HPBB

Ok this seem to come up alot. What are you guys towing, and with what? What I tow: 14 foot (almost 15) Stracraft V-hull with a 9.9HP merc, 2 TMs ,2 Batteries, 6 gal. gas I am guessing weight of package is 800-1000 pounds 17Foot 6 inch Sea Nymph Great Lake Specia,l Deep V, 75hp suzuki, 9.9Hp merc kicker, 36 volt TM, 4 batteries( sometimes 5), 27 Gal gas. boat, motor, trailer,& gear. Depending on what I leave at home 2,500 to 3,000 pounds What I tow with. I don't tow with much anymore, but still use it 1996 GMC Jimmy, 2 wheel drive, 2 door 4.3L V6 code W motor. 4 speed auto, 3.42 locking rear, and rear airbags 150,000+ miles Main tow vehicle: 2001 Chevy Tahoe, 4x4, 5.3L V8, 4 speed auto, 3.73 rears, a few upgrades 70,000 miles additional tow vehicle: not mine, my brother's, but use it a few times a year. 2003 Chevy Avalanche 2500 4x4, 8.1L V8, 4 speed auto, 4.10 rears, and some upgrades 25,000 miles

You guys are getting a bit off topic. The question is " can I tow with a 4 banger?" the answere is yes!. Now can he use 5th or not.? well only he can tell. I see no problem using 5th in a stick as long as the motor isn't struggling. If it is then use 4th. Using overdrive in an automatic that is not made for it, then there is a problem. I live in western PA. so we have hills, not much flat running. Like I said I used to tow a 12 footer witha Chevette 4 cylinder 4 speed. It worked I also towed with a GMC S-15 (same as a S-10) 4 cylinder 5 speed with 4.10 rears When I towed my 14 footer I could use 5th and run 70mph with it. Now when I towed my 17 1/2 footer with it I could not use 5th. motor didn't have enough power. It is ok to tow with your Honda. If you can tow in 5th go ahead, if the motor struggles the use 4th Also we all want to be able to tow with big trucks and have no problems, But right now KU_Bassmaster probally doesn't have the $$ to buy a truck, so he has to use what he has.

"New York is the southern-most pike fishery that I know, but there may be some other southerly pockets. " think a little south. Almost every lake I know of in Pa, has Northern Pike and/or Muskies I also know many lakes in ohio, wva and maryland that have pike & muskie. Not every lake/river that has muskie have northern pike, and the other way around, Muskies and Pike like different water. If you have never fished for them and never caught one you are missing out. They are fun. I will say I have caught about 100 pike for every Muskie I have caught

factory or rebuilt are about the same, a good trans shop could rebuild it stronger. But a stock trans will do fine pulling a bass boat In a 4 speed overdrive automatic 3rd gear is drive. If it's only a 3 speed auto than drive is fine I forgot back in 91 some of those GM trucks had 3 speed autos. I had a 90 SS454 it only had a 3 speed auto. towed like a tank, got about the same mileage as a tank too. read your owners manual on towing, some trucks are ok to tow in overdrive(mostly newer ones), Like my Tahoe, others like my Jimmy and S-10 said not to tow in overdrive.

Something is wrong with his gear I throw 40pound spiderwire stealth and have no problem with it. I throw lures as light as 1/8oz and senko's weightless. That frog is not to light I have used my flippin stick a few times and still can cast it good. Something is wrong. either you need to learn your BC better, Your breaks or magnets are set wrong, the braid has cut a channel in your eyelits on your rod and its getting stuck or something is wrong with the reel

I'm sure they will have some one like Ike. when he catches a fish: maybe fireworks? : Jason Quinn look alike would be a real pirate running a all black boat and skull and cross bones, calling it the "Black pearl". Oh wait they made that movie already. They can have a Roland look a like using one of those Kids fishing/guns what ever they are shooting everybody

I don't think you will have a problem, even if its the 305 V8 not a 350V8. If it has the 4.3V6 it should tow. I have towed a 2500lbs rig for years with a GMC Jimmy (small one one) 4.3 V6 before that a S-10 Pick up 4.3 V6. had no trailering problem. That Jimmy has over 150,000 miles on it. Only reason I don't tow with it regularly anymore, Is I bought a newer Chevey Tahoe. Remember what Cart7 said. keep the trans happy. get the fluid changed & change every year to two years put a trans cooler on it. even if it has a factory cooler, add a new one . You can pick one up for about $40 or so. running the factory cooler with an add on cooler will help greatly. Heat is the trans worst enemy and the big one, if your truck is an automatic, never tow in overdrive with that truck, being a 91 that trans isn't made to be towed in overdrive, put it 3rd and leave it there. this also has to do with heat, the trans will cool better in 3rd that overdrive. I have done all of this with my trucks and never have had a trans problem & I average about 5,000-10,000 miles towing a year(depending on how many trips and extra tournaments I go on). The only thing different is on my new Tahoe, that trans is built for towing in overdrive. PS... when you get the trans fluid changed. If you have never had the rear end fluid changed. I would change that to. That is the only thing I have ever broken in the drive train while towing. My GMC Jimmy is a short 2door so when launching the rear end would get wet. Well water got into it. long story short, you don't want to be running 70+mph with the boat on back and the rear end come apart. Not fun. I now get the rear end fluid changed when I get the trans fluid changed. I do that every year now

used them all the time. weightless white seems to work best for me. fishing for smallies in rivers pink also works good for me. I like to fish them on spinning rods. 8lb line weightless through it out and jerk it back. I like to keep it just under the surface letting it sink a couple feet every 2 or 3 jerks

remember you buy a used boat in a low price range, you might be adding and fixing the same stuff again. If you buy a "used" motor which might be your best bet if you like the boat. buying a used motor. make sure its a good used motor have it check out by a shop. If its a fresh rebuild even better. its like getting a new motor. the last thing you want is to spend a good bit of $$ on a used motor and it ends up being junk, then you have to spend more $$ for that rebuild. I just repowered my boat. It almost 20 years old. Nice boat, suits me fine. I have put a lot into it and selling it would have gotten me not much $$ since the motor was blown up. I had just bought a new trailer for it last year, and the boat is solid. Looked at alot of used motors and found a few that had one or more cylinders that had low compression. Guys would say that the ran good. But low compression mean there is a rebuild in the future. I was lucky found a set of twin motors. One was good and one was blown. Had the good one check and it was fine. they guy was selling both together. so I have an entire parts motor to go with my new "used" motor.

every unit is a little different. read your owners manual. it should show how to read it. If you don't have on. call the company I am sure they would send you one

use a leader with it. that is how I fish all my braid. learn the uni know to tie both lines together. Use some mono or flourocarbon as the leader. works great

I live in Pittsburgh and their in NJ, they are the only shop I deal with great service for parts. #1 don't be afraid. For other parts I don't know how many part can be swapped, but I will be parting out a 75hp suzuki soon. I know the suzuki 75 and 85 are bigger than the 65 not sure what parts match. If you find out any do and you need something let me know. I should be starting to take it apart next month.

That trailer looks a little small for a 14 footer. 12 footer ok, 14 footer and gear on long tips. Not my boat. remember on weight . its the wieght of the boat, motor and gear My 14 footer sits on a trailer that can hold 1200 lbs and runs on 13 inch wheels Go around and check local boat shops. they have used trailers. I had to buy a new trailer last yera. Mine rusted out. Needed one for a 17 1/2 deep V. was looking at buying a new one, cheepest I found was about $1400 had to put it together myself and it was just bearly met my weight load. Well I found a local boat dealer that had a few trailer . new old stock. they were 2002 trailers, never titaled and never had boats on them. picked on up that was really nice and can hold way more weight that my boat. picked it up for $1000. Look around you might find something nicer.

I don't think there will be a prob. 700-800 pounds that trailer must be heavy? In high school. I pulled a 12 foot starcraft semi -V with a 6hp johnson and Minkota TM on it with a 1981 Chevy Chevette, 2 door 4 banger, 4 speed stick. It was great. some times I even put a 12 foot sears on the roof. 4 guys 2 boats in a Chevette. wow to be young again. being a stick will help you in slowing down. If you don't aready, learn to down shift so the motor can help you slow down. Use the gears to your advantage Since it is a stick. remember always leave your car in gear a use your e-brake on the ramp. don't leave it in nertual on the ramp. beleive me you don't find out the hard way. I had a S-10 pick up 4 banger 5 speed. the e-brake worked great foward, but sucked backward. the weight of the boat would make it roll back. last thing you want is you car going in the water. Your e-brake might work great, but on a car like that the added weight might be to much. here is a trick. cut a wheel chock out of some wood. a 4x4 works good. drill a hole through the side of it and tie a rope to it. Long enough for you to hold onto when in the drivers seat. Put it behind the drivers rear tire when on a ramp. when you start to pull up. pull the chock out and drag it. this way your trailer will not hit it.

I guess it would be spot fishing that turns into a pattern. Most of the lakes I fish tournaments on, I have fished before. I have certain spots that I hit first. When i start to hit fish I see if there is a pattern ex: #1 what type of cover weeds(what kind of weed), stumps, brush, rocks. #2 deep water or shallow #3 are the fish tight to cover, sitting infront of the cover, above it, in it #4 what lure is working, color size ect Once I figure that out, I run to my next spot and try my pattern there Once I hit all my spots, I then look for places on the lake that are like my spots. Like I said I have spots already picked out before the tournament starts(5 to 10). Once I find the pattern. I'll fish that pattern in those spots, hitting those spots sometimes several times in a day

Member since 2000 I am in a BASS affiliated club, so I have to belong to BASS. I am not leaving my club anytime soon. I am getting board of the mag I have gotten: Bassin Feild & stream In fisherman and FLW mag gotten board of them to, don't get any of them any more. After a while its the same thing over and over again. I will continue to be a member. If your in an affiliated club, or fish their tournaments you have to be. There are thing about BASS I do not like and things I do. I know lots of guys bash BASS, and that is there opinion, I respect that BASS has evolved and will continue. It may change into something you like or disslike. Just remember on thing. If it wasn't for BASS, alot of thing we take for granted in bass fishing would not be there today. I am not talking the mag, I talking about the organization, B.A.S.S. "I just signed up! guess i made a mistake from what i hear. time will tell. (haven't received my first issue)" T-rig I don't think you made a mistake

first off I don't like 100% flourocarbon lines for main lines, leaders are a different story. vanish, has to much memory for me. on my spinning reels it would come off like a big "slinky" Since you have it, try the sprays. Like KVD's or reelmagic it will help. I started using flourcarbon poly lines, like them alot better, still some memory, but nothing like the vanish. Try P-line floroclear. a friend got me to try it about 3 years ago on lake erie. Up there flourocarbon lines are a must. the water is clearer than clear. I was using vanish and complaining about it all day. He gave me P-LIne to respool and I have been using it since. Infact I use it on most of my reels now. Like I said nomatter what flourcabon line or poly line you use, get some spray reel magic or KVD's. spray it on the line a few times each fishing trip and the line will be alot more workable. Use the cloth when spooling but when fishing just spray the line on the reel.

I don't see why not. I sure that boat is lite. does it have floor and decks? My boat has front and rear casting deck and full floor and livewell I have a 14foot (14'10") starcraft V-hull with a 9.9 merc and run 14mph with me(250lbs) in it, and my dad uses it he is 180 and get abot 16-17mph. Boat has in it for weight, front and rear TM's, 2 batteries, and 6gal gas at smallboat tournaments with two guys all our gear and the live well full(20gal of water) it runs about 12mph Its all about placement of gear, batteries and gas. You don't want the bow digging, but you don't want it high in the air. I also would suggest a set of "hydrofoil" I have doel finns. I think I paid $30. a mini jacker is also a good addition, without the "doel finns" the boat takes forever to plane, if it does. The mini jacker adda few mph before the addition of the doel finns and mini jacker the boat would do abot 10mph

Try them both ways. see what the fish want. I try to keep them just below the surface ( not making a wake)

It has a loop that fits around the hook. I have lost a few

I was thinking the same thing, 3 guys!! 3 guys in my 15 foot v hull is crowded. and close to the max weight. That's why I don't fish 3 out of it. you have to be over the weight limit for that 12 footer before you put any gear in it. And your talking about a lot of gear. the decks and floor are a good idea, but with all that wieght you'll be lucky if you can stay above water. And with that much weight in the boat. That "dry" storage you want under the floor. Hit one boat wake and it will not be "dry" storage anymore

I ask myself that same question. I will tell you that I have one that does not have the fin and it fished the same. I have notice though. the ones with the fin came in a black package that said "lucky craft" on them, the one with out the fin was in a package that was red and said "lucky craft USA" on it. don't know if there is a difference. I know the bigger LV I have don't have a fin.

Steve, Hey sorry I din't get back faster. I too lost a combo to my wife, but that was ok. She just wanted her own set up. So this was the reel she picked( she really wanted a hot pink reel) She got into fishing lilly pads a few years ago and loves it. Her spinning gear just can't hold up to that punishment. I Know guys, spinning gear can hold up, but she doesn't like the bigger reels. So I showed her how to use a BC and she learned fast. I have a 6'6" MH deadbolt this will go on and it will make a great combo for her to fish the pads. Fatman1267, I also have a few, pinnacle reel, they are all metal ones to. I have had their cheep ones to. I was just say that this reel (being under$100) really impressed me. It doesn't feel like a cheep reel. And no, this one has no grinding sound to it, or feel. It makes no sound, and it is butter smooth, that is what impressed me. If it made a grinding sound it would be gone. I know its not in the same class as my Chronarchs or my team daiwa's, but its a nice reel for the price. Also if you don't mind? what did you pay for it?(the SOLENE) I haven't seen them in stores yet.

The boat switch with Ike, was not illegal, It was in the 2005 Bass masters Classic. If its the one he is talking about. The video showed Ike trying to push the boat in ankle deep water, and trying the merc, but just sparying mud and water everywhere. Not only did he get that boat "stuck" it was damaged. under that mud was cement. "would this have happened in a 16 footer with a 50 horse?" let me say Yes!! i know where he got stuck. I fish by there all the time. I live by there to. even if it was a 12 jon with a 5hp motor it would have gotten stuck, you could have pulled the jon off by yourself, but it would have been stuck. On fast boats. My boat isn't that fast 35- 40 mph, because of that I know my limits. Most of my tournaments are on smaller lakes, but I still get beat to spots all the time. However; if I have a spot and its a 20-30 mile run, and I know there are good fish there. I will make it. I know I'll get beat there by the big boats, but I'll still run. I do think a big fast boat is an advantage, I guess i'll have to use my fishing skills to overcome that for now. Yes, I want a big, fast boat. I even have it picked out (Blazer 210 with a 250merc or yam) And one day I'll have one. Life hit me before i could get one, wife, kids, house..ect.., but right now my boats(I have 2) are just great. You know, as much as I lust over those big shinny new rigs. there are lots of guys with small boats or no boats that lust after mine.

see if you can find a youth club in your area. That would be a great start. Check some adult clubs, but being only 14 might limit you. I know my club has an age min of 18, we will take on members as young as 16, but their parent must be a active member in the club. Go to bass masters web site link to federation, then to youth clubs. When you do fish your first tournment. Have fun, don't put to much pressure on yourself. If you don't catch any fish, that's ok. watch what the boat owner is doing. You can learn so much. I fish my first 5 tournaments without bringing a legal fish to the scales. I never got discuraged. I just kept on fishing and learning. I ended up finishing the year really good. won 2 of our club tournaments and finishing #9 that year in points. Since that point on I have been in the top 4 in points every year ( 5 years) winning the points in 2005 If tournaments fishing is not what you expected don't worry either, just don't stop fishing. I have many friends, even my Dad, who love to fish, can't get enough fishing in, but can not tournament fish. They just don't like it, and that is ok. Your are statring at a good age to. I wish I would have started when I was younger. I always fished. Could not get enough of it, but didn't start to fish tournaments till I was 28. Things might have been alot different if I would have started tournament fishing earlier