SkeeterZX225

Personally, I would go with a new boat; unless I knew the previous owner of a used boat. Like you said, there can sometime be hidden problems in a used boat that could be a major headache. I just purchased a '07 Skeeter ZX225 last December and the company I financed it through would go all the way to 15 years!!! Look at Skeeter, Rangers, Tritons, Nitros, Bass Cat, etc. Just remember when buying a new boat, to go with a dealer you can trust. Cause sooner or later no matter what brand, you're going to have to have something done to it.

How is the motor running? What kind of RPM's are you running and what about water pressure. I'd try moving some weight (fishing tackle) around in the boat and start with the motor about 3" below pad and see what that would do. Slowly move the motor up alittle at a time, but watch the water pressure. Most people say to never let it get below 12-15psi. I would think that even with 2 people and a full tank of gas, that the 200 (if it is running strong) would get that boat on plane fairly easy.

I've heard that Humminbird has a patent on their transducer design or something along those lines, that almost makes it impossible for anyone else to produce. Thats just hear-say though. However, even if Lowrance came out with SI, I wouldn't take one if they gave it to me. I've had 4 Lowrance units and have had more trouble from all of them than I've ever had with 1 Humminbird unit.

No way I'd pay $4000 for a 15 year old boat. I'd think somewhere between $1000-2000 would be plenty enough

If it catches fish and helps me win or place in the money its worth it :

I've did some more searching and found a mold for 4" and 5" tubes, both around $150 each. Thinking of trying to make a plaster mold and just trying a couple to see how they come out. I've already spent close to $300 on tubes so far this year

Does anyone have a link to a site that sells molds for tube baits. I've been looking for the last hour or so and can't come up with anything. Thanks

If you want a boat, get a boat. Hell, at 20 I had a brand new Skeeter SX190 ($23000) and a new Dodge Ram 1500 SLT ($36000). Now 7 years later I've got a 2007 Skeeter ZX225 and a 2007 Dodge Ram 2500. And no before someone says it, Mommy and daddy never paid anything for me, and I worked a full time job and went to school part time. But, as far as boats go, I'd would personally get a aluminum rig for that amount of money. Fiberglass= usually smaller size and smaller hp than the same amount of money can get you a aluminum boat.

Make sure that if there is anything on the boat you want changed or added (trolling motor, electronics, boat cover, etc.) that you get it put down in writing. When I bought my new one back in December, I had did alot of research online and had a good idea of what a fair price was. Bought the boat at Linda's Lakeside Marine on Cherokee Lake in Tennessee and they went well above my expectations on trade-in for my old boat and their customer service. To me having a good dealer is worth more than saving a little money by buying it from another dealer.

I've got a 797c2, have had it for about 1 year now. Love it, it's all you hear and more!!! Only regret is I wish I had went with the 997 or now the 1197, but I'll probably end up getting one of them in the near future.

It may have been a transducer problem. When I swapped it from the console to the bow, I purchased a brand new transducer for it and started having problems the first time out (could've been bad from the beginning). Alot of people have these units and love them, I'm just not one of those

It was picking up interference from both the trolling motor (it was mounted at the bow) and from the Humminbird 797c2 I had at the console. Turning the 797 off, took some of the interference away, but then I had to run a ground wire from the trolling motor to the fish finder.

When I bought my boat back in December (2007 Skeeter ZX225) it came with a 520c and a x135. Before ever putting it in the water I completely removed the x135 and moved the 520c in its place and then installed my Humminbird 797c2 at the console. From day 1 the Lowrance had problems. Lots of interference (finally got rid of most of it but still had some), it would lose the bottom in both shallow and deep water, irregular depth and temp readings. It was so bad that I would turn the unit off and forget about it. Finally got fed up with it and sold it on Ebay and bought a Humminbird 787c2 to go in its place. Had it for about 2 months now and not a single problem. I've read/heard that Lowrance has better 2D sonar but not in my opinion. I can see everything on Humminbird that you can see on Lowrance and do it with no problems. I'll never own another Lowrance unit

I hope to God the day doesn't come where the pros have #'s on the sides of their boats and people are out running around with a number on their vehicle to show for the pro they pull for. To even compare bass fishing to a ridiculous "sport" like NASCAR is a joke to me! > :'(

Is there anyway you can raise the motor. If you don't have a water pressure gauge I wouldn't go to much higher, but if you can, I'd go maybe a 1/4" at a time and see what that does. It should help get the bow up and help on speed also. With your cavitation plate being alittle below the pad I'm thinking the motor is too low.

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You can not mount the side imaging transducer inside the hull and use the side imaging part of it. You could do it and use the regular 2d sonar but whats the point of paying for the side imaging. The only way you can use the side imaging part is to externally mount the transducer by either drilling holes in the transom or mounting it to the jackplate.

I've got a 797c2 mounted at the console on my '07 ZX225. I love this unit and my only regret is not getting the larger 997 (now they offer the 1197). It is truly unbelievable the cover/structure you will find that you never knew existed on your home lake. You can make a single pass in a creek and mark more fish holding spots than you probably could using a traditional 2d sonar all day long. My transducer is mounted on the jackplate and only allows the side imaging or 2d sonar to be used from idle speeds up to about 10mph. When I get on plane I lose the sonar, but the GPS function still works. You can purchase a seperate transducer that you can mount in-hull that will still give you 2d sonar while on plane, but not Side imaging. You would have to have a seperate transducer mounted outside the hull to use for side imaging and they sell a switch that allows you to switch from one transducer to the other. The units are high priced, but well worth the money in my opinion. Search on here, there have been lots of posts about the SI units

I'd pick up a standard fish finder and then get a hand held GPS unit. You can then use the fish finder to locate cover/structure and mark it with the GPS. You can get a decent ff for around $100 and a GPS for about the same.

They are awesome fishing tools. I have the 797c2 mounted on the console and can make a single pass up a cove, creek arm or whatever; mark all the fish holding structure on the gps and then come back to it and fish it. The best way to visualize what you are seeing is to imagine you are in an airplane looking down. Brush, laydowns, dropoffs, ledges, grass lines, etc can all be found and easily marked to fish later. Only regret I have is not getting the 997 but I couldn't mount it in the dash of my ZX225 and don't like the idea of drilling mounting holes in a brand new boat!!! ;D

: Just because you do not find it 'exciting' doesn't mean you should completely dismiss the technique. :-X Exactly. You have to know when and where to throw it or it will be a complete waste of time just like anyother techinque. This is a killer technique here in VA/TN highland lakes when the water temp/conditions are right. Nothing like a 5lb. smallie on a 9 1/2ft. rod with a 6lb leader

Don't have any experience with Ranger, but I did just trade my Skeeter SX190 in on a 2007 ZX225 with 225 Yamaha HPDI about 3 weeks ago. Only got about 2 hrs on the motor but I had it up to 68 mph Saturday and still have throttle and trim left to go. Weather was to cold and windy so I had to back out of it. Everything I've read says the ZX225 should run mid 70's with the proper setup. and I've seen a few closer to 80.

I've been going to Dale Hollow every spring for the past 6 years and went once in the fall about 2 years ago. I always stay at Cedar Hill Resort near Celina,TN and haven't fished anything above Goat Island, so I can't tell you any specifics about the KY side. However, the one fall we were down there, all we had to do was find schools of shad and we found plenty of schooling smallies, spots, and largemouths together. Caught most of them on silver buddies, jerkbaits, and topwaters. I'd suggest either getting a guide, or just picking one large creek arm on the lake, putting the trolling motor down and fishing. It won't take long, and you'll have a decent pattern together. Good luck!!!