[Cigar Thread]

I would welcome you to my home any time Ludi. I have a few cubans in there somewhere for you. I have some Cohiba Silgo's and Monte Cristo #2. As you may note I like the big ring gage on my stogies.

If you like the VSG torps, and you like big ring gage smokes, you have to try the VSG Wizard. It's a toro (6") with a 54 gage & all that good VSG goodness. $14-15

I like the Pepin JJ series toro's as well, they may be a 56 gage. $11

My goto fat smoke is a EO 601 Blue label. 54 gage box pressed toro. (Blended by Don Pepin) $9.

I have found that just about anything Mr. Pepin blends tends to have the best flavor.

[Mann's Stretch Lures]

We use em out of OCMD on the inshore (inshore of the canyons) lumps & ditches. I typically pull 25's tied directly to 40-60# main line. Never had any problems with breakoffs.

Its my first lure in, usually the first lure hooked up. Not always the most productive lure, but I can't think of a trip without a hookup on em

The are perfect for the Jackspot- kings, blues, mahi & bonita. Yet to get a BFT on one, but I bet its possible.

[How do you like your walkaround?]

I'm real happy with my walkaround. (SeaFox 236WA/Suzuki 4 stroke) It does, of course, have the obvious disadvantage of not being able to fight a fish 360 degrees like a CC, but that's really the only one and it's easy to live with.

The advantages outweigh that for my use. For us, the cuddy tends to be more of a dry storage area than anything else, but there are lots of times when my daughter gets bored with fishing & goes in there to play with her PSP or just lay around out of the sun, and having the head is nice for the women on the boat (or the men is any of the women are not your wife)....most decent CC's have that, but let's face it: The consoles are not very roomy on a 23' boat. Another real nice thing is overnighting. We don't sleep on the boat (the Admiral refuses) but it's nice to have all that secure storage when the boat is left in a transient slip overnight and not having to carry a bunch of stuff to a hotel room.

I fish 2 WA's all the time in 2 different situations.

25 Cobia WA 250 Yammi OX66 in OCMD out to 55 miles. This is my inlaws boat that I take offshore 6-8 times per year & striper fish OC inlet for a week in early winter. This boat has all the bells & whistles- alum enclosure, riggers, full electronics, 15hp kicker, all the good stuff.

21 Trophy WA 125 Merc, buddies boat that we use for striper fishing the susky flats (my home waters). I took that boat out 40+ times this season. This boat is bare bones.

Cobia Pro's/Cons:

pros-

Fast, dry, offshore capable.

Great trolling & fishing platform for 2-3 anglers.

Great ride in rolling seas. Soft entry on soft waves (not steep)

The enclosure is nice for getting out of the weather.

cons-

The boat will beat the snot out of you in the chop. WA's are no match to CC's for ride quality.

The enclosure makes the boat tough to fish in tight condions like OC inlet. It's difficult to get to the helm in a jam.

The cabin is worthless.

To "walk around" off shore is not a easy task. Fighting a fish, forget about it.

Trophy Pro's/Cons:

Bare bones open bay fishing boat.

Dry soft ride. Yes, soft in hard chop.

Plenty of comfort for the bay.

Cons: Not many.

Small engine=kinda slow.

No decent live well.

Cabin is useless.

I own a bowrider & a old school express style fishing boat, if I had a choice, I would buy a 25' or so CC with a full enclosure.

[Yammie]

Whats up all...

got a 00' 250 OX66 that started cutting out over 4800 RPMs at the end of last season, this year it can happen at any speed over 3000. It just "stops" & will start at the turn of a key.

It's NOT-

Fuel

Air

Temp.

Must be electrical.

Any ideas?