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Be wary when buying a used boat
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A friend of mine recently purchased a used boat for the first time. He was so happy to finally have the boat of his dreams that he posted pictures of him and his boat all over the internet. Now that he’s had a little time to get to know his boat he’s been calling me, explaining to me an issue that he is having with his outboard. From his description of the problem it doesn’t seem like anything major, although with an outboard you never know.

While talking to another close friend of mine, we couldn’t help to not reflect on our own used boat buying experiences. Rarely do you find a used boat that hasn’t had some type of work done to it or doesn’t have its little quirks. One of the hardest but smartest things to do when going out and purchasing anything used, especially a boat, is to take someone with you that has experience with what you’re considering purchasing.

In my friend’s case, it sounds like for what he paid for the boat, he got a good deal. I haven’t been able to see the boat up close yet, so I’m hoping that the problem that he’s having with his engine is all he’s going to have to worry about.

Delta Report:              

The cooler nights and shorter days are all signs that fall is closer than most people think. The fish are super sensitive to the seasonal change which causes a feeding frenzy amongst most Delta species. Bass fishing continues to be good throughout the day for numbers of smaller fish that can be caught on reaction baits. For the bigger fish anglers are fishing with top water lures or flipping heavy cover. Stripers are beginning to show up in the West Delta, areas such as Big Break and Sherman Island are beginning to produce for anglers fishing with live bait and top water lures.

New Melones Lake:

The lake is currently 13% full making it a ghost town for a lot of boaters. Launching is a challenge and should only be attempted by those who have vehicles equipped with four wheel drive. Fishing is decent for those fishing for catfish, bass, crappie, and bluegill. With the water being so low there are a lot of visible tress to fish for anglers fishing for bass, crappie, and bluegill. Catfishing is still very good for anglers fishing off the bank pretty much all over the lake. Anglers fishing for catfish are doing well while using cut bait such as frozen anchovies and sardines.

Lake Don Pedro:

The lake is currently 37% full making it a better option than New Melones but the fishing seems to be about the same. There continues to be one paved launch ramp open that is located in Fleming Meadows but it’s not exactly an easy launch to back down to as there are several turns that are required. Fishing is good for most species except for the kokanee and trout. They have all shut down for a while. Once we get closer to fall like temperatures the bite should improve.

Lake New Hogan:

There are still an abundance of small striped bass chasing schools of shad to the surface on the lake. Anglers willing to launch without a courtesy dock have the lake to themselves right now. Considering the launch conditions and the water level for $4.00 a day to launch New Hogan is still a place that I would consider trying out. The last time I was there I caught all my striped bass while trolling umbrella rigs that had spinners built into them.

Tip of the Week:

This weekend we will be experiencing a full moon. With every full moon, the gravitational pull is greater causing higher than normal tides. It’s a good time to be out fishing, especially on tidal waters. There is a lot more water for the fish to roam around in and they typically feed more during the full moon.