Bigs

congrats. And def check ebay for loomis rods brand new like steezy said. Also you know you can buy reels there brand new also for usually about 20 percent less then anyone else . I just bought my Daiwa Tierra3000 spiining reel for 105 shipped and basspro sells it for 125 plus shipping or tax. I went and returned a few things to dicks sporting goods and bass pro shops once I realized I could find mid level-high end stuff for the same price as entry level stuff they sell at sports authority and dicks.

Ok so I found a few expeditions I like. Im goin to check out a King Ranch 2005 Expedition with 65k miles and a 2003 expedition with 75k miles. Are the big lexus trucks any good for towing ? Or maybe the landcruisers? I might even brake down and just buy a tundra at this point. How big of rods can I transport with something like an extended cab tundra or f150? I need to be able to throw 8 foot rods no prob

Ok I wasnt aware of the expeditions mpg compared to the explorer, so Im gonna look at some now. And my mother gave me her '01 4runner v6 a few months ago to sell for her. I sold it fast for 11,700 with 62k miles on it via craigslist of course. I hated the way it drove and the way it felt. It was the least comfortable suv I have ever been in. Not to mention the gas mileage was horrible for how slow that thing was. Im also gonna stay away from dodge altogether.

Ya I know about the trailblazers but the interior is flat out dated and ugly on those. GM has been using the same interiors since the 80's, I'll pass on that.

Very true but thats what a warranty is for. The question is, do I wanna deal with the headache even if I have a warranty. I wanna hear from the guys who have owned these trucks for years.

I was towing my boat home 70 miles yesterday and bout halfway home the transmission temp light came on . This is a 1991 toyota truck that already seemed like it needed a tranny rebuild even before I started towing with it. I know a tranny cooler would help alot but I dont wanna invest into this truck considering its old, ugly and gets about 15mpg if I'm lucky. So Im thinkin I wanna midsize SUV that I can tow my 16 foot deep V tracker boat, 20 foot center console boat, travel trailer , landscape trailer, etc.. and fit my 2 dogs cages, 10 long rods and reels, tackle, a few friends and whatever else I might need to take with me. I been lookin at 2002-2004 explorers but they are rated the most problem SUV's. Carcomplaints.com has hundreds of complaints mainly focusing on the transmission which is the most important part of the tow vehicle imo. The good part is that they hold no re sale value whatsoever so I can pick up an '04 for less then 8 grand with about 70k miles on it. My other option is a 2001-2004 nissan pathfinder which is a way way more attractive truck, wayyyyy better interior and just about as much towing capacity(5000). They hold a bit more value tho so I'd be spending more. They also dont get the MPG that the V6 explorer gets, not even close. The flip side is they are far more reliable with few problems reported, just way better trucks in general.I have owned nissan before(maxima) and I loved it. I have also owned many fords too(cobras,saleens,mustang GT) but they arent that reliable from my experience and are built with cheap materials. So should I pick one of these two or is there another better option for me ? Keep in mind I wanna 4 door mid size SUV that can tow 5000 pounds minimum and get close to 18/20 MPG when Im not towing. I want leather, a moonroof, etc..I was thinkin bout a durango but they suck gas down in a hurry not to mention the front grill and bumper on those makes me wanna vomit. What should I do ? I need to buy something within the next week before I take the boat out again. Ford explorer owners and pathfinder owners please chime in and help me out !

For 5 grand you can get a late 90's -early 2000's 17 foot fiberglass bass boat with a 115hp on it no problem. I just ended up buying a 2004 Tracker pro guide v16 with a 60hp motor for $4900 off of craigslist!!! I stole that boat for that kinda money. I shopped for 3 months. Keep in mind that most boat sellers on craigslist are hard up for cash. Craigslist is where ppl who are behind on their mortgage go to sell their boats fast. I wouldnt even think of going to a marina or used boat dealer. Stay away from a flat bottom aluminum boat tho. I bought one at first and regret it, they are basically jon boats with casting decks, they ride the exact same imo. Get a deep V aluminum like I did or a fiberglass with a hull in good shape. If youre fishing rough waters then get a deep v aluminum for around 5 grand and if you arent fishing rough waters then a good old 17 foot fiberglass boat will serve you well.

Well no worries , I bought a boat tonight so its all good. I got a deal I couldnt pass up. The guy listed this tracker 2004 Pro Guide V-16 SC yesterday for 5500 and I stole it for 4900 so I'm happy. It's not exactly what I wanted however it's exactly what I needed right now. Its roomy, comfy , has a great fishing platform and best of all handles choppy water like a champ. I'll upgrade later on in a year or two. So for now I'm gonna focus on fishing rather then wasting months looking for a boat I dont really need anyways. With the money I saved , I'm gonna get some nice electronics and what not, a new prop , a few more sol's, fuego and a zillion or two.

No I didnt leave a deposit cuz I didnt know this guy at all and I hadnt tasken it out on the water yet at that point. We shook hands and agreed it was sold to me pending the test drive the next day. I told him as long as it did well on the water then it was sold. We arranged a time for the next day for me to take it out and complete the deal and of course he faked out on me. A man's word should be good enough , the way my dad taught me when I was young ya know. I figure I had cash in the amount of his asking price so what could possibly go wrong? I think he might have sold it to someone else but I can find out very easy. He fishes the lake anna tourneys every friday night out of high point marina. So Im gonna go down and find him and see I don't understand is goin on. I wasted alot of time and energy as well as driving around for 2 days with 10 grand in my pocket. If I had gotten pulled over I could have been in for a real adventure with VA state police. If I find out he sold it to someone else after I was first to see it and first to offer him 10 grand , then theres gonna be some serious hell to pay for him. I dont take kindly to gettin jerked around, I have no time for games and Im a busy man. In the meantime Im also lookin at lund and lowe deep v hull aluminum fishing boats. Its hard to find the right one for the right price tho. So Im keepin my options open at this point. Just sux havin cash in hand for a boat and not b eing able to find the right one within a few hundred miles. Theres a lowe on ebay down in TN that I reaaalllyyyy like but its a hike down there, probably at least 7 hours from me.

I was gonna do a search on here since I bought 2 of these the other day but it looks like this thread cleared any doubt I might have had. I got the white skull one as well as the storm trooper one. Im gonna be doin alot of winter fishing since my house at lake anna is on the "warm" side of the lake, perhaps the best winter bass fishing on the east coast. These will come in handy when Im flying 60-70 mph in 30 degree weather.

Ya I think I'll get the 7 foot medium avid and put my sol on it cuz Im buying a coastal to put on my teramar inshore rod so the sol will need a rod. Altho Im gonna restring the sol and start using it for finesse fishing so will medium be the right choice for the avid ? I also have a zillion anniversary on its way and Im thinkin bout puttin it on the zillion rod after hearing good things about it. And for my last baitcaster purchase for now Im gonna get the daiwa zillion crazy cranker but Im not sure what rod to pair it with. So my freshwater lineup is gonna be the sol, fuego, crazy cranker and the zillion 7.3:1. I saw a zillion anniversary on ebay buy it now for 200 bux yet no one has bought it. It seems fishy due to the " no returns" status so Im gonna stay away from it regardless of their good feedback. Anyone use the zillion PE, its a jdm reel and theres 2 on ebay. Big bucks tho.

Headed back to basspro today and Im gonna check out the Nitro Big bass rod/reel combo as well as the zillion if they have it. I called there yesterday and got some guy who didnt know a d**n thing. So I'll have to see what they have in person. Since I already have a 5.8:1 with the sol and a 6.3:1 with the fuego , logic would tell me to get the crankbait reel which is something like 4.9:1 and then the zillion for high speed which comes 7.1:1 and 7.3:1. Should I get the anniversary edition which is actually slightly cheaper and a tad faster or just the regular zillion 7.1:1? Also anyone using St croix mojo rods ? Im considering pickin one up today as well. Or should I step up and spend more to get the avid series ? This would be pairing up with either my zillion or even another sol if I decide to get one. Oh and I walked out with a free PFD vest with all the points I earned on my rewards card last time with my 1150 dollar purchase :

Well I went and saw the bass cat and fell in love. It was immaculate. So I agreeed to buy it for his asking price of ten grand. I had the cash on me ready to go. I was supposed to go back the next day to test drive it and complete the deal and now now the guy is stringin me along sayin the boat he was gonna buy sold so now he wants to find another 20 footer to replace this b4 he will sell it to me. So Im pretty salty about the whole thing. But Im gonna be patient and if it's meant to be then it will be mine b4 long, in the meantime Im gonna keep my options open for another bass cat or a champion.

oh and yes they were both 199 at the store, same as online but thats still less then alot of places sell it for so I got it for as cheap as I could have. And no Jake, no blackcock bass this time, and no original fishing snake either lol. I gotta find someone who has one so I can test it out tho

I'm using the sol for fishing grassbeds in brackish water hence the bigger line. In fact I'm gonna pick up a few nice rods next trip to BPS. I didnt bring enough cash to get everything I wanted this time :'( I guess I didnt realize how fast it would all add up. And the fuego is gonna be strictly a lake reel due to it being magnesium. So thats why I did 20 pound test instead of 30. Both reels cast fantastic the way they are strung believe me. I was throwing it alot further then I thought I'd be the first day, no backlash, no birds nest nada. I'm goin back and gettin a zillion as well as another fuego. While I'm there I'll pick up a few higher end rods too. Who makes the best crankbait reel for $250 or less ? Should I get the zillion 4.9 ? So maybe the 4.9 and the 7.1? Or what would be a more complete line up considering what I already have ? I know I need a good crankbait reel like the 4.9 but should I bother with a 7.1 or just get another all around reel with 6.3 ratio ? I'm trying to have no more then 4 good baitcasters with each one servin one specific purpose. Also what should be my go-to frog rod ? Is the 7 foot teramar inshore not good enough , does it even make for a good frog rod ?

you're wasting your time with a 12 foot boat imo. Even my 16.5 foot boat seems cramped to me sometimes but me and my friends are all big guys. I guess it depends how tall you are, how much you weigh, and if you have any conditions like back trouble, etc.. I wouldnt even think of touching anything less then 14 unless you're fishing alone in small lakes and ponds. Keep lookin on craigslist and you will find some very cheap 14 , 15 and 16 foot boats with seats, trolling motor and a 9.9 hp motor already usually for right around 1200 bux or so. Also dont deck out the whole boat with casting areas. My boat is done like that and I hate it personally. It's nice to have some room lower down beneath the casting decks imo. All you need for trolling is a 36 lb thrust or just get two 55 lb thrust and forget about a gas motor. A 55 lb trolling motor will move a 14 foot jon boat in a hurry. Oh and stay away from a flat bottom, the ski boat wakes will throw you right out of the boat in no time. My advice is , get a 14-16 foot deep v boat with a small gas motor and one 36 lb trolling motor

Went to bass pro shops in Ashland VA this weekend and picked up 3 new Daiwa reels. The 2 baitcasters were the Sol and Fuego. I love them both and so far Im amazed. I put the sol on a shimano inshore series 7 froot rod for fishing grass beds and lilly pads. And I put the Fuego on a 7 foot Bass pro extreme rod. 30 pound braided on the sol and 20 pound braided on the fuego. They both cast longer then any other baitcaster I have ever seen casted personally. And the accuracy is pin point. Im gonna go back and get one more feugo and a zillion baitcaster as well. I figure 4 good baitcasters and Im good to go. I also bought a Team Daiwa PRO 2500-6Bi spinning reel for throwing senkos and love it so far. Caught a nice LMB on it as soon as I got it home with a white senko. The reel handled that bass splendidly and I couldnt be happier. That reel was probably the best reel I have ever gotten for the money(100 bux on sale). Altho Im sure all these reels have been covered before, I just wanted to share my experience for anyone considering any of these reels. Of course I will have to post back up in 6 months once these have withstood thousands of casts and hundreds of fish(hopefully). But so far so good.

Well Im goin out on a fully and I mean fully loaded 2000 Bass Cat Pantera Classic DC tommorow, its 19 feet 1 inch and in mint condition. Has a newly rebuilt 200 efi on it that comes with 5 years and 8 months left on the warranty so its good to go. Only thing it will need imo is a 36 volt trolling setup for the tidal potomac, it has a 24 volt 67 pound on it right now. Im gonna be test drivin it on the cold side of lake anna tommorow and if all goes well Im buying it for 10 grand cash. I'll let the owner take me out at first so I can feel how it is when properly driven. If I want a 20 foot Im gonna have to spend an extra 5 grand unless I settle for something like a stratos or javelin, no way around it. Keepin my fingers crossed on this one. Thanks for your advice guys, it goes a long way and is much appreciated.

oh and to answer, no I havent driven any performance boats at all. Just a few small bass boats, pontoons and some ski boats. This is part of the reason Im stayin from the countless cheap bullets Im finding and stickin with somethin that wont have a difficult learning curve for me. I have however owned several 700 hp cars over the last few years so its not like Im new to speed or anything like that. And I have been doin alot of reading bout technique for different conditions and what not. So Im not gonna go into this whole thing totally naive. I always do tons of research before I buy anything whether it be a TV, boat, musical equipment , car or whatever it might be. So I been spending my time researching so I can narrow it down to a specific category of boat which at this point is something between 19-21 feet, mid to late 90's high end boat ie. champion, skeeter, ranger, bass cat....

Ya Im gonna pass on the 20 foot javelin I found and concentrate on champions and bass cats. Seems like Rangers hold even more value cuz I cannot find many 20 foot rangers in my price range unless its early 90's. Im eye ballin a 2000 anniversary edition champion 202 for 15 grand. I'd have to sell my aluminum boat to make up for the extra money I'd be dippin into. Altho I do have the 15k , I just dont wanna part with it all. I'm hoping I can get it for 12,500-13,000 to make it worth it for me. Im curious tho, would you guys say an 18 and a half foot champion rides as nice as most other brand 19 and 20's? If so I know of a few for right around 10 grand that are brand new lookin. I just dont wanna set up test drives for boats unless my research tells me that it suits my style and needs.

Theres a 97 champion 21 foot on ebay but its 14 grand which is a lil more then what I wanna spend. I already set up 2 test drives locally and hopefully it wont take forever to find the right boat. Theres sure is a ton of good deals on 18 and a half footers right now tho. I just dont think 18 and a half feet is big enough for my taste. Keep in mind I have 2 herniated discs in my back so I need the comfiest ride I can possibly get especially when Im out on the tidal potomac river.

Im debating between a mid 90's bass cat or champion versus something like a late 90's or early 2000's nitro or stratos. Its like the difference between buying an older lexus versus a newer hyundai. Im gonna spend the next few days lookin at about half a dozen and see what I come up with. My budet is 10 grand or less right now which would include GPS.

anyone ever fish that pond off of old bridge road in woodbridge ? Its set back a few hundred feet right behind a convenience store and looks semi secluded. You can see it fromt he road when youre driving but it doesnt look easily accesible.

Nice lil catch. I need to get out there and try my luck on these brush piles. I know theres gotta be some 4+ pounders in there. On a sidenote I caught 2 bass out in burke yesterday at a pond within the first 10 minutes of being there and didnt catch another after lol

Can someone plz explain the hierarchy of bass boats to me. Im gonna replace my aluminum bass boat asap and theres too many choices. I was gonna go with a fish n ski but changed my mind. Im gonna be buying a 20 foot dual console bass boat but I wanna get the right one. I know nitro, champion, bass cat, triton, ranger, bullet are all great boats but what is each company known for? Like for example I know bullets are made for looks and speed and bass cats are known for their superior ride. So if someone can break it all down for me that would be great. Im actually considering a 2000 Javelin renegade 20 foot dual console with a 225 H.O. on it. The guy wants 10,500 for it. It has GPS and 2 fish finders plus an 82 lb trolling motor. How does Javlelin compare to a champion or a triton? Where would stratos fall into the mix ? My other option is a 20 foot champion Im checkin out for just a little more money. Also what would I need to tow a 20 foot boat like that ? Right now I have an early 90's 4wd v6 toyota truck.