Boating for fun, work or fishing

Thanks! I can’t say enuff about it. This is my fifth honda outboard. It is basically the same engine in my Honda Odyssey. To say it is quiet doesn’t do it justice. The coast guard puts them on their boats and never shut them off except to change the oil. They run them 10,000 hrs and put new ones on. You can buy them on govt auctions. Not gonna lie, when wide open she will drink fuel but cruising speed she just sips it.

 

Thanks for the Honda info. Kind of ran the gamit on motors down in the last few years. Started out with a old 2 stroke 225 Johnson that kicked arse for power. Boat did just over 50! But it stunk like hell and treated gasoline like a alchoholic treats Vodka!
Ditched that motor and installed a new Yamaha. Great fuel economy but way short on power due to the reduced size 125 to meet the weight requirement for the boat. Still did 34 mph so not bad for a fishing rig. That rig is sold.
Now we have a larger center console with twin 175 Suzuki's. Seem like good motors but they like there fuel a bit to much when pushed. I don't see many Honda's down there? Not sure why.
One thing is for sure. I don't miss the 2 stroke's!

 

Ditto! I grew up watching my dad and his friends strive for shoulder surgery yanking on those damm things. I said no way. I have never owned a 2 stroke for that reason. (New 2 strokes are really good). I have no reason to switch from Honda. 30 years since I turned 18 and have always had one of their cars in my stable. Millions of miles later and my only breakdown was a fuel pump on an accord after 250k miles. It ran to 500k and would still be going but the unibody finally rusted in half. Just go to a rental place and look at what engines they put on their stuff...90% honda. They just work. They have made more engines than anyone in history. Hell, my honda super cub they have made 100 million of them over the years. People say they are too expensive but when I pull the cord once and it doesn’t start I know I left the switch off.

 

Ahhhhh! Caught the yellow tails yesterday! Fresh ceviche for supper. Outstanding. This morning the boat was in the mangroves! Huge wind overnight. Broke off two one inch ropes from the dock. No harm done. Mid 50's I think the cold followed me !

 

Awesome! I am heading down Monday to crappie fish in lake kissimmee. Will report back.

 

The boat is a 25 foot hydra sport. Twin 4 stroke 175 zuki's. Runs just shy of 50 mph now. It did 50 before we altered the port side prop near molasses reef barely noticable tweak. It will be fixed after this season.

 

Very nice!

 

My neighbor caught this tagged fish for $100 prize money and $15 worth of pulls on the slot machines. Not bad for a morning of fishing!

 

Last week in Florida...

 

Bluegill is my favorite fish too! My favorite boat (14' Starcraft with a 15 HP-4 stroke Mercury).

 

NICE!

 

Thanks. Bluegill are my favorite too. Shell cracker a close #2.

 

Crappie like those take a close second to Bluegill.

 

There were many 16” fish in that box. We had our limit early. Came upon a giant nest of big males in the lily pads. 1 cane pole and a bucket of minnows. It was an absolute riot!

 

Wow! that'd put a smile on anyone's face!

 

We use 65 lb Spiderwire on our cane poles. It just cuts vegetation in half when they wrap you and it’s like having a winch in your arm!

 

One of these times I’m gonna wear a Lidcam on my hat and tape it. Nobody ever believes me when I tell the stories. When fishing the grass line I have had 7 slabs in the bottom of the boat at once. Nuts!

 

Driving through south Fl. always makes me wonder. It just looks like awesome pan fishing all over. How widely have you fished down there?

 

Been going there for 27 years. Lake Toho to Lake okechobee. The pan fishing is second to none. The biologists claim on average a crappie puts on one pound per year there.

 

Need Help finding an old 1970s / 1980s Hobie Cat 16, with no sails or mast, etc. My pea brain seems to want to build a mini pontoon boat. My honey and I have always wanted to live on a lake somewhere, for years... but that isn't in the cards. This might be a good alternative. Not interested in the big pontoon boats at all. I have an old family 6 hp Johnson motor that runs like a top. Folks bought it new when I was a junior in HS... almost 50 years old now... An old HC 16, that's been out back of someone's house collecting dust, might be the perfect float set-up.

So... we live in Maine... anyone have, or know of, an old "floats only" Hobie 16 somewhere in our neck of the woods? Sure would appreciate any help. Thanks !!!