LOW7681

I've had issues with line breaking at the knot on hooksets. I usually use monofilament in 14 or 17# test. Since I started checking to be sure that the knot does not get lodged in the gap where the hook eye meets the shank breakoffs at the knot rarely occur. By-the-way I primarily fish close in heavy cover with medium heavy to heavy action rods and make hundreds of pitches during a days trip. After a number of fishing trips with knots breaking on the hookset I used the same tackle and lodged the hook into a tree and and from about 20 feet away tried to break the line on a "hookset" and never could.

I use Reaction Innovations Boom Boom Tubes 4.0 and Garlands Original Gitzit tubes when fishing heavy cover such as brush, lilly pads and reeds for LMB. Over the past year I've started "floating" a 4/0 extra wide gap hook inside the Boom tubes and a 3/0 EWG hook in the Gitzit tubes when fish heavy cover. It seems that my hook-up percentage by this method has only suffered by a minor degree compared to texposing the hook. I certainly get snagged up much less and am able to fish more effeciently by floating the hook. Or, sometimes lightly skin hooking the hook inside the tube wall. I use about a half dozen of different brands of tubes and the advantage of the Boom Boom tubes and Gitzits is that the wall of the tubes are softer than many other brands. Perhaps that is why "floating" the hook inside works. The other brands of tubes that are thicker walled I use primarily for SMB fishing with an exposed tube hook in the rocky waters of Lake of the Woods. Do other tube users use the "floating" the hook inside the tube method?

I'm a huge tube fan and fished at least a half dozen different brands of tubes for the past several decades and have ended up with two favorites. Reaction Innovations Boom Boom 4.0 tube. Consistent in quality and length, will take a 4/0 wide gap hook, soft and a multiplicity of colors. For a smaller tube the Canyon Plastics Garlands "Original" Gitzit. This tube is smaller in diameter and 3 3/4 " long. It is my "finesse tube.

I am much more likely to turn off my car motor during launching and double checking that the car is in park and the emergency brake is firmly set after watching a guy unhook his bass boat at the bow, start to climb on the boat and then his new pickup slowly slid into the water. He was lucky to get out of the way. Boat floated off, I retrieved it and then put a marker over the truck. Divers plus tow truck retrieved his pickup from about 10' of water. Also watched a person on a steep long ramp evidently hit the gas instead of his brake when backing down and came close to ending up in the lake. I usually back down with the gear shift in neutral as I also have come close to doing the same thing in the thousands of launches I've done.

Kevin, that helps a bunch! Thanks! Bob

Thanks everyone for sharing their boat/motor information. It was most helpful. Should have a 60 hp Merc four stroke on my boat next week. Will initially prop with a 10.5 x 13 pitch Merc Vengeance SS prop and see how it performs. Most likely 95 percent of the time I would be better off with a 14" pitch prop but that 5 % when a 13" pitch is a better pick is on Lake of the Woods and that is when I have a second passenger and a livewell full of water. Typically run about 200 miles a week, often in rough conditions so getting on plane quickly and good midrange power is more important than top speed. Bob

Elleser, I checked on the Fisher boat home page and noticed that Fisher provides numerous boats in the 17' or so range. Weights range from the all welded jon at 430# to 900 or so pounds. If you would let me know the exact boat you have it would allow to have a more precise comparison. Thanks, Bob

Thanks Elleser. Any chance you know your prop pitch? And is it SS or aluminum. Bob

Thanks Kevin for the information. It was very helpful! Bob

XcoM274 Thanks for the info. I wonder how many just hard wire the trolling motor to their batteries. It would be inconvenient but would be sure of a tight connection as I would crimp and solder. My first set off Marine plugs lasted many years and then a loose connection caused high resistance and ruined the plugs. Purchase new plugs of equivalent capacity but not marine and they easily corrode. Am now leery of plugs.

Kevin, Thanks for the post--it is helpful. Which Crestliner boat is it? My Crestliner is a 1994 model so it is narrow of beam and lighter than the current models which are wider and deeper. Knowing which Crestliner you have will help to determine weight difference. And is it a tiller boat or console. Also, what is the prop pitch etc and is it SS or aluminum? Do you have three batteries and a trolling motor on the boat? Will be interested in your GPS speed when available. Any estimate how long it takes you to get up on plane with two aboard? Thanks again, I know I'm imposing with a lot of questions. Bob

I'm hoping that some on this board are running a similar boat in weight to mine that has a 50 or 60 hp four stroke on it. And, how the boat performs. On another board an individual said that a 60 two stroke performs as well as a 75 four stroke. I find that hard to believe, however, if it is true it would reflect on my decision to go with a 60 hp four stroke. For a week out of the year I fish big water and a reasonable top speed in the mid thirties coupled with getting the boat on plane rather quickly is important. Just don't want to have to run down the lake cross ways to couple foot high waves and take a hundred yards to get the boat on plane. I wish I had access to was torque and horsepower curves for a 60 hp Merc two stroke and a 60 hp four stroke. Just can't find them. I asked about both 50 and 60 hp four strokes to broaden the possibility of a response. Also, I assumed, perhaps incorrectly, that the 60 hp four stroke gets its' ten more horsepower at the top end and therefore the whole shot might be similar as the RPMs would be lower.

I had a 60 hp Merc two stroke on the boat and it performed well. On plane reasonably quick and top speed with one or two passengers about 35-37. Considering a 60 hp 4 stroke merc. Cubic centimeter displacement on the two stroke is 966 and the four stroke 995. Two stroke weighs 219# and the four stroke 247#. Seems to be a wash. But some say the four stroke is much (?) slower to get the boat on plane. And that was the reason for the question regarding others experiences on the water.

I now unplug my plugs when charging. Would turn the switch off when charging. Currently one of the plugs connects to the 6 gauge wire that I run from my batteries that are in the rear of the boat to the plug with the lighter gauge wire from my trolling/positioning motor.

I'm getting rid of the plug in. They are not built in. The trolling motor male and female replacement plugs will cost me $58, whereas the switch will be around $30. Plus it will be easier to use.

I am interested in learning the satisfaction with getting on plane and top speed running an aluminum boat in the 17' range that weights in at about 850 # bare hull and an additional 250# of batteries, trolling motor and gear and 15 gallons of gas to be in the range of 1200#s. I'm assuming that a 50/60 hp four stroke motor weight would add on about another 250#. Plus 350# of people weight. Total maximum weight ready launch to fish would be in the range of 1800# Thanks

I run a 70+ pound thrust 24 volt trolling motor. I wired the motor a number of years ago with a marine guide male and female plug in order to disconnect my trolling motor from my batteries. It is time to replace the plug and I'm considering using a Guest battery switch. The specs of the switch I'm considering are copied below: My question is are there any negatives to using this type of switch for my application? It seems straight forward, however, I thought it best to ask. Thanks! Square Battery Selector Switch with on/off switch Part No. 2122 Description Continuous Amps: 320 Momentary Amps: 480 Color: Black Dimensions: 3-1/2" Sq. x 2-1/2"H Product Features For 6v, 12v, 24v or 32v systems Mounting options: surface, recessed or rear mount Battery selector with on/off switch Heavy duty copper "sweep" contacts to insure long life

Six foot length rods now on my casting deck are: Shimano Compre MH Extra Fast St Croix Avid MH Rapala Tournament MH Rapala Tournament M Rapala Tournament ML Except for the St. Croix all are inexpensive. I've owned over 20 G Loomis rods from 6 1/2 to 7' in length (still own some) in GL2, GL3, IMX and GLX. Have sold most. Fish close 90% of the time and 6' rods get the job done. Much more comfortable to use. In addition a 6' rod is only between 3-4" shorter measured from the reel seat than a 6 1/2' rod.

Thanks for the replies. I will have to add brown, purple, junebug colors to my jig collection. Just need to get some silicone tabs in those colors.

I've fished for smallmouth bass on Lake of the Woods for 15 years. Have lost a lot of jigs fishing the rocks for smallies using jigs and worms. Over the past several years have switched to 4 -5 " tube with a 1/8 oz. or 3/16 oz tube hook inside. The fat head of the tube does well in reducing rock hookups. There are cheap tube hooks available. Not Gammies but they get the job done.

I fish a lot of jigs but never brown and purple. Fish primarily in Iowa and Minnesota. My primary jig colors are black and blue, pumpkin or green pumpkin (sometimes with some chartreuse strands), and white. In reading the latest issue of Bassmaster I noted the "pros" used brown and purple jigs. Is there something about that color that is more useful in the southern lakes? Or, is it essentially a dark color with a little more color in it than an all black jig. And, under what condition would a brown purple jig be used when a black blue jig would not? Thanks! Bob

I used Excel for over ten years. Its advantage is a reasonably limp line and cost. Its disadvantages is that is stretchy, not particularly abrasion resistant, and break strength per diameter is average at best. Overall it is a decent line. In the past several years have switched to Original Stren even though it is considerably higher priced and is not as flexible as Excel. Advantages of Original Stren are very good abrasion resistance and compared to most monofilament, copolymer and fluorocarbon lines has less stretch. Its break strength per diameter is very good.

I will apologize in advance for going off topic. I fish tubes a couple hundred hours a year and am always striving for a very high percentage of hook-ups. I want the hook point to become exposed as much as possible on the hook set. To achieve that I usually fish tubes with a weight inside the tube as not only does it provide a more erratic fall but it also prevents the tube from sliding down the hook. I almost always texpose the hook. In addition I cut a slit in the tube where the shank of the hook has to travel to maximize hook point exposure. Bob

The VMC 7316 wide gap hook provides a wider gape per length of hook than does the Gamakatsu Wide Gap hook. The 4/0 VMC hook it just enough shorter to work well with typical 4" tubes, for example Yum 4" Mega Tubes whereas the 4/0 gamakatsu hook often will not depending on lot to lot or tube to tube variation in body length. The chart below shows the difference in these to above hooks and other wide gap hooks. http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1205852604/0

Thanks for taking the time to comment. The gammie hooks are not G lock. Either early last year or in late 2006 I noticed that gammie hook packages with the very same stock number (5841*) had hooks that had the more indented notch compared to the earlier hooks that had more slope. Also, the G lock hook has a different shape than the EWG gammie. The stock number of the G hooks are 20441* Bob