dwtaylor

4 strokes are definitely the future, as required US government emissions ratings are increasing and they tend to be "cleaner" than 2 strokes. If it were me, from a fuel consumption and performance standpoint, I would go with the 1.5L Opti Pro XS. However, if you want to go 4 stroke I would give a really good look at the new 115 FourStroke from Mercury. It is the lightest 115 4 stroke on the market and also one of the best performing ones, if not the best. For that boat, I would do some research and look into the Command Thrust (CT) gear case (used to be called Big Foot) as they do a little bit better on bigger boats. I may have a Mercury bias, as I work for them. With that said, I would not shy away from other manufacturer's engines. We all make good engines, but each is a little different.

What part of Wisconsin are you from? I have a left hand BB1 that I would be willing to let you try out to try to get down the casting. BTW, I like centrifugal brakes better than magnetic brakes. With that said, I primarily fish Shimano reels and that is pretty much what they have in them. Let me know. Thanks!

Hey everyone, I was lucky enough to be selected as a marshal for the AOY Championship up der in da UP hey! This will be my 3rd time marshalling for the Elite Series and I am super stoked about it. The weather lately up here has been brutal, but I think some impressive bags will come in. The only thing I worry about is rough water. I have been on Lake Michigan when the weather turns, but that was in a Deep V style walleye boat. Either way, I think I'll learn a lot this time and I was wondering if anyone else would be making the trip up to Escanaba next week. Maybe a little BR gathering? FYI, I am rooting with anyone with a Merc on the transom

734c. I have one and I used it last year for a swim jig rod. After thinking it was a just a tad overkill for 1/4 oz "Wisconsin Style" swim jig, I started using it for 1/4 and 3/8 oz jigs around docks. For the past month or so, it has had a 3/8 oz pegged flipping tungsten weight and a 5/0 Trokar flipping hook for pitching purposes. Needless to say, its the cat's meow.

Go with the Merc! I am an employee of Mercury, so help support a fellow forum member! Besides, Mercury service dealers are almost everywhere.

I have an eagle talon. The seat is terrible. Not a bad yak if you don't intend on standing up, as its not the most stable. Watch out for a memorial day sale. I got mine last year for like $400 with a coupon. Get a replacement seat though. I just ordered this seat: http://www.austinkayak.com/products/2545/Gone-Fishin-Kayak-Seat.html I'll see how I like it.

Kill a musky around my neck of the woods and you might get killed yourself.

My favorite, "Wisconsin Style" swim jigs have a more bullet like head with a lighter weedguard (not too light) and a medium to light wire hook (but not too light). Most of them have thinner skirts than the normal swim jig. I really like these jigs because of the hookup ratio and their ability to come through many different types of cover. From what I understand, California style swim jigs are heavier with a heavier weed guard and a beefier hook. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Coosa swim jigs appear to be like Wisconsin swim jigs with heavier hooks and weedguards.

While it was good the first 2 years, last year my Patriarch took a dump. It just started to get sloppy and fall apart. The bail spring kept popping out and it wouldn't click on some casts. I had the thing professionally cleaned and lubed on a regular basis. With that said, I bought the thing at a college angler discount and was very happy for what I paid. Given the choice again, I would go with a Stradic CI4. You should be able to find the discontinued models in the $150-$200 range. Nice light reels.

Does anyone know if older broadcasts of the shows on what used to be ESPN outdoors, like older Bassmaster coverage, Charlie Moore, or Bass Tech? These shows were a vital part of my interest in the sport it is today. I used to wake up at 5 AM on Saturday mornings to watch these shows. It would be awesome to watch them again sometime (but not at 5 AM on a Saturday). Thanks!

I have a 734 Champion that is the cat's meow for chatterbaits. However, for light/medium wire hook swim jigs, its a little too heavy. However, I still use it and catch fish. I would recommend the 734, but in the Savvy line. Very versatile stick, IMO.

I was up there last year that time and the fish were just moving out to the deeper water (a drop shot bite). I was in a kayak, but Pen. State Park has some good water by it. I would recommend trying to get a boat to use though, some of the really good spots I caught them on in the past are too far away from shore. Green Pumpkin 3" tubes Avacado Kalins 5" Grub Yum Crawbug in green pumpkin or watermelon red flake (drop shotted) BTW, I caught a 6.5 lb smallie there 5 years ago dropshotting a green pumpkin crawbug around rocks in 20' deep...and you will see the bottom easily.

Lethal Weapon II and the Brovarney swim jigs are good. 1/4 oz. Thats my money size. I like the Outkast ones too, but I need to trim the skirt more than my liking. I have found that I miss a lot of hookups with the beefier weedguard. I started trimming mine and throwing different jigs and I found that a pretty light weedguard is still pretty weedless when it balances well, even over weeds.

It is a lot easier to identify a rod is using by having something different. Boyd did, and still does it right by having an excellent pro staff to help push these rods. You are right, Loomis and Croix sell a lot of rods, but Boyd's rods have been catching on very well the last few years. Loomis and Croix have reputations that are decades long, hence marketing their rods on this and the word of mouth helps them a lot. By introducing a product in an already saturated market, one has to produce a product that stands out in not only performance, but price and that "eye catching ability." A person watching the elite series on tv or major league fishing can see these pros using these rods and it is much easier to identify them compared to loomis and croix rods, as they are different. These same people can then go to a retailer that carries these rods and feel them for themselves. I am saying, it is probably doing more good than bad for them having the blanks be white as far as sales volume goes.

Yup...I had the opportunity to marshal with Boyd during the Mississippi River Elite Tournament and I can confirm that those were the right reels. In all honesty, they look like a combination of a zillion and a revo, if that makes any sense. However, the ones he used were painted blue and black...but were to be sold as white. That way, people wouldn't notice it as easy and wouldn't ask questions, as it was in the development stages at the time. BTW...the rods and reels are white mostly due to marketing. It is a lot easier to market a rod that looks so much differently than the other products...brilliant if you ask me.

Just don't use the strike king menace grub, they are terrible...no action whatsoever...just run away as far as possible. But for real, they are amazing swim jig trailers. I have eaten up about 10 bags of them this year so far...well not me, the bass.

I don't know if the actual store site has them for sale or not, but they do not honor the online price or allow ship to store. It was supposed to be 160ish on top of tax and the actual price to ship.

I bought the sit on top one and I can tell you save money to look elsewhere. My biggest complaint is that the seat is not very good. I am 22 with a good back and in somewhat reasonable shape and i have trouble fishing in it for more than 4 hours. The seat is just not good for posture. For the money, bass pro has the best seats. The back opening is a little too small for my liking for storage, but I haven't tested that thoroughly. Stability is good...when sitting down. I plan on adding an outrigger to help. I have fished out of a wilderness systems ride 115, tarpon 120, and commander 120. Out of those, it is most like the tarpon, but the tarpon has better stability and storage options, but the tarpon is also much more expensive. Advantage: price and it floats Don't get me wrong, I like fishing out of it, but I wish I had saved up a little more and bought something else. It is a starter kayak, and that's about it. I understand budget constraints, but I would highly recommend trying one before you buy. It is nice to get off shore without the hassles of a boat. If you have specific questions, please pm me. I can send you more details and pics.

I did end up going up, but the Northern wind was not very nice to me in a kayak. I found a bay with some good structure and marked fish, but I couldn't position myself and fish effectively too. I marked almost all of my fish in 14-16 feet of water where I was. I wanted to try the islands out of penn. state park or the sister islands, but mother nature had other plans. I will try to make it up some other time before I leave Wisconsin to go back to school.

Do not get a microguide Veritas as the guides pop out and break off of the blank. Not a bad rod, but terrible guide feet. Instead, look for a regular guide model. I have a 7.5' mh Veritas that I used to use for all of my flipping/pitching but then I bought a Dobyns Champion 736C.

Find yourself a big ol girlfriend to sit in the back while you fish. That should replace the weight of the outboard.

I agree Alton is a class act. I have had the opportunity to marshal the last two elite events on the Mississippi river and I have talked with many guys. This year, I found it really cool to have my day 1 pro last year, Grant Goldbeck approach me and ask how I was. I talked to him again at each day's weigh in and he is probably the most approachable guy on tour. Pete Ponds is another awesome guy. I rode with him on day 1 this year and spoke with him the next two days.

Has anyone been up to Sturgeon Bay lately? I was planning on going up this weekend and I was wondering what areas I should stick to. I am bringing my kayak and cannot cover water as quickly.

Weight size for punching isn't so much about how deep the water is, but rather how thick the cover is. Typically when "punching," I stick to a minimum of one ounce sinkers. The maximum I have ever used is a 1.5 ounce tungsten sinker. However, sometimes the heavier weight is better because the quick fall will trigger bites better than you think. With that said, I have been experimenting with miller punch weights as of late, and I am impressed with them. Make sure you are using a big enough hook, or else you will have hook up issues. They do look funny, but I assure you they work.

Hammer handle pike are the worst. Last year I marshaled the elite event on the Mississippi and guys were going through pike left and right and not getting their frogs back. I thought it was funny seeing the southern guys on the tour cuss them out. Worse case scenario is another tw order so it isn't the worst thing in the world. Unless its an old wigglewart, Bagley, megabass, or lucky craft.