BigBassLoveSenkos

Congrats on the Ranger! How exactly did St. Clair eat your Stratos? In regards to your new electronics, is it the Elite 7 HDI? If so, that's a really good unit and super easy to dial in. Try these settings as a starting point and adjust according to your conditions: SonarAuto Sensitivity=On Adjust: Sensitivity=-6Colorline=58%Freq=200 kHzPing Speed=FastestNoise Rej+LowSurf Clarity=OffColor=White BackgroundAmplitude Scope=OnFish ID=OffDSI OptionsAuto Contrast=OnRange=AutoFreq=455Ping Speed=FastestNoise Rej=OffSurface Clarity=HighSplit Zoom=OffColor=Blue GradientAdjust=Auto Contrast and -2% Cant help with the HDS, but I've heard they are extremely nice units. Good luck!

All depends on weather conditions. Overcast, I'd try a spook or rapala floating minnow. Sunshine I'd try dead-sticking or shakey-head rigging senko. If those don't work, a pointer 78 in ghost minnow worked super slowly over that grass may get em. If not, try a duo realis spybait on 6# or 8# fluorocarbon. If all else fails, start pumping water out of the lake until you can just net them in a mud puddle

good deal, need to check it out sometime

Smallmouths have more heart. A 2 pound smallie feels like a 4 pound LM in the fight. Congrats on your catch. Rip rap worked well today, yesterday it was working swim jigs and jerkbaits over submerged grass. What lake were you on? The pattern you describe is exactly what I observed too...

Hit Geist this morning. They were shallow and annihilating topwater and jerkbaits and spinnerbaits. My buddy on the back of the boat was killing it with a Pop-R. I had a lot of success with a jerkbait and burning a spinnerbait, but couldn't get them to hit a spook or whopper plopper. It was all about that Pop-R I guess. Spoke with a few tournament guys on the ramp while loading and some had real struggles today. One team even got shut out. Yikes

wish i could get off work tomorrow. A buddy was just telling me how the crappie bite at lemon is on fire right now. Lemon was the last place i ran my nitro before winterizing it. have a great time man.

Last year shortly after the ice thawed here, a Roboworm on a dropshot was out-performing everything

Picked up a Helix 9 SI on the last day of a local Boat and Travel expo for $900. Me likey Also was able to purchase the thru-hull transducer (for 2D), Y-cable for transducers, and ethernet patch to bow DI unit at 30% off. Now all I need is the RAM mount and I'm set. Hope I dont sink my boat while playing with my new electronics!! LOL

I'm looking to get a new 7" or 9" unit for the console with sonar, DI, SI, GPS, and at least one card slot under $700 for my nitro. Unit will not be in-dash. Does anyone know of killer deals during any of the major retailer's spring fishing sales? Bass Pro is advertising the Helix 7 SI for $625 but that's about all I can find. Appreciate any suggestions. Thnx!

I sometimes take for granted that I live on a private 200 acre lake where the bass fishing is decent. Most of my time fishing however is spent on public places I find on maps. As long as there's a ramp and no indications of private property I will launch. Northern IN is a gold mine as these types of locations are plentiful. I even ventured south this past weekend to lake lemon and was wearing em out with senkos.

Get the TP. I have 3 TP's, 2 Team Lites, 2 Team Pros, and a BB1, and the TP outperforms them all. Spool it with Sunline Sniper 12# and you just might hit the other side of the lake on your next cast

IN resident here and so far Ive had a GREAT year fishing. The key for me has been to stay off the major lakes and reservoirs. Google maps is your friend! Some private lakes have been ridiculous this year, football shaped smallmouth ridiculous. There are some serious rural lakes in the northern third of the state holding big bass that aren't pressured. Again, utilize google maps to find new bodies of water, look for a boat ramp, and make it happen!

Great looking fish man!

Eat at the islamadora fish company, if its a warm day take a snorkel trip out of bahia honda state park down by the seven mile bridge, and like atcoha said get a guide that will keep u on the fish.

I live on an electric only lake. Last spring I put my skeeter on it for a couple weekends and only used the trolling motor. I have the 80# maxum that uses 2 batteries, and it would last me all day/night on the water. Launching / Trailoring wasnt complicated at all. Push off, float on. Slack the bow cable enough so you can grab it after pulling up the trolling motor. I found that resting the bow cable on the trailer's rear lights was a convenient place for me to reach in the water from the bow and grab it without having to go swimming. I launched solo every time and never felt like I needed another there to help.. 3-4 minute deal. Just dont forget the plug!!!

Appreciate the welcomes! Looking fwd to talking with you guys on the forums...

x2 Also worth looking at is the Team Lews Pro Speed Spool, which can be found online within your price range...

all you can do is bring it back and try a different spot! I get why bass are comfortable under those mats.

Sweet! Working in IT has made me appreciate my time on the water even more, maily bc it's not time watching status bars.

That would suck! The specs on lowrance site (the last line backs up what you said btw): Elite-7 Broadband FISHFINDER / CHARTPLOTTER Elite™ Series NEW! 7-inch fishfinder/chartplotter with LED backlit display. Broadband Sounder™ technology with 83/200 kHz transducer, built-in GPS antenna and high-definition mapping. HDI™ ready. KEY FEATURES 70% larger Elite color display Multi-Window displays let’s you choose up to three panels in split-screen mode to view chart, sonar and DownScan Imaging -- all on one screen Reliable navigation that’s easy-to-use Exclusive technology overlays DownScan Imaging onto Broadband Sounder display for one stunning view TrackBack™ through sonar history Hybrid Dual Imaging™ (HDI) ready

Need a little help. I'm putting new electronics in my boat this spring, and have been planning on getting 2 Elite-7 HDI units, one for the console, one for the bow. I was checking out lowrance's website this morning and they have an Elite-7 Broadband unit for $200 less than the HDI unit. I guess my question is -- Is the HDI technology worth $200 more than the broadband technology? I currently use an Elite-5 HDI and don't know what features I'd lose if I moved over to broadband tech.

I liked the PQ until I got a Lews. Browning could go away tomorrow and I wouldn't even notice. Now BPS the store is the greatest place on earth, I absolutely love that place!

Bluebasser86 beat me to it. Weightless senkos can be deadly when skipped under docks and other manmade cover.

Last time I fished the stick Marsh I was on a buddy's boat and forgot to pack the 1.5s. He had 3/4s but they wouldn't penetrate the surface very well at all. We eventually gave up punching and did OK just fishing the edges with senkos.

That half oz weight will work great at sitting on top of South FL mats lol.