Kevin22

I have used that rod. Its a STIFF stick for sure. I borrowed it for jigging 1oz walleye jigs as don't have any spinning rods that could handle that. I can't think of any time I would use it for bass fishing, only thing I can think of would be if you wanted to frog fish with a spinning rod. Stick a size 40 reel on it full of 50# braid and frog fish I suppose. I'd sell it and pick up a rod you will enjoy using.

After posting last night I went ahead and added an item to the new TW cart to see if it would hold. Still there. That's what I'm using and again, not logged into TW's website, I went at least 2 weeks with items in my cart late last month.

Well, It works for me. Like I said, without logging in I can keep my TW cart for weeks on end. Its computer sided, TW doesn't know I have the items in my cart since they don't even know I exist! Its all in your browser settings. Might I suggest chrome browser with cookies enabled.

That's your computer settings. I use TW as my "shopping list" and add stuff to it daily. It saves my cart for weeks on end without logging into my account.

No, not long term at all! Just know my way around a project boat. So far this spring I upgraded two fish finders $600, re-ran all the wiring for my TM (was set up 12/24 with old non-marine wiring so I ran marine wiring for 24V all the way) $100, Installed a new plug kit ($50), bought 3 new batteries (TM shorted and drained batteries over winter) $360, and right now I have my front deck off to install a recirculation sys in the front livewell ($50). Been an expensive spring and have only used the boat once this year. Project boats cost way more money and time than what they are worth.. I'm sick of this thing! Its a 96 Ranger 17' alum bass boat with a 98 merc 115.

One a bass hits 12" theres not much out there that will eat him. A big flathead or pike/musky, pelicans also probably. the small lakes here are completely messed up. The DNR says no bass can be kept under 15" so we have lakes filled to the brim of 12" bass. One out of 100 caught are over 15". Theres just not enough food to support all the bass in there.

Of course not. But find me a lake where people don't harvest the bass's food (panfish). When you take the food but don't take the predators you create an unbalance. I have had the pleasure of fishing private ponds where the owner does not allow any fish kept, they are a real treat to fish! Panfish are of all sizes (including huge!) and the bass are the same. A balanced ecosystem is simply amazing to see.

Had a dual pro, went bad on me so switched to a minn kota. Completely satisfied with the minn kota and I recommend it to anyone who is in the market.

that is what I would suggest, and how I got epoxy out of an eye on an ice rod. Smallest exacto knife I had and carefully "picked" at it until it broke loose, being very careful not to nick the guide.

If you take the family your wife or kids are going to say "buy it daddy!" and that's it. He knows you are hooked and is going to stay firm on price. Again, there is no possible way I would put any cash down, unless it is a stupid cheap price for a quick flip, without test driving the boat. Or at least being in the boat during a test drive if he doesn't want you to drive the boat. I don't mean to sound like a d-bag.. but if there is no way you can afford $150 monthly payment then you can't afford a boat. These project boats are going to cost you quite a bit if you add up yearly expenses and divide by 12.. $. A $10,000 boat financed at even 10% over 10 years isn't going to be too bad. No you aren't going to get anything special but you can get a complete basic package deal and at least not have to worry about spending any more money on repairs for a few years. Way cheaper in the long run. Tracker always has $1000-$2000 off deals going on. http://www.trackerboats.com/boat/?boat=3876 I don't know how much cash you have to put down, but there is a calculatoor on their website for financing. http://www.trackerboats.com/boat/?boat=3877

You might find that you won't be able to use it past 70% due to the power. It will lunge the boat, and if you have a light front end you might not be able to turn without throwing yourself out. If you can't use it (or dont need it) past 70% then what's the point? I have a 24V 70 maxxum on a 17' and it is perfect. I'd like a tad more power for high current areas, but the 70 is way overkill on lakes.

I would not offer a penny until I could drive either one in the water and see how it handles. The second one looks like its a family cruiser and would sit really low in the water. Might not be the best fishing boat. With that being said, I don't think its worth $3000. The motor you couldn't give away, the trailer is a $200 trailer, and the boat... well Fishers aren't known for quality and hold a very low resale value. I also don't see any wiring for a bowmount. If you want to put one on its going to cost you $50 in wiring, $50 plug/receptical, $100-120/ea batteries, and a charger... plus the motor of course. Just some things to consider. Plus I wouldn't buy a boat from someone who doesn't know you never put a motor in gear when out of the water, also sounds like its revved up pretty high for running on muffs. The starcraft looks like a much better boat. Laid out great for a family boat and a fishing boat with a good rock solid motor on it with parts available at any merc dealer. Looks like you will also need to do your own wiring if you choose a bowmount. Trailer isn't heavy duty either. Looks like it needs some TLC but a great open boat for setting up just the way you want. If you like the boat, cosmetic upgrades can always be done as long as its all solid. That merc is worth $2000 all day long.

Same thing happened to me with some goose decoys a couple years ago. they were on sale for $200 which is a hell of a deal, so i ordered 4 packs for our group. They were listed as "in stock" but then got an email a few days later that my order was canceled (not backordered), not stating a reason. Two weeks later they were back in stock at $300.

If the casts are the same, wouldn't the amount of line being casted off be the same, thus the spool size remain the same after a cast? You'll just have more line on one and less on the other, but the size of the spool should be exactly the same.. thus IPT will be the same.

Hypothetical as i assume neither of us has the two reels to test. But obviously in real world fishing aspects.

Actually in the case of the original post, the IPT is standard for 6:1 and fast for 5:1 suggesting a very shallow and very large dia spool on the 5:1. IPT is measured with the reel full of line, correct? So depth of the spool won't make any difference in IPT, its all about the final diameter of the spool (full of line) in which case a tiny spool would have the same IPT as a shallow spool if the final diameter of the spool full of line is the same.

Then the question becomes, when do you need the extra power? Its not like we are throwing 1# musky lures around. For a typical bass fisherman, would it make sense to ever buy a 5:1 over a 6:1 in the same IPT? Whole new can of worms...

Yup. We should all get rid of our new fangled low profile reels and high end rods also.. Those Pros who fish for a living have no idea what they are talking about. Abu round reels from 1980 and pistol grip 5' rods is all anyone needs! Spooled with 10# original stren clear blue of course. Its purely common sense. Round reels, 5' pistol rods, 10# mono, set the drag loose and go catch some fish!

To be honest, any 6-8# line I have would cast more than 15'. I can use my hands and throw a 1/16 jig two rod lengths. For that week last summer, I believe 10# sufix 832. Heck I bet I could use one of my catfish spinning rods with 25# big game and throw a 1/16 jig 15 feet. Check and make sure you didn't miss a guide or get it through a guide support instead of the guide ring, especially the tip. Then check and make sure you spooled your reel correctly. Finally buy some new line that you can cast. I bet good old trilene XL 6# would work fine, I've thrown many of crappie jigs with that line, or even 8#. I used a lot of 8# XL and XT for walleye back in the day, and used a lot of 1/16 jigs with minnows, leeches, or half crawlers... never had a problem casting 20yds (60') if I needed to. Otherwise, 10# braid should be fine. That's what most of my walleye gear has now (PP and 832), and I have no problem with 1/8 and 1/16 hair jigs.

If you could only cast 15-20 feet (5-7 yards) with the 7' ML croix then you have issues FAR beyond the rod. The problem is in your line. I can wrist-flip a 1/16 crappie jig twice that distance with my 7' ML croix, and in fact I did fish 1/16 black hair jigs with it for about a week last summer when the walleyes were on a leech bite and everybody was out of the real deal. I'd remember if I could only cast them 15 feet!

While channel cats are predators.. They generally hang in the lower parts of a pond. Bass usually are in the upper parts, shallows or suspended. A channel cat will eat the first bass it can get its mouth on, or any other species of fish. ALL ponds I have ever been to have been stocked with channel cats, bass, and bluegill. In the order of Fathead minnows, bass/catfish/bluegill, bass, catfish with each step being 1 year apart. That is the recommended stocking pattern from what I can remember.

I would like to clarify one point I tried to make here. I said "lake size doesn't have anything to do with safety"... Well obviously it does when you think big water means bigger waves. I meant it in terms of moving around inside the boat, and obstacles within that could be a tripping hazard. Just wanted to clarify that!

Since you said you used a very stiff rod I would imagine you were over working the bait. You need good tip flex for working jerks, otherwise you literally jerk them forward instead of working them. I know that doesn't make any sense, but I can't think of the right way to describe it. What were your conditions? Floating, suspending, or sinking jerkbaits?

No, the small lakes are the ones around here, 10-15 acres. Lake size doesn't have anything to do with safety though. A boat full of ribs and benches is not something I would want a youngster crawling around on. I've been in plenty of these SEMI-V and jons being suggested here, if you fart they rock side to side.

Really? Just wanted to get that in before it gets locked. I wish Mr. Mike and his wife the best!