Gary Lange

You should also go over the boat and check all the Pumps, Livewells and drain out and replace all the old fuel if it has been setting for a while. Have a good Marine Repair Shop check the motor over and make sure it is ready for use again. I use HydroTec in Nixa, Mo. and they are tops in Customer Service and repairs are done right. You want to have a good experience with this new to you boat so make sure it is ready for the water. The Titles for the Motor, Hull and Trailer are just a small part as is the registration. I would get the Corp of Eng. yearly permit also as it is good all over the country wherever you have a Corp lake. Good luck with this new to you boat and always where a life jacket when the big motor is running and the kill switch should be connected to you while running. Safety First.

That sounded like a really quiet road trip. When I went out up in Illinois I found it to be quiet and peaceful in the winter but we didn't have those extra warm days. I love traveling those old backroads just to see where they go.

I guess that just tells me that I better suck it up and push it through myself, cut it off and pull it out. Then use the money I saved for some new tackle.

You need to stay up and get some pictures Tim. Do they have Mountain Lions down that way or just the Jaguar?

I just wonder which tasty Amish fellow he had his sights on and was going to rush in and drag him out of that big group of armed men and eat. With that size of a group that cat was making tracks over the hill and out of there but didn't make it. Just another senseless killing of a beautiful animal that was posing no threat. If it was one person out there by themselves I'd say that the cat may have been hungry enough to pose a threat.

Thanks for thinking of me Chief. We have cut it down to just three candles now.

You can use a Bottom Bouncer such as one of these also and then just a shallow running Rapala tied on about 3 feet behind it.

I will have to remember to get up early and beat them on the water. I will stay away on the weekends so it shouldn't be to bad.

The animal was called in by the sound of an animal in distress which could be a meal for the cat. They were calling in Coyote's and the cat heard the sound and came to see if it could get an easy meal. It had no idea those hunters had tricked it into coming to them. They took advantage of the situation they created and shot and animal that was looking for the animal in distress for a meal. It was no threat to them because like a Coyote if it knew the hunters were there it wouldn't have come within a mile of the location. They can say all they want that they felt threatened and it will still be Bull Poop. If the cat would have gotten the smell of humans it would have been over the hill and gone. Game must be at a low point this year and that is why we are seeing more of these secretive animals. They need to spend more time hunting for a meal and therefore are out and about more.

Both of the Mountain Lions that have been shot in Missouri in my opinion were shot so that the Hunters could brag that they shot a Mountain Lion and for no other reason. Mountain Lions are not stupid animals and would shy away from a large group of people. There is no way that a Mountain Lion would have attacked six people and also no chance that one would have attacked the other group with the dogs. They shot the animals for bragging rights only and that is all. They were never threatened and if the Lion knew they were there it would have ran the other way. If they would have put the dogs on leashes and taken them away the Lion would have come down from the tree a short while later and left the area on the run and never would have gone near the group. Believe what you wish but the Animals never were a threat to these two groups.

I would look in to the Illinois Smallmouth Alliance as the place to meet like minded folks and get some inside information about Smallmouth Fishing. You are about 2-1/2 hours from the Kankakee River which is a premier Smallmouth Stream and you could easily hook up with some guys that fish that river. When I lived up that way we thought nothing of getting up at 3:30am and driving up towards Rockford for Breakfast and then West to the Apple River which was about 3 hours or so if I remember. The Central area has some Smallmouth also over towards Champaign/Urban area also. The Kankakee can be fished with waders most of the time and the area from the State Park downstream can be waded at normal water levels and holds good populations of Smallmouths.

Somehow someway somebody always takes objection to what is done, said, printed, mentioned or discussed in such a way that it becomes a discussion about nothing to wile away the boredom of winter. They will agree to argue about something no mater what it is because no two people think alike. Now for those that are really bored the Third Annual Ice Pirates Rally is being held at Kimberling Inn and Ahoy's this weekend rooms are discounted for Ice Pirates and Ahoy's will have a Band both Friday and Saturday. We run boats during the day and maybe fish a little but hanging out with friends and just having a good time in the cold weather is what it is all about. If you want come down to Aunt's Creek on Table Rock Lake and watch the boats run or come to Ahoy's and have some fun.

I recommend that the Democrat's and the Republican's get together and just go fishing and forget about there differences.

Just a question here with me thinking out loud. Couldn't he have just gone up and hooked up the dogs and drug them off to chase the Raccoon he was after in the first place and the Mountain Lion would have climbed down and ran off?

The ability to buy a fishing lic. on line is something that I have used for years. When I am going to another state to fish I order the necessary lic. on-line and love the convenience of being able to do so. If I need to pay a couple dollars extra for this so be it. That gives them a couple extra dollars for conservation and other programs. Like Al said some people will argue about or find fault with anything. They save $50,000.00 by doing this and that frees up that money for other programs. Now with the two extra dollars I am sure that you waste more then that on other things.

Mine is Plastic and says Lifetime Fishing Permit! :rolleyes:

Here is a very interesting article Al and others concerning Mountain Lion Attacks. I haven't had time to read it all but the parts a saw were interesting enough that I thought I would pass it on. http://users.frii.com/mytymyk/lions/beier.htm

I can only dream of shot like that of a Mountain Lion. I was in Glacier National Park Backpacking a good number of years ago and I am sure they were around but never saw them. I also went Mountain Biking in Winter Park Colorado one year and they had signs up a little hiking trip with the camera that they had Mountain Lions in the area and to watch your back and go with a group. Mountain Lions will hunt you just like anything else they would hunt. Guy is a tree stand had one cross under him several times as figured that it could smell him but couldn't pick up the trail. He was deer hunting with a bow. They will attempt to take food from a bear so eating you is nothing.

I haven't seen a Mountain Lion yet but I have seen a Bobcat and felt very privileged to see and photograph that especially since it was about 11:30am.

Welcome Dan and you will gain a wealth of information here on the OAF!

Everything was good and I sampled some of each. I brought the wife some Jalapenos home and at first she said oh I will have them with dinner. Next thing I know she tells her Mom that it was snack time and was eating a Pepper. I knew she couldn't wait until dinner time. Those were good Don and she sure had a big smile while she ate them. It was good to see everyone and to talk to all those that came.

I am quite sure that the Mountain Lion could take down a good size calf with no problems and would try if deer were not plentiful in the area. It is just food for them and they mean nothing personal. They will also take a human without hesitation and have numerous times in our western states.

Now I say they are both related and I think it was that the Alien Space Ship glided across the bottom of the Arkansas River for several miles and then took to the air. Now what happen was the Ship depleted the oxygen levels near the bottom of the river where the Drum were and caused them undo stress and death. Then when it lifted into the air and flew over Beebe, Ar. the heat from its propulsion system boiled the blood in the birds and killed them.

Can you get his number because I have never seen a Guide anywhere that was $75.00. I would like his list of them. I guided two guys once on the Fox River wading once and got $100.00 and that was about 10 years ago.

Bill, they have a double Shaft gasket set for the Mercury lower units. I suspect you are getting water in through the shaft seal. You may want to see about the double seal kit and new seals everywhere.