Weather can kill people in boats and be downright sneaky while doing it. When fishing Lake Tawakoni in East Texas, for instance, I remember how blue northers would slide by just clear of the west side of the lake, like they were going to miss us, and then circle around to come north right over the dam and hit the lake. […]
A 1983 tragedy generally gets the credit for GPS going public. Shortly after Korean Airlines flight 007 experienced navigational errors, strayed into restricted Russian airspace and was shot down by Russian fighters, President Reagan declassified GPS, allowing it to be used by civilians for more accurate navigation. […]
My truck pulls a travel trailer or a boat much of the year, but there are weeks when it just sits in the garage. Thinking it had been two weeks or so since I’d driven it, I figured I’d give it some exercise while running a few errands. […]
Have you ever missed a turn, decided to go around the block and found yourself in a part of town you didn’t know existed? Try that with a boat behind you, and everyone in the vehicle may find out how good you are at backing a trailer long distances. […]
Back in the 1970s, there was so much standing timber in legendary southern fishing lakes like Toledo Bend on the Texas/Louisiana border that about the only way to get around on them was following boat lanes cut through the trees. […]
Digital components have been creeping into electric trolling motors for years. Computer processors are now common in marine electronics and GPS receivers, and antennas are small enough to fit practically anywhere. It was only a matter of time until a company put them all together. […]
Units capable of doing practically everything are available, yet some boaters still prefer single-purpose electronics. Is there a “best” solution? […]
Thirty years ago, a state-of-the-art fish finder had a round turntable with a light bulb mounted on its edge spinning behind a clear circular window. There were hash marks and depth scale numbers printed around the window. The bulb flashed steadily at two points on the scale: one marked the water’s surface and the other its bottom. Random flashes between these two points indicated fish and structure. […]
I seldom pass up an invitation to go fishing, especially from a friend with a new boat. Sometimes the invitation includes an opportunity to solve an electronics problem, but I don’t mind. It usually gives me grist for a column. […]
Computerizing fish finders and other marine electronics has been a good news/bad news proposition. […]
Digital selective calling (DSC) features on VHF marine radios have been around for almost a decade. This feature lets you call other radios with the press of a button, using the called radio’s Maritime Mobile Service Identification number (MMSI) like a telephone number. […]
Jokes about small-boat radars have historically run rampant: “Did you know you can either run radar on your bass/bay boat OR have children later in life?” and “I like having radar on my 18-foot boat. On cold days it keeps my head warm!” are two of my favorites, but they go on and on. […]
Copyright 1998 - 2026 Mississippi Sportsman, Inc. All rights reserved.