# It's official- I have a catfish boat...



## UFM82 (Apr 6, 2004)

With the inaugural trip out bringing with it two fish, the "Candy Baby" is officially a catfish boat. First fish was a 2 lb dink and afterwards a healthy but not-so-huge 7 to 8 lber. Both channels.

The water was almost there- in fact I saw skips busting like crazy at AEP but had no takers. They really spooked off when I pulled in. They had been popping a bunch as I approached and I thought I was going to have some luck. But, once by the outflow, nothing. I did see what is probably a new state record shad twice back there. Once almost the entire fish came out of the water and it had to be 3 or 4 lbs. Biggest shad I have ever seen. Mooneye Ken G guessed? Don't know, but you could have fished off that one fish for weeks. 

So, no skips. Mooched some shad off Ken and then paylaked him big time. LOL. He caught 6 fish while I watched and then I managed the two. Somebody flipped the switch around 10:00 or so and it was dead the rest of the night. 

The boat runs great- very smooth on the water and actually gets better as you trim up, unlike my other boats that have all pounded you once you trim up. I saw 48 on the speedo at one point and I am over-propped. Could only get to 5,000 rpm. I should be able to get 5,600 out of this motor so I'll need to drop down about 2-4 pitches. A 21 should work pretty good. Excellent fishability out of it- lots of room and it is comfortable. Hopefully you'll be able to see it at Eagle Creek as I plan to attend. 

It was a great night out- I ran the boat, caught some fish, talked top Ken and relaxed. Wish I could that all the time.

I have one picture- we'll have to see how it turns out. My digital takes awful pictures at night.

UFM82


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## bigjohn513 (Apr 6, 2004)

still sounds like a fun night


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## catking (Apr 5, 2004)

Sounds super Craig !!! Glad you got a boat that you are happy with. Sounds like a good night overall !! Candy Baby??? What in the sam heck is that about  What about " KINGS KRAFT"  .DA KING !!!


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## dip (Apr 5, 2004)

thought you were gonna have passengers? shoulda gave me a buz..... ida fished with you!


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## mrfishohio (Apr 5, 2004)

Gheesh....2 fish & it's a fishing boat  
Glad to hear you had no mishaps & didn't get the skunk like I did last Sun & today too


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## UFM82 (Apr 6, 2004)

they bailed on me at the last minute- I wound up going solo. Oh well, I had an "issue" with the boat that was best handled alone anyway. LOL

King, the boat had "Candy Baby" on the hull when I bought it. It is in big black vinyl letters and I haven't tried to remove it yet. I may not if it messes up the hull. The funny thing about it is that my wife's name IS Candy. I showed her the picture of the boat before I bought it and told her it was fate. LOL She couldn't say no after that!!!

You'll see her at Eagle Creek. I plan to attend. 

UFM82

Jim- for me, 2 fish IS a great night! Remember who you're speaking to!!! LOL


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## mrfishohio (Apr 5, 2004)

Can you read between the lines ??


> Oh well, I had an "issue" with the boat that was best handled alone anyway. LOL


That means....."don't need a witness, 2 fish sounds like something no one will question, so long as I don't make them too big & also make up a bogus excuse for no pictures." 

See ??


> I have one picture- we'll have to see how it turns out. My digital takes awful pictures at night.


Bet you $5.00 to bucket of doo-doo it's the smaller fish if we do get a picture !!


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## mrfishohio (Apr 5, 2004)

Man I *love* cracking on you....  Don't know why, I just *do !* 
Jim


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## Ken G (Apr 9, 2004)

I've always read that changing a boat's name is bad luck. Might be almost as bad as taking CatKing fishing.


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## UFM82 (Apr 6, 2004)

I only took a picture of the bigger fish just for evidence, but my POS digital takes really bad flash pictures. Plus, the inside of the boat is white and so are my shoes, so the picture looks like a negative! LOL. When I saw it, I had to look really hard to even see my shoe! ( I did the classic "foot by the fish" picture.) It was a channel around 7 or 8 lbs. 

No, the "issue" I had was one of an Oops more than anything. The splashwell scuppers on my boat are shot- the rubber flaps are stiff and curl and they leak letting water run into the splashwell. I bought new ones at West Marine in Seattle but they didn't fit so I put the old ones back on. However, I turned them so that they blocked off the splashwell completely. BAD IDEA. When I launched, the water ran into to splashwell as the boat rolled off the trailer and filled it. There is a 6" access cover in the splashwell that gives me access to the bottom engine mount bolts. You guessed it, it leaks. So now I have a splashwell full of water and a shower head into the bilge. Nothing the bilge pump couldn't handle but water in the bilge just the same. Nothing to worry about but I slapped myself on the forehead in the "DOH" fashion for doing it. Should have just let them free flow. I had to shove my finger through the flappers the let the water run out. I guess I'll get the RaBud scuppers now- they have the ping pong balls that seal up. May work better than the rubber flaps anyway. 

I just got some advice on my boat from a guy who knows what he is doing. It may be just a matter of raising the engine up a bit. What fun, but at least that is free. LOL

I'll be out again in two weeks and hopefully I'll have it corrected by then. I'll have an open seat on Saturday night if anybody else is going to be at Eagle Creek. I'm not staying the night but I will fish. 

UFM82

What did you pay for your boat Jim? ( Sorry, I couldn't resist.)


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## catking (Apr 5, 2004)

Ken G is even taking shots at DA KING !!! Changing names is bad luck?? That won't affect UFM82 at all........if you all know what I mean.....  THE CATKING ( AKA King of ALL CATS)


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