Cmiller

I would definitely start with a jacket and boots. Columbia makes really nice jackets that have a nice zip out fleece liner.

Having heavier braid on a musky rod is nice in the off chance you backlash. I lost a magnum X rap to a backlash with 50lb power pro. My musky rod is now spooled with 80lb.

I can't wait to try the deep shad as well.

I fish the deep divers with 8-10lb flouro, and can get it down to 10 feet consistently. Lighter line really makes these have great action.

I have caught some really nice fish on them. The shad model in perch was a killer bait last spring for me. I have the shallow and deep model in bluegill that has produced all summer and into the fall for me. I think for the price they are another great tool.

I tend to reach for the cotton Cordell super spot and the Bill Lewis rat l trap the most. I am going to pick up some red eye shads over the winter to try next year

1/4 if I want to run it in the weeds, 3/8 if I am working weed edges or open water with it. They are cheap enough, get one of each and try them out and see which you like best.

I have had good luck with the goodyears, but it doesn't get as hot in up here as it does in the south.

I use the zoom swimming fluke jr for swimjig trailers, I have had good luck on the white/clear color on white or shad color jigs, as well as watermelon red flake on bluegill jigs. Just made the switch to the keitech swing impacts, they have really good action, I use mainly pearl and bluegill flash in those.

I have a tracker 1542, its certainly not even close to the build quality of a lund, but it does get me out on the water. I bought the boat new, and bought a 2003 mercury 25hp and a 2003 trailer. I have about 3k in it not counting the other things I have added (trolling motor, graph, bilge pump and lights). I don't expect the hull to last for more than 5 years, it has some leaky rivets after one season already. For 1200 dollars its hard to complain though.

An often overlooked fish that is found in numbers up there is sheepshead. They get huge and pull pretty darn hard too.

I have a tracker 1542 and it fishes nice with two people. I went to the dealer to buy a 1436 but came home with this instead.

My purchase for next season is going to be an hds7 and learn how to use it.

I do not have any experience with those, but I have owned a johnson 2hp for a long time, that was bought at a yard sale very cheap. That thing has never missed a beat. You are better off buying a name brand motor you know parts will always be available for.

Make sure to check the transom on any fiberglass boats, any cracks or flex means it needs a transom job which is quite the project. In my area (midwest) 4k doesn't get you a whole lot, but down south I see quite a few decent boats in that price range. I was in the same budget range and ended up getting a brand new 15' jon boat and a 10 year old outboard and trailer for about 3500.

If you need to get the zman heads in wi, cabelas carries them in the summer time. Not a local business but they usually have them.

Bait monkey got me good this week pflueger president limited edition 2 st croix mojo bass on closeout I plan on picking up one more mojo bass, and probably a tatula to go on one of them.

I just started using keitech swing impacts, I backlashed on a cast and the paddle tail went flying off. Is this normal?

I worked at gander mountain for 8 months during college. It was a decent college job, the pay was minimum wage, but the discounts were pretty good, we were able to combine our discount with sales which made for some really good deals. There is a lot of pressure to sell credit cards and extended warranties.

Mine is the rapala shadow rap in carbon, that thing flat out catches fish, especially in stained waters.

Nothing good at the ones in my town.

I wish you could buy rage craws in bulk!

I use either the zoom tubes, or the gander mountain brand, whichever is on sale. The both seem to hold up quite well and are available in a wide variety of colors.

I have an exo on my cranking rod, it serves it purpose quite well. I have only had it for half a season, but it is very smooth. The brakes are not quite as forgiving as magnetic, but work good once you get them dialed in.

I planned on doing a compression and leakdown test on it. I was also shocked at the insurance quote, 1/4 of what the same coverage on a bullet would have been.