I can't find anyone with a Turbo fin drive in stock. I want a backup drive as my current ones are 5 years old (with lots of newer parts).
Does Wind Toys have any right now?

I'm brainstorming on how to improve the access to downrigger in the rear seat on my TI. Currently we have Scotty mounts in the side pocket and the downrigger goes there. It's a bit of a reach, especially when playing a fish. I want to have the downrigger right next to the seat. I think I can fit an H-Rail to the flat decking next to the seat. It's a strip of flat surface that is about 1.75" across, which I believe is enough room to bolt down an H-Rail.

Any thoughts on this? Anything to consider? This would be for a Laketroller, nothing heavier.
See the pic of the potential mounting location.

Thanks again!
Andrew

On Thursday evening, I was witness to and nearly a victim of an aggressive robbery near the bison paddock on JFK Drive in Golden Gate Park. I was photographing great horned owls. Around 8:10PM, I was packing up equipment and putting it in my car. Another photographer was doing the same further down the road behind me. As this person got in their car, I saw a small white car pull up and abruptly stop right next to it. A masked man jumped out and began smashing in the rear window of the other photographer’s car.

By the time I got my wits about me and managed to get into my car and start the engine - no more than 10 seconds - they had finished robbing the other person and had now pulled up alongside me. The passenger-side door opened and the masked assailant began to step out, ready to smash his way into my car. With only a few seconds to spare, I stepped on the gas and pulled away, fully expecting that they would give up and flee. But they chased me, and pulled up alongside me, either trying to run me off the road or cut me off and stop me. I sped up and got ahead of them.

Probably going 50MPH with the assailants’ car right behind me, we ran through two stop signs and barreled over speed bumps for nearly a mile before they slowed down, made a U-turn, and disappeared out the 33rd Ave gate. (Keep in mind, I bike this road nearly every day and am very respectful of more vulnerable road users when in my car. I gave the few cyclists that happened to be out a wide berth as we passed.)

I circled back and by then the cops were there. I gave a statement, along with the other victim and two witnesses. Nobody saw their faces or license plate. They were fast, prepared, and extremely aggressive.

The officer explained that these smash-and-grabs are merely considered property crimes and are NOT considered violent crimes (yes, you read that correctly) so they don't really pursue them, and if they did hypothetically make an arrest, the judge would just let them go, including repeat offenders. He even said if police were to witness one of these incidents occur, they would NOT chase the culprits. He also informed me that if one were to fight back and injure (or worse) one of these thieves during a robbery, then that person would likely be charged with assault for using violence against a "non-violent" criminal. Unbelievable. So scary and so very frustrating.

So be careful out there. I am finished shooting pictures and video in the park. Way too dangerous, and the police are not going to be there when you need them. And even if they were, they likely wouldn't help you anyway. I'm sharing this story as a reminder to others to stay in groups, and always be aware of your surroundings.

This also makes me think about how vulnerable we all are when we're gearing up or returning to our cars with expensive fishing gear, radios, cameras, and so on. One thing this has taught me is that you should never assume you're safe because you're in or next to your car.

All for now.

Has anyone fished Lake Merced recently? I want to try and get my nephews into some trout and Lake Merced came up as a possibility.
Is it productive these days?
Any tips would be much appreciated.
Thanks!

I'm looking for a place to take my nephews fishing. I always drive past Nicasio and see people fishing but have never tried it. I imagine there must be bass and catfish. Anyone ever fish there?

https://bohemian.com/fig-hunter/?fbclid=IwAR3jyT5s0PTM8Idx7pe4PDKBYfC19wTkay2vBHsb72P88Jq7YcLRMqQuhGY

I have now placed my four gallons of salted herring guts in my Reliable Kill Bag, with heating pads wrapped around the jars and a thermostat monitoring the temperature. It just hit 108º but I'm going to try and back it down to around 100º.

Perfectly simulating the Mediterranean climate where this process originated.