Ethanol still problem for area boaters

Jeff Wilson, Samina Murshedi, and Robert Corey, who owns the Conoco station on River Road, tout the station’s no-ethanol policy.

Many boaters have used their boats since the wintertime and the fuel in the gas tanks has been used and new fuel has replaced the old.

One problem, the federal government has given the OK for refineries to add an additional 5 percent ethanol to gasoline. This would raise the existing 10 percent level to 15 percent ethanol. 

The 10 percent ethanol dissolved the gas lines and clogged four carburetors and fuel pumps on my Mercury outboard last year. 

The repair bill was $700. 

In the Luling area, the Conoco gas station on River Road is the only gas station on the West Bank of St. Charles Parish that sells ethanol-free gas.  

"Our costumers have not had any problems with the ethanol-free gas,” Robert Corey, owner of the Conoco station, said. “In fact, many fishermen drive 20 to 30 miles out of their way to get ethanol-free gas.” 

Corey also said that vehicle owners have raved over the ethanol-free gas saying that it gives them 100 additional miles per tank of gas.

“Many people have also used the gas for outboard motors and for every small engine around the home,” he said. “Weed eaters, lawn mowers, chain saws, generators and gas blowers are just a few.

“I will continue to sell the ethanol-free gas as long as I can get it.”

 

Weather heating up!

With the weather warming the waters, bream and goggle-eye have been biting. 

Rigging a #4 bream hook under a cork, 12 to 16 inches below, and baiting the hook with earthworms has worked well. The 1/32 ounce blue beetle spin, black/chartreuse, blue/white, and the red/white/chartreuse tube jigs have also gotten fish in the boat.

The best places have been the canals off of Humble in Lake Des Allemands, Humble in the Bayou, the Mecomb Canal, Four Corners in Bayou Gauche, the Salvador Management Area and the La. Cypress Canal in Lake Cataouatche.