but first, a little back story......

[Destroyer]

Way back in the 60's I used to do something similar. I had a 7.5 hp Elgin engine that I would take with me to a rowboat rental place in Barnaget Bay near Seaside, NJ. My dad and I would drop about 12-15 crab traps in a big circle with Styrofoam floats tied to the line. Then spend hours going from trap to trap hauling them up. We would usually get about a bushel full of nice blue claws that mom and my wife would magically transform into some of the best crab cakes and crab salad this side of heaven. That old Elgin just kept purring along. Dad and I would take turns steering while the other person would haul up the traps. Just thinking about it brings back so many great memories. Thanks Charlie for the reminder. Great story.

[bgreene]

1973 dad bought new 9.5 hp Evinrude sportwin that we’d hook to rented rowboats, Shinnickock Bay, and Peconic. I sold that motor still in near mint condition to a family just last year.

Charlie ...thanks for your post.

[pjbrownva]

Great stories.

I had a little 2 HP evinrude... it went on an 11 foot jon boat that I used on a lake in MASS.

I still have the motor... but haven't tried to run it in about 15 years or more... who knows, maybe it would work?

I still have the jon boat too... but whenever I'm in MA, I usually borrow a neighbor's canoe instead.

I've had that motor and boat since I was about 12. My cousin and I would spend all day and half the evening drifting and moving around on the lake, fishing. Sun fish, crappie, white perch.

It was a peaceful time, and a good childhood / upbringing.

Nothing to work about. Get up. Eat some cereal and a muffin, and go fishing for the whole day.

Thanks for sharing your memories, Charlie. It's nice that you still get out and enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of the water.

-Philip

[scook]

This thread should be renamed Memory Lane. In the 50’s my dad bought a new Johnson 5 1/2 horse outboard and he’d rent a 16’ heavy plywood boat and take me fishing in Puget Sound. Thinking back, I’m amazed that the little motor got that boat up on plane. We trolled all over while the salmon finned their noses at us - I never caught one (got one to the boat once), but one time, I caught a bunch of perch from the beach when we stopped for lunch. Great memories - thanks Charlie.