A-Jay

Glad you're OK. That was a very close call. Good Luck with your fence repair. Hope your home insurance can help cover your repair costs. A-Jay

Have very limited knowledge regarding these type of units, I recently did my version of a deep dive. Quite the versatile and capable security device. While I have a need, mine is mostly let's call it rural residential. If it were anything less, I'd be looking hard at these units. A-Jay

I remember, and I think I said I would have just dumped it and been done with it. You stuck to your guns, and Minn Kota did what they should have done from the beginning and without all the drama. Nicely Done and Congrats. A-Jay

First off @Larg Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource. As for actual size, I don't fish for them, so I can't say what a 'big' snakehead is. But I also really enjoy catching big fish on spinnerbaits, but they are bass. A big smallmouth for me is usually over 6 lbs, and a big largemouth would be over, I guess, 8 lbs. But let's face it, most any plus-sized game fish is going to wreck a regular spinnerbait. When I tried to max out the baits & components, in an effort to make the baits 'last' longer. I stopped getting the bites I was getting before. So I needed to reevaluate my priorities. Is it to catch giants or save 5 bucks on a bait? I want the fish. Went to work by narrowing down which baits possessed the qualities I thought would get me that bite from fish of a lifetime and were still just stout enough to hook & land her. If they never caught another bass, I could live with that. The plan now is to have a collection of 'The Baits' on hand and ready to go into service when needed. I'll watch for sales and keep a good supply on hand. That works for me rather than trying to solve a problem that not a single tackle maker wants me to solve. Good Luck. A-Jay

Finally, and better late than never, I guess. Just got word that the boating access sites at the various bigger Lake Menderchucks, that have been close since last year (ice up) due to massive flood damage, have been opened for public use. BUT, and this is a big but, the lake levels are still so high that officials have placed a NO WAKE restriction on all of these entire lakes. Mostly to keep the circus from smashing into half-submerged debris and to keep the lake from waking into people's summer homes. So it's nice that they are open, but who the heck is going to travel 10 miles at clutch speed to fish? Not this guy. More importantly, these are big lakes. Who's enforcing that no-wake deal, and will they be willing to make a wake to do it? Curious minds want to know. I'll need to take a ride to at least one of these bodies of water and see for myself just what the heck is going on. Either way, if things start getting back to 'normal,' mid-August will be the next time I'm seriously targeting plus-sized fish on any of them. You just can't make this stuff up. A-Jay

Life is short. Pick your battles. It's a motor not a person. I want to spend my time doing almost anything other than worrying about recycling an old motor. Whatever method is cheapest and the least amount of effort, I'm going with that. Good Luck A-Jay

Thanks. Some days Lynn's like a machine. I get plenty of practice. Also, she has a good idea of my limited range and often gumby like timing. So she sets me up and makes me look good. Admittedly, I appreciate that. A-Jay

Thanks and it did feel very good being out on the water together again. Especially such a nice day. Hoping to do it again later this week. A-Jay

It's been a little more than eight and half years since I started this thread. Working to Stay Lean was born in October of 2017. The initial thought was that posting here somewhat regularly could help keep me motivated. And maybe even help inspire anyone who drops by to think about their own deal. Currently I'm still on the mend, but I was able to complete a somewhat muted version of Workout Day 4. Going to need the next two scheduled off days. #borninfiftynine. A-Jay

Excited, happy, and a little anxious. This morning I made the drive over to Traverse City and placed the order. Went with the bigger of the two snowblower units I was looking at. The dealer didn't have one on-site, so the order went straight to Honda directly. Freight & residential delivery is expected to take a couple of weeks. I've got time. This all but guarantees that there will be virtually zero snow accumulation locally for at least the next 5 years. 😎 A-Jay

For the first time this season, I had the pleasure of sharing the water with my favorite person. Enjoyed a truly glorious northern Michigan day of sun & fun; even managed to catch a few. Captured some of it on the dual GoPros. Stick baits, Texas-rigged plastics, spinner baits, and a vibrating jig were responsible for most everything we put in the net. Lynn was fishing a couple of new rigs for the first time as well. She seemed to do OK. There isn't much we both enjoy more than this. A-Jay

Thank you my friend. Makes mine too. A-Jay

I repowered the Lund Pro- V bass in 2018. Love it. Here's the info A-Jay

Thanks. There's no T-track on that vintage Old Town Predator squareback canoe. The rod holder is an A-Jay special edition custom unit. Meaning, I made it in 2007 when I purchased the boat. Holds 5 casting & 4 spinning rods. A-Jay

Doubled up on Lake Minichuck ~ Good Times A-Jay

@senko_77 Sad. A-Jay

Sounds like they are motivated sellers- That's a good thing. OK, How about the trailer tires ? While they might have never been on the road and even kept in a climate-controlled space, I'd like to know when they were made so I know how old they actually are. It's easy to read right on the tire sidewall itself. DOT Tire Identification Number One of the many codes you'll find on the tire's sidewall is the tire DOT code. It may seem confusing at first, but knowing how to read the DOT number on your tires can be really helpful. There are varying opinions on at what 'age' a trailer tire & spare should be replaced. Because trailer tires face unique stressors like heavy loads and long periods of sitting unused, it is generally recommended to replace them every 3 to 6 years, regardless of tread depth. 3 years old and not used is still three years old. If the born-on date is something in 2022 or older. I'd be asking for actual new tires. Snap a pic of the DOT ID number on the tire with your phone, and Google will do the rest. Good Luck A-Jay

I don't know what I mean. A-Jay

First, Good morning to the 5 members logged. Just hooked the Old Town canoe and trailer to the GMC. Always looks a little funny to me like a fat guy in a tiny shirt. But I digress. Headed to Lake Minichuck for the first time this year and I will have company. Yee Ha. Should be cool to start but expect the sun 🌞and fun to warm things up toot sweet. Not sure what that means but my grandmother used to say it all the time. Either way, we are about two hours from floating, which is something I need to do - A-Jay

Here is what works for me, split into two different approaches based on the calendar: Approach 1: Early & Late Season Presentation Style: Fished like a jig: low, slow, with lots of stop-and-go. Working the bait with the rod tip and picking up slack with the reel. Rod Setup: St Croix Avid 7' Medium-Heavy, Fast action SCIII+ carbon fiber blank Line: 15 lb Seaguar Tatsu Fluorocarbon. Approach 2: Mid-Season to Early Fall Presentation Style: Fished as a pure moving bait: a steady, aggressive swimming presentation. Rod Setup: 7'3" Daiwa DX Type-H Glass Reaction composite rod (same setup used for spinnerbaits) Line: 15 lb Seaguar Tatsu Fluorocarbon Good Luck. A-Jay

OK, thanks. I made an edit to the post you are referring to. I feel pretty good about this one. A-Jay

Recovery days are always a major contributor to the overall success of any type of training. However, the two I just took pulled double duty as I rehab my torso. Workout Day 3 included a similar level of resistance & time under tension as my last session. Seeking to continue the progress, I did add a 3rd working set. I'm happy to note that I am currently pain-free. Doesn't mean I'm planning on pumping up the jam to full speed just yet, But I like where I'm at. #borninfiftynine A-Jay

We'll be officially kicking off the 2026 season on Lake Minichuck this week. Hoping there is plenty of this type of action. A-Jay

That's great news. Perhaps consider also test riding something similar with a 150 hp motor first. Then you'll see the difference and have a decent comparison. Bring at least 2 friends to simulate the performance of a loaded rig when there is gear and a full gas tank. Watch the tachometer and speedometer while riding on plane. RPMs on the tach that are over 9000 means the motors working pretty hard. Good Luck. A-Jay

@stk44 @ATA I still and will probably always believe in the "buy a boat now" mantra. However after rereading my initial response, I realized it might have come across a bit like 'tough love,' and I certainly didn't mean to rain on your parade @ATA . I completely stand behind the specs and the math, but I want to clarify the intent behind the perspective. The collective feedback here—even the stuff that’s tough to hear— isn't a knock on you or even a knock on the Polar Kraft hull itself. It’s about how the boat is packaged. Think of it this way: if this exact same rig were a current-year model, maxed out with a 150 HP motor, and paired with a 24-volt, 80 lb thrust trolling motor, the responses in this thread would be overwhelmingly positive. We’d all be telling you to hook it up to the truck and head to the ramp. The hesitation from the folks here is simply because we hate to see a first-time buyer get saddled with a rig that limits where and how they can fish right out of the gate. Whatever you decide to do, we just want to see you set up for success on the water. Good Luck A-Jay