CTFishTalk.com: West Hill Pond 07/27 - Connecticut Lake Reports ( CT Lake Reports ) - A Community Built for Connecticut Fisherman.

PECo · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 5203 Location: Avon, CT

I got such a late start today that I decided to forget about Burr Pond. My second shakedown cruise in my Hobie Pro Angler on West Hill Pond was productive, unfortunately. As soon as I put in, the rear fin on the Mirage Drive fell off. I think I must have hit bottom, but I didn't feel it. I didn't recover the fin.

So I loaded back up and drove down to Collinsville Canoe & Kayak. They were great. They replaced the fin, tightened up the drive and tightened up the steering control, which was loose, with no hassles and at no charge. They told me that they had the same problem with a couple of their Mirage Drives, when the back fin fell off.

I drove back to West Hill Pond and put in again, and found a long Phillips head nut and bolt in the back of the Hobie. I couldn't figure out from where it came, but after I got home, I found a second nut and bolt. It turns out that they came off of the wheels of the cart. There are hex-shaped holes in the wheels that I guess are supposed to hold the nuts when the bolts are tightened. Well, they don't, so the nuts are loose on all of the bolts holding the wheels together. Oops! I think there's a Torx head screw missing from my seat back, too.

I was on the water from maybe 10:45 AM to 1:45 PM. I didn't spend as much time fishing as I would have liked. I ended up catching just a 10 inch largie, a 9 inch largie, a 14-1/2 inch pickerel and 2 tiny smallies. My long troll from the south end of the pond to the boat launch ramp on the north end didn't yield any fish.

However, I learned a lot about controlling the Hobie. Just twitching the pedals back and forth a little bit provides enough thrust to keep you in place in a brisk wind. And a nice easy pedaling motion is all that it takes. I adjusted the pedals so they don't hit the bottom of the boat with a thunk on every stroke. I think I tried too hard with everything when I was on the CT River on Saturday; too hard pedaling and too hard steering. Today, I was able to fish pretty well in a wind that would have chased me off the pond in my little kayak.

Sorry, I guess this is more of a boating report than a fishing report. It was too sunny for me today, but the brisk wind kept it from being overbearingly hot. As usual, it was a beautiful day to be out on the water.
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PECo · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 5203 Location: Avon, CT

I'm embarassed to admit that I got a pretty bad sunburn yesterday. I had planned to spray myself with sunscreen after I got on the water, but my misadventure with The Other Woman threw me off and I forgot to put it on after I got back on the water. I was wearing shorts, and my lower legs and the tops of my feet are pretty badly burned. Ouch! I'll be pedaling with long pants on for a little while.
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DirtyDawg10 · Joined: 27 May 2009 Posts: 2238 Location: Granby, CT

This just goes to show that sometimes "the other woman" can be just as much of a pain in the ass as "the woman" Razz

SkeeterJim · Joined: 08 May 2007 Posts: 2219 Location: Newington, CT

Fishface · Joined: 02 Jan 2008 Posts: 308 Location: New Britain

Derek how true, but not mine of coures

RobO · Joined: 24 May 2010 Posts: 285 Location: South Windsor

Phil,
I would take "the other woman" back to Collinsville and have the dolly tires fixed also. You paid too much money for that crap to happen. Have them give your whole woman a good look over again.

Don't they check this stuff over before they sell it to you?

Or did the dolly come in a box and you had to put it together?
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PECo · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 5203 Location: Avon, CT

I'm a little disappointed with Hobie's quality control. But a real man can tighten a few nuts and bolts by himself! Very Happy

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Don't forget to wear sunscreen and don't litter!