tnriverluver

What brand of trolling motor. On MK's the transducer mounts directly behind the skeg making damage very unlikely.

I think with your 5K budget you will have a hard time finding many boats that don't have some wood in there construction. Many boats built since the late 90's have no wood at all but in the glass boat catagory are in the higher end price spectrum. A lot of aluminum boats now also have no wood in either their decks or transom but again they are of fairly recent manufacture. Either type of boat will last you a lifetime with proper care even the ones with wood.

Tempress does make what you are looking for I believe. This site has many many other seats and great prices usually including the Bass Bucket seats http://www.iboats.com/Tempress-Deluxe-5-Piece-Bench/dm/cart_id.796296820--session_id.091107110--view_id.484293

I don't even know if Tempress makes a setup like what you are looking for. I have four of their hiback seats in my Alumicraft Bass boat, 2 on the bench and 2 pedestals, and they are the most comfortable seats I have ever been in. I just like the fact they are American made even if that means they are more expensive. I know nothing of the Bass Boat Seats you are looking at.. I removed a fold down bench seat from a War Eagle that had been installed in my boat at some point and just mounted 2 buckets on the bench to make accessing the rear deck much easier.

There was also an 11 lb plus caught in a TX on Ky lake this weekend. Tenn river is growing some nice pigs lately!!!

Tempress!!!!!!!

I will add that in my case space was at an absolute premium and I was replacing 2 old Eagle Cudas on one of my boats and needed units of about the same size. My other boats are a 1542 Tracker flatbottom and an 8 ft Basshunter so space is also a huge issue with them. If you have the space I would recommend stepping up to the Elite or Mark 5 DSI units. For not much difference in price you get a even much more readable screen and they seem to be on sale quite often. Pay very close attention to what you are buying though because they are offered in DSI, non DSI, GPS, and non GPS models. The non DSI and GPS models are very cheap now.

I am not familiar with that HB but I have both the Elite 4 DSI GPS and the Mark 4 DSI GPS units and I am very impressed with their imaging as far as structure and fish goes. They are great units for the price and very easy to learn to operate even for an old fart like me LOL. I bought mine on sale at Cabelas at a much lower price than what I can currently find either. I am looking for another Elite to install on another boat I own. I was sold on these units after watching a video on Youtube of a guy crappie fishing under a bridge and you could watch his 1/16 oz jig and the crappie biting it!

Had a Glastron ski boat WAY BACK and found gas when I pulled the drain plug after a day on the water and smelling gas all day. 12 gallon built in metal tank had sprung a leak. A current boat of mine with a 50 hp Johson will leak a little fuel when stored with the fuel line still connected at the connector and trimmed up, but it all goes into the splash well and not into the boat itself. Is it possible your tanks vent line has come loose and is laying near the compartment?

10 foot flatbottom will only be rated for 2.5 -3 horse power tops. Don't overpower that little boat!

I have a pair of Ocean Waves that I bought at the Bass Pro in Springfield Mo many many years ago. Not cheap buy any means, about $150 back in 1990, but they are incredible as far as what you can see under water. They are not made anymore apparently because I would buy another pair in a heart beat if I could find them. I normally just have on a pair of $10 dollar sunglasses that I use to drive and usually forget to grab the OW's. The difference is staggering.

My wife currently is working very long days since their company is extremely busy. My business has collapsed over the last four years and my wife constantly encourages me to go fishing just so I am not sitting in my recliner all day . Gotta love my wife!!!!!!!! My wife actually likes to fish but hasn't gone with me in at least 15 years.

Add in TWRA agency lakes $40 permits and various other watershed lake permits $20 on up and belong long it cost a few bucks to fish here.

You can keep it cheap but the itch never stops once it has been scratched. First a small outboard, then a little bigger newer outboard, then a cheap sonar but it doesn't work well so a much better sonar, comfortable seats, more tackle and more tackle is never enough tackle, a thousand here, a thousand there, then a bigger, nicer, faster boat, LOL You will soon get the picture. B.O.A.T!!!!!!!

One out the front and one out the back. Without 2 the slightest wind will have you spinning around the single anchor. 10 lb mushroom anchors will hold you unless you are in a swift running river.

The manuals to my new Lowrance DSI units state that the transducer will not work through hull mounted in an aluminum boat. JFYI. I asked about these mounts a while back and everyone was pleased with them when I had raised the same question about glueing on the transducer. I have one sitting in a box waiting for the temps outside to warm up enough to mount it.

After you get the paint off try to locate some Krylon Fusion paint. It is designed to adhear to plastic. Other Co's may make something similar now also.

For that price jump on it. That boat has obviously been loved and cared for. I myself would buy it now with or without a test ride. I have bought many many used boats over the last 30 years and have never taken a test ride. Most you can tell whether or not to buy by simply looking at condition and getting a feel of the owners honesty. Just ask him about any little quirks the boat might have and see how he answers.

This is the truth. I have been catching and keeping smaller 11-13 inch bass since late in the fall. Our local lake has a 14-18 slot and you seldom even catch the smaller fish until late fall or winter. Small bass out of 50ish or colder water is my favorite eating fish. Bigger fish never get kept by me even if from lakes where it is legal.

For two people a 14 ft or longer and at least a 42 in bottom as a minumum. Find the boat with the floorplan and price you like and buy it. Unless you are going to be jumping stumps or banging constantly into rocks just about any brand will work fine. When it comes to plain ole jon boats I don't think there really is a bad brand. Many are made in the same factory with just different brand decals. Lowe-Crestliner-Triton and a few others as an example.

Lowes sell 4X8 sheets of white fiberglass about 1/8 in thick. More than you need but fairly inexpensive. I used it to make the shower walls in my Cargo trailer toyhauler conversion. One side has a small texture and the other is smooth. 20ish a sheet. Score it deeply with a razor knife and break it to cut. http://www.lowes.com/pd_8566-293-FTSTF.1_0__?productId=3162499&Ntt=fiberglass+panels&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Dfiberglass%2Bpanels&facetInfo=

175 on the 201 pro XL is definitely under powered. Think they were rated for 250 in 1995. My 93 with a 200 GT would run 70 plus with 2 people and tournament load but was a dog getting on plane no matter what prop I ran. Always wanted more motor on that boat. I'm not familiar with the 288 model but my Buddy had a 96 285 with the 175 and it would run within 1-2 Mph of my 200.

Welcome to Tennessee. If you want to see friendly come over to the western side sometime and hit Ky lake or Pickwick. Different world than the east side.

They lease a large private lake about 30 miles from my home that many of the shows are filmed on. I went to school with his son who has worked as a cameraman and runs the web for Bill. In his early TV days many of his shows were filmed on some area Mississippi river Oxbow lakes but not so much lately. His early shows were very educational to me but the newer shows just seem like one continuous commercial. Bill is not a real nice guy in real life, but you have to give him credit for making a very good living doing what many of us only dream of doing.

The problem with contact cement is it is not real water proof. Someone over on Tinboats.net did an extensive test of various glues and that was the weak link with contact glues. I have used them successfully in the past myself, but if you fish in the rain very often or leave the boat outside uncovered, you will run into problems.