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Kattracker
| | Posted on Thursday, September 11, 2003 - 12:15 am: | 
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Well,
Many of you may have wondered about who is this "Kattracker" guy who recently appeared on the forum and is posting comments everywhere.
Well, click on my profile and you will see.
I have chosen a photo that is not too identifiable for security reasons.
As far as the photo, well, it says it all.
I am obviously a Cat fisherman. I go after the 30lb plus catfish on the Wabash river between Parke and Vermillion County in Indiana. I don't eat the nasty things, but they are sure fun to catch.
With two different type fishfinders, Garmin GPS, livewell, dual batteries, 115HP four stroke Suzuki on a 20 foot Crestliner, I am ready for the long haul fishing.
Oh, I almost forgot one of the best parts. There is a Galaxy DX959 on board. If you look close, near the blue jug, you will see a Firestik 5/8's wave antenna. This thing really talked on the river.
I say "talked" because I recently got rid of it. I am going to buy a jet drive as they run in shallow water better than a prop drive does. I tore out two lower-ends of the motor hitting bottom. Those two incidents cost my insurance company over $9000.00
Well, that's about it.
Kattracker |
RCI 2990
| | Posted on Thursday, September 11, 2003 - 2:10 am: |
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How far upstream on the Wabash have you fished? I know some guys fish it up as far as Peru and Huntington... |
Kattracker
| | Posted on Thursday, September 11, 2003 - 7:29 am: |
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RC 2290,
I have been up only as far as Delphi, IN. I usually put in at Lafayette. However, I have put in at Lafayette and went down as far as Clinton, IN. That is over 80 miles. It is fun going down, and then camping overnight, but the trip back is not as fun. Usually wore out from staying up late, and we are also heavily loaded with gear, so going fast enough to keep on plane and watching the depth finder gets a bit stressful.
If it was not for the underwater objects, I would cruise at 45-50 Mph and get anywhere fast. I only made these LONG trips when the water was up, as hitting objects, i.e. logs, sandbars etc. is inevetible when the water is low. Still a big risk when river is up too.
It's a lot of fun, but as I said, busting two lower ends in one year was too much. I am going to go jet drive when I can and minimize the risk of hitting anything.
The radio on the water is a blast. We have extra channels so we can stay away from the local's in most cases. With an amp, and being on water it is amazing how far we could talk.
Later,
Kattracker |
Karatebutcher
| | Posted on Thursday, September 11, 2003 - 9:03 am: |
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Kattracker have fun, looks like a good boat. |
Znut
| | Posted on Thursday, September 11, 2003 - 10:16 am: |
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Pack those big cats (gutted, of course, fillets even better) in dry ice and give me a call, I send UPS to your house. I'll eat 'em.
The larger species of catfish are predators (still somewhat oppurtunistic) and are fine table fare if from decent waters. |
Pig040
| | Posted on Thursday, September 11, 2003 - 10:31 am: |
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Hello to a fellow fisherman, although my main quarry is bass. I have a 17.5 foot bass boat with two depth finders, and a 70 horse. Lakes are drying up here though, so I am gonna venture into texas to find some bass, I think. |
RCI 2990
| | Posted on Thursday, September 11, 2003 - 12:53 pm: |
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What other fish can a fella get out of the Wabash? Im mostly bluegill and bass and sometimes catfish. Ive thought of putting in at Huntington or further down at Markle a few times to see what i can get.. I just have a 14' fishing boat and a 15 horse Johnson.. |
Triplecguy
| | Posted on Thursday, September 11, 2003 - 4:47 pm: |
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Well, you know what? Here in Pueblo, the Arkansas river flows right through the middle of town. In 1921 it flooded and our whole town washed away, I'm sure Bruce remembers it. hi..hi..
But anyway, most of you guys live in the midwest/south/east part of the country and have rivers you CAN put boats in. Well, in the mighty Arkansas you could float an inflatible raft if your lucky. It's about 2-4 foot deep and about 80 foot across at it's widest point. What we call rivers out here y'all refer to as criks or creeks. Be thankful for what you've got. In Tulsa, OK, the Arkansas is about 1/2 miles wide and has a whole lot of water in it. I never saw a river that big in my life until I went there a few years ago. And Kattracker, you don't need to preach at me about hitting the bottom!!! In our wonderful Lake Pueblo I didn't see the buoys marking the low water areas and rammed my brand new Lund 16.5 footer with a brand new Johnson 50hp motor into the river rocks (not a sand bar, rocks)at full speed sending my friend's girlfriend form sitting next to me to the bow!!! I had never driven a boat before and I thought, "HOW HARD COULD IT BE???" Well, I now curse all boats and water and I still have the darn thing on the side of the house. It's amazing what a few rocks can do to a propeller and the paint on the lower unit!!!! I like desert and prairie and mountains, you can have the water!!!!!
DAN |
Kattracker
| | Posted on Thursday, September 11, 2003 - 5:41 pm: |
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RCI 2990,
Here is the url for the Indiana DNR web page
http://www.in.gov/dnr/ it will tell you anything you would want to know about fishing in Indiana.
But to briefly answer your question about what kind of fish are in the Wabash. There are over 100 different species of fish in it. BUT, I will list what I have caught in 35 years of fishing it.
This list will be in order of the most common caught fish first. Channel cats, Perch, also referred to as drum, Flathead cats, Blue cats, Gar, Carp, Buffalo, Sturgeon, Spoonbill cats by accidental snag on trot line, bass, Bluegill, and a snake.
I saw pictures taken in the late 1800's where the alligator Gar where 300 Lbs. They are gruesome looking fish. I think the big ones have been killed off.
Even though Vermillion county is 70 miles from my house, I prefer to go there. The Wabash runs right through our twin cities, but the further south (Downstream) you go the deeper it gets.
If I am able to paste a pic to the message body, I may do it on another post and show you more of what it looks like down there.
Kattracker
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Saddletramp025
| | Posted on Thursday, September 11, 2003 - 5:54 pm: |
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Kattracker, If you are ever in Mississippi give me a call, We'll go get some of the big flatheads in Grenada Lake. Our biggest this year has been a 54 lb flat and a bunch of 20-30lb blues. |
Bigbob
| | Posted on Thursday, September 11, 2003 - 6:36 pm: |
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Up here in northern lower mich.there's a lake called lake charlevoix,x is silent,42" northern pike,58" musky,7' sturgeon,7 lb large&small mouth bass,30 to 50 lb channel cats,45 lb salmon and 50 lb lake trout are common plus thousands of smaller versions of above fish 2-15 lbs except sturgeon,got perch,walleye,pickerel,sauger,whitefish,menominee,pan fish of all varieties,every type of trout and salmon,a fishermans paradise and it is connected directly to lake michigan. |
Kattracker
| | Posted on Thursday, September 11, 2003 - 7:44 pm: |
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Bigbob,
When do we go? LOL!
Kattracker |
Bigbob
| | Posted on Thursday, September 11, 2003 - 9:31 pm: |
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Sorry,I don't fish,but I get immense satisfaction watching an angler land a trophy,but unfortunatly anyone in a boat on the lake with fishing equip.must have a valid fishing liscence. |
RCI 2990
| | Posted on Friday, September 12, 2003 - 12:57 am: |
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Id like to go but my Johnson motor has a bad water pump and i dont feel like burning up my motor and i dont ahve the time or $$ right now to get it fixed.... *sigh* I havent had much fishing time this year also so my boat, motor and trailor just sits at the folkses............ :-(
But on the bright side i have caught some HUUUGEE bass and bluegill out of a local farmers farm pond!!!! :-D |
Alsworld
| | Posted on Friday, September 12, 2003 - 9:02 pm: |
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RCI 2990,
if you don't want to replace the impellar (water pump) yourself, wait until it's the dead of Winter and then go work a deal with a repair shop. It is their slowest time of the year and the mechanics can always use the extra cash, especially before Christmas.
Everyone hits them in the Spring for de-winterization and associated problems, and then wait times are long.
Are you sure it's really shot?
Alsworld |
Kattracker
| | Posted on Friday, September 12, 2003 - 9:58 pm: |
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RCI 2990,
I don't know how mechanically inclined you are, but replacing water pumps on the Johnson is easy.
If you can do one on a car, I bet you could do one on a Johnson motor.
Don't get me wrong though, they are totally different looking parts and the process is entirely different, but the level of technical skill is close to the same.
Basically, remove the lower end after disconecting the shift rod, remove the water pump housing, disasemble it. Inspect the stainless steel liner in the housing for wear, replace it if needed, If okay re use it, put the new rubber impeller in the housing making sure of the rotation and make sure the impeller vanes lean the correct direction according to rotation, reassemble and you are done.
You should also replace the lower-end gear oil too. In fact, that should be done at least once a year anyway.
It would be easier to buy a repair manual for the
motor, that way it would be hard to go wrong.
If it is only the impeller, you may get by for $10.00-$15.00
If you are not mechanically inclined don't even attempt it though. It will cost more in the long run if you carry in a bag of parts with your boat to the local marina and say " here ya go, fix this". Mechanics dislike situations like that. I know because I was a mechanic for 16 years.
Good luck,
Kattracker |
RCI 2990
| | Posted on Saturday, September 13, 2003 - 3:26 pm: |
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Here when i get the time ill get a Johnson mechnics manual from my marina. It is about 40.00 for the book which covers both Johnson and Evinride up until about 1998. Mine is a 1988 15 horse. Im pretty sure its the impeller because the pump will not pump any water out of it.. |
RCI 2990
| | Posted on Saturday, September 13, 2003 - 3:28 pm: |
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So the pump is in the lower unit right? |
Kattracker
| | Posted on Saturday, September 13, 2003 - 6:36 pm: |
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RCI 2990,
The pump is not actually in the lower-end, it is just above it. If it is so bad that it does not pump at all I bet you need the pump housing too. If so, the total cost in parts if you do it yourself should be no more than $70.00
Be sure the discharge hose where the water squirts out is not plugged up. Sand and mud can be pumped in them and plug them up, and people assume the pump went out when it was simply a plugged hose.
If you have a flush device that attaches to the garden hose, put in on and see if water comes out the discharge hose.
In case you do not know what I am talking about I will explain. You can buy a device that attaches to a garden hose that clamps to the lower-end right over the water intakes. It has two rubber disc that resemble suction cups that cover the water intakes. The intakes are the two plastic grills on the left and right side of the lower-end near the bottom and towards the front. Turn on the garden hose and it will flush out the water way. If water comes out the discharge hose (which is just below and outside of the engine cover and usually on the right side), then obviously the system is not plugged up. You can buy them at Wal-mart in the boating accessory department for under $5.00.
Good luck, any questions just let me know.
Kattracker |
Bigbob
| | Posted on Saturday, September 13, 2003 - 7:26 pm: |
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RCI 2990,you bet,and it is simple,just...take...your...time,and be patient,all will go well. |
Alsworld
| | Posted on Sunday, September 14, 2003 - 12:37 am: |
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RCI 2990,
Kattracker eluded to exactly what I was thinking about indications of over heating. If your only indication is no water coming from the "pea" hole, that does not necessarily mean a failed water pump. The "pea" hole is only a visual indication that water is flowing through the head, and is easily plugged up. A real overheating motor will usually shutdown on you and sometimes you can hear that scary evil "sizzle", which says you just cost yourself a lot of bucks (not always, but sometimes).
That "pea" hole is like a dummy light on a car, just a visual indication that things are working or not, but not always a true indication of water flow in outboard motors.
Let us know, as clearing the obstruction is easy if that is all you have to go on. Piece of cake.
By the way, I had to misspell "pea" on purpose to beat the built in filters here. Otherwise, it was all red dots. I hope you understood what I meant.
Alsworld |
RCI 2990
| | Posted on Monday, September 15, 2003 - 2:33 pm: |
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Well what i get out of it when the motor is running is a very slight mist almost like steam. I shut it down and took my air compressor and blew in the intake holes in the bottom and water and air did come out the "pea" hole. So im thinking it is the impeller thats at fault.. Ill check it out later on this week when i can.. |
Karatebutcher
| | Posted on Monday, September 15, 2003 - 4:20 pm: |
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Oh ya Alsworld missspelled a word on purpose, (BETTER WATCH THAT STUFF) HA HA
no comment. |
Kattracker
| | Posted on Monday, September 15, 2003 - 6:02 pm: |
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Alsworld,
Yeah, better watch the spelling,...everyone here knows I am a big critic when it comes to misspelling words. LOL!
Kattracker |
Alsworld
| | Posted on Monday, September 15, 2003 - 6:52 pm: |
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yes, steam is bad. Sounds like you are probably right. Good thing is parts are cheap, and if you choose not to do it yourself, it's not a killer bill, mostly labor.
Alsworld |
Alsworld
| | Posted on Monday, September 15, 2003 - 10:45 pm: |
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Kattracker.
Yeah LOL for sure! I remember the post. Maybe someday I'll turn on the spell checker. I'm terrible in the Chat room on Sundays trying to chicken peck too fast. At least I haven't upset the first Sargent. Karatebutcher...?...?..? he he he (was that a low blow? Darn, Mrs Karatebutcher might sentence me back to bread and water again  )
If you get up to N.W. Washington, we can go out fishing in my boat. Mainly saltwater fishing but beautiful scenery with or without fish (although rarely skunked unless I'm fishing Salmon). A friend of mine has an incredible river boat, all welded aluminum with a large inboard/outboard jet drive. Not as efficient (miles per gallon or gallons per hour) as a prop but under your circumstances of ripping off lower units, a jet should serve you well. I'm sure the insurance company will appreciate it LOL! 
Alsworld |
RCI 2990
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 16, 2003 - 1:40 am: |
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Think ill get that book and tackle the motor this winter when i can.. I dont have time now to do much with work and the G/F and my other hobbies taking up time so it will be a winter job! |
Karatebutcher
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 16, 2003 - 8:32 pm: |
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DA Da Da,Who is First Sergant ????? Just you wait when we go to dinner some time, I will excuse myself to use the rest roon, and then have my wife meet me at the car, free meal again. ha ha |
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