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Saw Carl today while out bass fishing on this beautiful November day!! We had a nice catch the last couple days.

Makin memories. Great pics Jason

Carl,your boat reminds me of bobfiorsies frayedknot,glad you guys were able to get out on this great bite we are having,the fish down here are all way to big to keep

Jason- Glad you finally made it happen, a mini Bertram rendevous in the Raritan. It figures this was the only day over the weekend I didn't bring someone else to see your boat and my pictures do not do her justice.

Your boat looks amazing!

The kids must have had a blast catching some nice-sized fish on light tackle in great conditions.

The fishing this weekend was incredible, great conditions and the fish cooperated.


Neil- From what I heard the fishing earlier in the season was all Big fish with no keepers during the week. I was stuck at work with reports coming in all day from friends...UGh. I'm not sure what is worse, not being able to get out or hearing about great catches. Maybe making my way out after the bite, getting tossed around and not catching much. Whatever, its all good if I get out and back.
Lately, the size seems to have come down to keepers with a couple of nice size here and there. Saturday we had a few small fish in the mix, they looked so odd being small. All good, a nice way to close up the year.
This week I think it's going to be it for me...Fishing is great, but I have work piling up and I know that weather is going to turn and stay cold.

Yes, mine is the same Express style as Bob's boat. I was able to meet him and see his boat "Frayed Knot" at the Greenpoint Rendevous. I think it was a little after he put small block 350s in to replace the big block motors. He was really happy with the performance of those motors. Lighter and comparable HP...just less torque which he thought kinda of evened out with fewer trips to the fuel dock. I had seriously thought about going in that direction.

Here are a few pics of Jasons' boat- Sorry, my pictures are not as good as Jasons'. When he was close I was busy reeling and resetting.

Nice looking Bertrams, and looks and sounds like it was a great day on the water.

a Nice Day on the water and plenty of fish around is icing on the cake

John F. wrote: ↑Nov 6th, '23, 13:09 Nice looking Bertrams, and looks and sounds like it was a great day on the water.

LOL, mine passes as OK at 50' or better. Jasons boat kept looking better and better the closer I got to it.
He really did a fantastic job on that boat, it's a real looker. His numbers say it's a great performer too!

ktm_2000 wrote: ↑Nov 6th, '23, 13:31 a Nice Day on the water and plenty of fish around is icing on the cake

You can say that again!

side track, What are your plans to add more rod holders?

I am trying to figure out how to get more so I can store rods when not in use or to get them out of the way during a hookup. It will be one of my more important things to address over the off season.

Carl seems to have quite a few, I am curious if you can put a rod in the top holders while standing flat on the deck?

Jason, what is your strategy?

I have a pair of poly triple verticle pole holders just inside the side cowls. Poles fit just outside the tower, or a net can go there as well as knife, brush, and hook remover. I utilize those the most as it is easily reachable and out of the way.
On the tower I have a few holders, but I need to stand on gunnel to reach or ask a tall friend. I built that more to hold offshore poles keeping away from the sea spray when running.

Nice job guys. Yes it was a great weekend weather wise. Today was also. This is when I regret not holding on longer. Unfortuantely my friend winterized his 23 Contender so that is out as an option.

Jason

Looking good. Your kids will remember this forever.

As far as rod holders. If you have a hard top you can add holders to the stern legs of the top. If you still have a railing behind the helm, you can add holders there. I still have the original smaller rail and I have 4 lee holders that clamp to it. That lets me stand on the engine box or the I can get them while on the bridge.

I am still toying with the idea of a top of some type. If I get that far, I will add two holders on each of the legs if they are in the right position to make them easy to get too.

You can never have enough rod holders,at least a dozen

I have 10 currently and it isn't enough. My main issue isn't active use rod holders but storage ones.

My last boat config, I had 4 in my leaning post and 2 per side in my radar arch, it made it easier to get a rod out of the way.

I thought we were just talking about storage for poles in semi-use.

When I first bought the boat it took a trip or two to realize the former steward had no pole holders to speak of. For an avid fisherman, I was a little taken aback. He had the two big Lees, one on each side, the fighting chair had a pair and the removable flat line holders for trolling...but those did no good drifting unless I wanted to say bye-bye to a pole. I recall fluking with my wife and not having a place to put my pole when it was time to net her fish. I just kinda stood there looking around till it finally dawned on me...there were no other holders on this side of the boat and nothing in the transom. That changed quickly.

The plan is to put a wrap around rail in the back with rod holders built in. 8 or so more rod holders should be great.

I have 8 across the back of the bridge and 8 in the chair. I also have a small yeti that has 4 rod holders. You can never have too many rod holders. Plus the 6 in the gunnels. I think I’m going to add some horizontal under the gunnels for gaffs and extras.

In the fall I like to have a plugging rod and jigging rod for the bay and ocean plus a live bait rod. 2 guys fishing that’s 10 rods. The four we are using in the chair and the rest out of the way up top. Especially if we want to throw plugs.

So that's it, another season has come to a close for The Boat. I hauled her 7am Saturday, power washed the bottom, found her a good spot in the yard to spend the winter, pulled some stuff off, and even remembered to remove the bait from the freezer.

The Boat came out Saturday as I was done with the cold and had my share of bass fishing...AND I found myself out Bass fishing on a friend's boat early Sunday morning instead of winterizing the boat. Odd, I was thinking no way when he asked if I wanted to jump on in the morning, but my mouth said OK. Fishing has slowed down some, but 3 nice fish n 1 small keeper.

I think this time I'm really done for the season...although there was some talk about blackfishing.

Being boatless for a couple years I definitely doubt my desire to go fishing in 40f weather anymore. Based on what guys are doing by me there is another wave of nice fish headed your way. Tell your friend to keep his boat in

Fished again Sunday it was chilly but fishing was good the kids are hooked! I added some pics from early October as well. It has been a great year so far!

Carl it was great to see you out there till next year I guess. Looks like you’re running the travel lift to put your boat away for the winter. I will be coming out soon as well I have to get cracking on some projects!

Jason

Your a brave man going barefoot. That is the one thing I am not a fan of while fishing. I have seen too many accidents happen with flying hooks.

Snipe,those kids are hooked nice job

Nice fish Jason! Good way to end a season and kids look like they are enjoying.

I don't mind barefoot...but at these temps my feet are cringing just thinking about it. Although it did warm up and lay down around noon on Sunday, it was a bit sporty in the early morning...but I'm still sure it was barefoot weather for me.

Yep, I get to play with the toys at the club, they call it putting in my hours. I'd have paid them to train me on the lift when I got in, LOL. Then again this time of the season it's not as much fun getting up early to pull people when the water is high, or not being able to fish cause I gotta haul someone. All in all its fun.

Yup project time is here again.

Ughh, going through withdrawal. I may have to put the boat back in, the weather is sunny n warm and I have the urge.

Maybe I'll go fish off the dock...

Carl

The coast is on fire. Even Blue Fin are showing up.

Lol, I heard yesterday about the bluefin. Of course it was sunny n I was going to the boat to winterize. It would only take a few minutes to launch her….

But I’d have to bring stuff back to boat, renew permit, catch bait…. I’d be today by the time I was ready. And I’m kinda happy it is cold n dreary out today. I don’t even wanna go out to walk the dog, never mind fish.

….I’m not sure I believe that, but I’m sticking to the story.



I ended the season on my boat well. I fished Friday, Saturday both a bonanza with friends on board. Then Sunday by myself catching one after another with a double header ending the day. I also saw Jason out that day.

As I said in my other post, I may not believe it, but I’m sticking to that story.

Darn… I walked the dog n it was real nice out, water was flat. Oh well

Carl

You can never win the weather game.

This morning it was warm and the wind was nice and calm, so I did the right thing and drove 6hrs north so I can see what is going on in northern Maine. Weather forecast for Wednesday has snow and I am looking forward to it.

Snow

Bite your tongue

We got about 8" today - Started the morning off at Katahdin Iron Works
https://photos.app.goo.gl/1M2Hb1HZyDR6qzww7

No no no…

I opened link without my reading glasses expecting to C 8 Striped Bass. AND U gave us the 4 letter S WorD. That’s just wrong.

Might have done the last trip today it was a little chilly but we found some.

Looks like a great day and a great memory. Congrats.

Chilly day for you but not for the kids. Look at the smiles on their faces. They are saying cold what cold.

Jason congrats on a great season.

Looks like a great ending to a good year!

Boy I remember fishing in the winter with dad... shoveling the boat before going out. Pulling the anchor to move to another spot under the VZ bridge, sounds of the cars n trucks reverberating from under the bridge, seeing the Christmas lights on houses and apartment buildings in Brooklyn, heating frankfurters on the engine manifold. I'd say Hot dogs, but they never got beyond warmish. Enjoying a hot cup of coffee from the Thermos, I wasn't a coffee fan at the time, but boy did it taste good n hot. Catching 12" bass which at that time were legal and very scarce. If we caught a couple all night, we did better than most at that time. Wishing I had brought gloves...

Memories...you made a bunch for them!

Carl wrote: ↑Nov 27th, '23, 07:31
, heating frankfurters on the engine manifold. I'd say Hot dogs, but they never got beyond warmish.

In the 50's Popular Science Magazine did an article, with detailed recipes and suggested cooking times/driving distances, about cooking on a car engine. This is the first time I have heard of anyone actually trying it.

Haha!! Carl I learned from an old engineer on commercial boats to put my sandwich wrapped in tin foil on the engine always worked well. It is getting cold for me I don’t have an enclosure yet.but I have a little buddy heater if I need to thaw out my hands lol! Or the boys can warm up.my boat hauler said he can’t pull me till the weekend so I might have one more shot at a last trip! My dad also took me and my brother fishing late in the season as well as early. I remember freezing but catching flounder,blackfish,cod it was all great times

i had to fish yesterday 40 knot breeze 27 degrees when we left the dock.
thank god for the buss heater to cook my hands every 10 minutes brutal !!!!

1962 31 wrote: ↑Nov 29th, '23, 09:48 i had to fish yesterday 40 knot breeze 27 degrees when we left the dock.
thank god for the buss heater to cook my hands every 10 minutes brutal !!!!

Yup...but still beatz working!

When I was out hunting in the snow last week, I had a buddy texting me that there was a pretty good bluefin bite going on off the cape.


I may try to bag out a day from work and go look before my trailer plate expires 12/1

1962 31 wrote: ↑Nov 29th, '23, 09:48 i had to fish yesterday 40 knot breeze 27 degrees when we left the dock.
thank god for the buss heater to cook my hands every 10 minutes brutal !!!!

Must have been sloppy out there. Hands freezing is brutal but from what I heard, most guys had the limit in 15 minutes.

CARL COMMERCIAL BOAT DAY ALWAYS WORKING HAHAH
WE HAD GIANTS SKYING OUT 2 WEEKS AGO HAVENT SEEM THEM THIS WEEK THOUGH

I forgot you do commercial too...not as much fun when you add the "have to" and picking the nice days is not so much of an option.

I heard about the Bluefin chasing bunker on top of the water over by Breezy Point, maybe next year for that. Tom did you ever rebuild the 6BTA's and install or still running the 220's?

Carl, do I suspect an initial flirt towards Hp augmentation?

Yannis wrote: ↑Nov 30th, '23, 16:37 Carl, do I suspect an initial flirt towards Hp augmentation?

I built it for more hp, but no I am more than happy with what I have.

Ok one last trip happened Saturday. The boys caught some fish then we brought the boat home. Time to start up the winter projects.

Carl it looked like you were scooting right along last time I saw you out.

Jason

Back in your yard?

Nice the way the hard top folds down.