HPBB

I never really understood these guys who have all the nice stuff, but will never use them, because they are scared of hurting their equipment. I take care of my equipment, but I use it, use it hard. It may not look perfect, but it works perfect. I buy my equipment to use it and that is what I do "use "it. If it get a nick, or scratch or even broken I don't lose sleep over it. I'm not rich, nor do I have a sponcer. I Live to fish When I go fishing with some of my friends. we will get to a spot( probally heavy cover) and they will call it "expensive water" because you might lose a lure in it. They will never fish it because they are scared. I'll pull up tp it and fish it. Then when I catch more fish than they do, they just don't understnd. last year at a spring tournament. I pulled up to a point and was casting a Lucky Craft LV and caught 2 nice SM off the point. Then I lost the LV to a Musky. Tied another one on and caught a few more nice Sm. , But I also had about 3 or 4 more fallows by a few Muskies. Caught a nice limit off that point. They guy with me had the same Lv I did, but was scared to use it, because of the Musky. He din't want to lose a $15 lure he said.

I like a longer rod for both flippin and pitchin I use two 7' 10" Saint Croix and two 7'6" Gander MTs I do perfer the 7'10" I use them 99.99% of the time, but if I am in cover that has overhanging trees. I move down to a 6'6" MH Pinicale the shorter rod helps me from get tangeled up in the over hanging trees I am right handed, but 2 years ago I switched to a left handed reel for F/P it took a little getting used to, but I now i rearly use my right hand reels when F/P

we run a 20 point system. my club is limited to 20 members. winner gets 20 points, 2cd 19, 3rd 18, ect, ect..... as long as you bring a legal fish in you get points. there are no show points or bonus points we use to use a wieght points system , but if you missed tournament that was at a lake that was know for big weights you got srewed .you could come in last place with big weight and have more points that a guy who won a hard tournament where only 1 or2 fish won it. Our 20 point system seem to be more fair and we like it. each year some brings up the idea if changing back, but when it comes up to a club vote we stay at the 20 point sysytem. It just works better for us.

Not a problem Stratosdadri I wasn't putting you down, which I know you understood. I just wanted to correct it. Those two classics seem to roll right together and the 2006 being so early almost seemed like 2005. Those 225 Pro XS ran good up in Pittsburgh. I was on the water all 3 days with them. I haven't seen any with the new 250Pro xs yet. Have you? The verado's are good motors, but in the Bass Boat market I don't see them being the best choice. in other markets they are a better choice. I have a friend that run twin 250 verados on a 28 or 30 foot Whaler. He has been boating for 40 years and he sayes they are the best motor he has ever used, but they fit his boating style. My Aunt runs a 150 Verado in her Pontoon Boat and its great on that. It pushes it good(your not looking for great speed on a pontoon) and its quiet. You don't even know its running. The 250 rule!! I understnd wanting the biggest motor you can get. when I buy my next one I want the biggest I can get. And I am a speed freak, so I understand more HP is better. Most people that buy a big new Bass Boat will use it for Tournaments. And BASS and FLW have a 250HP rule. Most every smaller circut, even down to the small club level, and open buddy circut fallow BASS and FLW rules, so they would use the 250 rule to. So if your planning on using it for a "tounament"boat you might want to look at a 250 instead. If not get the 300 and fly...fly like the wind.

I would trim it. I would not take it off. saying you don't need them if the boat is not in salt water is wrong. My family has 3 boats that sit on docks, in fresh water. they are in the water 5-6 months a year. every 3-4 years we have to change the Annodes because of corrosion.

your right about the 250 rule. alittle change .. the verado's were use in the 2004 classic. in 2005 the boats had the optimax 225 pro xs

38MPH???...... that's with current and a good tail wind... also the TM was on to

no. Its not just a deeper hull. the pad will lift the boat at speed, making it a better performing boat. the less boat in the water the faster you go with less power. it also makes it more stable. If you have a 17 with a flat hull, and a 175 with a pad hull running the same power the pad hull will be faster. all of the big glass Bass Boats use a pad style hull. a

If you only want 2 to start with. I would go with a 3/8 oz and a 1/2 oz Black/blue for flippin and pichin for swimming jig I would go with white once you get used to the jigs and get confidence, then experiment with different sizes and colors. If you want make your self learn. go out fishing one day with only the jigs, leave everything else at home. It will make you learn how to use them, with out falling back onto a lure that you know how to use. I do this offten to "fine tune" the way I fish with certain lure I take only that lure with me and I am forced to fish with it when i would rather use something else. It make you learn how to fish a lure better.

I think you off on you weight guess. If dry weight of the hull is 1700 you say with motor and gear weight will be 2300, 2400. 600 to 700 pounds of gear? that's on the low side. figure the motor weight around 500 maybe more How many batteries?3 or 4 what is their weight? at 40lbs each (and thats small batteriers) your looking at 120 to 160 lbs your TM you will need to put gas in the boat. the weight of that is ? then all you gear. That can add up quickly you fishng partners gear. And don't forget the weight of the trailer. 600 or 700 plus I have a 17 1/2 aluminum Boat with only a 75HP I weighed it last year on a CAT truck scale, to see if my wife's new small SUV could tow it. It weighed in , with tournament gear, full of gas, on the trailer and everthing around 2500lbs The tandem axles ride so much better

The 175 is a different hull than the other 2. It has better performance. I would go with the biggest boat and motor you can afford and get. Unless you plan on fishing a lake that is HP limited. My father-inlaw bought a 175 last year. He would have liked to get a 50HP or a 75Hp on it, but the lake that he lives by ( 10 minutes away from) and the one he will fish the most has a 20HP limit. So he got a 25HP ( we put 20 stickers on it) with 2 guys (both over 225lbs) and gear it runs right around 22mph on gps. But if you not going to be using a limited lake go for the biggest motor you can get. Like some else said, just because you have it, doesn't mean you will use it all the time, but when you need to its nice to have the power to run

Hi. I am the president of a Bass club, we are located in south western Pa.(the Pittsburgh area) we are a B.A.S.S. affiliated club, with members of all skill levels. we have a few open spots for the 2007 season Boater owners and riders( we are not a "buddy-team" style fishing club). If your are interested please PM me. Don't wait to long if you are interested. we start fishing in March and stop accepting new members in Feb.

I have a Sea Nymph GLS 175, 17.5 foot aluminum Deep V. Had a 75Hp on it, but blew it up. Just picked up a nother 75Hp for it. I know its not a speed demon, it would run 35 mph on GPS, tournament rigged with 2 guys 20gal gas, 4 batteries, gear, and both 18gal live wells full. Since i will be taking the motor off to put the new one on, I was thinking of getting a jack plate. Do you think it would be worth it? or just a waist of $$? I had put a mini jacker on my 15 footer with a 9.9 and it made a noticeable difference. I have wanted to do this before, but didn't want to take the motor off. now that I have to, i thought it would be the best time.I was looking at a manual ajustable 6 inch set back and 4 inch lift. any input would be great. Thank you & good fishing.

it will still work. You just will not have any protection for the prop when you hit something. if you run a ground with it there is nothing to hit but the prop. But for $10 it will work.

Sounds like you foot petal. I went through 3 in 3 years with a 55# PD I have. Call Minkota the petal whole petal is only about $60 or $70. You can order just the board and switch to, but it only saves you about $10

check you states boating laws. some state still require you to carry a nother PFD when using a auto inflate

Your right this will start a war of words. this is just like the a chevy vs. ford fight. That 36 volt Motor guide is only 82#? I thought the 82# was a 24 volt. maybe an older one? I fish the rivers in the western part of Pa. The yough, allegheny. the guys in my club know that if there is a river or bigger creek flowing into a lake we are fishing, 9 out of 10 I'll be there fishing the current. I run a 36 volt 109# motor guide tour. can stand on it all day. Great power. even on down sized batteries. I only run 24 series batteries. I would love to run bigger ones, but there just isn't enough room for three 29 or 31 batteries in my boat. I still out run and have more lasting power than any of the guys in my club ( they are all using 24volts,or 12/24 volt, both brands) On 2 day tournaments , if I really have to, I can get away with out charging between days. Don't like to, but can do it. I have used and have had both brands. And liked both and hated both. they have made good TM and bad ones to. I looked at both when shopping. the motor guide had some things I like better than the minkota. Now like I said with depthfinders. that was me, someone else might like the minkota. the things I liked on the motor guide was the steering, I also like the petal on the motor guide. On older models I did not like the petal, they felt flimsy, but on the tour series the petal are made of metal and just felt better to me. since that is the part that you are conected to I thought thet it was the better choice for me. I'll get shot down for this post, guys will say that the motor guide is junk, the only pros useing are paid to use them. I don't know what i am talking about. ect...ect... ect... if motor guide sucks so bad, how are they still in buisness and selling product? I guess the people buying them are just stupid? I'm a chevy guy too. I know they suck too. I guess only stupid people buy them to.

just what everybody else said it cheeper and easier to work with also if you are using aluminum for decking and floors and using no sub structure to suport it. you are using some really thick metal and that is even mor $$$ and harder to work with. If you pep the wood right and take care if it ,the wood will last a long time.

sounds like a great idea, But look for a trailer. It will be much less problems with a boat on a trailer that putting it on top of a car. First off its faster, when you get to your fishing spot you can get the boat in the water in 5 mins or so. when its on the car it will take you forever to get it ready. Its less wear and tare on your car ,than on its roof. I know backing atrailer can be tough, but learn how, it will be much easier that roof topping. also you can go by yourself and have no problems. you don't have to lift anything. A boat the size is to heavy to lift , but is light enough for almost any car to pull. Back in high school I used to pull my 12 starcarft with a 9.9 and a TM with my Chevette. Used to car top it, then bought a used trailer for a few $100 and it was the best money I spent. it made going fishing way easier and enjoyable. Also you can keep all you stuff in the boat so if you have a few hours after work its easy to hook up the trailer and go. By the time you get to your local fishing spot you would still be putting the boat on top of the car.

I tell everybody that ask "what unit should I get?". If you have one picked out that you like, that's great. But if you live near or are going to be near a Cabela's, BPS, Gander MTS., or a large boating store. Stop in and check out the fishfinders. They will have many set up and you can look and play with each of them and see what one you like the best. A few years ago I was looking for a new combo unit and I had my heart set on a lowrance 332C. I knew the Humminbird Matrix 87c was almost the same and the same $$. Well, I was at a cabela's store and looked at both units. After looking and playing around with both( i think I spent a few hours) I desided that the Humminbird was te better unit for me. I thought it was a little easier to use. Now that's me, another person might find the lowrance better, but check them out maybe you might find another unit that is better suited for you. If you have the chance go and look at them first.

"I always had Minn Kota's up until this past season when I saw a Motorguide on sale at BPS.....I wish I hadnt seen it,its the biggest piece of junk I have ever owned.The shaft slides thru the mount on every trip no matter how hard I tighten it,it runs on whatever speed it wants, ex. I'll have it set on 2 low and it will run on 5 high.....pure junk.Prop makes noise (clicks) when I turn it a certain way......I could go on and on.Never again." that is what fivebasslimit Said That is the older Motor guide motors. Like I said I have an older 70# and it sucks, but the new DIGITAL motors are much much better. My 109# is the best I have ever used. That one you bought on sale was the older style motors. I can tell when you said "I'll have it set on 2 low and it will run on 5 high" the new digital motors do not use numbered speeds they are reriable. Take a look at the tour sieres digital motors they have a different pedel than the older motors, they have a different mount than the older motors. they are very different than the older motor guides. They still sell the older style motors and the new digital. You have to look for the digital motors. This debate will go on for ever, its just like the Chevy vs. Ford debate. Just saying look at both motors first. if you havn't looked or used a new tour Motor guide yet. you will be impressed over the old motor guides.

can't help you on the big motor, but on the TM I would go for motor guide. I have run Minkota's and Motor guides. The older motor guides sucked, but the new digital motors are miles above the older motors. I have the tour 109# for 2 years and its great. My smaller boat has an older 70# motor guide and it sucks. I use the 50# minkota tramsom TM more than it, But the new digital Tour 109# motor is like night and day from the older motor.

I have a Sea Nymph GLS 175. It had a 75 HP motor on it. Well, I blew up the power head the other week and rebuilding its out of the picture right now. I have been looking at some used motors and have a question. The max recomended HP for my boat is 100HP. I am looking at 3 motors right now, all are made by the same co. and are the same style , look identical and weigh the same and are almost the same price. one is a 90 HP , 115HP and a 140HP. The 115 seems to be the better motor and I like the power of the 140, but would they hurt the boat? I mean all the motors wiegh the same. I can see going up to a 150hp V6 would be to much weight, but these are 4's. would it be legal? Jim

The only the way your going to learn to jig fish is going out and fish it. It can be hard. If you were to have just one jig It would be a 3/8 oz black/blue doesn't really matter which brand. everybody has thier favorate, one that works for one guys may not for the next. But a 3/8oz black / blue jig is a good all around jig. use a rubber trailer first. to can try pork, but a rubber trailer is easier. Try a Zoom big chunk in Black/ blue to match your jig. Make sure you have a strong rod ( MH or H) and strong line ( for heavy cover I don't go under 20lb). Find some heavy cover and go for it. If you are new to flippin and pitchin or just not real good at it. practice in your yard. I do all the time. It helps when you do can't get on the water

That is a hard question to answer. Here in Pa we had a big split in 2006. Half of the state's club went to FLW the other half stayed with BASS, some both. Some that went to FLW are coming back to BASS and some that stayed are moving for next year It just depends on what the club thiks is better for the club. Mine stayed with BASS.