Fishing Charlotte Harbor Area (Key West: trailer, electric, ranking)

[Messing About]

[quote=pcozad1;17957193]

Originally Posted by Messing About

Were you going by speedo or GPS ?
My boat will run 42 WOT with the boat full of gas gear and two people.
Hull weighs 1800 with a 115 Johnson.
You should be in the mid 40s
Here is a video from the people I bought it from

The older Garmin on the boat showed top speed of 33 knots.
The new handheld Garmin showed 34.1

[Big House]

Originally Posted by Old Man Winter

I primarily did alot of flats fishing for snook, redfish and trout. My boat was too small for open water so I only took it out there when it was really calm with no wind, we shark fished the flats and a little deeper water when we got a chance. Now I just fish from the jetty from time to time. Dont really care what I catch if I catch anything at all, I just love being out there fishing. If you run into a few tarpon I would love to see pics if you get any.

I caught a few tarpon, but hadn't gotten it to the boat yet so I could take a picture. Trust me when I do, I'll post it! Last year I had 6 huge fish on, and they all broke 80# test line like it was thread. Soooo, this year I increased my line size to 150#test. Sooo, either I haul 'em in, . . . I'll be yanked in, my rod will get pulled out of my hands, or I'll bust my gear trying to haul them in, or . . . . my line will break (something is gonna give). I have heavy rods and medium rods with heavy line, I have medium rods with medium and lighter line, and I have lighter rods with lighter line so what ever I'm fishing for I have the right tackle and gear.

A couple of days ago I put two 350 watt halogen dock lights in the canal behind my house. The canal water is mostly murky, but its been very clear lately. The fish have definitely found them and are beginning to congregate. Last night I saw a couple bigger fish (not the big snook that hang at my neighbors light), a couple snapper, a couple lady fish, and a couple smaller fish that could have been smaller snook. The lights put out a lot of heat, so much heat your not supposed to turn them on if they are out of the water. They are green in color, and I think that and the warmth they give off attracts the fish as well.

[IamCheap]

Originally Posted by Big House

I caught a few tarpon, but hadn't gotten it to the boat yet so I could take a picture. Trust me when I do, I'll post it! Last year I had 6 huge fish on, and they all broke 80# test line like it was thread. Soooo, this year I increased my line size to 150#test. Sooo, either I haul 'em in, . . . I'll be yanked in, my rod will get pulled out of my hands, or I'll bust my gear trying to haul them in, or . . . . my line will break (something is gonna give). I have heavy rods and medium rods with heavy line, I have medium rods with medium and lighter line, and I have lighter rods with lighter line so what ever I'm fishing for I have the right tackle and gear.

A couple of days ago I put two 350 watt halogen dock lights in the canal behind my house. The canal water is mostly murky, but its been very clear lately. The fish have definitely found them and are beginning to congregate. Last night I saw a couple bigger fish (not the big snook that hang at my neighbors light), a couple snapper, a couple lady fish, and a couple smaller fish that could have been smaller snook. The lights put out a lot of heat, so much heat your not supposed to turn them on if they are out of the water. They are green in color, and I think that and the warmth they give off attracts the fish as well.

I've been watching a show called River Monsters. They've been showing 100+ lbs fishes caught on rods and reels. The host made it seem almost too easy.
Beside watching fishes in the water at night, what other purposes to have those powerful lights? shrimp, bait fish?

[Foxrivman1]

Messing About, what is the part number on the prop??? Look at your Coast Guard tag on the boat, see what the max boat, motor, gear, persons is rated for, then let me know model of engine, and take a look in the manual, or I can get this as well, we should be able to go up to a couple of notches on the prop using a SS performance prop. There will not be any flex with the SS, and if propped right, should get the max performance. Let me know.

[Foxrivman1]

BH, the dock light idea is cool, we use them up north for the same reasons and for boat docking navigation at night. I fish a lot at night, some of the best catches I have ever had have been at night! Hope you get your Tarpon, I'd like to see the picture! Although a nice, big Snook would work too!

[Old Man Winter]

BH keep me posted on that new heavy duty set up with 150 # line. I have talked to guys that work with 30# braided lines and love it. If you cant bring it in with that 150# line your gonna need a bigger boat

[Messing About]

BH...how much were those lights? I'd love to get one but the vendors want 500 plus for the underwater lights. I have bigger priorities for that price.

Also, do you use rubber grommets on your trolling motor installation or just do it the way the manual says? One neighbor says rubber grommets will prevent hull damage in the event you run your TM aground. My Minn Kota manual says nothing about that.

[Big House]

Originally Posted by Messing About

BH...how much were those lights? I'd love to get one but the vendors want 500 plus for the underwater lights. I have bigger priorities for that price.

Also, do you use rubber grommets on your trolling motor installation or just do it the way the manual says? One neighbor says rubber grommets will prevent hull damage in the event you run your TM aground. My Minn Kota manual says nothing about that.

I paid about $350 on-line for two 450 watt lights and the photo timer that works as an on / 4 / 6 / plus hour timer plus has dusk to dawn mode. Then instead of buying the weighted pvc stand that they sell, I just installed two of those pvc fishing rod holders that you push in the sand at the beach as its holder / anchor. I pushed it down into the bottom of the canal. I cut the top of it off, then cut a slit down one side of the top piece I cut off, then I glued it and pushed it down into the holder. It shrunk the opening down so that it was the perfect fit to hold the lights without crimping the green plastic tube that colors the light. The lights came with about 25' of waterproof electrical cord that is plugged on one end. I ran it back to the dock, zip tied it to the piles and secured it, and plugged it in. They are definitely bringing in more and more fish each night. I sat on the dock for a couple hours last night (drinking a glass of Port) and enjoying the evening - it was very nice.

As for the grommets and the electrical attachment at the boat, I had them do that when I ordered my boat new, I didn't install the trolling motor yet, I plan on doing that later this fall, but the boat is ready for that. I have no mechanical inclination or talent, so when it comes to installing it - your on your own, but when we hook up, I'll be real interested to see how you set it up, what works well, and what doesn't - YOU are my new Guinea Pig. So, do it right!

I have a hoard of people coming down from the frozen north, one group after another for the next two months. But, sometime if you're around, I'd like to go out fishing with you and see how your new boat runs. And, I'll take you around and show you some of the areas that I fish. Maybe Foxriverman will be down sometime and can join us. We can teach him how to bait a hook and hold a rod. ;-))

[Foxrivman1]

Messing About what Minn Kota model is the trolling motor, if it has a graphite shaft, you don't need to use rubber grommets as the TM absorbs the shock when and will invariably straighten right back up if you run aground. Also, as rubber grommets get worn, they become loose without you knowing that this is happening and can cause fatigue cracks in the boat hull where they are mounted. SS bolts with lock nuts is the way to go if the mount is plastic. You should be able to buy a rubber gasket to go between the boat and TM.

[Messing About]

The Minn Kota is a Riptide, ST101. The manual says, "Lifetime warranty, Flexible Composite Shaft."
Installation instructions say nothing about grommets. I got that from a neighbor.
Today I successfully changed out the plug and connectors using new materials from my Key West dealer. I have the 3 deep cycle batteries waiting. Just waiting on the marine charger from Samsclub.com and I will finish the installation. Can't wait. This thing will be like a gas electric hybrid....LOL.

BH, I'd love to hook up soon. I want to launch Saturday. Depends if I get the TM all installed Friday. Yes, the Fox Riverman needs to get his cold butt out of the frozen north and come here. I've got a foreclosure on my canal that is asking a paltry 59k. Sure it needs a roof and a dock/lift, but hell...I paid 200k for direct Gulf access and now you can do it for 59?