WIGuide

You should be fine towing your boat in overdrive, just wait to shift it in until you're no longer accelerating and kick it down before any moderate to bigger hills. Also, the other guy is only getting the 16-17 because although he has a smaller engine and vehicle, his engine has to work harder to keep everything moving.

They're pretty solid boats. I'd say they fall into the no frills category but they'll be dependable and a good all around boat for you.

That's because you have surge brakes. There is a hydraulic piston in the tongue of your trailer. When you press the brakes in your vehicle it slows faster than your trailer does and the pressure created from your trailer pushing against your vehicle is what actuates you brakes. If your tongue didn't compress you wouldn't have brakes and if it didn't extend your brakes would be locked. No new actuator is going to prevent that from happening because it has to move as well.

Looks similar to the old Bass Pro models.

I bought one last year and I think it's a pretty good little bait. I caught some decent fish on it, but I'm going to have to wait to see more out of it this year. Maybe it's just me but it seems like there would have been an easier way....maybe a plug knocker? or maybe just pull it out of the grass unless it's some wild and crazy gorilla grass?

I didn't use them a whole lot this year, but I did have some success with them. I didn't have any issues with them as far as action or durability. Actually looking forward to trying them a little more this year.

Best advice I can give you for picking a weight. Use the lightest possible weight you can get away with while still maintaining bottom contact. If you choose to use tungsten weights you can almost get away with slightly lighter than normal because it transmits vibrations better letting you feel the bottom. If you're pitching & flippin' you can pick it based on rate of fall and/or enough to get it though whatever cover is present.

I won't usually give up on something unless it's not what I thought it was. If I buy a bait that has horrible action or at least not what I was looking for I'll throw it a bit but if it doesn't produce it usually gets parked. I also have some baits that I bought as a kid just because I needed more of "_______" but couldn't afford something decent. I have some of those that I've given up on.

I caught about a 15lb soft shell turtle on a hollow belly frog. I rolled a smallie on a tree so I left it for a few minutes and then came back with my frog. Threw it in there gave it a twitch and had one of the biggest blow up's I've ever seen. As soon as I set it I knew it wasn't a normal catch. Pulled it in and got it boat side and it was probably 24" in diameter. Caught a 41" musky on 12" smallmouth as I was reeling it in. Managed to get it in the net and everything without actually getting a hook in the musky. One time when fishing with my great Uncles we were fishing for northerns I had one chase the bait up to the boat. With the murky water I didn't see anything behind it so I pulled it out of the water. At that time the northern jumps out of the water chasing the bait and it landed right on the front deck of the boat. It was insane especially since my uncle had just asked if I had the fished trained and named out there since it was on my home lake. Haha it was absolute perfect timing. Didn't actually catch it, but I had a loon chase after my bait in clear water. It started moving towards my bait and dove so I started reeling it as far as I could to get the bait in and it looked like a mini submarine right on it's tail and got it in just in time the loon kept going right under the boat.

I've never had an unpleasant experience at BPS. I'm not there on a daily basis given that the closest store is about 6 hours away. However I've been to BPS stores all around the country and I was only approached once about a time share. All I had to do was say I wasn't interested and it was done. As far as prices, they seem to be competitive with pretty much all the other big stores. It's unfortunate that some of you have had bad experiences, but don't rule them out.

I go with they thought than anything under a keeper is a dink.

It's not a smallie

Lots of good info above. I also want to add that your casting motion should not be the same as when you use a spinning rod. You do not want to whip it, but rather use a smooth casting motion. Also for your next reel purchase, you might want to check out the BPS Johnny Morris Bass Caster. It's a little heavier than a lot of the high end reels, but it's well built. I really think the dual breaking system will help you with your quest to learn to throw a baitcaster.

I was "done" a long time ago but somehow stuff just seems to keep accumulating!

I really think you can do without the platform to stand on. If you're smashing your rod tip into the ground then you probably aren't doing it right or you need a shorter rod. Also, if you're doing this you'll be wacking the side of the boat with it too. Save yourself some money and just stand on the ground. As for a target you could use just about anything. I think I'd probably go with the pallet idea someone had on here with 2x4 legs. You could make it dual purpose too by flipping it over and trying to pitch and flip between the slats.

I kind of have the two rod system. What I've tried to do though is have one rod for the technique and size bait I use most frequently, and then have a few other rods that are more all around so I can use them for multiple applications. For instance, I have a 6'6" M/F I use for my lighter and weightless soft plastics and I've got a MH/F for my heavier plastics. I can also use that MH/F as a secondary frog rod, spinnerbait, swim jig, or a few other techniques. This way I don't have to keep a bundle of rods the size of a tree trunk with me at all times to feel like I'm ready. I can narrow down what I'm going to do and keep them rigged up that way for a day.

It might be slightly above your budget, but the little overage would be worth it. I'd go with a St. Croix Legend Tournament Bass Jig-Worm Rod. I'd pair that up with a Revo S. With the BPS reel trade in you can get one a little closer to your budget with that. If you'd like to go under the budget buy a Pro Qualifier from Bass Pro. Either way I think you'll love it.

Check out Eco Pro Tungsten's lineup. They use tungsten instead of lead in all their weights, spinnerbait heads, jigs, inline siinkers, etc, etc. Although it costs more than lead due to the manufacturing process, it provides some benefits that you don't get with lead. First off, it's non toxic to our lakes or fishermen. Secondly it's about twice as dense as lead so you get a weight that is about 1/2 the size of the same weight in a lead version. This will give your baits a much better and more natural action. Also, because it's more dense it transmits vibrations better and will give you an increased feel of the bottom. Lastly, it's harder than lead so it won't deform like many lead weights will start to after a few fish. Another advantage to Eco Pro Tungsten's line vs anyone other line is that their finished are great and very durable. Check them out!

If you use them enough you can just tell. Also, the blades themselves are roughly the same size on the same size heads and you're not generally going to have 15 different size heads. It'll be more like 2-4 and they'll all be distinctively different.

Check this out. It doesn't look like they really avoid humans http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/132062-fun-video-starring-bass/

Isn't there some power plant lake somewhere in central Ill? It'd probably be fairly busy but hey, it beats a snowbank. I got excited yesterday when I was casting in the yard and i hooked a broken branch on the ground! lol

That'll put you about where you want to be. If you fish a lot of weightless stuff though you might want to go with the same rod in a M/F

I think the Revo S would be a good real for you. If you already have one and like it why switch?

They generally offer more power and have a higher line capacity. As you can see here, many people still use them for bass fishing, but they seem to rule in the musky and northern niches.

Yes usually they have the same deals and a few more.