ChrisAW

I have a 15'6" Smokercraft aluminum V that I got a deal on last winter. Found a complete Mariner 30E with controls for $600, runs great after a little bit of work. I did a little measuring and found that my prop has around a 11.25" pitch. Using one of these online calculators, factoring in my RPM's and and all that, it calculates pretty much exactly what my highest speed was during use this last season, around 26mph. Whats funny is that a friend of mine let me use his 9.9 on this boat before I bought my motor, and it would push this boat to 16mph, with me and my tackle. The only thing that changed with the big motor is a console and controls, adding maybe 20 pounds besides the weight of the motor itself. It seems to me that a 30hp motor should push this faster, but I'm now seeing that it is probably the pitch of my prop that won't allow it to run any faster. I've found that a 12 or 13 pitch is available for this motor. It really doesn't have any trouble getting on plane when I have the motor about the middle of the trim angle available. I do not have a hydraulic trim though, so I can't adjust on the fly. Should I avoid such a steep pitch, in fear of losing a lot of low end torque? Or would a boat such as this not really have that problem?

I have been stopping in every so often to see what has been showing up. I have been getting Xcaliber and Bomber baits for 3 to 4 dollars a piece. Can't complain about that.

I bought a Hero3+ Black for my video needs. So far I really like it. The remote will be nice. I cant comment on these really tall poles for pictures though, I have no plans to take pictures like that. But I did buy a 6 foot monopod to use like you may see Tackle Warehouse using for their bass videos.

They shipped with both front and rear hooks with suresets for a while. Clearanced those (2.99 a piece at GM for a while.) And started shipping with just a rear sure set. Now they went back to normal both front and back.

I have saved money. I knew what colors I wanted from the beginning and only bought a few select materials, as well as made almost all my own molds. The baits I've made are good producers and I haven't had to buy nearly as many craws, senkos, worms, or beavers since I started.

This is the one in question. http://www.basspro.com/Ascend-FS12T-SitOnTop-Angler-Kayak-Desert-Storm/product/13110707113412/ It should be plenty stable. Has the same hull design as the 128, but shorter and shallower, thus lighter. They should already be on the floor at most any Bass Pro. I know ours has them out.

Not entirely. A gallon of plastisol may cost anywhere from 40-70$ depending on who you buy it from. Just as an example, people have mentioned being able to make 200 or more senko style baits from a gallon of plastisol. Buying all those senkos could cost you about $140. $55 a gallon of plastisol. $9 each per your favorite colors. $4 each per your favorite flake. $8 for a sinking additive or even less for salt. Use a cheap microwave and a good Pyrex cup, you could easily still save around 40 or 50 bucks even buying multiple colorants and glitters. The only thing that would put you over the edge is buying molds. If you take time to mess around with making your own from plaster, it can be very cheap to make your own baits.

Then you were trying to crank it too fast. I only bought a couple of these that I had found at Walmart already clearanced d**n near as soon as they were released. But after tying one on last summer, I will be buying more. These are just like any other lure. They aren't magical fish catchers. But I have found a few times, that the action has been a triggering factor when fishing it above their heads, and thats something square bills can't do without catching the bottom. But the thing that really made me like it, I never once had a fish barely hooked on this. When this is what they were hitting, they ate it. I couldn't always say the same for any other time I've been on a crank bait pattern. I would still have fish short striking and only getting the rear hook. The 40 or so fish I remember catching on these last year all absolutely inhaled it. One thing I did to help the cast-ability though is add two suspend-strips to the bottom. Added some weight, dives a little deeper, still allows them to float, but also toned down the action a tiny little bit, and made them less likely to roll at a little higher speed.

I like Zona, he has personality and isn't afraid to let it come out. He can make it entertaining for people who aren't in to fishing as much as I am when I force them to watch it; like my girlfriend. haha Mercer is a good announcer. He is well spoken and quick witted. Sure, he repeats a lot of stuff, but what else are you going to say about a guy walking up on stage with a bag of bass? He will be at our Spring Fishing Classic here in Michigan, as well as Jonathan VanDam.

Generally the people complaining about little movement at slow speeds have bought the colors that are heavily painted. You can see colors like Disco Shad, Green Pumpkin or Swamp Gas have no paint on them. Those will have the best movement. Clear Bream is the most painted, and many complain about them have little to no movement. After using them a bit or even boiling them will loosen up some action.

This is a normal thing. The only thing that helps keep that uneven lay from occurring is by trying to work the line guide into laying the knot against the edge of the spool.

About 40%, on Lowrance Elite-5 HDI. The rest will go toward truck maintenance, so I can get my boat to the ramp.

I own a pair of 580 Costa Blackfins after losing my Wiley X's. Honestly, I would rather have my Wiley X's back. Same type of lenses; Amber with blue/green coating. I could see better with the Wileys than my Costas. The only other complaint I have about the Costa glasses, is mainly my own fault, but they fog a lot on me. I felt that the Blackfins are very comfortable, but apparently too close a fit. This makes me have to pull them away from my face, and allows light behind the glasses which makes them less effective. Dont get me wrong, they are both good glasses. Very clear, and good polarizing. But I wouldn't leave Wiley's out of this conversation.

Ahh yes and the slop hopper is another I have, in pearl and bluegill. Use them on swim jigs most often but a swimbait hook is always good as well. The Big Moe is the lizard type I was talking about, and is honestly the only lizard type baitI have ever caught anything on. It has some good action to it and can be worked very slow.

I use a few of TriggerX baits myself. Their tubes, seven and ten inch worms, their new punching bait; the Goo Bug, their big lizard bait that I can't remember the name of right now.. quite a few. Mainly because I've had a different experience with their durability than Bluebasser, they were lasting quite a few fish per bait for me. I like them, and have quite a few bags in my possession of each that I like because I have found them going on clearance unfortunately, so they couod be hard to find for me in the future.

Even coming close to a patented bait design is an iffy choice, let alone cutting and splicing together baits and making your own using the exact design from the company. That is asking for trouble. I don't mean to crap on his parade or anything, considering I hand pour as well. This is blatantly using Strike Kings design for his own gain, and that's just not right at all.

He has some beaver baits on his page there using the Rage Tail Craw claws. Pretty sure they have those patented.

Hmm.. I would hate to see Strike King get ahold of him for using their Rage Tail design...

Yeah, I won't be paying for the extended casts. When they don't make it available for weeks or now even a MONTH after it airs on TV, I don't see a point in buying it. I know there is a lot more video available but I'm tired of the way these guys have treated their paying customers just because Outdoor Channel bought them out. The first series was available before it aired on TV. The next season, it was the day after. Third season was two weeks after and they had a lot of customer complaints which made them move up the schedule. Now they won't air them until a month after? Are these people stupid? How much do they think they can screw over the paying customers before they lose business? I'll just watch it on TV for free. Sure, I guess they probably get money from that as well, but I'm not paying my provider for the channel and I'm not giving them my money when they don't want to listen to their customers.

Meh.. Looking at what is available now, and the prices... 9$ for 2 jigs? Nah, I'm good. http://profoundoutdoors.com/index.aspx

Not the first one I've ever misshapen, and on the peg for sale. I had seen another one that had a short hook point on one side and a long point on the opposite, like the bending mechanism had gotten off center. I have taken a liking to their flipping hooks, but I wouldn't ever buy their trebles. There are hooks that are just as good for less per hook.

I would say yes, but the only luck I had with my Huddleston before its life was cut tragically short, was what I could only assume was a rather large Pike. First hour of use, I felt something freight train it, I barely hard to set the hook it tightened up so fast. And then.. dink! Line went limp.

I can't believe this is a debate. Definition of Athlete: Fishing at a competitive level requires SKILL, and physical agility AND stamina. It may not be running or sprinting, but by definition again, So yes, by definition it is a sport and anglers are athletes. I don't care if you're even a weekend angler, fishing still requires skill to know where to go and how to get them to bite, and agility as defined above. Every time you make a cast is an example of agility.

You can pitch any baits you want. Its just a cast technique used to present a bait more silently than an overhand cast. When I'm near cover, I will pitch whatever I'm using just to make a silent entry. Spinner baits, top waters, squarebills, dropshot... anything you want. But in general, yes. Jigs, texas rigs using beaver baits, craws, or worms.. Those are the norm.

I will be pouring plastics, designing baits, hopefully get started with my own Jigs as well. Other than that, working. Waiting for opening day to take vacation time and go to St Clair.