NBR

I agree with Reelmechanic and others that the comments re reel brands are personal preferences. I have Daiwa's, Shimano's, Pflueger's, Quantum's and BPS's and like them all. Those with similar features and cost perform alike. Pick what feels the best to you on the intended rod and don't look back. I do prefer an external adjustment but that's not a show stopper either since I have both external and internal adjustable reels and use them about equal amounts.

You should start with the motor all the way down. I think you bought the boat used. If so maybe the previous owner changed props for more high end speed and sacrificed hole shot. In my experience the prop that comes with a factory rigged boat is a pretty decent compromise of cost and performance but individual preferences can result in changes that alter the performance. My first performance boat came with, as I recall, a Raker over the hub exhaust prop that gave great top end but a poor hole shot. I broke a blade off the prop and replaced it with a through hub exhaust prop. Lost some top end speed nut the hole shot was much better. Shoot an email to ProCraft or visit a dealer for suggestions before you spend much money!

I run a 19'6" Astro that at least at one time had the same hull as a ProCraft. If I run slow I take a cold shower. If I get on plane and adjust my speed to conditions I run very dry. Slow means the spray flies back into the boat; correct speed means the spray falls into the lake behind you. Time on the water will give you the practise to aviod being horribly wet.

Hate to ask this but are you tucking the motor all the way under before you try to get up on plane?

5" cast like a multistaged rocket on bait casters, 4" cast like a rocket, 3" require a bit more care and I haven't tried anything shorter.

My guess is that those who leave a lot of meat on the carcass with an electric knife would leave even more with a standard filet knife. I use both with the same results but the electric is much faster for me.

I use rubber. Easy on the fish, rarely tangles a lure and you get the fish back in the water quickly. Not good for northern pike or eastern pickerel.

I forgot. I am 90 % sure they are made by Pflueger.

I have a Curado, several older Shimano's, some Quantums and too many others to mention. I bought a Prolite Finesse combo last year and like it just as well as any of the others and better than some. I'd buy another in a heart beat.

You don't say whether your boat is glass or aluminum but my response applies to glass. I have had two bass boats and they both would porpoise if you were trimmed out to far for the speed you were running. IMHO it is a fact of life that if you are porposing you either tuck the motor under a bit until it stops or increase the throttle a bit until it stops. If you have the boat up on its pad, properly trimmed out for speed, load, motor and hull I think trim tabs are unnecessary. If your boat was prerigged I think moving the batteries and fuel tank might have been a mistake. My "Leading Edge" trim tab was just to improve hole shot which it did and I don't think adding a jack plate is your answer although it might help overall performance. I went from several smaller motor, fishing boats to bass boat 1 with a 115 Merc and it took a while to learn to drive it then bass boat 2 with a 150 Merc took even longer to learn to drive it comfortably and efficiently.

I have an older Eagle. When you turn it off you need to hold the off button down for a few seconds or it comes right back on!

Try it out for what purpose? Unless you are having hole shot problems I don't see any reason to try it out. I have a "Leading Edge" on my motor that is a metal plate with the trailing edge tipped down. It does help my hole shot. To mount mine you set the hydrofoil under the anti cavitation plate and mark the holes in the hydrofoil on the anticavitation plate. Drill holes through the cavitation plate. Fasten the hydrofoil to the anticavitation with stainless bolts and stainless elastic stop nuts.

A buddy bought 1 a year or so ago and liked it well enough to buy a second.

Nice post as usual Reelmechanic. I started before drags were avaiable so I have always used my thumb as the hook set pressure. I set my baitcaster drags light and use my thumb when more pressure is needed and set my spinning reel drags heavy and back reel.

I wonder what kind of performance increase you expect out of a 9.9 kicker? My vision of a kicker is slow trolling and if this is the case the extra cost of stainless is a mute issue.

If it were me I'd pop for at least a hand held GPS and be done with the inaccurate speedo! My experience with the tube speedo's is that they are popped off their bracket when you need them.

Illeagal in all the states I know. Bad idea unless you are working with the state DNR.

I don't have a Tracker but I have had the speedo tube get loose and had a fair amount of water come in from that.

I wish I could recall the name of the gadgets I used but I can't. Essentially, you drill a larger hole and marine silicone them in place. Kind of like a toggle bolt but much different. I think a shop that specializes iin trolling motors will have you answer. They are pricey but much less than a college education.

Forget the snap and swivel!

Be sure you are not cranking with the drag slipping. Nothing outside of twist when putting the line on the reel creates more twist.

It seems to me that except for efficiencies in the motor and prop tp converttorqoe to thrust they would be the same.

My fishing buddy uses red hooks and I don't but I out fish him at least 3 to 1. If they give you confidence use them if not don't.

Heat thrm with a hair dryer and scrape off with a plastic tool like you would use to scrape Bondo on your car. Scrapers should be available at most car parts places and Wal-Mart.

When I want a very accurate cast like to a specific fork in a laydown I would use a short pistol grip rod.