Nitro 882

Thanks guys--"will do" on the default settings. I do have a tendency to "tweak" too much.

Thanks Ben---just what I needed to get started. There's a lot more involved than just "whittlin'" That forum offers so much info, I've got to digest for a while before I invest in supplies. Paints, epoxys',etc. are not all the same apparently. You guys are gonna save me a lot of trial/error. Thanks again.

I have a fish finder/gps that is so good it marks fish 17 feet deep. The problem is I'm in 14 feet of water. I didn't mention the make or model 'cause I don't want them to get a bad rap if it's something I'm doing wrong with the installation or set up. Any ideas??

I want to try to hand carve a few crankbaits this winter to keep from going nuts. Where can I find some good "how to" info and a place to buy hardware like screw eyes, lips, eyes ( as in eyeballs ) etc. Thanx in advance for your direction.

Thanks Crank, thats exactly what I'm looking for.

For whatever reason, I find myself fishing a spinner bait more often this year than in years past. I use Booyah and War eagle baits but find myself liking the War Eagle better. My issue is that I find , after a few fish, I end up "wishbonin'" the bait with me getting the blade half and the fish getting the hook half. So far I haven't lost a lunker but it's only a matter of time. If I could find an old style spinnerbait where they looped the wire instead of just bend it where you tie up, I'd use them. Is there some trick in tying on? If not, has somebody figured out when to retire a bait before you lose the big-un that costs you the tourney?

remember to mix oil with the gas in the remote tank. signed "the voice of experience"

I have exactly the same story. 178k but a 2000. Love it!

In the pre-ethanol era, lines , gaskets, sealsetc. were made of rubber materials that degrade rapidly when exposed to fuels containing ethanol. It seems you have dealt with all the external items but there is much internally that must be replaced. Just my personal experience.

I have a 1988 tracker TX 17 with a 50hp motor. Every year the steering freezes up from sitting idle. I bought a new boat and gave the tx17 to my son. With work and all he's just now able to put it in the water and the steering is bound up tight again. Anyone know how to clean/lube this to free it up? I'm all done talking to the tracker people. This would be another $1000 job for them. Thanks in advance.

Try a dab of marine epoxy sealant where the hook enters and exits the frog body.

I am 62 and retired. I fish 3 to 4 days a week from 8 to hrs/day. I thought old age was settin' in as my back started bothering me and I had to fish the last half of the day in agony. I was fishing one day with my 32 yr. old son and when I started complaining about old age and my back, he informed me that he had the same problem and that age had nothing to do with it. Its the standing in one place with little body movement that is the usual culprit. Sure enough, when I recall the days when I've caught a lot of fish (to d**n few), I had no pain. I guess I'm writing this so you don't get discouraged as I was. The guys have given some good tips that I will use also. Main thing, if you don't have a medical condition, just remember to move around a little more.(Or catch more fish.) Best of luck.

Back in the late 60's, my new bride and I went to Bull Shoals Lake for a few days of bass fishin'. I asked the old gent who ran the General Store/Bait Shop about how the fishing was and he showed me some photos of an 8# 13oz. bass that had been caught the week prior by some guy who claimed it was the first bass he had ever caught. I said "man, how lucky can you get." The old man pointed out that it was the worst thing that could have happened to the new bass addict as it was likely that he would fish the rest of his life and never catch another near that size.

I always preferred fishing on dark , overcast and even rainy days. Up here in the Northeast for the last few weeks you can count on one hand the days it hasn't rained and the fishing has been unusually slow. Anyone know why this might be?

agree 100%---they came out with the new pro qualifier b/c last fall and I bought 1 on sale for $79--couldn't believe the performance--now own 6

I find fishing very relaxing. Tournament fishing----not so much.

A friend of mine worked in the athlettic department of the local high school. I had him get me an old pole-vault pole and I applied the duck bill foot on it. It works perfectly.

The Swim Senko and Super Fluke have been suggested, what else? Try a 4"grub----- 8-)

Once again I've spent the winter reading all the fishing related material I can get my hands on. I've cleaned and sorted and organized and oiled and polished and greased just to keep my sanity . A couple of the local ponds have enough open water to launch the boat and here we go again. Air temp 42, water temp 39, water color-gin clear, wind 15/25 and I'm standing on my deck, freezing my fanny, chock full of angling knowledge gained from all that reading, and unable to attract the attention of a fish (ANY d**n FISH) in 8 hours of fishing. I keep fishing logs and , my history shows that if the water temp isn't 50 degrees I should just find some more to read or clean and quit beating my brains out. I know you can catch fish when the water is in the 30's, I've fooled a couple myself, but it's really difficult for me :'(. Are my expectations too high?

Interesting. You just reminded me. Last year when I wanted to replace my old tires, I called around and this one guy was the only one who said he could get me the tires the next day. I left the rims with him aqnd expected to pick them up the next day by noon. Well, I got the call the next morning and was told that tires I ordered were not in stock and they delivered as "comparable" tire instead. I let him convince me that the specification of this tire were essentially the same as the ones I was replacing and as I had a tourney the next day, I said I'd take them. Not sure, but maybe it is a tire problem. Don't know why it only shows on one side though. Thanx for the help.

Walk slowly down each aisle. Look carefully at each category of lure. Consider the type of fish you are targeting and the style of fishing you are most comfortable with. Then ask yourself,and answer honestly, will I ever toss this thing in the water. If the answer is "absolutely not, buy two of 'em. That seems to be what got me to where I am.

Keep a cheap set of jumper cables in the boat. If your starter battery gets low, you can jump it off of one of the trolling motor batts. and get back to the ramp.

I have a 2005 Nitro nx882 bought new. I replaced the tires mid summer 2008 on the trailer. Just returned from a trip to Florida--approx. 2500 miles round trip. That would put about 3000 to 3500 miles on the tires. I just noticed extreme wear on the inside of one of the tires (left side). The outside of the tire is like new and the inside is worn bald. It's been at BPS service department for a few days and they don't seem to have an answer as to the cause of the problem yet. I'm sure they will figure it out but, have any of you had the same experience and what was the problem?? Thanks in advance.

What speed is your retrieve with traps in early spring? (I assume it is pre-spawn during this time in Arkansas?) You can't reel them fast enough, in my experience.