12poundbass

How about being a "snow bird"? If there's a budget you could do it reasonably inexpensive. I live next to a campground and there's a bunch of "snow birds", who live in campers (most are a little better than your average camper) for a few months, leave it there and head south. If there were that perfect place where the weather was good all year without some sort of drawback it would be over populated and extremely expensive to live there. In Michigan our winters are basically half the year, we had what seemed like a 2 week fall and that's it. Winters get old. Spring is great, summers are too but there are times where the humidity is enough to suffocate you and it does get in the mid 90's for a bit. That's Michigan. The further south you go the less the winter but the hotter and more humid you get. You go west it gets drier, hotter, like @Bluebasser86 has said the wind never stops, and the lakes aren't as frequent as the are east of the Mississippi. Something to think about.

Northern Michigan for big, mean, hungry, and frequent smallmouth. ?

I've played with the 73sv Echomap unit in store and I thinks it's a great unit. Your lake may not be HD but you could use Quickdraw to fix that.

If I had a choice and no budget it would be the Ultrex hands down. I have a wireless MG (pre Xi5) and it works, but sucks for what I need. Nothing against it, it's a great TM, but the fact that the Ultrex is a hybrid is a game changer. Word on the street though is MG is working on something that will compete with the Ultrex.

Makes sense.

Is there an airplane at the bottom of the lake?

Got him yesterday. It's the first deer I've gotten with my son. He's still on cloud 9. The last two years he's gone out with me we haven't gotten anything and he was getting frustrated so I'm glad we got one for him. I'm a little rusty judging deer (I don't hunt nearly as much as I used to) so I thought it was a management buck. Oh well, he was happy, hugged me so tight, said thank you and I love you a million times so lifetime memory made.

Both the Striker and Echomap units have Quickdraw though. So you could get a Striker units if that's where your budget is and do your own mapping. 1 million acres worth if I remember correctly.

The Striker and Echomap units do have GPS. The Echomap units have mapping the Striker units don't. The nice thing about the Striker plus units is they have Quickdraw as well.

You never disappoint my friend.

I knew that comment would come from someone. ???

Their necks swell during the rut from chasing the ladies!

Don't run out of steam the popcorn just finished! I've said it before I'll say it again this stuff is free? I've been on here a little over a year. When I first came here I would've looked @Catt picture and saw two kids fishing. Now like @WRB I see a "break line" and I see a few isolated short stumps I'd target first. I don't know if that's correct but it's better than just seeing 2 kids fishing. Thanks guys for your wisdom, insite, help you bring to BR. It truly is priceless. @Team9nine I haven't given up, I'm still reading!

Garmin has a 22 inch unit. I say 2 at the console and 1 at the bow should suffice. Talk to the salesman about a discount. I can't see paying full retail ($9,999 each) if buying multiple units. ?

Speaking Spanish with a Boston accent.... Money well spent in my eyes. ?

No need to up the dosage....those voices are real.

I think there's a good chance. There's a ton of houses being built, so he could easily find work IF he wanted. ? Given his previous carpentry experience.

Yes it is Hez. I command you to give all your fishing equipment to a poor guy name Jeremy in Michigan. If you do I'll give you a free pass at the Gates when your time comes. ?

How do the touch screens do in the rain or with wet fingers/screens? I imagine that was considered and taken care of before hand. I know my work Toughbook gets a little finicky when the screen gets moisture.

Right! It's hard for me to wrap my brain around the idea that in parts of the country bass are pre-spawn. At the rate we're going here in Michigan I'll be walking on water before Christmas! ?

I agree. I would go for the Helix as well. I can't get enough of the MEGA imaging screen shots either.

Awesome write up and sounds like you had a great trip! Going to buy a piggy bank today, destination Lake Baccarac.

Hello from Central Michigan!

Only $300 more for MEGA? That's a no brainer. Still at a price I'll never be able to afford. Lol

With Garmin units you can record a million acres I believe without a card. Humminbird you need to buy a zero line card.