Warm-water Fishing in January?

In a previous post I had mentioned that January is the off-season for boat buying. This remains true, but there are places you can go warm-water fishing in January. The San Marcos Daily Record reports that power plant lakes are perfect for warm-water fishing during the winter. Hot water discharge canals generate a good current flow and warm water pulls in shad and bass in areas of Texas.

A Daily Record columnist reported successfully trolling for bass while testing out his new outboard engine. If there is a power plant near you, check out whether you can boat in or near the hot water canals. It may still be a bit nippy on the surface for you, so bundle up while you’re enjoying a rare January fishing trip. Remember to properly outfit your engine with Yamalube 2m oil.

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Mass Bird, Fish Deaths Not So Mysterious

On Saturday Night Live this past weekend, Andy Samberg joked about the “aflockalypse” and the “apocafish” in reference to the mass deaths of various wildlife. Blackbirds fell out of the sky on New Year’s Eve in Arkansas, 40,000 crabs died in Britain, and 2 million fish in the Chesapeake Bay are floating belly up. Are these mass deaths the sign of something sinister? Will there soon be no safe fish to catch? Not even close, expert biologists are saying.

According to biologists, mass die-offs happen all the time. Federal records show they happen as often as every other day in North America. In the past eight months, the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Wildlife Heath Center has recorded 95 mass wildlife die-offs in North America, and suggests that the number is actually a dramatic undercount. Weather, pollution, parasites, and disease lead to mass die-offs globally every year. With the world so connected by technology, people are trying to make global connections between the deaths that don’t really exist. For all you dedicated boaters, stock up on your Evinrude xd50 oil, because there’s no need to worry about cruising through lakes of dead fish when you take your motor boat out this summer.

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Best Time to Buy

With snow falling outside your window, you wouldn’t think that January would be the best time to buy a boat; yet, the experts say that now is the time to find a bargain. Some store owners are eager to clear out Christmas stock. Others want to drum up business for out-of-season items and make room for new product lines. Desperation breeds deep discounts, and with a bit of bargaining you can walk away with some cool swag and a new boat.

Still not convinced? Consider this: boat dealers draw few customers in the winter, especially in northern states. You could wait until boat shows to purchase a new outboard motor boat, but you’ll be unlikely to get a good deal because dealers put time and money into shows that they’ll want to recoup. Instead, visit a showroom this month and drive a hard bargain. You’ll be one of the few customers around, giving you plenty of leverage. Come springtime you’ll be showing off your brand-new boat. When making your purchase, don’t forget to stock up on boat necessities, like Evinrude xd100 oil.

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Fishing Licenses

The silver carp mentioned in previous posts only “fly” in the Illinois River. The reason they leap out of the water only in Illinois has to do with the contouring of the river banks. To partake in the annual Redneck Fishing Tournament using a dip stick net, you must have an Illinois fishing license. Licenses are fairly easy to acquire and won’t run you up a huge bill.

Non-residents can get a fishing license for $31.50, which should be good for the season. If you’ll only be in town for a little while, you may want to go for the $20 ten day licenses. The town of Bath, which hosts the fish contest, has only a little over 300 permanent residents, but thousands come out each year for the event. Everyone seems to get the proper licenses just fine. When you head out to Bath with your outboard motor boat, make sure you’ve got your licenses and yamalube 2w oil on hand.

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Redneck Fishing Tournament

Picturing a redneck on a fishing boat isn’t that far a stretch of the imagination. What about a redneck fishing tournament in which rods and reels aren’t allowed? In Bath, Illinois the natives host an annual Redneck Fishing Tournament in which all contestants must use nets to catch the invasive silver carp also known as flying carp. The fish are nicknamed flying carp because they leap high out of the water and are known to smack people in the face.

During the annual redneck hunt, contestants catch the flying fish with nets, or sometimes the fish just leap straight into the boats. There are prizes given for the most fish caught. Because they are a non-native, invasive species which devastate local ecosystems, there is no limit on the number that can be caught. The caught fish are not great for eating, so they are ground into fish meal and used as fertilizer. Silver carp are actually attracted to the noise generated by 2 stroke cycle outboard motors and become frenzied as the boats draw nearer. To participate in this endeavor, load up your outboard motorboat (filled with yamalube 2m oil, of course), and head on down to Bath, Illinois!

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Invasive Fish

As mentioned in a previous post, I’ve gained a lot of insight from watching the Discovery Channel program “When Fish Attack.” One of the attacks involved an invasive species of fish called the silver carp. Silver carp are native to north and northeast Asia. They were brought to the U.S. in the 1970s to help control algae growth in aquaculture and wastewater treatment facilities. Unfortunately, they escaped from their pens and spread into the Mississippi, Illinois, Ohio, and Missouri Rivers.

They have wreaked havoc on local fish populations because of their voracious appetites. They also reproduce much more rapidly than native fish species. Underwater cables that give off electrical pulses to deter silver carp have been stationed at the mouths of the Great Lakes because there is a fear that if the carp get into the Great Lakes they will destroy the environment and fish farm economy. The people of Bath, Illinois have a rather unique way of handling the silver carp problem, which I’ll detail in a later post. Remember, if you’re taking your boat out this weekend, make sure you have plenty of evinrude xd50 oil.

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When Fish Attack

Shark Week isn’t the only time you can learn more about aquatic life. Last night as I was flipping the channels after dinner, I stumbled on a Discovery Channel program called “When Fish Attack.” The hour-long special detailed different freak marine accidents that have been caused by fish and other marine life. Surprisingly, there were less tales involving sharks than I thought.

There was a story about a young man who got seriously sliced up when a black Marlin that he was trying to reel in leapt toward his face. Another woman, an experienced deep sea diver, was dragged down 30 feet below the waves by a bottlenose whale. A man trying to bag a mako shark fell into the waves near his bait. Thankfully, all of these people survived and suffered little injury, but it just goes to show how unpredictable the ocean can be. Before your next seafaring adventure, make sure that all of your safety equipment is up to par and your engine is full of evinrude xd100 oil.

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Fixing an Outboard Motor Water Pump

The outboard motor water pump pumps water from the lower unit to the top of the motor. This process keeps your engine cool during use. Sand, shells, mud, and other debris that get caught in your water pump can cause damage. If left unchecked, debris can do enough damage to warrant replacing. To replace an outboard motor water pump, use the following guidelines:

Instructions:
1. Remove the bolts on the lover unit using a wrench. The make of your outboard will determine what size wrench to use.
2. Take the trim tab off the bottom of the anti-cavitation plate.
3. Be careful when removing the last bolt as this will detach the lower unit from the motor. You don’t want the unit to slide out uncontrollably!
4. Place the lower unit aside for now. The shift and motor shafts should now b exposed. Remove the shafts by applying pressure and sliding them out.
5. Remove the bolts from the plastic casing around the water pump. Lift the casing off.
6. Slide the pump impeller over the motor shaft and remove the steel plate along with the gasket the impeller was on.
7. Remove the steel cup and “o” ring out of the plastic casing (previously removed). Remove the key way from the motor shaft.
8. Lay the parts of your new water pump out neatly in your work space. Installation of the pump will take place exactly in reverse of the previous seven steps. Make sure to grease the tops of the motor and shift shafts, as well as grease and replace the bolts.

Since you’re already working on your boat, make sure to check the oil level and top off with Evinrude xd 100 oil when necessary.

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Beginners Guide to Changing Oil

If you’re reading this blog, chances are you already know a lot about outboard motor oil, however; everyone can use a refresher course or first time instruction on how to properly change the oil on an outboard motor. Outboard motors are lubricated by oil and gas or by adding oil separately to the engine. Older two-stroke motors tend to use the oil-and-gas mixture, while newer four-stroke engines require oil added separately. Regardless of what engine you own, you’ll want to be able to change your own oil.

Before you begin you’ll need socket wrench, oil pan, rags, funnel, and outboard motor oil.

Instructions:
1. Pull your boat out of the water and place it on a trailer to access the outboard engine.
2. Remove the engine cover which will be secured by one or two latches. Pull down on the latch(es) and lift straight up to remove the cover.
3. Much like a car engine, you’ll want to check the dipstick. Pull the dipstick out of the crankcase and wipe it clean. Place the dipstick back in and pull it out again. If the oil is a dark color, it needs to be changed.
4. Trim the motor all the way up by pushing the trim button on the throttle or instrument panel.
5. Remove the drain plug from the bottom of the oil tank to allow the old oil to flow out into the oil pan.
6. Wipe off excess oil and replace the drain plug.
7. Add new oil to the engine by removing the cap to the oil tank and placing a small funnel in the opening. Pour the oil into the funnel. Check the dipstick to see how high the oil has reached. When the oil reaches full, you’re all set!

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Cavitation Part 2

Non-inertial cavitation involves tiny bubbles in a liquid being forced to oscillate from the input of energy. The intensity of the input energy is insufficient to cause total bubble collapse. This form of cavitation is less harmful than inertial cavitation. In fact, non-inertial cavitation can be used to clean delicate materials, like silicon wafers.

Cavitation occurs in outboard motors often as a result of a foreign object, like marine vegetation, getting caught on the lower unit, interrupting water flow into the propeller blades. Making sure your outboard engine is clean and free of debris will help prevent harmful cavitation. Also make sure to change lower unit gear lubricant and inspect the powerhead annually. As always, Evinrude xd100 oil is the best to use on your outboard engine.

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Cavitation Part 1

Cavitation is a condition where gas bubbles form within a liquid flow because of liquid pressure falling below the fluid vapor pressure. Inertial cavitation, or transient cavitation, and non-inertial cavitation are the two most common forms. Either way, cavitation is not desirable. Good pump design helps minimize the impact of the condition.

Inertial cavitation occurs when bubbles within the fluid form and collapse in rapid succession. The sudden collapse creates a shock wave which happens frequently in pumps, propellers, control valves, and impellers. The shock waves cause damage to the mechanism and working parts. It’s important to conduct preventative maintenance, like replacing the water pump impeller every 1-2 years and using the right outboard motor oil.

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Guide to Smooth Anchoring Part 5

Before you drop your anchor into the water you’ll want to ensure the safe and smooth dispersal of the rode into the water. The best way to handle this is to lay the rode out on the deck before dropping anchor to make sure it’s free of tangles. Once you’ve done this you’ll want to be sure to cleat off the rode where you want it to stop. If you forget this part then you could find yourself either abandoning your anchor or having to dive for it. Once that’s complete you’re almost ready to anchor.

Go up-wind or up-current of the area you’ve selected and drop your anchor so that it lays flat on the bottom. After you’ve dropped the anchor you’ll slowly back up to help ensure safe and even rode dispersal. It’s important to back up slowly to assure that the rode won’t foul the anchor and prevent it from digging into the bottom. Once all the rode has been let out you’ll want to back up with the engine idling in reverse to help get the anchor well planted. While backing up you’ll want to keep a hand on the anchor line. A dragging anchor will cause the rode to shake. A set anchor, on the other hand, will not shake the line, which means you’ve now got your anchor safely in place.

Don’t forget to stock up on Evinrude XD50 oil to get the most from your Evinrude 2-cycle engine.

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