Team9nine

We have a 10hp lake here where guys run 16-17' Tracker type boats with 20/25 hp engines with cover decals. They get along pretty well. Wouldn't surprise me if you got 15-18 mph or better if you weren't overloaded and properly balanced out. I think you'll be fine. I'm running a legit 9.9 on the same lake in a 16.5 ft deep-V and can get 12 mph solo after some playing around.

Hard to tell. Are they suspended well up off the bottom, or tight to it? Super clear water or more stained? My first guess is that they are NOT bass because you haven't caught one yet. If they are suspended, it might be because you aren't getting your lure right back to the depth and exact location where the fish was. If they are tight to the bottom, you should have at least got bit if you've done this enough times and tossed something relatively standard like a jig or worm at them. Guys sit right over the top of fish all the time and catch them, so makes me question if they really are bass.

Thread them on and trim the skirt to whatever length looks best. Probably varies depending on model of vibrating jig. I do the exact same with football head jigs.

Erie? Go 80lb. and deal with the little extra weight. You could always downsize the two batteries to offset some of that while still maintaining 24v and 80# thrust. I’ve got a 16 ft with similar 12V and can get by OK since I only fish smaller inland reservoirs now. Always went 80# on my bass boats though for bigger reservoirs and lake and river current.

None...

You’re probably near about as good as you’re going to get. I have my current 9.9 up to 12 mph solo with some prop changes and weight redistributing, and you’re already 3 mph above that on a smaller motor. I’d say you’re doing pretty good “as-is.” Here’s another thread we discussed similar:

I do the old "belly land" in those cases, then use forceps or pliers to remove, or a Boga type grip if you have that.

Netbait Tiny Paca Craw

Shouldn't be happening that bad or frequently. I use Hyperwires on everything along with a Texas Tackle split ring pliers and don't recall having any issues unless I'm just using some of the really oversized hooks on the largest baits. Looks like they're simply getting over-separated. I only open the split wide enough to start forcing the hook bend through, never as wide or wider than the hook material itself, then slide the hook on quickly (if that makes sense).

Never...

Another way of thinking about it is to flip the question around and ask, “When does white not work?” It’s one of the most universal color patterns on baits, from bellies on crankbaits to entire shad profiles, similar to black. It goes way back in history too, from the old school color patterns; red head/white body cranks or the infamous original red/white pattern on the Dardevle spoon.

You mean I just wasted a ton of money on all those LiveTarget BaitBall cranks I bought last year with the super fancy school of fish paint jobs ? ?

Yours is backwards...no wonder why you don't pay any attention to it

None of the above changes my answer - doesn't matter where or when in my book. That's not to say a slow day can't still be considered a good or great day of fishing depending upon factors like size, expectations, company, etc.; just that if the catch rate numbers reach the higher side of my guage, it's been a good/great day of fishing regardless of those factors.

Precision trolling/casting booklet I have lists the Baby Hot Lips (name for the 1/4 oz version) as 10 ft depth on 12 pound line (cast length 80 ft). The regular Hot Lips (1/2, 3/4 oz) are listed as 14 ft (90 ft cast) and 17 ft (100 ft cast) respectively.

I’d tell him “Thanks, but no thanks” and then buy a small spool of 65# braid for the 2 outfits that need it... but that’s just me. ...go 30# if you must

This has always been my gauge in fph (fish per hour)...

I was going to say 57.9 deg., but I could see why you said 62.5 and agree with that. Probably just a measuring difference between us ?

Can we get the word “best” added to that word filter forum thingy so it comes out as ****, or “a good,” or other similar display? There are like 5 or 6 current threads on various topics all asking for or stating the “best” whatever...when no such thing exists, at least that we all can agree on - except maybe those “best” knot threads. Those are always short and unanimous. Thanks for your consideration

InvizX, Tatsu and Toray SHU are my 3 favorites. Fluoroclear will never see another one of my reels again, if you lump it on the FC line pile. I’ve tried a bunch of others over the years, most all the common/popular brands, but nothing else stands out as horrible, though its been long enough that 1 or 2 probably were and I’ve simply forgotten ?

I always start with contrasting colors (jig vs trailer), sometimes more subtle differences and sometimes more bold. Each lake is a little different. A couple of the boldest I've had good success with is an all blue jig fished with an all chartreuse pork frog trailer, and a black blue jig with a chartreuse pepper trailer. Another fun one is an all pink jig with an all white trailer. I only match and blend when nothing else seems to work.

Lol - I’ve got no dog in this fight as I rarely throw them, and when I do, it’s an old original Phoenix which was kind of “The Jackhammer” (improved Chatterbait) before the Jackhammer was introduced. Just sharing another opinion on the subject I found interesting. Have I ever mentioned that Randy is a backreeler ????? ? ?

Maybe you're catching the ones that don't care...which happens to be most all of them I think similarly - but opposite on scent - given the numbers I put up in a year... Imagine how many more I might have caught if only I had added scent to my baits religiously? But I'm happy with my numbers, to the point I see scent addition as a time and money detractor for me. An extra 5 or 50 or 100 fish in a year is not worth it to me at this point. Whatever works for you/me...was just pondering...

Which I would argue supports my theory on scents - a waste of time because you cannot know whether they help or hurt, or in any way change the effect of some other scent, so why risk "hurt?" Maybe they like smoked ham but not hickory flavored or sugar cured? I'm not going to change my grocery buying habits trying to figure it all out