Tpayneful

I tried to make the head look good and screwed up the peddle that is how I knew.

Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon in 8lb test has been used for dropshot on a Carrot Stix and JM signature spinning reel. It had more issues with line twist than the same setup with XPS. The kicker was trying to pinch the line to stick it through the dropshot hook eye and.......it will not pinch like XPS, P-Line, Seaguar Pro or Seagaur Invisix. It doesn't tie knots as well either. On a baitcaster it might not matter what Fluorocarbon line you use but poor line attributes show up when you use it on a spinning reel. On moving baits like crankbaits and spinnerbaits there isn't a big advantage to using Fluorocarbon. If you fish Texas Rig, Carolina Rig, Wacky Rig, Shakey Head, Jigs or Drop Shots the sensitivity and lower visibility of Fluorocarbon far exceed Mono. A friend at I took our boys Trout fishing at Montawk in Missouri. Late in the night we were trying to tie leaders for the next days fishing. He was using 2lb mono and I tried to tie a few. The porch light and the few drinks that I had had made tying them difficult. So I said the heck with the 2lb mono and tied 15lb P-Line Fluorocarbon leaders for two rods. My son and I got to the river 15 minutes later than my friend but my son got his limit faster than my friend, his son or anyone near us. It is one instance but it sold me on the transparency of Fluorocarbon line!

I have been using Fluorocarbon line for three years now and I will NEVER use mono for anything except topwater or crankbaits. I have used P-Line, Seagar Pro, Invisix and XPS. I would rate them as follows: 1 XPS 2 P-Line 3 Seagar Pro 4 Invisix 5 Trilene 100% (AWFUL, HORRIBLE) XPS casts extremely well, is very strong and holds good knots. P-line is close but loses on price usually. Seagar Pro is okay but I didn't like Invisix. Trilene is just too stiff. Always tie a Palomar knot that is well lubricated. This will ensure that the knot doesn't break on a hook set. I generally use 8lb on my spinning reels and 14lb on my baitcasters. I LOVE Fluorocarbon! The sensitivity is an order of 10 times better than mono! I can feel much more than mono and that means I am able to react and set the hook faster. I have read the stretch reports and the technicalities of stretch but it seems like it doesn't stretch as much as mono which results in a stronger hookset. I don't have many break offs setting a hook either. I don't respool as often with Fluorocarbon either. It casts great on a baitcaster and is manageable on a spinning reel. I use a wide spool spinning reel and that helps. I have the same level of issues of line twist with Mono and Fluorocarbon. I hope you end up liking XPS as much as I do!

At least it wasn't a poll about a Shimano! ;D

I really like my BPS Extreme spinning reel. $39.99 when it is on sale. A wider spool is better! It casts a mile and has less line twist than other narrow spool reels that I have used in the past. It made me like spinning reels again!

A Zebco 202 goes for $5.88 at Walmart. It is a cheep way to get a bigger discount if you don't have a reel to trade in.

Grab the head and turn it. The direction that the head is pointing sets your center. Loosen the knob if it will not turn.

I have two 7' MH Extreme (Purchased for $69 and $59) trigger rods and like the action of them better than my 7' MH Johnny Morris Signature Series trigger rod. The JM is much stiffer and has a faster tip. As far as spinning rods go my two Johnny Morris 6' and 6'6" Medium action rods are fantastic! They are my favorite rods by far! They are the perfect rod for $80 on clearance! Don't buy a BPS rod unless it is on sale. If it isn't on sale wait for the Spring Classic or some other sale. It will eventually go on sale.

dick, I may be mistaking your tone but you have already made claims of superiority of one unit over another. I might be mistaking the tone of your posts but it seems to me that you are making boasts about a certain brand of equipment. Boasts llike this cause arguements and unlike other boards this board will lock the thread quickly. You have also posted images - The person that posted those images has had to admit to multiple mistakes regarding the comparison. Improper placement of transducers, faulty transducers and improper use of sensitivity settings. Wayne has posted his best down imaging shot. Once I can dig out from the snow and actually get on the water I will try the new down imaging firmware upgrade on my unit. Have you had the chance to use the Structure Scan and the Down Scan feature of your unit?

The arguement about which company has better Side Imaging is on another board. We really don't need to get into here. The comparision shots are from that website and that arguement. Both Wayne and I have been following it. People have been suggesting that one is better than the other but I have seen spectacular images from both. Here is a link to one of the best shots I have seen yet: http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/3258289/1

Running both shouldn't be a problem.

The Lowrance guys are thrilled the the Structure Scan. I am not completely familiar with details of it. The screen shots look great. Finding a place to mount the display can be challenging. The wider units don't fit into the smaller locations of most boats. Most people use a RAM mount. If it is on a RAM mount you can easily remove it from the boat so that it doesn't get stolen.

Reo, The slower and straigher you travel the better the SI image. Usually less than 5 MPH. Due to the size and expense of the transducer it is placed higher on the transom to reduce the possibility of collision. In these locations the transducer does not perform well when the boat is on plane. It is recommended that you use a second non-SI transducer for depth while on plane. You can connect the second transducer via a Y cable or a Tranducer switch. I have the switch and use the second transducer that is epoxied into my boat.

Fishingfourfun, I you can handle a drill and a screwdriver you can handle the installation. It is easy. I would use the Humminbird mount so that you can take the unit inside when you are not using it. The transducer placement is important. You need to follow the directions as to where to mount it. The other thing to concider is buying a regular transducer and either a switch or Y cable. The SI transducer doesn't work well when you get on plane. I have a transducer switch and use the original transducer that is epoxied into the boat when running on plane. It is well documented that a ton of Lowrance units have had leakage problems. They supposedly have fixed the problem but there are a lot of units out there that may have the problem. It isn't just HD units, it has affected multiple Lowrance and Eagle units. Repair times take up to months to get the units back.

You would be surprised to find out how many lakes are hard to fish in Florida. A friend of mine transplanted from Central Virginia to Port St. Lucie Florida. He wins lots of tournaments in Florida but surprisingly the weights are less than what wins regularly on the Potomac River in Virginia. Book a trip with George Welcome, tell him if you want to catch a lot of fish or just go after a big one. He will suggest the right spot for you to give you the best chance to satisfy your goals!

If you pay for the Rod or Reel at the Reel counter tell them that it is on sale online and you want the online sale price. They will look it up and give you the sale price. 2009 Extreme rods were $59.94 online but $79.99 in the store. Told them about that and the Johnny Morris Elite was $129. Got both for the online price. Didn't have to print anything.

I added a deck extension to my 15' 6" Skeeter and two Rod Savrs.

I weigh everything over 3lbs. The scale will humble you!

I am really happy with my choice and I think you will like it too!

Wayne, That looks fantastic! I can't wait to get back out with my SI! The only water my boat has seen was a few minutes to get it winterized! Judging by the weather, my next chance to try out down imaging will be on Stick Marsh on March 28th.

You need the following: MS M Unit Mount $32.99 PC1 Power Cable $13.99 XNT 9 SI 180 T SI Transducer $174.99 Mount these in the second boat. Just pop off the unit and move to the second boat.

I have the 788ci on the bow interlinked to the 798c SI on the console. My external GPS antenna is mounted on the back deck, closer to the transducer. They both have the 50 channel GPS. I should have spent the extra $300 and put a 789ci SI on the bow. If I ever get another bonus check I will buy a 898c SI mount it on the console, move the 798c SI to the bow and sell the 788ci. Wider is better as far as SI is concerned.

Based on the serious leakage issues and terrible customer service, I wouldn't even concider Lowrance. I have seen the side by side comparison and am not convinced that the settings are set equally.

Fishing in Virginia I only have a few days with multiple 4lb+ bass. On my yearly trip to Florida I have had days where each of us caught over 10 LMB that were over 4 pounds. If you fish in PA or MI the chances of you catching multiple 4lb fish in a day are less than if you are fishing in TX, FL, GA or CA. Size is mostly about location. The second contributing factor is the amount of time you are on the water. The more you fish the greater your chance of catching big fish. My home lake is a documented dink factory but I caught a lot of fish over 4lbs with the biggest at 6lb 1oz. Don't get down on yourself

Jim Porter would suggest you go somewhere else but I will tell you a secret........ Go to Stick Marsh / Farm 13. If you don't have a boat, call George Welcome. You can catch a lot of fish and you can catch fish like this.....