VolFan

If you're going 100s of miles on the highway, I would center it for the drag characteristics if nothing else. But I don't think it's that big of a deal for short trips.

Depending on where you are on the TN border, I'd be thinking more Lake Ocoee or Oconee, or fishing the Hiwassee from NC into TN. Should be several shuttle services if you go that route.

My Nats are the Nots so far...

On my Okuma Citrix Travel rod the other night, the top 3 sections worked their way loose from the reel section, and a horrible noise was heard on the cast as the small piece of the upper end still in the lower ferrule cracked the female ferrule for about 1/4 to 1/2 in (and then went flying 30 feet into the water). The total length of the ferrule is about 1.25 in. Would y'all think I can get the ferrule re-wrapped and aggressively epoxied and be ok for a while?

For smallmouth - pink or chartreuse with a dark head if there's any color to the water, green pumpkin with copper or gold flake if not. Or the reverse.

That elongated shape and the white stripe is what made me hesitate too. But apparently buffalo are just giant suckers. I think the fight better than drum, but they're harder to unhook. Never going to mistake one for a striper though.

I think that's a smallmouth buffalo. Used to catch one every once in a while below Ft Loudon dam on crank baits. Tough angle on the pic to tell. 10 lbs would be ginormous for a native TN sucker. Fun stuff.

This conversation starts and ends with George Strait. Everyone else can fight for second.

A couple hudd 68 specials, a 9" slammer, and a Deps slide swimmer 175. Throw in a bullshad or triple trout and you can handle most anything. Switch the SS for an S waver and all this can be yours for under $150 or so.

I. Am. Shocked. but I would've bought another rod anyway!?

From what you've said above, I'd almost guarantee its not the rod. You may just need to find the right stroke.

One more - check you line to make sure it's not crossed after that 10-15 yards. If you spool braid as tight as you need to, sometimes it can dig in.

That sounds like a reel set-up problem more so than a rod problem. You could lob that on an actual broomstick and get more distance. Also- check to make sure your line's not wrapped or looped through a guide or threaded through a guide base (been there on all of those).

Chock the wheels very well and then use pieces of 2x6 under the jack.

You've got Jordan and Sharon Harris immediately available, and the coast to the east or mountain smallie said to the west. Don't sleep on the Yadkin chain either...you're gonna be ok!

Any chance it's just a spun prop?

I'd do ROF 5 if you're in shallow, weedy water.

Hudd 68, 7" or 9" Slammer, and an S waver (178 or 200). Learn to fish those and you'll never truly need anything else.

Pick your poison on the foams. Good Stuff is one brand but I believe there are some specifically made to be waterproof. You're looking for displacement in this case, and something that won't react with the aluminum.

Even if they didn't, I wouldn't think filling those benches with foam would be a huge project if the boat and trailer are in good shape.

Welcome - I am also in Charlotte, fishing banks and from a couple yaks.

Did this happen before the trolling motor issue? A lot of the flooded cell batteries will leak if on their side very long, even if they weren't damaged by whatever knocked them over. If you lost some liquid it would definitely affect battery performance.

It's under warranty. Go to a MK dealer and have them assess it. Futzing with it based on internet advice is only heading you towards voiding the warranty. If it can't be ready by your planned trip, wait until after the trip to get the work done.

Rough guess....You probably need 4-5 inches of water to float that off the trailer. So measure from ground to the bottom of the transom and then add 5 inches. 7 would be better.

Really depends on the style, size, and weight of boat. What kind of boat do you have?