HardcoreBassin

That is awesome news! Now time to de-winterize and get on the water! What are your electronics upgrades?

I have ZERO experience with sponsorship, but I have tons of experience with sales. What is the hardest part about making a sale? Asking for the sale... What I'm saying is, if you want a sponsor, ask for one. The worst that can happen is that they say no... - Dale

Like others have said, check out a topo map. You'll learn a ton from it. As for boats being all over the lake, that seems pretty typical for this early in the season. I'm from PA, so the waters are a bit different at this point. I'm still looking at ice on my lakes. But the point is, right after they thaw, boats will be fishing everywhere trying to locate the fish. From my experience, in early spring you can't go wrong working a craw colored crank at a pretty slow speed. One thing that I did this year was really watch other fishermen. If I was catching and they were, I would figure out where they were fishing, bring it up on a topo and then try to figure out why that pattern was working. In my opinion, thats not mimicing, that is observation. Don't go sit on someones spot, but if you see someone catching fish off of a point near a main channel, try to find another point like that. Good luck! - Dale

Letting the net see too much daylight. I NEVER keep a net on the deck. It is always stowed. It is so dumb, because it is a pain in the a** to open the storage to get the net, then open the net, all with 1 hand while fighting a fish. One day I'll lose a monster bass while fumbling around trying to get the net ready. Then I'm sure it'll bbe a superstition that I need to have the net out at all times. But for right now, I keep the net stowed. If I need it, I take it out and net the fish, then it goes right back into storage.

A few people have mentioned it already. I've brought it up on another thread a month or so back as well. The Lightnin Shock rod, for the price, is one hell of a deal. I picked mine up at my local Walmart for $26. If budget is really tight, but you need something in a pinch, I'd definitely get a Lightning Shock. It has a nice stiff backbone with the perfect amount of tip to skip jigs under docks. To top it off, its a pretty nice looking rod. I know that matters to a lot of people. In a pinch I bought this rod ($26) and paired it with an Abu Silver Max2 ($45). It is the least expensive set-up I have, but one of my faves. Hope this helps! - Dale

I've always had an "open door" policy with my boat. I love bringing people out, young or older. My nephews have been asking me and my dad to bring them out this year as soon as the ice melts. Great ideas/points you made Smokinal.

I just started throwing them in the fall of last year. I found pretty quickly that I would love fishing them. I caught 2 fatties, so I'm excited to pick up a few more and give them a try. I wasn't sure how I would like them, so I stuck to something cheap. I found a couple Matzuo suspending jerkbaits at my Dick's on clearance for $1.50, so I figured "why not?!" Like I said, I'll be picking up a variety of jerkbaits now good luck! - Dale

I bought a TON of the H2O cranks late last summer ( squarebills, deep and shallow divers as well as lipless). I love them! I like the colors, they are sturdy, the hooks are strong and sharp. No complaints thus far. Good luck with them! - Dale

Supposed to get some warmer weather this week gentlemen! Get ready!

So sorry for your loss. I'm glad you have the memories to hang on to. Never let them slip away. - Dale

Let me know what you decide on and why if you dont mind! I'm still in the market for a 20hp boat that will be roomier than a decked jon, which seems like the only option aside from the tracker 160/170. If I fished alone I would target a 165 if I could find one. I'm not crazy about the 160 not having an actual rod locker. Good luck in the search!

I know this doesn't pertain to the exact boat, but I have been looking at the 170 with a 20hp on it. I started a thread a few months back. It might settle your nerves about the speed of the 160 knowing what these guys say about the 170. ( http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/148764-bass-tracker-pro-170/ ) Also, there is a video of a guy with a 2013 Tracker 165 (no longer made) which as VERY similar specs to the 160 ( ). He goes at a good clip for a 20hp. I hope all of that helps! - Dale

Thanks for all of the info guys. The concern had me looking into more line types. I've always used either mono or braid. Never tried copolymer, flouro, hybrids or anything like that. I may load that rod/reel up with some Yo Zuri Hybrid and test that out for my liking. Thanks!

I wish I could fish more and read less, but I need to do something in these winter months up north! Florida....Lucky bass turd...

I tried to search the forums for this, and there are posts here and there about it, but nothing that gave me an answer I felt comfortable with. I've heard horror stories of braid cutting through or grooving stainless steel guides. Is this still a concern or was this more of an issue when braid was still in its beginning stages. I remember years back braid was very abrasive, but the braids of today are much more smooth. To give some more information, the rod in question is a 7ft MH Daiwa Aird. Obviously not a top quality rod, but hell, why not give it a try? Should I be concerned about the braid damaging my stainless steel guides guides? Thanks in advance for the input! - Dale

I was really surprised at the difference in depth that all of the anglers were catching in. It seemed like everyone was all over the board. Some guys fishing really shallow with jerkbaits and cranks, others fishing really deep with jigs and spoons. I was VERY surprised that I didn't see any drop shots until later in day 2.

It really depends on how much you beat your reel up. I bought a Black Max and paired it with a Med. Mod Vengeance last season. I use it for shallow/medium crankbaits. Not a lot of people talk about Abu "Max" line reels (Black Max, Silver Max and Pro Max) because of their price point, but I like to talk about them every chance I get. I have 1 Black, 2 Silver and 1 Pro (just bought so I haven't had the chance to use it). I love the Abu Max reels. Sure, you might replace it in 2 years. But for the price, specifically for a "starter" setup, I think you will be pleasantly surprised. And I think you will probably realize that it will be more than a starter for you. Bottom line, if you are going to fish a ton, you'll probably be upset when you need to replace the reel or its parts in a year or so. If you are a weekend warrior and on a budget, like myself, I think you'll be happy with it for a while. Good luck! - Dale

I bought a 7ft MH last season for flipping jigs. I was looking for something in a pinch and was extremely surprised with the rod. As mentioned previously, not the lightest rod, but for the price I think it blows others out of the water. I picked mine up at a local Walmart for $25. I'm a budget fisherman, as many of us are. This rod is perfect for a budget fishing scenario. - Dale

Is anyone else surprised that most of these guys are fishing shallow? I haven't seen anyone with a drop shot yet. A lot of crankbaits.

So whats the verdict? Are the lakes frozen over to try some ice fishing? I havent had a chance to get up there.

Get a bucket and walk around the area that the lake was in. You will double the amount of tackle you own in a short period of time! - Dale

Was just thinking the same thing. The tube will probably just drop straight down tho as mentioned by others. I think the only reason the flying lure didnt drop straight down was because of the shape. It was much more flat than a tube bait. - Dale

I LOVE the color scheme on that boat. Beautiful ride man!

Insurance agent for personal and commercial lines. I've been doing it full time for 3 years, part time for another 3 before that. - Dale

From the research that I've been doing, you can get really any motor with the options of power tilt/trim. I think the option of power tilt/trim will help with getting onto plane quicker and can also help improve your top end speed by a few mph. - Dale