Al Wolbach

All true. My experience is Douglas seems to have more fish and Cherokee has better fish. That may just be me and my abilities however. Both lakes can be very difficult when it gets hot and the fish move deep. Both lakes have smallmouth, if that matters to you, and Cherokee probably has gets the nod here, both in numbers and size. btw Neither of these lakes are clear water lakes. Both are stained with visibility of 2-3 feet this time of year depending on weather. one tip for both lakes, if you see a mud line created by wind or waves, fish it thoroughly.

Ditto. In my area they seem to build within a mile of each other except Menards, none in this area.

if you are talking about the shaft on the lower unit, it will not rotate freely if the unit is in gear. If in neutral it will rotate by hand. I always change my impeller in neutral and reinstall in neutral.

One thing I have not seen mentioned. At the bow of your boat there should be a safety chain or turnbuckle that connects at the bow to trailer to keep the boat on the trailer should the bow strap fail. Some trailers do not have one but it should be added if Yours is not equipped with one. The bow strap rarely fails but the bolt that holds the strap to the winch does because of rust. New straps usually come with a new bolt.....safe travels

Perko makes accessories for boats. They provide light connectors, gas caps and other accessories. I agree, it looks like a key to loosen a gas cap or some other connector or latch.

In my area we have repairmen just for trolling motors. Most of the dealers outsource their trolling motor repairs to these men. These dealers also have loaner trolling motors to provide while yours is being repaired. i would check with motor guide or minn Kota to see if they have a repairman in your area. Turnaround time should be much faster. I would think, in Texas there should be several and one close. Will not fix fix your mechanic issues but may get your trolling motor repaired quickly.

Have never seen that anchor before today, very interesting. Expensive but looks as though it would work well. Thanks

I have that problem on my Yamaha outboard from time to time. I wipe mine with a cloth wet with liquid Lime Away, then rinse and dry. Not sure about using it on bare aluminum. Those spots wipe off easily on my outboard.

I have a Harley Electra Glide and an old shovelhead. I also live in some of the best riding area in the world, Eastern Tennessee.

Nice boat. Rangers of that date ride very well in rough water. Good choice, hope it serves you well.

I have never heard of anyone repairing one but it should be just seals and a valve. I replaced mine when it failed. You may want to contact the manufacturer to see if repair part kits are available.

Cottonmouths were a common site in South Carolina when I lived there but until last year I had never seen one in East Tennessee. Last year I saw two, each within a few miles of my home. I later discovered they are slowly migrating north but did not know they had reached Maryland or Virginia. A friend of my wife's was actually bitten by a cottonmouth while climbing off her fathers tractor. She had the intelligence to take a picture and the University of Tennessee identified the snake from the photo. She made a complete recovery.

You should be fine as long as you can store it indoors when not in use. I bought my Champion new in 1998 and towed it to Okeechobee this year as well as many local outings and a trip to central Florida next year is being planned. My Harley's are 2006 and 1981 with over 50k miles on each. Storage may be your biggest issue as keeping them out of the sun when not being used is a big deal. You obviously know about maintenance. Best wishes

I would get what I have already paid for. I would take it back, wait on them to change the prop and go with them to nearest body of water to test it. Changing props is only a few minutes work. You could always have the dealer mail you a prop and install it yourself if drive time is a problem. They should know the correct size and pitch.

Thanks, proves you are never to old to learn

What is a chalk test? I have towed trailers must of my life, almost 70, but never heard of a chalk test. Please explain. Thanks My trailer has a sticker near the tongue that states 50 psi and my tires state 50 psi. I don't believe trucks/cars have the same rules regarding tire inflation. My bass boat trailer is always near the max load, my truck is not.

Sell the house!!! Or wife, lol

I bought a group 27 interstate at Costco about a month ago for one of my boats for just over $100. Can't remember exact price and their website is no help. You may want to check there before you pull the trigger.

But you must ride a bike to try them,lol. BTW, the Devil's Triangle in East Tennessee is a better ride, imho. But no good burgers.

Costco should give you the most bang for your buck, and satisfication guaranteed. I believe they carry interstate batteries.

Looks great!!!

Small generator may be only hope but theft could be a problem.

There is probably something better but I use a cleaning car wax. I think it's called "Mothers California Gold". A mothers brand anyway. It does revive the finish on my boat, which is also garage kept.

I would do this And if it breaks do this

Playing around with different combos of plugs is necessary for every boat. Even two identical boat/motors can need different size plugs or add/remove plugs. The load you are carrying can also make a big difference so make sure you do your testing with your normal fishing load, including live well and fuel. You just have to play for a day to see what works best however your dealer should be able to give you a good starting point. Good luck