J Francho

Underpowered? The Skeeter maxes out at 130 hp, and is actually a 17' boat. I wonder how much more 15 hp is gonna buy you? My 18' Xpress with a 115 runs 53 mph and weighs 230 lbs. more than the skeeter. BTW, 2000-3000 acre lakes are really more like ponds. How fast you need to go?

Blue Craw gonna sell well up here. We actually have craws with blue tint after they molt.

Put it in 83 kHz mode, if it has it. That's about a 60° cone.

I've TERRIBLE experiences with CX. CXX on the other hand....

The Daiwas above aren't "automatic" or redundant like other designs, that I agree, are weak links. They simply move the release to the top of the reel, but at the cost of two small idler gears to get the main gear out of the way. Those two reels have been work horses for me.

I use reels that were designed for that purpose, though I will pitch with any rod and reel, if it gets the bait where I think it will get bit. The special reels are more comfortable for all day use, though.

You should be able to see your crank in wide angle mode on your graph. It'll be a thin line that runs up to the boat. It's pretty easy to see about how deep most shallow to medium baits go without any help, though. As far as line goes, I don't go below 10# diameter. There are other, better ways to get a crank to run deeper than it's stated max depth....do a little research on walleye fishing.

Since there are many other variables, like speed of retrieve, length of cast, line diameter, etc, I don't rely on a specific measurement. I keep changing baits until I find the one that goes where I want it to be. That sometimes means a 15' diver in 8' of water, or a 4' diver in 20' of water.

Almost all the parts to the Sol and Alphas are interchangeable.

The most expensive reel I can find, so I can sell it, and buy more practical gear, LOL.

I've handled my share of fish in a commercial setting. If the surface the fish touches is smooth, wet, and roughly the same temperature as the fish, then no big deal. A dry, hot, carpet increases the chances of infection from a parasite, bacteria, or virus. The slime coat is like a fish's skin. One tip I learned: leave your rubber landing net on the front deck as a landing area for dinks, instead of launching them into your hands, like so many do. That way there is a smooth surface available all the time:

Get an extra mount and TD, now it's on both. That's what I did with my unit. Works great, especially since I have my way points on both.

I get it sometimes. I traced it back to low speeds on my TM. It's really minimal, so never really bothered me.

Very unique looking spinnerbait! I like it. Some pink/red on the head and a little red in skirt would look great. Here's a couple 'bows to show you what I mean:

Yep, but without the Gaga look, LOL. Ladies and gentlemen, Missing Persons (control yourself Kent, she's your age now! ):

I'll bet you use the brake when launching and retrieving. I'll also bet that your trailer lights work properly, and copy your tail lights.

I match to the break strength I need. I don't want the leader so strong, a snag won't break, but I also don't want it breaking on the hookset. About the ONLY time I use a very heavy leader - 50-100 lb. fluoro - is fishing for northerns. Otherwise, 8 to 14 lb. leader works fine.

I use tungsten for punching. It's about 1/2 the size of lead, the painted weights are slippery, and when the bullet smashes the punch skirt, it's louder.

Palomar for most everything, when possible, Uni Knot most everything else. Improved clinch for spinnerbaits and b9uzzbaits with P-Line CXX because it's fast and holds. Any bent eye hooks, I Uni snell. Alberto's (modified Albright) for braid to leader.

http://www.thinkgeek.com/interests/stocking-stuffers/e5bc/

I upload to photobucket or another image hosting site, and they resize as necessary.

I use mine as a fish finder. If all I wanted a depth finder, I could have saved a lot of money, LOL. You should be able to dial that unit in to see fish, bait and vegetation no problem. I can see all that, as well as my bait when fishing vertical. The ONLY times I turn mine off are when site casting to very shallow fish and when I trailer the boat. HB 383c over fish:

Gaga alternative? NOT! Check out some Metric if you want to see a real alt band fronted by a cute blonde, LOL. This'll sound sweet on your truck too, Chris.

:lol:

I would pass on the Ito for shore/bank angling. I've had two, and neither held up particularly well, and I'm nice to my reels. An Alphas or a Sol would be your easiest bet, I have a couple/few of each and love them. They are workhorses that not only toss light baits, but are perfectly capable with anything else. The PX Type-R is the latest domestic offering for finesse casting. If you're not worried about money or durability, get a Megabass Zonda 68, LOL.