How do you make a 21-3/8" halibut legal?
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Borrow Georges paddle to measure it of course.


Nice try George
it's the thought that counts:D

Nice catch fellas....this is good stuff.

I wanted to save this post for future reference......

Uh oh. Busted! :stupid::wink:

Ouch...that's gonna leave a mark.

Penalty!

Let's see...28 X 5/8 X 22 X Y = 1,540
(Y = # of halis caught using measuring device)

Deduct 1,540 posts from post count...:doh:...:D

Holy crap........what a dumb ass!! Back to the drawing board.

EPIC FAIL!!

Funny thing it that when I placed the measuring tape over it I noticed it but didn't think twice about it........its been a looooooong week. I'm off to bed for an hour than off to work!!! As usual.....glad I could entertain you guys.

Thaaaaaaaaats why all your fish are so big

Ahahahahahhahhahhahah!!!!:luxhello:

Good one jorge!!!!

So using your "FUZZY" logic your 40 incher really measured out at 36.5 inches. I win!!!!!!!!



Now show us all how you calibrate your scale?:D:D:D

That's easy Matt, just get a ten pound basket and put your fish in it. :D

Well I tried
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaUDEY6zRUU

baawwaaahhhhaaaa, so that's how all you guys have been posting in the 50+ thread.

Why not use one long sticker and cut it where the paddle separates? Bring me your paddle......I'll hook you up with a sticker that is sure to get you so many legals you won't know what to do with all the fish.

Transducer wet mount
 

Taking the example from Walrus, I wanted to take it one step furthur for the ease of filling it with water and to make it a little more secure.

The terminal box is from just about any DIY hardware store. I purchased all my materials from Marshals on 8423 Production Ave (at Miramar Rd). They have every bit of hardware you will need, from Termial box to stainless hardware and stainless/rubber washers.


Purchase your terminal box so it is just big enough to hold your ducer. Accuracy in drilling the holes is crucial to maintaining a parallel ducer install, both left and right, and up and down so the ducer sits parallel to the bottom of your yak.

I wanted an easy way to fill the ducer holder with water, so I drilled a hole in the sail mast. This enabled a refill at any time (although I have noticed "0" water loss). The terminal box sits right against the sail mast, so the mast also serves as something stable to secure the terminal box against.

The initial results are great. I can following a jig all the way up/down past 100', and watch it as it sits there 10' above the bottom : )


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The ducer sitting in the terminal box
http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwegall...G_0864_640.jpg
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The sail mast removal
http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwegall...G_0868_640.jpg
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The install
http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwegall...G_0880_640.jpg
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The final product
http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwegall...G_0883_640.jpg
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Very clean
:cheers1:

not sure it matters, but isn't your transducer in backwards now ?

I just go in reverse all day :D

*** Results may differ based on your Transducer ***
*** I have a Lowrance ***

Based on the techies over at Lowrance, the transducer I have is strictly 2D. It does not matter if I put it in as you would mount a Transom mount (facing to the back), or 180 degrees (backwards). As long as it is parallel to the bottom and sides, and you are shooting straight down, you will get a good picture and arches.

Thats what I thought, maybe the "front" is the front just because of the shape, to cut through the water when mounted on the transom?
I guess with side imagining it may make a difference? right is left?

On my trident I put it in as directed by Humminbird (front facing front)
even though the knuckle heads at Ocean Kayak made the indention for the through supper backwards...

http://www.momentoffame.com/photopos...m/IM000121.JPG

Yes, at least in the case of my Lowrance transom mount.

Regor, which Hobie are you on?
...and did you have to shape that terminal box at all to seal or does your yak have a nice flat spot it fits?

It's a Revo.

One of the reasons I installed the ducer as far back as possible (under the sail mast) is that it is somewhat flat there. I still had to do a little sanding on the sides of the terminal box, but none on the front or back of the box. The farther you move towards the front of the Revo, the hull gets steeper and steeper and requires more and more sanding to fit.

IF I had a smaller ducer (other than the Lowrance), a smaller terminal box would probably have fit even further back under the sail mast, but the Lowrance is too big.

BTW - I also did two sessions of goop. The second one was one day later, and it was just to make sure to fill in any possible air pockets that may have formed from the 1st goop session. The reason I did this - when I pulled my old Eagle ducer out of the direct goop to hull, I was shocked at the LARGE air pocket that had been riding under my ducer for the last year !

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One way to avoid air bubbles is to put your tube of goop into a container of hot water for a few minutes. This thins the goop out allowing trapped air to escape. This method works best when using a foam retainer to hold the tranny.

Bass Pro seat
 

I recently added a new seat to my kayak. It consists of a Bass Pro folding boat seat with a boat seat swivel. Then I put a Wise Quick connect boat seat mount on the kayak.

materials used-
Bass Pro Folding boat seat-24.99
Bass Pro Boat seat swivel- 9.99
Wise Quick Connect Boat seat mount 20.99
screws/bolt/washers- like $15 (had to go back and get longer bolts)
scrap wood
tube of Marine Goop

Screws/bolts/washers were
1/4 in by 5 in X 4
1/4 in by 3 in X 4
1/4 in bolts X 8
washers X 24

Ok now to how it all went together-

I cut the scrap wood to fit the match the Wise Quick connect. Then drilled the holes to mount the quick connect to the wood. I used the wood with holes drilled as a guide and drilled the holes into the kayak. once this was done I placed the wood block and Quick connect together and used over 3/4 of the Marine Goop on the bottom of the wood and placed the weather stripping around the edges of the wood. then bolted it all in to where the seat would go.


On the top of the Wise quick connect I had to unscrew the top lip and place washers under the piece of metal to allow the base for the seat to slip in.

I drilled out the holes in the seat to connect the seat to the swivel base to allow for a better hold (the screws that come with the seat seem weak to me) For the Stealth 14 because of the bait tank hatch I had to cut out a little bit of the front center of the seat to beable to open the hatch.

Then put it all together and here is the end result. I used a Drimal tool to sand down all the edges that were still touching the kayak and causing friction.(pretty much just the back of the folding seat and the back corners on the bottom.

I took it out to Dana Point last weekend to test it out. The seat didn'e really change the center of Gravity. It felt the same as before I installed the seat as far as stability goes. I caught a 18 lb Halibut and never felt that I was going to tip over.

Another good thing i found is by Installing the seat this way it creates a space below the seat for more storage. My Nalgene bottle will fit under the seat perfectly.

Hope this helps those that had questions and feel free to ask all the questions you want. Next project is a trolling motor and I WILL be asking lots of Questions. My Goal is to make this stealth 14 better than a Pro Angler!!:)

Nice work on the seat, did you use any type of sealer on the wood like varnish or Thompsons?

No I didn't think about it untill after I had already completed everything.

So I broke a pole at DP kelp bed. Saw a innovation someone did so I deiced to follow.

and... working on a new bait tank.

nice looking gaff. does the hook wobble at all? where did you get it from?

I'd stick that inside the pole with some heavy duty epoxy. Would one think MG would work?

btw, is the hook's angle too circular; ie pointing towards the shaft a bit much?

Bellcon - How much is your transducer sticking out, below the hull? I did the same with a Garmin on my OK.
I tried to minimize how far it sticks out, but it still does about 1/3" or so. Seems ok when dragging across the sand since the bow is lifted up, and when resting on the sand the shape of the hull prevents any pressure up against the transducer.

inova microlight LED Wand
 

it is starting to get to that time of year where lots of us go out fishing late at night or o'dark early morning. trying to keep myself safe and more visible i thought that i would add a flag to my ride.

i went to home depot and found a fiberglass stick about 5/16 in size, that had a reflector attached to the top, it's about three feet in length. i think the original use for this was to line them along your drive way so that it would help illuminate the path for you. so i added some reflective tape to the pole and also added a flag, (thanks george for that vitamin water bag).

the next thing i wanted to do is illuminate the pole using some type of light. went to bass pro shop, but i am sure other stores have this type of light. (just wanted to use my gift cert that i got for my birthday.) roamed around the store looking at all the different type of lights that were available. finally found this LED Wand. i liked it because it is waterproof and also submersible. also the light is able to be used with a high beam, low beam and also strobe setting. i was a bit concerned that the light would turn itself off after 30 mins like that other types of wand lights out there but it has not so far.

what i did to attach this to my flag pole was to use some clips that i had gotten when i had purchased a light rope. the light rope for those who aren't familiar are the outdoor lights that you can buy at the home gardening section at your local target or walmart stores. i am not sure if they come with all the light ropes. the one that i had gotten was designed to hang from the outdoor umbrella so that's why it had these clips.

i attached the clips to the wand and used goop to glue it. after that just snapped the other side to the flag pole and it worked perfectly. i may add a clip to the wand and then to the pole just in case it gets knocked off.

hope that this is informative and useful to others. keep safe out there and good hunting. :wsb: :p

Nice Tim.

Now you just have to go fishing!


Those little clips deteriorate very quickly in sun exposure and become brittle after a season or two, I had some in my back yard.

See out there this weekend.

thanks matt. but for me i probably won't have the problem of brittle clips. i really don't get out very often and when i do, i would not be bring this out with me unless it is a night or early morning launch. so with that it should be okay regards to the uv rays.

portable fish finder
 

I am working on this right now. I could not upload the image but here is the web link.

I made this portable fish finder to be mounted on and Scotty base as soon as I figure out how to make the folding arms for the transducer I will post more pictures. I have it running on a 12v 7 amp hour battery. The unit turns on and runs have not tested it the ocean yet. I will this sat in NPH.

http://img851.imageshack.us/i/imagebdp.jpg/

Papa drew

Bungee Cord/Leash keeper Thingy
 

http://i997.photobucket.com/albums/a...g?t=1336888797

http://i997.photobucket.com/albums/a...g?t=1336888797


http://i997.photobucket.com/albums/a...g?t=1336888797

What to do with an old sherwood. . .
 

So i had a few of these sticks laying around. I bought the gaff hook at the jig stop in dana point. The gaff has a nail/point at the end of the shaft to "hammer into" in this case the stick. So a couple of whacks to drive the point into the wood. . . it doesn't slide up and down. Added the rope wrap, sideways now strong. I suppose I can use a lacquer for added protection and maybe strength, but it's on solid.

All the chatter on the home-made "ghetto" gaff got me to thinking I needed more tests. Bring on the 50lb trash cans, this baby works and lasts. I've had is since 2009 when I started. I think it floats too which is why I still have it. :D

a few of my ideas
 

I Picked up a self contained (batteries inside, no wires to screw with and no load on the electrical system;) CHEAP! Waterproof 360 degree boat light at Walmart. The pole it came with was too short so I took the screw out, broke out my drill and mounted it on a tent pole I had laying around. It's higher than my head and fits snugly in the mast post on my PA and it puts out a decent ammount of light for those dark launches and times on the water. It was much cheaper than the purpose built lights for sale at the stealerships and it is clean looking on the boat.
http://i1260.photobucket.com/albums/...heaplight1.jpg
Here's another home made idea I put together from stuff I had laying around, my Rod leashes...they work great!
http://i1260.photobucket.com/albums/...rodleashes.jpg
here's my modified Sea Striker Gaff, drilled a hole in the grommet and attatched a Bungee leash then used super glue to make sure it would not pop out.
http://i1260.photobucket.com/albums/...fwithleash.jpg
This was a great add on to my Tarpon 160i....these Stainless Steel Shackles are available at Home Depot for less than 1/2 of what you would pay for them at West Marine or any boat / Kayak store. They Make strapping stuff down easier with conventional bungees than the super small cleats that most yaks have installed.
http://i1260.photobucket.com/albums/...l/shackles.jpg

I got some advice from a friend I wanted to pass on. A light up front will actually work against you at night. It's better to place the light behind you if possible....

Cool mods by the way....

http://i1260.photobucket.com/albums/...heaplight1.jpg

Very Good Point! So I did a Quick & Easy Fix. I took a soft large tapered red scupper plug and drilled a 3/4" hole through the center of it, cut it in half and slid the two pieces up the bottom of the light pole and spaced them out. It seats vey snugly in the center rod holder on my bait tank (I can even lift the hole thing by grabbing the pole)it is not going to slide out if I roll over. It pops right out too with a little tugging. I'm not too worried about losing a rod holder at all since it is a PA & I have more than enough places to put rods. Always Better to be safe than sorry fer sure.

http://i1260.photobucket.com/albums/.../rearlight.jpg

another DIY bait tank.
I went back to my smaller tank cause the other one seem heavy.
Went to OEX Oceanside Dive and Kayak to get the pump.
Now all I have to do is wire up the battery box.
Trying to test this out tomorrow.

The overflow looks way to low, you might want to put an elbow on it and raise it by a few inches.

http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwevb/a...1&d=1338694114

The same comment could be applied to the input from the pump. If you leave the intake tube at the bottom of the tank, all the water will drain out when the power is off. Put a 90 degree ell on the pump and add a piece of pipe that extends up about 6 inches. That way, if you lose power or accidentally turn off the pump, your tank will stay full of water and your bait will live a bit longer.

Bob