Lucky Craft Man

I am ready to pull the trigger on a Humminbird 899ci SI Unit and even after researching like crazy, I still have some questions. First, I know I will have to upgrade from the 455kHz transducer to the 800 kHz transducer. Second, I have the Ram Mount picked out that I want. However, after that I am still a little unsure. What else will I need to buy to install this unit or will everything be included in the box of the 899? I also know I want to add a N avionics Chip to cover PA, Great Lakes, and NY, but I am not sure which one is the best. Any help you guys can offer will be greatly appreciated!

I think I have had Scott make/modify too many rods for me that he even knows my equipment preferences better than I do. :-)

I use spinning for both. Why? I am not sure. I just seem to gravitate towards spinning equipment on light line finesse techniques like these. Personal preference only.

I had to consult my Equipment Spreadsheet for this one. I know you asked just about bass, but I list it all (which was more for my own purpose, as I have never listed everything in categories like this). Bass 32 Baitscasters (Favorite: G Loomis NRX 916C UBR & Shimano Core 100MgFV) 13 Spinning (Favorite: G Loomis NRX 822S DSR & Pflueger Supreme 8030) 1 Fly Combo (Favorite: Sage Z-Axis 697-4 & Lamson Konic 2.0) Muskie 17 Baitscasters (Favorite: Custom SH Fishin' Sticks 10'3" Bulldawg Rod & Shimano Calcutta TE 400 LJV) 4 Trolling Rods (Favorite: Shimano 8' H TDR & Daiwa Accudepth ADP17LC) 1 Fly Combo (Favorite: Redington Predator 1090-4 & Lamson Konic 4.0) Trout 10 Fly Combos (Favorite: Sage Z-Axis 496-4 & Lamson Konic 2.0) Steelhead 1 Spinning Rod (Favorite: Cabelas XML & Pflueger President) 3 Trolling Rods (Favorite: Shimano 8' M TDR & Daiwa Accudepth ADP17LC) 3 Fly Combos (Favorite: Custom SH Fishin' Sticks 10'0' 7 wt on Sage One Blank & Sage 4560) Salmon 3 Trolling Rods (Favorite: Shimano 9'6" MH TDR & Daiwa Accudepth ADP17LC) 2 Fly Combos (Favorite: March Brown HW909-7 & Lamson Konic 4.0) Panfish 3 Spinning Rods (Favorite: Browning Rod & Reel Panfish Combo) Carp 1 Baitcasting Rods (Favorite: G Loomis GL3 MBR 845 & BP Qualifier LTD) Ice Fishing 1 Baitcasting Rod (Favorite: Berkley ProLight Lightening & Daiwa Triforce) 2 Spinning Rods (Favorite: HT Artic Bay SLX Rod & HT Artic Bay Reel) Inshore/Surf 3 Spinning Rods (Favorite: Cabelas Tourney Trail IM7 & Cabelas Salt Striker 40) This list doesn't include all the "excess" rods and reels I have laying around. Before marriage and children (especially before children), I used every rod and reel listed at least once a year. Unfortunately, most of those combos have now been put on the a once in a several year list. One day I hope to get them back into annual service.

Alright, I am convinced that SPEEDBEAD needs his own Topic. It can be simply called "SPEEDBEAD Speaks" and instead of a sponcer logo to the right, there would be a head shot of SPEEDBEAD with his beard in full effect. Glenn, what do you think?

HAHAHAHA...this needs consideration for post of the year!!!

That is like calling out Michael Jordan concerning any basketball topic.

WOW...That looks incredible! Who did that for you again?

I really like this. Did you make this up or find this somewhere? I find it to be a pretty accurate depiction of ones enjoyment of high end fishing equipment.

Nice Looking Fish! Which model NRX were you using?

Any pictures of those Musky?

As asked before, it comes down to what you want to spend. for me a 6'6" to 7'0" MH Fast action rod is the best all purpose rod out there. If you are looking for a specific suggestion, if I am fishing and only can only take one rod, if is a G Loomis GLX MBR 783C. Really great multi-purpose rod.

There were many firsts for me on this trip. Here is a list of things I never experienced before that day. - First cast of the day double (after that, we thought we were going to light it up, which, as Scott mentioned, didn't happen) - A Topwater Strike that sounded like a Beaver Smacking it's tail against the water (combine a mirror flat water surface, with a lake in a deep quiet valley, and a Smallmouth that was geared to kill and you will hear the loudest topwater strike of your life. It actually startled me it was so loud). - Catching a fish off the electronic screen (for those of you who have never down this, you don't know what you are missing. I saw a fish arc in 25 ft. of water holding on a little hump and I dropped my drop shot straight down, which I saw fall on the screen. that little arc moved up to my line and next thing I felt was a light tap. Fish On!. That was just awesome!) - A green looking Smallmouth with a larger than usual mouth (that picture really doesn't do that fishes true color any justice. This was a green looking fish) - A motor boat towing a water skier with a death wish (we saw a boat going about 35 mph towing a going on water skis squeeze between a slowly moving pontoon boat and a parked boat on a dock. There was not more than 25 ft. between the two. The wake rocked the hell out of that pontoon boat putting along. There was plenty of room for that motor boat to go on the outside of the pontoon, but they just wanted to squeeze in there I guess. Pretty ignorant, if you ask me, but I am not a water skier and maybe the reality of their world is a little different) Overall is was a good time on the water. Thanks again Scott for the invite.

Wow! congratulations on the gift. That is Awesome!!!! I can just see it now. Jolly Green is sitting on the coach being interviewed by Oprah where she is asking to discuss how it all went wrong. Jolly Green: "Well, it all started when I received a fishing boat as an anniversary gift and I began missing a day of work here and there..."

I am posting this just to add some reference. Here is a picture of a 7 pound Smallmouth I caught last year that had just over a 16" girth. His fish reportedly had 6 more inches in girth. For more comparison, here is a Musky I caught last Fall that had a 23.5 inch girth. His fish reportedly had 1.5 inches less girth. I will admit, it is tough to tell the actual size of a fish from a picture, however, a 22" girth is a noticeably thick fish no matter how the fish is held.

I tie up all my own leaders out of 80 and 100lb. Fluorocarbon. I both tie and crimp them (I like the double redundancy) and then shink tube the end over the crimp sleeve and knot (helps cut on weed pick up as Dwight mentioned. Not a hard process. Finding a knot that is managible with that thick Fluoro is the trickest part. I use the Lee Tauchen knot, which works well for me. http://leetauchen.com/lees_leader_knot.pdf If I want to use a heavier leader (say 200# Fluoro), then I just purchase a few Stealth Leaders. Best premade Fluoro leader around.

I would like to say one for every lure (that would be my dream), but I think Road Warrior sums it up best here... http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/130634-rod-selection-the-basics/

Berkley 4" Chiggar Craw in Watermelon. This lure has a dedicated rod and reel for it on my boat and if there are any weeds around, this outfit gets the call.

A-Jay, Here is a trick that I learned with that lure that doesn't seem to be as effective with a standard frog. I would work the bait into a position where the nose of the mouse is just resting on a lily pad and the backend and tail are in an opening. I would then just quickly shake my rod tip, which results in the quivering of the tail of that mouse while in place (frog tentacles just don't quiver as well as that rubbery tail). I have had bass just explode on that mouse as it quivered there. The technique literally doubled my strike rate, as I think the not so active bass get active as they see this mouse queeveing on the surface.

Well, this isn't exactly a frog, but it is in the hollow bodied topwater family. I am a huge fan of the Koppers Live Target Field Mouse. I can cast this sucker a mile, walks the dog well, and when that rubbery tail is dangling in a hole through the lily pads, those bass explode on it. Just a great lure.

Hmmm...I have several of those Field Mice (to me this is the best hollowed body topwater lure going) and none of mine do that. The backend will sit a little lower in the water with the nose of the lure up, but it won't go completely under. I wonder if you got a bum lure.

I musky fish a lot and those hooks scare me (as far as getting one impaled). I never thought about going barbless with them with the assumption I would just lose every fish. Though, I am sure I have lost fish, because I didn't get a good hook set (back to the penetration issue). I am starting to realize the need for a barb is an old wives tale and the common thought is that you have to have a barb to keep fish buttoned up (which is what I have always thought). However, I don't seem to lose any more trout since going barbless 10 years ago. Good stuff. Thanks!

Really interesting points here. The ease of penetration I find the most intriguing. I buy thin wire hooks to help with penetration, but if I just pinch down the barbs of regular wires hooks, I'll have the same ease with penetration, but have a stronger hook. I think you guys have me convinced, barbless is the way to go! Thanks!

My Buddy has been fishing for over 30 years and never had a hook past the bard. Trip one, the hook on his lure caught his line and he reached done to clear it when a wave crash into the side of the boat causing him to lose his balance and in went the hook. Trip two, he had a Smallmouth on the deck of the boat and he was trying to remove the hook from the fish with pliers. The fish trashed and the hook went right into his hand. Trip Three, another guy in the boat (fortunately it wasn't me) wan't quite watching where his back cast went and hooked my Buddy right in the back. He is a careful fisherman, but just had a string of bad luck. In the 25 years I have been fishing, I have never had a hook past the barb, but I am sure I am on borrowed time. Everyone seems to have a hook past the bard story.