VolFan

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?

I think the intake is clogged with questions. ?

I would say spoon or blade bait. Also the venerable float-n-fly was made for those conditions. The grub on jiggled at the correct depth is great too, but really hard to keep at 30' for much of a cast. Did you find any lakers?

Looks like in Watauga they were catching lakers around 30 ft this past week dragging spoons behind down riggers. I doubt you can use a down rigger from your yak, but 30 feet isn't THAT hard to get down to if you can find some fish.

I know you know what you're doing!

If it were me there, I'd drag some glides or hudds in rainbow patterns off humps and points around the thermocline. Fishing truly deep for lakers in the summer is slightly better than slow cat fishing, and they don't do well generally after the trip through the water column without a lot of TLC. There're some brute smallie, Largies, Browns and rainbows in there, and they'll eat the small rainbows like popcorn. You should also have some shots at a Muskie in that lake...not that you need it. Sorry - if you just want to catch some trout - a little Cleo, castmaster, or Roostertail in 1/4 or 1/8 oz size in white or yellow has never ever failed me. Add shot to get it deeper or run it for a bottom bouncing rig.

How much does that sweet sauce set you back?

What both of them said. Putting a knot in it can help as well, but you have to know your straps well, and knots can weaken the straps. You can also twist a piece of pvc or a dowel into the strap.

A button?

Id go white/red dot with those choices, but I'd buy a pack of grubs too.

Zebco 22/ Ugly Stick ml combo from Wally World is what my 7 yr old has been using since he was 4. He started with an 1/8 oz beetle spin with a white 2" curly grub in place of the green grub that comes with it. Once he got comfy casting (and I felt safe), I got him a MH rod and started him with square bills and especially a whopper plopper. He fishes the plopper 90% of the time now. I also replaced the line on the reel with 15 lb power pro once he graduated from the smaller lures.

Either keep them alive or get them on ice as soon as possible and you'll be fine. Never heard of the ziplock bag thing, never found it necessary.

That looks like a hella old Frankenstein-ed Ranger hull. Way previous to 93, but I don't know much.

Thanks Chop - that's kind of what I was looking for.

Thanks guys - Any brand preference on a group 27 battery?

I'm outfitting my Nucanoe with a Minn Kota Endura Max 55lb trolling motor. Can you guys give me some suggestions for a battery/ single bank charger combo? Im looking to spend $200-250 total, and would hit Basspro, Cabelas, West Marine, Academy, and several auto parts stores in close vicinity. Even a Gander Mountain.

I have a Nucanoe Frontier, and it's awesome. A lot faster than you'd think it would be for its size. It does have scuppers at the rear though, but I keep them plugged. You can walk from one end to the other, and there's many seating configurations available.

You can actually lube the outside of the straw with a little Mend-it. Works great.

First - How old are you? Second - Who is the "we" that's thinking about getting a boat? As in, who pays for it, and who is driving whose vehicle to tow it? From your other thread you make it sound like it's your money and your truck, but in this one you can't drive. Just trying to clarify where the issue is.

I've poked around with some builders before about this same question. Let's just say you're not going to be at the top of anyone's waiting list if you want a rod stripped and rebuilt, and with shipping, labor, and components, it ends up being cheaper to build a rod from scratch, unless you start getting into super premium blanks, and then it's a push.

If I'm going somewhere I feel like I "need" to carry...I don't go 'cause fish ain't worth it. That said, more power to you if you feel like you need it, but if it's anywhere but on your person it's not going to do you much good.