A-Jay

As a user of the SmartCraft gauges - I would give them a thumbs up. The App info seems redundant for me. And so is the needed VesselView Mobile module (available at Mercury Marine dealers for $275. It's compatible with all Mercury SmartCraft-capable engines built since 2003 (40hp and up). A-Jay

And I never take it for granted. Couple of thoughts; I do not fish the Great Lakes from Michigan. But the proximity of them to many of the waters that I do frequent, has seen the introduction of zebra mussels & gobies into them. Both have had an effect, good or bad in the long run has yet to be seen. However short term, cleaner water & more readily available high protein soft finned food has meant fatter smallies for sure. Best producing waters for me though are still the ones that are for the most part 'off the beaten path', meaning two-track access roads several miles long, 10 plus miles from a highway and dirt ramps. Few of these have the above mentioned infestation but still offer pretty fertile habitat. The fact that there's usually little in the way of mapping available doesn't hurt my feelings at all either. A-Jay

A-Jay

That's a Blast from the Past ~ A-Jay

Couple of pre-spawn mutants Congrats A-Jay

Well, Mustad does put out Packs of Duo-Lock Snap & Ball Bearing Coastlock Swivel with is name on them, and they're not too bad. So split rings can't be too far behind. A-Jay

Pre-spawn ~ Jerkbait & a Jig Spawn ~ Jig & a Jig Post-Spawn ~ Spinnerbait & a Jig A-Jay

"designated decoy" aka "The selfish excuse for a human who distracts the law enforcement presence there to protect the law abiding portion of society so the other dregs can possibly maim & kill others". A-Jay

Losing 'some' bass is & will always be part of fishing for them, just the way it is. But realistically it should be a very small part. In reference to line type choice, as long as it allows for proper bait presentation, the actual line type / characteristics may only come into play on the hookset. During 'the fight' itself, the angler's actions often dictate the outcome, not the line. While line (and leader) choice is important, so is using a proper & balanced outfit that includes quality terminal tackle (especially hooks). However IMO, the best gear in the world may not make up for poor fish fighting / landing technique. It's an aspect of this sport that is often overlooked. It's also something that one can 'get away with' when dealing with smaller fish, but may rise it's ugly head when the fish an angler has spent the whole season (or a life time) looking for, strikes. There are as many different ways to fight & land bass as there are lures to catch them. And if the fish ends up in the boat, I guess one could call that successful. But bigger bass have a way of showing us when & where we may be lacking. For example, if I chose to horse & speed reel a big bass to the boat in a few seconds flat, I should not be surprise when that 'still green' fish loses it's mind boatside on a short line while I'm trying to land it. More than my line type, I believe that a net improves my chances of landing a big fish everytime; where as the boat flip, does not. A-Jay

He's also sponsored by Mustad. So while he's show casing SK & then recommending the Mustad treble hook up grade, he's pulling double duty. BTW - I'm a huge fan of both but Really wish Mustad would come out with a #5 size Elite Treble. A-Jay

Hello Jeff and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

I'd say that there may be a belief that the move broadens one's overall Income Potential. A-Jay

Hello David and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

This thread displays some of 'the nuggets' that makes this site an angling Gold Mine. @Team9nine I'd agree with your sentiment regarding advances in technology. Clearly "seeing' something can be & is often helpful but having some idea why & how whatever it is may or may not be of some importance, is better. So while having some equipment offers the ability, there's more to the story; which I'll admit to being a life long student of. Which is another reason this forum is what it is . . . . solid example while on the subject of electronics ~ @Wayne P. A-Jay

Do It ~ ! (just have a 'scent rag' ready to wiper off your fingers and I wouldn't recommend using the same one to clean your sunglass lenses). A-Jay

Most, if not all, of the lakes I fish are in fairly rural areas. That said, my routine plan includes getting on & off the water well BEFORE or AFTER “The Boat Ramp Insanity” begins, (This includes night time.) as mid-summer ramps still see their fair share of use. More often than not, there is at least 30 minutes of driving for me to get to the lake. (Some of the best fishing is twice that) So when I arrive at the launch ramp, I’m obviously eager to get my boat in the water. However, I understand that my wheel bearings, brakes and seals are probably hot and if I stick a hot trailer right in chilly water, all those components undergo rapid cooling, and that leads to rapid contraction, which can lead to water intrusion. Continual dunking of hot wheel bearings into cold water can drastically decrease their service life. The rapid cooling that occurs causes the metals and seals to contract quickly, which actually draws water in. As a result, the metals can lose their temper and weaken. Grease can become diluted with water, which can lead to corrosion. In an effort to provide the trailer components a chance to cool down before I launch, when I arrive at the ramp area, I park the truck and trailer in a spot well away from the ramp itself. Some ramps even have “staging areas” specifically for these tasks, which keeps people from clogging up the launch ramp with activities that already should have been done. While waiting for the trailer components to cool down a bit, I’ll use the time to load all my gear and get the boat ready for launching. In the staging area, after I have loaded & rigged my gear, I remove the tie-down straps at the rear of the boat and be sure the drain plug is in but leave the bow strap attached. Some ramps are steep and I have no desire to dump the boat onto the pavement instead of into the water. When launching the boat, (which is done solo most of the time), right before the trailer hits the lake, I’ll stop & remove the tow/bow strap. The rule of thumb is to back the trailer into the water far enough so that the tops of the fenders are just above the waterline. Usually, this is enough to float the boat off the bunks. Some trailers differ— you might need to back in farther or less—but this is a good place to start. If there is any cross wind and there is an option, I ALWAYS launch (and especially recover) on the upwind side of the ramp dock so the wind blows the boat onto the dock and not off of it. You may have seen (or even done) the opposite, it can be a little ugly. Once the boat starts to float off the trailer, I’ll (remotely) deploy the Talons. Once I pull the trailer out from under the boat, it will simply sit there. I will still secure it with a line to the dock, start the motor to warm it up and then go park the truck. Like I said, I do all this when there is usually no one else waiting to launch, but even when there is, I STILL do the same thing. When launching solo, that’s just the way it goes and there’s not practical or safe way to speed it up. It’s not a race. When I recover the boat, the entire process is completed pretty much in reverse order; starting with the boat positioned at the dock with the Talons as I simply back the trailer in & eventually right under the boat. It’s extremely easy & kind of like cheating. A-Jay

You may be approaching your dilemma from the wrong direction ~ Perhaps installing some type of stone or narrow brick path to ferry your rig on could work to eliminate sod damage. A-Jay

Covering your new rig is no doubt important and a cover for it may not be one of the items where 'a thrifty' purchase would serve you very well. So go ahead, 'bite the bullet' one more time and secure a properly fitted model made from quality material that will actually meet or perhaps even exceed your expectations. http://www.boatcovers.com/custom/stratos-boat-covers A-Jay

A-Jay

I'm doing what I can not to avoid "the Shuffle" at all costs. A-Jay

Not exactly sure what your definition of 'whippy' is but it's a 6'10" stick built on a High modulus-high-strain SCIV graphite blank with FRS for unparalleled strength and durability. It weight's in at a scant 3.8 ounces. And when considering the MSRP, that works out to a little more than $68.43 an ounce. Either way, St Croix designates it as ML and I'd agree with that rating. A-Jay

A-Jay

You were right. LOL ~ I have custom designed, automated "Wacky' Detection & notification software in play . . . . A-Jay

Great start ~ Congrats A-Jay Shocker ~ Congrats You know I'm both Jealous & Itching to get out myself. A-Jay

Ha Ha ~ I had a feeling that one was coming & the timing was even pretty good. This DIY'er was well within my 'limited' limitations . . . I'll definitely do an updated feed back - A-Jay