K_Mac

Are you saying it is too easy to catch fish on Senkos? Is it somehow cheating for a skilled fisherman to use a Senko? When a jig is working very well do you change baits to make it more difficult to catch fish? Wanting to catch fish is a fundamental element of fishing. : I completely agree with fishing what you like, and what you're good at. To imply that Senkos are somehow not worthy of a true fisherman is silly in my humble opinion. :-?

I agree. I have caught some of my biggest fish on wacky rigged Senko/knock-offs. It is not my favorite technique, but I almost always have one ready to go. I add weight according to depth, and have caught fish from very shallow to very deep (15-20'). They are effective anywhere in the water column. What's not to like?

Earlier in this thread I recommended CXX. I have used both CXX and YZ Hybrid this year and I like the CXX better. With that said, I still have 6# YZ on both of my spinning reels. I have caught several good fish without problems. My issue with YZ is not strength, just manageability.

I usually fish mine on a 7:1 reel. I have found a slow/med steady retrieve or popping it off the bottom like a jig works best for me. I've never really tried burning one though. I am too lazy to fish them that way. I suspect there are times when burning them would produce well.

Ranger used to have a picture in one of their adds (it may still be around) where they cut big chunks out of the hull to demonstrate the safety of their flotation system. With big sections missing, and several men in the boat, it still floated fine. It very clearly showed the importance of filling all the voids with floatation foam.

That is one the great truths of fishing. ;D

No lol i mean the hds 5 not the new series. A lot of people said lowrance has terrible customer service I have read the stories about the terrible customer service, premature product release, and the impending demise of Lowrance. All I can say is my experience with Lowrance has been very different. I have called with questions several times and have talked to knowledgeable, friendly people each time that really seemed interested in answering my questions. I am very happy with my Lowrance units, and even happier with their customer service. You asked for recommendations. For my my money Lowrance is the way to go. There are many HB users here. I expect some of them to be along soon. Good luck.

I used to go crazy. As I get older it's not that big a deal. It does frustrate me to have some kind of line/equipment failure though. That is usually lack of attention on my part. If I fished for money where losing a fish could be very expensive, I probably would not be as relaxed about it. :

P-Line CXX is my choice. Treat it with KVD Line and Lure and you're good to go.

I looked at HB before buying Lowrance. For me Lowrance was the better choice. Buy what makes you happy.

Yes. If you can, I would recommend going to BPS, Cabelas, or another store where you can see them in the simulate mode, or you could drive over to my place and we'll go fishing... You have great flexibility in screen setup. It is not a huge screen, but even in split mode it does a good job.

These prices are coming from a surplus store that bought out a bass pro shops recently that had flooded. I got a great price on my Fortrex, but not that good. That may be as good a deal on a great TM as you'll ever find. I understand not having the cash though... If you can swing buying a unit with the digital controls I recommend it. They are far more energy efficient. Good luck.

The Lowrance HDS-5 is a fine unit in your range. I have one with the Lake Insight and really like it. Down scan and side imaging can be added later for ~$600 more. I haven't saved enough pennies to get the module yet...

John that is the way it should work. Unfortunately it doesn't always. I hit a teen aged kid who was riding a bike. He jumped off a curb and came out from between two parked cars directly in front of me. I was only going about 25 MPH but there was nothing I could do. I left my car exactly were I stopped and told the investigating officer what happened, and that I had several witnesses who saw the whole thing. He told me he would issue a citation to the kid if he survived the wreck. He wasn't seriously hurt, but my insurance company paid all his medical/ambulance fees, bought him a brand new bike (much higher quality than I hit), a gave him $500 for his trouble. I was furious when I found out about it, and jumped all over my insurance guy. He told me it was cheaper to settle than to risk a suit and have it go to court and risk a jury giving him thousands.

I love night fishing for bass. As Catt mentioned organization is important to success. During the day I have many rods and an assortment of other stuff out for quick access. At night two rods max, and everything in its place. While it sure isn't necessary to catch fish, fishing during a full moon will make things a lot easier. For your first time out, a little moonlight is a good thing.

I know what you mean. He was once a hero, now a zero. It is a real shame. I know some folks from Wisconsin that used to worship this guy...

I think he should schedule an hour long dog-and-pony show on ESPN to announce his decision... wait that's already been done. Never mind.

Don't be discouraged if your unit doesn't do a good job of finding isolated brush piles and separating fish from structure. Knowing the depth, and being able to identify bottom irregularities, e.g. humps, channels, etc. will make you a better fisherman. Once you determine at what depth the fish are holding, you can then begin to find other similar areas. It takes some practice, but it is worth the effort. Good electronics are amazing, but I learned on low end stuff back in the day when low end was very basic. Good luck.

The first moonless night you see someone running at WOT you will be glad to have nav lights, flashlights, spotlights, and any other lights you have on board. I've wished for some sort of ship to ship rocket a few times, but that is another thread.

I am like Lund Explorer on this; I'm too old to just pick five. I'll give five, but ask me tomorrow and it will probably be a different list. Lonesome Dove Forrest Gump Vertigo Cool Hand Luke An Officer and a Gentleman

That may be true of some. It may even be true of most, but I do not believe that all of the Elite anglers would lie about the bait they are using. I may be naive, but I am not cynical enough to believe that it is all about money.

I completely agree.

KVD is just a winner. He doesn't have to lead every lap, but come crunch time you know he is going to be there. I do feel a little bad for Reese. It was his to lose...

I am fully prepared for that. Once my kids get to that age, I'm going to hang up every single award, certificate, and other random stuff that I have from the Army right next to the front door. "Look, this is the piece of paper that says I can kill you 300 different ways with a canteen. Cool, isn't it? Oh, whats that, you need to go change your underwear? Sure thing little buddy." Back in the old days, my daughter was dating a guy who's mother I knew from high school. I ran into her at the store one day, and she told me her son didn't think I liked him very much and that he was afraid of me. I've never been more proud.

I have a 7' MXF that is my favorite rod for light plastics and jigs to 3/8 oz. I think a 6'6"-7' Med X-fast would fit in well with your current mix. Just my $.02