Goose52

Thanks. At first, I will have to car-top it but I will be able to unload it lake-side and just shove it in the water. I won't really need a dolly. At some point in time, I'd like to get a trailer for it so I can leave it rigged up, with gear inside, and just pull it off the back of the trailer and launch it off the bank. The nice thing about something this light is that you're not limited to launching ramps Hope you don't mind, but I will be shamelessly stealing your ideas and my canoe will end up looking a lot like yours. One change might be to try to figure out if I can have some sort of horizontal rod storage like Fishing Rhino set up on his canoe. Rhino's canoe looks to be about 15-16' though which gave him plenty of lenth to lay the rods down - I don't have the same length to play with on an 11'6" canoe :-? BTW - about a year ago I was planning on getting a square stern Radisson, thinking it would be easier to use with a gas or electric motor. A few posts in this forum, and your photo, made me change my mind. I think the side mounted motor makes it much easier to steer than having the motor handle directly behind your back...ouch.

I do - I use it for small cranks and in-line spinners, sometimes small soft plastics. My rod is below your price range so I didn't mention it earlier - it's a BPS Extreme ML-F with a BPS ProLite reel w/8lb mono.

Tough decision - but I think I would have to take day 1 and get the 100 fish. I've never had a 100 brim day, let alone a 100 (theoretically) 2-6lb LMB day. Like switch just said, that's 100 adventures. I've caught solitary big fish before, and while it's great at the moment, it's still just one "fish fight." I'll go for the numbers of great fish, and pass on the 1 monster fish. (AND, from what I've been told, sometimes the hawgs don't fight was well as the smaller fish ....I know my 7 3/4 pounder made a couple of runs and that was it - on the bank in about a minute or two...I just got the feeling it was an old fish...) Now, if you had said, catch a 100 dinks, vs, the 14 pounder - that would be an easier decision ;D

Thanks. My Ted Williams spinning reel is vintage. The Mitchell 408 and my battery (10) of mid-80's Shakespeare Sigma 2200 spinning reels I don't consider vintage - they're just fishing gear. They're not broke, the drags work OK, they reel in fish...no need to get anything newer just for "newness" sake :

Certainly, Mitchell was just about everyones favorite spinning reel company when I started fishing. The made-in-France 300 and 400 series reels were just great reels. I still fish mine on a matching Garcia Conolon rod :

I voted "Sometimes." I measure everything I catch and record the data in a spreadsheet - helps to keep track of what's going on in the 11 lakes I fish. Since most fish are small here - I will weigh when it's about 2lbs or over - I'll enter that in the spreadsheet as well.

Here it is. Now, to buy the accessories! I will be able to paddle from the front seat if I want to - no problems with the yoke at all. Plus, it comes with paddles/oars so I have the option of rowing it from the rear seat...

1451+51=1502

Yes - pretty close to the center. I'm hoping that i can paddle from there with my legs over the yoke (or perhaps I will be able to move the yoke a bit). I'll know soon as the canoe will be delivered tomorrow

Ted's reputation as an outdoorsman was well known in the '50s and '60s. Sears had a marketing arrangement with Ted and used the "Ted Williams" logo on a lot of Sears sporting goods, including fishing reels. I've had that Ted Wiliams reel since the late '50s/early '60s and it was my only reel for about 6-7 years until I saved up enough to get a Garcia Mitchell 408 spinning reel (which I also still have and fish...).

Well, I guess I have to dive in with an atypical reponse For a baitcaster - BPS - based on value received for dollars spent. I have a 2009 model ProLite, 4 2009 model ProQualifiers, and 2 2009 Rick Clunns. All have good bearings and dual braking. All were purchased for $80 or less each. Swept handles and drag stars, all "palm" well (with special mention to the ProLite - wish I had got a few more of those). For Spinning reels - I have a battery of 10 mid-80s vintage Shakespere Sigma 2200s - don't need anything else... Remember - save BPS bashing for another thread :

The BPS Spring Classic sale starts February 26 - goes to March 14.

I would think so. Of course, the 2 extra bearings may be in the handle (2 per knob) so other than the knobs feeling more solid, the reel itself may not be any "smoother." I think the primary selling point of the Midas over the PQ is the drag system. And, since the Midas is selling for under the PQ right now, it's a good deal. While many of us are hoping that the PQ will go down to $80 during the Spring Classic - there's no guarantee that will happen. Even if it does go to $80 - that's still only a $20 reduction. The Midas is now $40 off ....hmmmmmmmm

Looks like a good deal at $89. 17lb drag system too...

Trade-in info here: http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1264784779/5#5

Ha - I did my homework already. I have both of those photos in my project file. I will be combining your horizonal rod rack idea, with Lard_Bass's rig where he has his electronics and rod-holders mounted on the crossbar for the outriggers. Then a good trolling motor and I'm set. Some budget limitations to consider but by mid-summer I hope to have it rigged up. In this case, my bait monkey was a boat monkey ;D

I will be buying a 5.2:1 PQ for deep cranking (hopefully they will go on sale for $80 during the Spring Classic).

The BPS clearance prices at the end of 2009 got me. Bought a bunch of rods and several reels. Waiting on the Spring Classic sale to get two more reels. THEN, I'm done for a while (hear that bait monkey). Discretionary income after those next two reels will be going to outfit the new canoe I have inbound right now

I'm waiting for the Spring Classic (hoping they will be marked down to $80 again) to buy another PQ for that exact purpose. I was initially going to get the 4.7...but I'm having second thoughts and will probably get the 5.2. The difference is only 2" IPT at full-spool (19" vs 21") so I guess either will do the job. This points out another difference between the PQ and the Revo SX - the PQ has 4 available ratios - the SX just 2.

Thanks Marty - interesting reviews. Everything's a compromise - I needed the light weight for cartopping and launching and knew that meant thin-guage aluminum. I just need to be careful. Good thing is that I plan on using it only in my local lakes that are nice open water with no rocks to speak of. The Radisson is 38" wide (see photo) so that adds to stability - but the compromise is that it's harder to paddle. I may try paddling from the front seat (facing aft - using the back as the front so to speak). Some of the folks said they had better luck rowing it. Hopefully, I'll be able to find the budget for the trolling motor early on.

Ha - best answer so far !

Yep - bill length, width, and angle should tell you and it would be close enough I expect.... (but I'm still gonna write the numbers on my plugs : )

Thanks. I like the idea that I can slide the canoe into the water just about anyplace - not just at a ramp. At 34 pounds, I can handle it even with a bum shoulder. At first, all I will have is the canoe, paddle, and PFD. The other toys will come as budget allows (retired on fixed income...). I know my wife will be insisting that I get the outriggers as soon as possible!

Wow - great fish. That's less than 2oz under the KY state record. Did you weigh it on a certified scale? or just your personal scale? You might have had a state record...

Can't answer that personally (yet). I only have a few cranks that go below 10 feet but haven't fished them yet. I bought them in advance of getting a canoe and getting out on the water in the spring...I'm fishing off the bank right now. I did write the "book" depth on them as a starting point, knowing that they probably won't reach their book depths. My guess is that you know how deep your deep divers are actually getting by either catching fish that show at a certain depth on your fish-finder - or you feel the crank hitting bottom at the indicated depth, or the crank is bringing back grass that you see at a certain depth.