Chris at Tech

I handled that model today at the Classic Expo. Definitely felt great in hand. i had a brief thought to treat myself, and then decided it was a better long-term strategy to not risk life and limb at the hands of an angry wife.

ML F or XF for the St Croix

Before leaving Port Canaveral on a Disney cruise, I was able to sneak away with Capt Jamie Glasner @ Fin and Fly Charters to chase the REALLY ugly, yet REALLY fun black drum. Or "mud donkey", as Capt Jamie called them. I managed to boat 6-7 of these big uglies before the wind got to be too much.

I'd think Lanier would be in full-blown pre-spawn by then. I typically take a few guided trips on Lanier each year but I'm normally out there in May or June. But if I had to guess based on what my guide has mentioned -- spinnerbaits, shallow cranks, shakey heads, jigs... If you have the means, I'd strongly suggest booking a trip with Jimbo on Lanier. Dude knows that lake inside and out. But if you cannot book with him, use his fishing reports archive to get some ideas. https://jimboonlanier.com/jimbos-lake-lanier-bass-fishing-report-march-17-2019/. His new reports are given out via a new subscription model he's trying, but you can still view all his older reports.

My preference is my Dobyns Champion 705CB graphite...but yeah, close enough.

Good call on renaming the catalog section from Shopping Cart to Products. Another suggestion -- take it or leave it as you see fit. You've got your three main series of jigs -- Extreme, Gridiron and Dredge. Seems customers need to dig a bit deeper to understand the differences. When you click on those sections, perhaps consider a written description of the series at the top so the customer can more easily understand the differences between the three series

1.5 would be my preference

If it's me, I'm making a few adjustments... 1) add lipless crankbaits, soft jerkbaits, original rapala, trick worms, and a lizard or brush hog 2) slim down the color/size variations. I don't think it helps out newcomers to try to select between 4-5 colors of the same bait, or between the 2 in and 2.25 inch plugs

I run an 80lb foot controlled up front, and 2x 80lb transom mount in the back. The rear motors can be activated from the front via Bigfoot switches. When I'm moving between spots, I'm running all 3 and steering with front motor. So for starters -- yes, run your 75 and 112 at the same time. I used to be a bit obsessed with maximizing my speed then I remembered I don't fish tourneys so I stopped caring. What I learned is that there's many variables, mostly around the weight distribution. In my rig, getting more weight toward the front helped. As far as motor depth, I lower it til the top of the prop is ~6-10 inches underwater.

I'm certainly always curious to get my hands on new offerings provided by companies I like in my price range. That said, I don't see any issue with my current Tat SVs. If anything, I think the more attractive angle is the deals to be had on the "old" models.

Over the last few years, I really tried to work hard to simplify my color selection approach mostly in plastics and jigs, but in my hardbaits as well. Pick a few core colors that can support most, if not all water clarities. My selections are watermelon red, green pumpkin and junebug. One one hand, I'd say don't overthink this. But if you've tried black/blue and don't have confidence in it, then give junebug a go.

Avid ML in your choice of height. Don’t be fooled by the F vs XF ratings in that line. To me, any of them will suit your purpose. My 6’9” ML/XF avid gets the call for many applications, even saltwater inshore. And I have zero concern switching between single hook “feel techniques” and treble hook “moving” baits.

Snook have eluded me so far but the reds, trout, jack and tarpon I’ve wrangled so far have me coming back for more.

Thinking back, my bass fishing bycatch has included bream, catfish, walleye, perch, hybrid striped bass, pickerel, crappie. I think that's it...

I agree. If you're fishing in brackish lagoons, your bass tackle should be able to handle the smaller snook and tarpon that are in there with the bass. But if you're targeting the larger specimens of snook and tarpon, the rod you mention above is VERY underpowered.

If you've never done it before, give inshore saltwater fishing a try in Tampa Bay.

Why different hooks on the front and rear?

I have a few rigs that I use to throw those baits depending on my mood and a few other factors. Loomis GLX 852s paired with Stradic 2500, 8 lb fluoro Kistler KLX 6'9" M paired with Stradic 2500, 15 lb braid to 8 lb fluoro leader Kistler Helium 7' LMH paired with a Tatula SV, 12 lb fluoro Yes, your rig would be a very good choice.

St Croix Avid rod paired with 2500 or 3000 sized Shimano series that’s in your price range. I’d recommend Sahara series and up.

Can you fit more than 1 jig per slot?

I had every intention of waiting for feedback but after I saw the prices on that auction site, I went ahead and placed the order.

Finally grabbed myself a Fury 795SB during the holiday sales so now I need a reel to put on it. At this point, I don't have plans to pick up any of the really big baits so I'll stick with my current options of 6" Bullshads, Hudd 68s, Gantarel, S-Waver 168s and others in that range or smaller. Any thoughts on whether a Tatula 200 would be up to the job? Aluminum frame, brass gears, 100m handle and line capacity all appear to check the needed boxes but wanted to get some other input.

No problem. Let me know if you change your mind and I can put you in touch. Alternatively, perhaps I can at least get you in contact with him so he can get you started with a few tips.

See if you can book a trip with Jimbo on Lanier. Dude knows that lake!

I've owned 2 customized jonboats -- a 1548 and a 1652. If it's me, I'm not going smaller than a 1548. The lakes I fish range from 100 to 800 acres, so my current rig has a 24v foot control TM up front and two 24v transom mount motors in the back. I know you're trying to keep cost down, but I'd recommend you upgrade at least one of your motors to 24v. You never know when that extra juice will come in handy, especially if the wind kicks up.