Not much of a report...1st Shakedown of the Season (whoops)

[Damien]

So, the always 'fun' first run of the year in the boat happened yesterday. Woke up to ZERO Degree Celsius weather with snow coming down. Weather said 'warm' (6-7 C) with some sun. Nope. Great start!

By the time I remember all the stuff I need to load up, track down the boat keys, and general shenanigans I pick up a friend on the way to Alouette. Gas stop (Gas topped up with non ethanol 94 octane, only 22$ worth of room at like a $1.50/ litre) , Tims stop. Then we get to the Gates to the park for like 10am. Gate is locked, park is closed. Sheesh.

Okay, lets zip over to Pitt. Launch fee is now $15, yikes. Cash only, I have 12$ in change, guy begrudgingly lets us launch.

Motor gags a couple times then fires up (I didn't winterize) this year, just the Evinrude Branded/STABIL stuff to Costco premium gas. Last run was in November.

Topped the tank with the appropriates amount of fuel system cleaner and and carbon cleaning stuff (Evinrude branded Seafoam-ish stuff). And way we went.

Launch went fine, motor running as smooth and quiet as it should for a 1996 115 2stroke. After a slow cruise to get warmed up, away we go! And so does my transducer. Silly me, trusting the transducer using the Humminbird suction cup mount for my Helix5 DI GPS G2.

I was supposed to make that a winter project to hard mount the thing, but it fell by the wayside. I will be $150 lighter for that mistake. Just emailed Humminbird for the right model replacement. What a dumbass.

If anyone is trolling just north of the launch at Pitt and finds it, let me know! haha.

Trolled around blind for a couple of hours during intermittent showers and general coldness. A few good runs to the first island and looped around a bit. Good enough, ready for the season. Couple nibbles, no fish to the boat. (forgot the net anyways!)

I don't know why I wrote this. I guess to embarrass myself?

 

[wildmanyeah]

So, the always 'fun' first run of the year in the boat happened yesterday. Woke up to ZERO Degree Celsius weather with snow coming down. Weather said 'warm' (6-7 C) with some sun. Nope. Great start!

By the time I remember all the stuff I need to load up, track down the boat keys, and general shenanigans I pick up a friend on the way to Alouette. Gas stop (Gas topped up with non ethanol 94 octane, only 22$ worth of room at like a $1.50/ litre) , Tims stop. Then we get to the Gates to the park for like 10am. Gate is locked, park is closed. Sheesh.

Okay, lets zip over to Pitt. Launch fee is now $15, yikes. Cash only, I have 12$ in change, guy begrudgingly lets us launch.

Motor gags a couple times then fires up (I didn't winterize) this year, just the Evinrude Branded/STABIL stuff to Costco premium gas. Last run was in November.

Topped the tank with the appropriates amount of fuel system cleaner and and carbon cleaning stuff (Evinrude branded Seafoam-ish stuff). And way we went.

Launch went fine, motor running as smooth and quiet as it should for a 1996 115 2stroke. After a slow cruise to get warmed up, away we go! And so does my transducer. Silly me, trusting the transducer using the Humminbird suction cup mount for my Helix5 DI GPS G2.

I was supposed to make that a winter project to hard mount the thing, but it fell by the wayside. I will be $150 lighter for that mistake. Just emailed Humminbird for the right model replacement. What a dumbass.

If anyone is trolling just north of the launch at Pitt and finds it, let me know! haha.

Trolled around blind for a couple of hours during intermittent showers and general coldness. A few good runs to the first island and looped around a bit. Good enough, ready for the season. Couple nibbles, no fish to the boat. (forgot the net anyways!)

I don't know why I wrote this. I guess to embarrass myself?

at-least you remembered to take the straps on the back that hold on the boat to the trailer, my first launch last year I made that mistake. Always nice to get out, I hope to soon

Oh another time I almost launched it onto pavement , went to take off the back straps, wondering why one was so tight, next think i know the boats rolling towards me, Lucky the safety chain was on and stopped it.

 

[agentaqua]

It can always be worse, Damien:

I really don't think you have anything to be embarrassed of - in comparison....

 

[Damien]

- who needs a mechanic when you have snake oil!

- at least it was calm

 

[wildmanyeah]

So rare for Pitt to be flat like that

 

[Damien]

Yeah, it would have been nice to move around that lake while it was so calm looking for new spots to target using the sounder. Who knows when that'll happen again.

Wasn't meant to be I guess.

 

[bones]

Pitt Lake..... Go all way to top, sockeye smolts are flushing. Use a small spinner or better a fly rod with an Alexandria or in alittle later a thin silver minnow fly. There is a slough "red slough" fish in it if your boat will float in. If not fish the docks at the first or last cabins on the east side. Cutthroat will be up there and can be fun on the fly rod.

 

[Damien]

Yeah, the north end haunts me. I didn't trust the first run of the year in a 20 year old boat that I'm not super familiar yet to make the run. And seeing as I didn't get on the water until 11am, I thought the Pitt Lake mid-day blow up was imminent.

One day though! Thanks.