Maiden Voyage!

[hanson]

Sorry guys... Been MIA for a few days. The home computer took a dump and is still out of commission and I've been busy playing with my new ride. Saturday turned into a hectic day of shopping, rigging, and making sure important stuff (motor, lights, GPS, locator, trailer) were working properly.

On Sunday however, a buddy of mine "Catfishunter" from the forums joined me for the maiden voyage of this wonderful little cattin' machine!

We hit the St. Croix River in hopes of finding some Channel Cats & Lake Sturgeon and to give the new boat a good workout.

The first spot we tried was jumping with shad, and when I say jumping, they were hitting the surface everywhere. We were working the bottom of a breakline and found some cooperative channel cats. These kitties were definitely enjoying shad as their bellies were plump full.

Fish #1 for the new boat

Fish #2 for the new boat and Catfishunter's 1st St. Croix River channel cat

We caught a few more decent "eater" channel cats on both shad & nightcrawler and decided to make a short move off the breakline to see if we could find some wandering sturgeon.

We fished for quite awhile longer hooking up with a bunch of small sheepshead on crawlers until we finally got Lake Sturgeon #1 in the boat.

Here's Joel (Catfishunter) with his 1st Lake Sturgeon on the first sturgeon to slime up the carpet in my boat.

Shortly after, I finally got my 1st Lake Sturgeon in the boat for the year as well.

I was telling Joel that they get much bigger than this when this one decided to double my rod over! She pulled the tape to 49".

Within 5 minutes of releasing that 49" sturgeon, Joel had this pig on his line at pulled the tape to 48".

After those 2 fish, I think Joel completely forgot that he came down to the cities to flathead fish.

Before the night was over, Joel hooked into this 47" beauty.

When all was said and done, we boated a handful of channel cats, even more sheepshead, and 30 lake sturgeon with 43", 43", 47", 48", & 49" being the 5 biggest fish.

(I've got to apologize for the "grainy" look to the photos, once my computer gets up and running again, I can fix that. Until then, I've got very basic photo editing software to use.)

[rushing]

Congrats on the new boat! Those are sonme nice lookin sturgeon too!

[Deitz Dittrich]

SWEEEEEEEEET dude.. so how about a pict of the boat?

[hanson]

Dietz-

I don't even have a picture of the exterior of the boat.

I can say this...

Its an early 80s 16' Mirrocraft aluminum V w/ a 60hp Johnson. The boat has a side console which I love. Screw sitting in the back.

Previous owner started a small project on the boat and never finished it. So, the boat has a new floor, perfectly flat from bow to stern and is carpeted.

All I really need to do to the boat is rig up a bunch of rod holders.

I'll get some photos some day.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Its not a jet?... how do you plan on fishing shallow water? and when do I get a trip?

[DTro]

Nice Hanson!

Those are some dandy Hoovers you guys caught.

Sure glad you broke in that boat with a real fish

You can put my name on the list for an outing in that new boat.

I'm just wondering how you got the guy to sell it for $25

This must be it huh?

[hanson]

Quote:

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This must be it huh?

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Yep. Thats it. Good detective work!

Its going to be a pretty sweet cattin' rig after this winter.

[Blue Kayak]

Congratulations Chris, both on the fish and the boat. That was quick work since your Cat Capable post. Hope you keep us posted on the mods you make.

[honky kong]

congrats on the boat hanson!

[PierBridge]

It definitely floats and it definitely catches fish.

Nice rig.....and a very good deal..

[hanson]

Great picture Pierbridge!

Yeah, it was quick work since that cat capable post. I just stumbled into a deal that I really couldn't turn down. I wasn't in the market for a boat, or even considering buying one right now.

[Larry FlatCaster]

Congrats on the new ride Hanson!!!

Way to go on the fish Mate!!

thanks

LFC

[Catfishunter]

thank's again for takeing me out in the new boat had a blast but now i think i need a sholder replasment.