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Biobor EB is a complete fuel treatment for use in all gasoline and ethanol-blended fuels. With the introduction of ethanol in today’s gasoline at volumes up to 15%, Biobor EB will combat the corrosion and phase separation issues that arise while also stabilizing fuel for storage and removing performance robbing deposits and varnish. Great for use in any 2 or 4 cycle gasoline engine, Biobor EB protects vital engine components while promoting a more efficient, better running engine.
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| Proven Additives for Today’s “Green Fuels”The focus on biofuels and reduced emissions by the Environmental Protection Agency is a well-intended effort to reduce our dependency on foreign oil imports and improve the quality of the air we breathe. However, many of these regulations have a negative impact on the gasoline and diesel engines that power our boats and recreational vehicles. As we all know, the battle between the EPA and the marine industry has held a primary focus on the enrichment of gasoline with 10% ethanol. But many other regulations such as ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel, tier rated diesel engines and biodiesel blends introduce additional issues to marine diesel engines. Biobor Fuel Additives manufactures two diesel additives for consumers proven to negate these issues and improve the performance and protection of their diesel vessels.Since 2012, 100% of the diesel fuel sold for marine use is ultra-low sulfur, or contains 15ppm sulfur content. What does this mean to diesel vessel owners? The process used to reduce these levels from the previous 500ppm sulfur content strips away much of the necessary lubrication properties essential for protecting injectors and fuel pumps. Although refineries may add the necessary lubricity additive to reach ASTM minimums, much of the fuel found at marine fueling locations may be far below the levels recommended by OEM diesel engine manufacturers. “The reduction of sulfur levels does help reduce harmful emissions, but boaters are realizing shortened injector life and increased wear on fuel pumps,” said Blake Rampy, Sales Manager of Hammonds Fuel Additives. “Both Biobor JF and Biobor MD provide sufficient lubricity to meet or exceed OEM lubricity specs and increase the life of vital injection components.”Increased thermal and oxidative breakdown properties of ULSD also lead to marine diesel engines seeing increased deposit formation and fuel filter plugging. Compounding this issue, many newer engines utilize high pressure common rail (HPCR) injection systems that operate under extreme pressures and temperatures. Deposit and particulate formation are widely recognized as a catalyst for reduced engine efficiency, performance and increased emissions. Biobor MD contains a detergent proven in both HPCR and mechanical engines to clean up, and keep injectors and valves clean resulting in maximum engine power restoration and reduced emissions. Additionally, stabilizers in Biobor MD prevent the breakdown of diesel fuels over storage periods while reducing injector coking and increasing the life of fuel filters.
Biodiesel blends as well as ULSD are also more susceptible to biological growth. This is a widely recognized issue in the warm, humid marine environment as moisture accumulation is a constant battle. “ULSD and biofuels have the tendency to accumulate much larger quantities of water, creating a breeding ground for bacteria and fungi growth,” said Rampy. “Plugged fuel filters are typically recognized as the first sign of contamination, but the highly corrosive by-product of microbes may be unseen.” With consistent use of Biobor JF, an OEM approved and recognized biocide, diesel fuel may be safely treated year-round and microbial growth avoided altogether. “The key for boaters using today’s new diesel blends is a proactive, preventative approach rather than a reactive treatment. Unique to Biobor JF, numerous major diesel engine manufacturers name Biobor JF specifically in their operation manuals, providing boaters with the confidence they are using an OEM recommended biocide to prevent bug issues. In fact, Biobor JF has been used for over 50 years in commercial aviation jet fuel to prevent the same microbes that grow in diesel.” Rampy adds. Biobor products are widely distributed in the marine market and continue be the one of the most widely used diesel additives for refineries, terminals, railroads and boater alike in EPA mandated fuels. Additional benefits include water control, corrosion inhibitors and cetane boosters. While the newer, “green” fuels that we all must use in our gasoline and diesel powered vessels may ultimately be for the best, we must be aware of the issues that follow. Reduced emissions and a reduction in US dependency on foreign oil are positive strides for our future; however, a quality, proven additive such as Biobor MD and JF is necessary for boaters to protect their investments and fully enjoy their time on the water. |
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Sight Fishing Giant Smallies
Minnesota bass anglers Josh Douglas and Ryan Brant show off the ne Biovex Kolt Fish Tail while sight fishing giant smallmouth bass on famed Mille Lacs Lake. Awesome underwater footage!
Getting Started in Competitive Fishing
On many of occasions I have been asked what is the best way to dive into tournament fishing? I, like many beginning anglers explored bass fishing due to a friend and mentor that sparked interest. The longer I have fished I have witnessed how complex the sport can be. For starters especially, the simpler you can keep the experience, the greater output intellectually you will achieve.
First and foremost, one must make sure that your intentions are not to make money, or you will soon be finding a new hobby. I heard a statistic from the most recent FLW Outdoors tv show which stated that “Out of the 1,485 anglers that have competed on the highest FLW level, only 297 fishermen have qualified to fish in the Forrest Wood Cup,” the biggest stage in the FLW side of bass fishing. That is only 20% of the field that make it. Many, many men have fished their whole lives just to qualify to fish at the pro level and blow their whole life savings on an unsuccessful season. Talk about destruction of dreams, or to look at the bright side a harsh, yet real learning experience. Even the top professionals, sponsorships and all, often find paying the bills a hefty task at times.
You do not need to fish an entire season to compete. Now that FLW and B.A.S.S. have began supporting the High School and Collegiate levels of fishing, new opportunities have arisen to get the younger generation involved. Speaking from personal experience, the FLW College Series hosts four qualifying events per region consisting of 40 teams in each event. This allows a school to send a two-man team to each of the events. A two-man team now has the opportunity to witness what the higher levels of anglers do to prepare for each event, whether it be viewing maps, reading fishing reports, or getting out on the water prior to the off-limits period. Just like in college academia, at least in theory, the individual should be better prepared for one or two classes verses having to plan for a full eighteen credit semester. Place in the Top 5 of one of the qualifying events and make a regional birth. Place high in the regional and qualify for the National Championship (Top 25 Teams in the Country). Talk about an upside to fishing in college! Exposure to your college, the possibility of bringing money back to your school and club, and even the proposition of television coverage are all advantages that await you on the High School and College levels of competition.
As for the BFL level I am currently competing in as a back boater, you can also fish one, two or all five events according to your schedule. A guaranteed boater is all you need to guarantee your opportunity to compete. Not only do you learn new fishing techniques and perspectives, you will learn time management and preparation. If you fish inefficiently, you can often come to a realization of why and shift what could have been a tough day into a learning experience to build on.
Minimalism is a virtue. As any angler will tell you regardless of the level of competition, the less tackle you have the less hectic your fishing experience will be, especially beginning your endeavors. Any one that has fished as a co-angler or even at the college level that downsizing is tough, especially with limited to no access to the body you are fishing. I have experienced this firsthand, often questioning what color best suits the situation. You will find that the less you take, the easier it is to assess the situation and make a decision on what to throw. In the same regard, the fewer rods and tackle you carry the less space you will take up which is key to fishing with a boater investing more than two-fold your commitment monetarily and. This will only grow as you climb the latter in tournament fishing, so get used to it now! Cleanliness goes a long way as well, so do not treat your boaters deck like some of your bedrooms. Tripping over your equipment on the way to new your boaters fish can never end well, but we’ll save that for another time…
Realize that you are not competing against your boater. I have often found myself concerned about the number of bites I have gotten when a boater has filled a limit, just to come in and realize on the Co-Angler side I was in contention for a check. The Co-Angler may be a game of a couple bites at times, but those couple of bites go a long way in a tournament with lots of Co-Angler competitors zeroing. With a random drawing to link a Boater to his Co-Angler for the day, even the best back boat fishermen will zero at times. That’s the gamble of this style of competition. A single ounce or tie-breaker may separate 40th and 41st place, a difference between a regional birth and a computer televised weigh-in as experienced last year.
Saving the best for last, the most important aspect of competition in anything you may desire is to maintain a good reputation. I have never taken part in a sport with more humility and comradery as is the case in bass fishing. The lack of consideration of human understanding will surely bite you in this sport. You will quickly demonstrate the investments each of us pay into the sport, and part of the understanding is in knowing that each of us have made sacrifices to pursue whatever our dream may be in the sport. As a Co-Angler, the simple act of writing a check, transferring cash, or presenting a gift card to your boater after a day of fishing will not only maintain your positive reputation but also contribute to the continuation of another angler’s endeavors. The list of expenses goes on and on, so the simple thought goes a long ways! What is more important than maintaining the greatest number of devoted anglers to the conservation of our sport? The fewer individuals we turn off to the sport, the greater preservation of what we all love. With each license sold, we each help to keep the sport alive.
In conclusion, refrain from spending your whole life savings account getting into the sport. It is better to understand the bait you are using before you build a whole tackle box. As with anything in life, you can surely dip your feet in before fully submersing yourself into the sport. Especially for youth wanting to get involved, overwhelming an individual is an easy way to lose an interested prospect. Surround yourself with anglers that are higher in experience level than yourself so that you can push your personal understandings. There is no right way to fish for bass, so use each mentor to your advantage and mold the most versatile repertoire you can deploy on the water. There is a world full of knowledge to be learned, and it’s available to each of us who desire to step outside the confines of home. By Emmet Luck
Find out more about Emmet on his web site and be sure to “like” his Facebook page.
Chad Morgenthaler’s Tour Journal
I’d fished Chickamauga twice before in FLW Tour competition, once in the early spring when the fish were pre-spawn and once in the post-spawn period, about the same time of year as this event. In BASSFest all Elite Series contestants would get the same number of points so I had nothing to lose. If I had the opportunity to take a chance I was fully prepared to do so.
I strongly suspected that the tournament would be won deep, and I found a lot of good deep structure to fish – both subtle places and the community holes – but it seemed like there were 10 or 15 boats on each of them. That makes a tough situation even harder, because I don’t do well when you have to mix it up with a crowd and then wait out a bite here and there. The schools didn’t seem to fire up reliably, either.
Knowing that the harsh winter had everything behind schedule, on the final day of practice I slid up shallow and in the last three or four hours found some groups of quality fish. I knew they’d probably be depleted pretty quickly by other people who’d found the same fish, so I committed to starting on them and riding them as long as I could.
On Day One, the weather threw us a curveball, with heavy winds and clouds, but I got off to a great start, with a 7 pound 11 ounce bass in the first 10 minutes, exactly where I’d shook her off during practice. After that I pieced a limit together pretty quickly, primarily off of some docks, but with the cloud cover, it scattered the fish out, and I had to work a little bit harder than I would’ve liked. Still, I ended up with 16-13, which had me in 24th place.
Heading into the second day, I felt that in order to duplicate or better my first day weight I’d have to fish a little deeper, so I started in an offshore spot where I’d caught some fish in previous years. From what I could tell, the crankbait bite was pretty much dead, so I left that rod in the locker most of the time and primarily fished two lures: A ½ ounce Lunker Lure Shakey Head with a plum Missile Baits Tomahawk, and a Lunker Lure Football Jig. I also threw a ¾ ounce Biffle Bug a bit. During the first two hours of the day, I didn’t have a bite, so I moved out a little bit deeper and caught two pretty quickly. I was still concerned that my shallow fish had left me, and I felt that I had a good chance to catch a big one out deep, but, with the day passing by quickly, I really never settled on doing one thing. I flip-flopped between shallow and deep and that was my demise.
Even worse, it was Friday the 13th, which has been my nemesis for a long time. At 11 o’clock, I jumped off a 5-pounder at the boat on the same bait and in the same place where I jumped off a 6-pounder in one of the FLWs that cost me making the cut. I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised. It took me about a half hour to shake that off, giving me just enough time to head to the docks and catch two more. If I had it to do over again, I might’ve slowed down or stayed deep the entire time. The guys who won had to grind it out deep, but that’s tough for me to do in a crowd. I guess I have to work on it.
My four keepers totaled 8-07, causing me to just miss the cut. Instead I was relegated to the “second chance” tournament on Nickajack. I launched there on Day Three and simply didn’t fish well. I thought I needed to go right and instead I turned left and ran 45 minutes in that direction. It just didn’t pan out.
In terms of tackle, I fished the big shakey head on a 7’ Denali Noirwood medium-heavy rod paired with a high-speed Shimano Chronarch CI4 casting reel (7.6:1 gear ratio). I fished the Lunker Lure football jig on a 7’ heavy action Noirwood paired with the same reel. Both were spooled up with 15 pound test fluorocarbon. The other equipment that played a key role in my fish catches were my dual Humminbird 1198s. With the two of them and side-imaging, it’s possible to cover more water in a tournament than I ever thought possible. I also had the new Lakemaster chip, which is absolutely phenomenal. It’s amazing how far this technology has come in just a few years.
Now we have a few weeks off before the next Elite Series event. I’m working a tournament for Phoenix Boats, and then I’ll spend time with some JASPER clients before heading up to Philadelphia and the Delaware River, a body of water that’s totally new to me. I’m sitting in 4th in the Angler of the Year race and I’d love to make up some ground on the three guys ahead of me.
Meet the Boom Boom Plus Jig
This is a new take on one of Pepper’s existing heads. They started with Fred’s Swim jig head and cast a wire that runs along the bottom shank of the hook with a loop at the end to be used for a variety of purposes. This jig will comes with 2- #4 willow blades on swivels, so that you can have a bladed swim jig for that extra flash in the water. It will also come with a size 2 round bend Gamakatsu hand tied feathered treble hook that can also be put on the jig, just daring fish to take a bite. This jig has so many different combinations of accessories.