday before all hell broke loose. To add insult to injury on the way home we stopped just over the PA. border at a Flying J to fuel up we hit a MC Donald's and I got 2 burgers off the dollar menu after an hour or so I got terribly sick, that I had to pull over and puke my guts out and I got a terrible headache and not much longer I had to pull over again and relieve my self out the back, for better terms. So it seemed to take forever to get home, unload the lower unit then take my uncle home, I was so weak I only drove like 25-30mph home, then I got sick again but at least I was in the comfort of my home. I fell a sleep at 3pm and my wife and girls didn't wake me till 6pm. I think I had food poison from MC.D's. Still at R&R as of now but starting to feel human again. Going to do some research on my lower unit and find my repair manual and will report what I find. Yea us guys that know how t feels to be in the middle of know where will help each other out where we can, I know I towed many a boats to port already and never accepted money, saying you have enough troubles, you will need that money to get back on the water. Thanks for the support guys, we will be back. PAP

Well after a few set backs we finally made it to camp Tuesday afternoon, launched the boat at BJ bait in Dexter and got a slip at the camp grounds, I noticed some nice size heads and bodies of the end of the dock, thinking man they are here!!! So set up boat and headed out to the bouys, we set lines at 12ft of water and took a nice 4#er 15ft of water just before the last bouy, marked some nice arches trolled out to 25ft of water made the swing came back on the same line and picked up another eye just before the last bouy in 17ft of water, this one was 4.5lbs on a Smithwick gold and black the first one was one a Bomber long A all white with a. Red head, getting dark and two fish to clean we pulled lines and headed towards the barn. What a great start!! Next morning on the water 6:30am out to the bouys started setting lines in 12ft of water noticed a small pack of boats out at the last set of buoys so stayed right outside the green bouys and picked up a 24"er 15ft of water with a Rapala J9 split back gold and black, really didn't see a lot of marks so picked up and ran down to Pilliar Point set up in 15ft of water with shallow mixed bag on starboard side and 2 reef runners on port side and 5 color core with a Sutton spoon with chartreuse green tape on one side down the Shute, just got settled in when Shute rod starts screaming, 10 minutes later we boated a 15# just shy of 40" northern, beautiful fish, released to swim once again, just got the core rod set and the reef runner side starts pumping thinking we had the mother of all walleye on we get fish close enough to notice it's a huge sheep head, yup all 18#s of it, release her and now we're going to run to the back side of Galloo isle. Just about on plane when all of a sudden a loud bang came over us and we slowed down to nothing with motor still at an idle went to shift into forward nothing reverse nothing, now what? Well fire up the kicker and head towards shore at 3,5mph for over an hour we see a dock and a guy mowing his yard, he notices us and motions us over and we explain our problem. He allows us to dock our boat and offers us a ride to the campground to get our trailer and truck and he waits for us to follow him back, then we drop our trailer in his yard and he hooks on with his 4 wheel drive and backs the trailer under our boat that I only had to winch about 6ft of cable to get the safety chain on and the boat up tight against the stop. Then in 4 low he pulls my whole rig up to the road and it was a very steep ramp, a 2 wheel drive would never pull it up, I was never so glad to see it on the road!!! That man saved my a$$ and may God. Bless his sole and family. He wouldn't accept any money, he told me he broke down once and someone towed him home so now it was his turn to help out a fellow boater and said us guys need to stick together. Got back to camp and went over everything and all fingers pointed towards the lower unit, so we pulled the lower unit and it's definitely in there. The propeller and lower shaft turn but not the upper shaft and it makes a bad sound where the universal joints are there are 4 bolts that hold a square cap on. So we headed home 2 days early, but we will be back. Tight lines to all and may all the NY state locals who help folks like me out be blessed in one form or another. You guys are what makes this country so great!! My hats off to you all! PAP

If they are spewing milk yet it's not over, I can remember catching smaller males right tight against the cat tails in the BRB, but be careful there is a big mud flat there and a rock pile with bottom paint from my boat, if the wind is coming SW right up the channel towards the river they will be there!! Caught them there as late a 2nd week of June.

Nice going 315 good to start the season without a skunk!!! It's going to get better as the sun rises. Tight lines to you!!

This time of the year you want a lure with a wide wobble, wide S turns so one side speeds up while the other slows down pay attention to which side is producing, try to duplicate which ever side is working, if marking fish and running shallow sticks add a 1/4oz split shot about 4ft from lure, got to get that bait in their face, might need to use snap weights to achieve proper depth,with snap weights you can add as much as it takes to get in their face, keep changing colors till something happens. With colors 1 fish got lucky, 2 fish might be on to something, 3 is a pattern should be adding more of the same color to your spread, have 1 lure out there with chartreuse red or green, orange. Florocarbon leaders are a MUST, I use SPRO swivels size 10 are rated at 35# and fit through the eyes of the poles and the line guide of the reels, go no less than 10ft, I go 25ft. Size 8 SPRO are rated at 50# but won't fit through the line guides of some of my reels, Mitchell RipTides, Diawia 27, Sealine 47, on these reels I use the size 10's the rest of my arsenal I use the size 8's with never a problem with the swivels. Also use a duo lock or tie direct using a loose knot, so the lure acts freely in the water. Take a look at what kind of bait fish are in that area, or look into what's there favorite fare in LakeO use those colors at first then think outside the box, once you start to fish 30ft or more UV starts to become a big factor. You can buy UV spray, but then you need to use a cover scent as it smells different. I found that smelly jelly does a good job, I'm sure any scented product of course in the fishing mode will work. Good luck hope this helps a little, I will be up Tuesday through Sunday, will post results soon after.

Yea x2 what Les said, I'm very confident that you will make it. You are self proven with all the perseverance a man can have plus your relentless and not afraid to switch things up for a different approach to trigger a bite. One thing I take notice to is guys get stuck in their ways and instead of trying something different they will kill sunlight staying in a rut, what's the difference if you catch nothing doing what your doing or try something different that might work or might not but at least you know you tried!!, best of luck to you Justin and hopefully your new way of life, living out your dreams in the outdoors, where you belong. This reminds me of the show I watch Filthy Riches. Filthy meaning getting dirty and riches meaning making money at what you enjoy doing. Your friend Mike (PAP)

Nice catch mhtrapper, look like good eater size!! Congrats to your 1st day of the season!!!

Man those fillets are making my mouth water already, congrats on your day, nice weather, boat worked well, being with friends or family for the day, the fish are just a added bonus!!

Nice going Fleet, you are a true champ for taking a special needs person fishing, I'm sure he looked at you like your from Mars having to put that quality of a fish back, but you made up for it today. Congrats to your banner day!!! Maybe I'll see you this week on the water. PAP.

First off congrats on your purchase, yea like Les stated, I bought at a flea market some old Sutton spoons and I tried auto polish but that gave the one I was working on real slight swirl marks so I stopped did some research on the Sutton spoon and learned they were real silver so I got my wife's silver polish and I be damned they shine like no other spoon. Good luck with your purchase.

I got mine a few weeks age, man do they look sweet, thanks Harvey for the fast service right to the front door, they will be getting wet Monday May 3rd.

Hey darkwater1 those ideas were from my younger days, but yea I'm game never to old to party!!