Introduction of ethanol as an additive to gasoline not only hasn't made for cheaper gas, but also has the potential of forcing expensive repairs on older outboards.

Belvedere Marine owner David Annis said that boats and motors made before 1986 or having fiberglass gas tanks are going to have problems caused by ethanol, aka E-10.

"Ethanol dissolves the fiberglass resin, possibly to the point of causing leaks," he said. "It also has a limited shelf life of 60 to 90 days before it starts to break down so it's important to use the fuel. Don't let it sit."

He pointed out that ethanol alcohol, as a solvent, has the ability to clean years of accumulated scum and residue from fuel storage tanks at the marina, neighborhood gas stations and fuel delivery trucks.

"This results in the same scum and residue clogging your motor's fuel injectors, carburetor jets and filters."

Annis recommended installing a water-separating fuel filter and changing the filter cartridges every 100 hours with an inspection about every 20 hours. "Fuel lines and fuel pump diaphragms may become soft and brittle and eventually deteriorate."

He told of one customer whose boat was equipped with a 150-gallon fuel tank. The fuel separated, causing damage to twin outboards, and forcing the owner to dump the gas and start over. That's an expensive proposition with gas close to $4 a gallon.

- Plans are being formulated for the second annual Tommy Shaw Memorial Open Team Bass Tournament on Thurmond Lake next spring at Wildwood Park. Organizer Ron Brown, of Lincolnton, Ga., is forming a board of directors to oversee the event.

THURMOND LAKE

David Willard, U.S. Coast Guard-licensed full-time professional fishing guide specializing in hybrids and stripers and trophy largemouth bass. (Boat phone: (706) 214-0236. (803) 637-6379 (crockettrocket@bellsouth.net) -- Fishing remains excellent with water temperatures remaining fairly cool for the time of the year -- 81 to 83 degrees. The lake has been slow to stratify, allowing the fish to stay fairly deep and for our baits to stay live and active longer. That's really important if you want to catch limits of fish. Lee Munns fished with Lloyd Gambrell and the latter's sons, Owen and Trenton. They had a beautiful morning with a southwesterly chop and boated hybrids and stripers up to 14 pounds. Johnny Brady, serving in the Air Force and stationed at Fort Gordon, brought a group of fish killers out with him. They caught 35 stripers and hybrids. Hammond West brought Bettis Hammond and his pastor, Phillip Howle. They blistered the fish at daylight.

Ralph Barbee Jr., professional guide, (706) 860-7373 -- I fished with Billy Murphy on Thursday and used umbrella rigs while taping next month's TV show. We caught six nice fish, including two big largemouths.

The Bassmaster Elite Pride of Georgia tournament held out of Wildwood Park this year is being shown all the month of July on Fishing with Ralph Barbee. It airs Saturdays at 11 a.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. Stations are Comcast Ch. 21, Knology Ch. 7, G-Force, Ch. 7 (Aiken), Northland Ch. 9 (Statesboro-Swainsboro) and Ft. Gordon Ch. 9. You must have a special box from Comcast to view my show. The box is free.

Billy Murphy, professional guide, (706) 733-0124 (Web site doubletroublefishingguides.com) with twins Brad and Jim -- Ricky Cleghorn, of Sycamore, Ga., fished with me last Friday and Saturday mornings. We trolled Captain Mack's umbrella rigs with nine jigs, the center rig being a spinnerbait. Both mornings, the fish were hard to catch early, but showed up during the late morning. Ricky was catching two and three at a time once the bite got going. He caught 40 fish over his weekend, keeping enough for a fish fry. O.G. Pender, of Grovetown, and Larry Freeman, of Evans, fished with me last Tuesday. We limited out using umbrella rigs and, once again, the bite came late in the morning. Fish slayer Ryan Beaty, of Evans, and Ray Dowdy, of Harlem, Ga., fished with me on Wednesday. There was a lot of competition between the two to get to the rod when a fish struck, but once the fish started biting and all the rods were going down, competition was no longer necessary. They limited out with the big fish a 10-pound striper and 8-pound largemouth bass. Umbrella rigs trolled during the early morning worked for them. I had a great time with Ralph Barbee while taping a segment for his next show on Thursday. I took some time to show my techniques in using the umbrella rigs so viewers can benefit.

Mark Crawford, U.S. Coast Guard-licensed professional guide specializing in hybrid and striped bass. www.teamsaveonemore.com (706) 373-8347 -- Bill Collins, of Lincolnton, and his 7-year-old grandson, Christopher, from Thomson, caught limits of fish during our Thursday morning trip. The fish ran small, perhaps the coming of the full moon (today) having something to do with it. Biggest fish weighed 31/2 pounds.

William Sasser, U.S. Coast Guard-licensed professional guide specializing in crappies, hybrids and striped bass. (706) 589-5468 -- What another great week of fishing! With the full moon approaching the fish bite has been a bit different, but we're still catching limits. We are catching large fish in 50 to 60 feet of water and smaller fish coming in 20 to 30 feet on live herring. On one of the trips this week, my stepson, Austin Hopson, and I took Gene and Kayla Powell with Lee, Campbell and Spencer Ready. The first place we fished I put down herring, and asked were they ready. Their reply was, "We are always READY!" Good thing, too, because the bite was on, and they caught their limits of 5- to 10-pound hybrids and 6- to 12-pound stripers. They were camping at Ridge Road and planned on a fish fry that night. My VHF radio handle is Crappie Master, and I can be reached on the lake on Channel 68.

Check out my Web site at www.williamsasserfishing.com.

Capt. Tommy Dudley, U.S. Coast Guard-licensed professional guide specializing in stripers and hybrids. (706) 833-4807 -- We have had a menacing outbreak of small fish in the middle of the lake. So I've rescheduled many of my parties. I went scouting this morning and every drop I went to, I caught some good quality fish.

My VHF radio handle is Boat Racer and I can be reached on Channel 68. My Web site is www.fishlakethurmond.com.

Albert Moody, Clark Hill Herring Hut, Clarks Hill, S.C. (864) 333-2000 -- Andy DeWitt, of Augusta, caught a 20-pound flathead catfish on cut herring. James Meyer, Frank Todd and myself went Wednesday morning and kept 15 good hybrids and stripers, throwing back many largemouth bass and smaller hybrids and stripers.

SAVANNAH RIVER

New Savannah Bluff Lock & Dam

Lock and Dam Bait and Tackle (Bob Baurle), (706) 793-8053 -- Kenneth Merritt, 3, caught six bream with a cane pole and crickets. Mike Grover and Henry Chance caught some nice catfish on cut bait and bream on crickets down river. Christie Collins caught some nice bream inside the lock. Russ Payton and Bob Baurle caught a nice mess of reds and a nice shellcracker. "I had to refill the spool on Bob's reel twice," Payton said. "He's using the Freeline reel on a 10-foot rod and something grabbed his bait and headed to Savannah! He couldn't do anything and when the end of the line on the spool was reached, it popped and sounded like a .22 rifle shot. POW! Twice! A.J. Williams, 7, caught some bream and a 3-pound channel catfish on crickets down by the boat ramp.

MERRY LAND BRICKYARD PONDS

Harrison Sears (706) 722-8263 (www.brickyardponds.com) -- Gene Moyer and Mike Craig won last Friday's bass tournament with 8.85 pounds and the big fish of 5.27 pounds. Clayton Hardin won the Sunday tournament with 7 pounds and Lonnie and Jeff Pope had big fish with a 5.53-pounder. That's also our big fish of the month leader. Our bass tournaments are in progress on Fridays and Sundays.

The Friday tournament runs from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. The Sunday even runs from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m.

ATLANTIC OCEAN

BEAUFORT, S.C. & VICINITY

Ralph Goodison, Fripp Island, (843) 838-2530 -- Tarpon are being hooked, but not many landed, in Fripp and Trenchard's inlets. Proper tackle is essential. The redfish and whiting bite is good, while flounder have slowed a bit. Spanish mackerel and spadefish are in nearshore waters, while king mackerel are showing. Offshore, king mackerel and bull dolphin are being caught. Bottom fishing is good for red snapper, grouper and black sea bass.

SAVANNAH

Miss Judy Charters, Capt. Judy Helmey, (912) 897-4921 (www.missjudycharters.com.) P.O. Box 30771, Savannah, Ga. 31410-0771 -- The Dog Days of Summer are upon us, and one result is a different kind of fish bite in our heating-up coastal waters. Main fish affected is the spotted sea trout. Live shrimp are the No. 1 baits, with finger mullet a close second. My father used to toss a few pieces of ice into the bait tank, just to keep it cool.

Capt. Ray Crawley suggests giving tidal rips a try. Rips occur when opposing currents meet and some fish move into the calm areas for protection, while others move in to eat. There may be flocks of sea birds moving over the rip and feeding on whatever bait fish are present. If bait fish are there, game fish aren't far away.