Cook's Chronicles and Commentaries
As we sit daydreaming about Life (read Bass Fishing) and why we aren't getting more out of it, "I ought to write that down." often follows a thought. Well, I decided to do just that. This is a "notepad" of thought. Some entries will be article ideas I am toying with, others humorous (to me, at least) and yet others, commentaries on our sport. I can't tell you what you'll find here. I'm just going to let it happen.
I'll accept thoughts from you too via e-mail (as telepathy isn't as dependable) and, if I like them, I'll add them here. You'll have to own up to these "pearls of wisdom" though. I will quote YOU! I won't accept anything without a full name and state, but will only post first name and state. I will add new entries from the top to simplify viewing. Read on:(03/27/17) A decade and a half later I come back to this page and think, "What the hell have I been doing all this time?". Well...I'll fill you in later.
(12/16/01) Another year closes. One of tragedy and triumph, individual trials and trials for our great country and the civilized world. For those who have lost loved ones and friends (for whatever reason), my deepest sympathy and condolences. If your year was good, reflect on that and give thanks. If it was not, give thanks for what you do have. We must all look forward to making 2002 a good year. May you and yours have Happy Holidays.
(05/08/01) It's hard to believe I haven't made an entry in 10 months, but I've been kinda busy, especially the last two. I hope that those of you who visit here have also visited my new website BoatSetup.com. I formed the concept and registered the domain name last year, but was unable to make the time to bring it online until March. It will take the rest of this year to develop all of the basic plan and always be a "work in process" after that. Thanks to all for both your growing support of this site and the enthusiasm I've seen for the new site as well.
(07/04/00) INDEPENDANCE DAY! The time to remember you're an American and what it means to you. Yeah, we've got our problems, but what's the alternative? Today is one of the "Family" days of the year. Enjoy and take care on the roadways and waterways of this great land.
I finally wrote that "Chinewalk" article. B&WB has first option on it, but it will be posted here in the future.
(12/31/99) Only a few hours yet to the new year and a new millenium as I post. May both bring health, peace and prosperity to you and yours.
(10/17/99) The rest of my life changed yesterday with the passing of my Dad. Think of your loved ones when you read this. If you're lucky enough to still have your parents around, give them a call and tell them how much you care. Better yet, go see them. Hug your wife (husband or significant other) and kids too! Family is foremost and tomorrow may not come.........(09/25/99) Whoever coined the phrase "you have to (or can) drive through chinewalk" should be horsewhipped. I believe it has caused a lot of confusion, especially for new Performance and HiP drivers. There's an article coming here!
(09/18/99) I moved into my new "Net Home" yesterday. Now the challenge is to improve the site.
(06/19/99) I've added a new "TechLinks" section to provide additional information from some of the best "Pros" in the business on making boats perform. You will also find articles on basics such as OMC's "Propellors".
I won't neglect the "fishing" aspect either. As I find good info, like the knots link, I'll pass it on.(06/02/99) The Rally@Fork '99, although a bit rain drenched, was a success. Yours truly weighed only one dink (as weighmaster, I had the pleasure (?) of being finned, flopped and bitten by everyone else's), but enjoyed the friends, food and fishing immensely. Those of you who haven't been to a "Rally" should look into participating in the next one you can fit into your schedule.
(03/02/99) It looks like an early Spring for much of the country. The water temperatures are getting into the mid 60s during the day on many lakes here in North Texas and rarely dropping below 57 at night. I don't take sides on whether or not to fish bedding fish BUT, if you are fishing tournaments, PLEASE do all you can to take care of the fish you put in the livewell. Assure your livewells are working properly, use livewell chemicals ("Catch and Release", "Please Release Me", etc.) in the recommended dosages and check your catch regularly. Do your best to minimize both handling and the time the fish are out of the water.
If you are "trophy" fishing, consider a fiberglass replica. A good set of photographs plus weight, length and girth (carry a dressmaker's tape) measurements will result in a beautiful "mount" and allow the fish to be released to spawn. Act as quickly as possible, placing the fish back in the water to breath every 30 seconds or so and supporting her belly when taking photographs (put minimum stress on lower jaw).
No matter how careful we are, there will be some mortality, but there can be no doubt that the "Catch and Release" philosophy is critical to insuring a continuing quality resource for the future.(12/29/98) Jackplates: Do we really need them and, if so, what about hydraulic?
Generally, in addition to ease of setup and/or changing setup, a hull's performance will be improved by the addition of a jackplate. Some hulls MUST have a jackplate to truly optimize performance. A 6" plate is the most common and several manufacturers will NOT warranty their transoms with more than a 6" plate.
Although an hydraulic jackplate is not a necessity, I have found mine to be much more useful than I had thought. Tweaking setup "on the fly" to adjust for load and day to day performance differences and shallow water operation, although obvious assets, haven't been the most useful aspects. When running in rough water, I move the engine down 1 to 3" from the "optimum performance" position and significantly improve ride. Whether planning to add a jackplate to an old hull or as part of a new purchase, if you spend a lot of time fighting 3 foot or higher waves, an hydraulic plate may be worth the extra investment.(12/14/98) As we approach the end of another year, it's time to sit back and reflect on both our accomplishments and shortcomings. Yes, I'm talking about bass fishing, but a good, hard look at life in general won't hurt. Most of us have more to be thankful for than we realize. Family and friends are the most important people in our world, vastly more important than "things". Hug all your family, especially the kids, and let them know what they mean to you.
Before I am accused of getting all "warm and fuzzy", how was your fishing year? A review of what and how you did can result in improved success in '99. Where is that rod with the missing guide you were planning to repair? Is the boat running all right, or do you need to do that maintenance you've been putting off? Now is the time to get out the bucket and practice your flippin' and pitchin' technique. I find that a 30-60 day layoff will noticeably degrade my accuracy. When the strike zone is small, accuracy to less than 6" can be critical.
May you and yours have Happy Holidays and a GREAT New Year!(11/09/98) I fished my last tournament for the '98 season yesterday. Anyone who says tournament fishermen aren't athletes hasn't worked crankbaits through coontail moss for 9 or 10 hours. Whew, I have to go back to working out and get in better shape for next year.
(11/05/98) Saw some discussion today about tachometer errors. If you seem to be running faster (verified) than the calculations say you should, your tach may be reading low. Depending on gears and prop, a 100 RPM error converts to 1-1.5 MPH. This would be one of the last things I would check though. For most hull/engine/prop combinations, efficiency loss should be around 10%+. I believe the variable that causes the most confusion is prop pitch. EFFECTIVE pitch is what counts and some props, especially those that have been worked on, may have an effective pitch 2 inches different than the nominal pitch.
(10/25/98) Someone says, "My ______ (fill in the blank) is ______ (fill in the blank again) than yours." If true, and it means catching more fish, or an improvement in safety, comfort or fishability, look into it. Otherwise, who cares?
(10/24/98) Only a few REALLY spend the time to optimize setup on a boat, but it pays off.
(10/23/98) Joey (Poole, my good friend and wheel man) and I have been talking about a prop article that will cover not only the basics, but also in-depth technical details for those who want to pursue "ultimate" performance.
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