[Daniel_Gig]

I don’t have a recommendation on anyone to do the boat rewire. I do have someone who i would avoid. I hate to blast businesses, but i would avoid the marine electronics place in Slidell (at least on the rewire). I had him tie up some loose ends on my boats wiring, and while the work he did was good, it ended up being WAY over the budget. Lucky for him i had the money otherwise he would’ve been “un fixing” things lol.

I would say whatever you do, and whoever does it, you sit down with them and have a detailed plan drawn up on what you want done, the budget, and have them detail everything they plan on doing, a materials list, etc. And i would make it clear that they need to communicate any changes BEFORE doing it. ( i thought i made it clear to my guy, but it was all in vain).

[Daniel_Gig]

there seems to be a misconception or confusion on vibrio. I know most of you guys know, but It isn’t limited to bay St. louis, or any other area, it isn’t new. There isn’t more of it. Its always there in the summer months. Its simply in the news right now because so many people are getting it.

[Daniel_Gig]

Glad someone is trying it

[Daniel_Gig]

Thanks for the report

[Daniel_Gig]

It 100% works, I tested it out in Venice this past spring. It works. But like Boyce said, i wouldn’t want that to be my only means of communication in the event of an emergency.

[Daniel_Gig]

I have not only tried bleeding them, ive tried the whole “ikejime” thing. Where you spike them in the brain and bleed them out. It will 100% change the color of the meat. You don’t get that pink color, you get white filets. As for taste, as Devin said trout and redfish aren’t premium eating fish. No one is making sushi rolls with specks , not that I know of. The other aspect of ikejime is the lack of the stress hormones (they claim). I didnt see any difference, but that might have been because they crossed a lake in a live well getting bounced around.

I started trying this because, except for summer, I utilize my live well. So I was already cleaning live fish, so I thought I would try it.

Bleed them if you want, I don’t think it made a huge taste difference. Maybe on redfish with the bigger blood line. I think far more important on taste is keeping the fillets dry in a bag (not soaked in water), and on ice in the fridge. That ice 100% extends their non frozen storage.

Video of that process:

https://youtu.be/TS4AM9mPX-8?si=kUeScZP0_wYlbjbQ

• This reply was modified 5 months, 1 week ago by  Daniel_Gig.
• This reply was modified 5 months, 1 week ago by  Daniel_Gig.

[Daniel_Gig]

I’ve purchased boat 2 boats in the past 5 years. One brand new nautic star 215xts (21’ fiberglass bay boat) and one used bass tracker 160. Both boats have their place. I don’t regret either purchase, but I don’t think I would ever buy new again unless it was a great deal, like well below msrp lol. That new boat smell wears off way faster than the new car smell lol

Plus I’m sure you’ve been eyeing the used market, right now is a good time to buy used. Every boat I see listed has a price that has been reduced.

Aluminum vs fiberglass factors: can you weld aluminum or have a close friend who can? Can you do fiberglass repairs?

Weight is a big difference also, that aluminum boat will be faster and be easier to trailer.

As for the T Top ( I think people are missing the real benefit here), do you like shade? Do you fish all day with the family? Year round angler? Heat tolerance? But I do agree with Devin, one more thing to break.

I don’t currently own a T top, but EVERY summer I wish I did. Been heavily considering adding one to my 215xts, I just worry because most of the aftermarket ones that I’ve seen that aren’t custom made look janky.

As for features/accessories , are you paying cash or financing the boat? If you’re paying cash/used, then just find the right boat and add whatever you want later. GPS trolling motor for me is as essential as the outboard .

If I were buying a used fiberglass bay boat tomorrow, I would look heavily at blazer bay, skeeter, pathfinder, etc. I’ve seen a number of nice blazer bay’s recently for relatively cheap.

Whatever you do, don’t rush into a boat. All those people during Covid who willingly over paid for boats because “I need it now” , are kicking themselves in the ass right now, upside down on boat loans…

[Daniel_Gig]

Nice. I’ll have to start making a plan myself

[Daniel_Gig]

Dude forget running to Breton sound when you cant swim… I know older guys i’ve worked with who lived in New Orleans during Katrina, but cant swim. If i couldn’t swim before Katrina, after watching people get rescued off their roof, my ass would’ve gone straight to the YMCA and signed up for some classes. When my son was born, the first thing i wanted him to learn, was how to swim. Now, he will be 3 years old next month, and he’s been swimming like a fish for the last 18 months…

• This reply was modified 4 months, 4 weeks ago by  Daniel_Gig.

[Daniel_Gig]

lol Devin… thats funny. When i crashed the first time racing my motorcycle, i remember waking up in an ER in alabama where the track was, thinking ” i hope it was a spectacular crash..”. Instead ill forever be disappointed with the crash, not because i injured myself, or damaged my bike, but because it wasnt even a cool crash lol

[Daniel_Gig]

As someone who commutes from Slidell to New Orleans, i was thanking god when Covid first hit… (as crazy as that sounds) i could go from Slidell, all the way to uptown in less than 30 mins. Pre Covid that was like 1 1/2 hour drive… It reminded me of post Katrina. It was beautiful… But then the tackle shops didnt have a 7′ Medium rod anywhere and thats when it starting sucking lol

[Daniel_Gig]

Good for the fish was what first came to mind for me, but I’m not in the same “boat” as you or the marinas are.

[Daniel_Gig]

Could be a factor, but I don’t think so. One of the marinas biggest customers for bait is guides. They aren’t switching. I’m wondering, are they running fewer trips? I only know one guide personally and he isn’t a 365 captain so I don’t know

I feel like we are the connoisseurs of fishing. The “micro brew” of fishing vs “natural light”-live bait users. Like we don’t just want to catch fish but we want them a certain way. Live bait people just want to catch. They will always exist, but have you personally noticed the parking lots with fewer trailers lately?

[Daniel_Gig]

@dedwa1985 cutting the gills and at the tail is how i did it and how ive seen others do it.

[Daniel_Gig]

That’s what I figured, but thought i would ask before creating new fiberglass work for me to do